Zool WHDLoad Fix please

[Nibbler]

NOW, things get serious !!!!

Galahad, StingRay and ROSS

Love those guys

[Retro1234]

Zool-[AGA][cr Ministry].zip in the Zone seems faster than WHDload version but still has some slowdown didn't try Cpu NOCACHE but anyway CD32 Rip works and maybe on BBS CD32 rip that doesn't need CD32 pad - Needs probably CD.Device to run or SimCD32 or Cd32 Install Kit etc

[daxb]

The Zool slaves say:

Zool ECS is using 512 kb chip and 512kb expansion memory.
Zool CD32 is using 2048 kb chip memory.
Zool2 AGA is using 1024 kb chip memory.
Zool AGA is using 1024 kb chip memory.

All slaves caching all files. I use no enable or disable cache tooltypes and other special tooltypes. Only the common ones like PRELOAD.
Apollo 1240 accelrator has fast chipram access if that makes a difference. As far as I know ACA cards are also fast on chipram accesses.
Maybe the reason because Zool ECS is the fastest (here) is that it uses fastram and chipram. Just guessing.

[ross]

I looked at Zool/Zool2 AGA code, maybe I can do something to fix the slowdown.. if I got some spare time.. no promise.

Cheers,
ross

[Nibbler]

Ross

[ross]

I've not found a files based WHDLoad of Zool (OCS/AGA) (maybe deep in EAB server, but now is too late ) so I've made a simple files extractor from RawDIC images.

Usage: zool_extractor disk.x

Most of files are compressed with *FUNGUS* (you need xfdDecrunch to unpack); PT modules and sfx are plain.
Main code is leaved on disk, the protection is basically not existing, so grab yourself

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

char b[964608];

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    FILE *f1, *f2;

    if ((f1=fopen(argv[1],"rb"))) {
        fread(b,1,964608,f1);

        for(int pos=0x1800; b[pos]; pos+=0x18) {
            if ((f2=fopen(&b[pos],"wb"))) {
                int strt=-0x3000+__builtin_bswap32(*((int*)&b[(pos+0x10)]));
                int len=__builtin_bswap32(*((int*)&b[(pos+0x14)]));
                fwrite(&b[strt],1,len,f2);
                fclose(f2);
            };
        };
        fclose(f1);
    };
    return 0;
}

Compile with GCC (-fno-strict-aliasing).
Attached a binary for Win64.

Good night,
ross

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by ross

so I've made a simple files extractor from RawDIC images.

You could've easily done this using RawDIC as well.

[ross]

Originally Posted by StingRay

You could've easily done this using RawDIC as well.

LOL, and maybe next time I RTFM
(I really never used RawDIC..)

Ok, take it as a random code snippet

Cheers,
ross

[ross]

Ok, I read the guide.
Function

rawdic_SaveDiskFile

from RawDIC use practically the same parameters of my snippet: &b[pos]/strt/len -> a0/a1/d0.

Well, remains useful if you are to lazy to compile code on Amiga

[lordofchaos]

A bit off-topic I know but, could Zool be hacked so there is music+sfx.. For example convert the music to 2 channel and have sfx through the spare channels? Or is that in the realms of fantasy?

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by lordofchaos

A bit off-topic I know but, could Zool be hacked so there is music+sfx.. For example convert the music to 2 channel and have sfx through the spare channels? Or is that in the realms of fantasy?

If you go ahead and convert the music to two channels, then maybe you can tempt someone, but for the time being: fantasy and 'talk is cheap'.
Converting the music to two channels will probably just not be easy/possible/sound like absolute shit.
Converting it to three, maaaaaybe (Why do you need two channels of SFX?)

[lordofchaos]

Originally Posted by Akira

If you go ahead and convert the music to two channels, then maybe you can tempt someone, but for the time being: fantasy and 'talk is cheap'.
Converting the music to two channels will probably just not be easy/possible/sound like absolute shit.
Converting it to three, maaaaaybe (Why do you need two channels of SFX?)

Yeah, 2 channels might prove tricky, better to try 3.. It's always bugged me that Zool didn't have sfx+music together, especially as it was a high profile title..There's been some good hack jobs recently, would be nice to give this platformer some extra love. Saying that, I`m not sure I could be bothered to convert the modules, are they protracker? Not up to speed on anything other than Octamed.

[Retro1234]

This great version of Zool 2 has music and sfx

Originally Posted by Retro1234

For Zool 2 AGA this is the best version http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=41598

I think iirc I Ran Zool CD32 Rip with Hippo player playing in the background and it worked but the SFX and Music clashed.

[Galahad/FLT]

I'm not sure its necessary to compose 3 channel, just have the sfx play over the least noticeable channel, job done.

[lordofchaos]

Hmmm, could work if the songs were re-arranged in a different way, I was always impressed with Mr Nutz, that was optimised for both, although it did some smart channel mixing/ordering..

[ross]

Zool (AGA) code analysis in progress.

Alpha stage for a WHDLoad slave rewrite (from scratch).
I've no idea if can be solved the slowdowns but my approach is different from previous (and i'm sure that Wepl do not approve my slave (ab)use ).

Stay tuned,
ross

[Nibbler]

Great ! Looking forward to test the 16/32 versions of Zool. Just call me Ross.

[ross]

Into The Zone!

[th4t1guy]

I just dropped this on my cd32 to compare to the old slave.

Old version: gfx issues around main sprite, significant slowdowns when multiple enemies on screen.

New version: No gfx issues, and only minor slowdowns with 3+ enemies death animations at once.

I only ran through the first level, but it seems to work pretty good.
Nice work!

[ross]

Originally Posted by th4t1guy

I just dropped this on my cd32 to compare to the old slave.

Hi th4t1guy, can you post complete specs?

Thanks for the report.

Bye,
ross