Might And Magic III: Isles Of Terra - Issues

DamienD · 21 October 2018, 18:26

Heya guys,

Someone asked me if I could add Might And Magic III: Isles Of Terra to my collection

Been playing around today but not having much luck and wasted quite a few hours trying numerous things...

From floppy:
It always holts after the starting a new game and showing the display panel no matter what configuration I use.

WHDLoad version:
Not great as when starting a new game there are numerous pauses while loading (constant black screens and sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload).

Native install:
Tried installing to a native .HDF but can't get the game to run without various issues.

Anyone have any success with either of the above methods?

StingRay · 21 October 2018, 18:31

Quote:

WHDLoad version:
Not great as when starting the game there are numerous pauses while loading (constant black screens and sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload).

Try running the patch with CACHE tooltype, it might fix the pause bugs.

Retro-Nerd · 21 October 2018, 20:32

Yep, takes 1-2 minutes with a lot of OS/WHDload switches to create a new save game file. Iirc Pools of Radiance had the same problem when saving a game, then Psygore improved it a lot. I guess a new slave (with less switches) would be nice.

StingRay · 21 October 2018, 21:02

Is a save game created when the game is started? If so, it might help to just copy an empty file with the same size of the save game file to the data directory to avoid the OS swaps and delays.

Retro-Nerd · 21 October 2018, 23:04

Unfortunately this isn't working. I've created a dummy file in the exact same size of the original save and called it "save00.mm3", as the game would do. But with this file inside the game folder M&M III creates a new "save01.mm3" (with the black flashing) when i try to start a new game and ignores the other one.

Retro-Nerd · 21 October 2018, 23:14

Glad it worked.

Quote:

I also abandoned the WHDLoad version with constant black screens and sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload..

This has nothing to do with RAM. It's the OS to WHDLoad and back switching, while creating the save state/game file. This happens only once for every state your create. After that you can save without further "hickups" in the same slot.

StingRay · 21 October 2018, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

Unfortunately this isn't working. I've created a dummy file in the exact same size of the original save and called it "save00.mm3", as the game would do. But with this file inside the game folder M&M III creates a new "save01.mm3" (with the black flashing) when i try to start a new game and ignores the other one.

Ok, then I guess a bug report is in order. Should be a very easy fix for Wepl to adapt the source and increase the IOCACHE size.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

I also abandoned the WHDLoad version with constant black screens plus sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload...

The black screens appear while saving, not during loading. Once all the save game files have been created at least once the OS swaps should disappear. I might open a ticket on the Mantis tracker so Wepl can update the patch.

Edit: Retro-Nerd posted while I wrote my reply.

DamienD · 21 October 2018, 23:20

*** sorry guys, deleted / reposted as I made a last minute change to the .HDF ***

I gave up on the floppy disk version that kept crashing with "HALT2" when about to start the game.

I also abandoned the WHDLoad version with constant black screens plus sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload...

It took a while but I managed to get a native install working perfectly with an AGA configuration and added a menu to load either the "Introduction" or the "Game":

Attached for anyone that wants it

Retro-Nerd · 21 October 2018, 23:22

Lol, what did you do? You moved your post down. Now my post #6 doesn't make sense anymore.

MageMaster · 21 October 2018, 23:50

Sweet.. I spent a ton of time in the game.. same as clouds/darkside/world

Vairn · 22 October 2018, 01:50

Glad you got it sorted, the black screen when loading from floppy is familiar to me.
I remember it happening a lot back on my a500, but not sure about my 1200.
I need to investigate lol

PS. you can ignore my PM I sent before I saw this lol.

malko · 22 October 2018, 02:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

[...]
It took a while but I managed to get a native install working perfectly with an AGA configuration and added a menu to load either the "Introduction" or the "Game": [...]

Nice one Damien !

After several tries, also managed to make it working on an A500 (WinUAE) with the native installer.

StingRay · 22 October 2018, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

Lol, what did you do? You moved your post down. Now my post #6 doesn't make sense anymore.

Neither does mine.

Anyway, I have now opened a report on the Mantis tracker to let Wepl know about this problem.

Retro-Nerd · 22 October 2018, 11:32

Thanks for that, Stingy.

malko · 22 October 2018, 12:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by malko

[...] After several tries, [...]

Looks like the encountered issues were due to a newly but bad HDF file

.
Tested with FFS & PFS3aio : IPF & [cr Oracle] sets are working just fine from HD (WB1.3, 2MB Chip, 8MB Fast) under WinUAE

DamienD · 22 October 2018, 13:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

*** sorry guys, deleted / reposted as I made a last minute change to the .HDF ***

I gave up on the floppy disk version that kept crashing with "HALT2" when about to start the game.

I also abandoned the WHDLoad version with constant black screens plus sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload...

It took a while but I managed to get a native install working perfectly with an AGA configuration and added a menu to load either the "Introduction" or the "Game":

Attached for anyone that wants it

When I created this .HDF yesterday I used this set:

... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 1 of 7)(MM3-Play)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip
... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 2 of 7)(MM3-Games)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip
... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 3 of 7)(MM3-1)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip
... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 4 of 7)(MM3-2)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip
... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 5 of 7)(MM3-3)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip
... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 6 of 7)(MM3-4)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip
... Might & Magic III - Isles of Terra (1992)(New World Computing)(Disk 7 of 7)(MM3-5)[cr OCL][FD installed].zip

I've now re-created the .HDF by installing from the .IPFs and only copying over the cracked "Might&MagicIII" file.

Attached

21 October 2018, 18:26	#1
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	Might And Magic III: Isles Of Terra - Issues Heya guys, Someone asked me if I could add Might And Magic III: Isles Of Terra to my collection Been playing around today but not having much luck and wasted quite a few hours trying numerous things... *From floppy:* It always holts after the starting a new game and showing the display panel no matter what configuration I use. *WHDLoad version:* Not great as when starting a new game there are numerous pauses while loading (constant black screens and sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload). *Native install:* Tried installing to a native .HDF but can't get the game to run without various issues. Anyone have any success with either of the above methods?

21 October 2018, 23:20	#8
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	* sorry guys, deleted / reposted as I made a last minute change to the .HDF * I gave up on the floppy disk version that kept crashing with "HALT2" when about to start the game. I also abandoned the WHDLoad version with constant black screens plus sound stopping while loading despite having more than enough RAM and using preload... It took a while but I managed to get a native install working perfectly with an AGA configuration and added a menu to load either the "Introduction" or the "Game": Attached for anyone that wants it Last edited by DamienD; 22 October 2018 at 13:15.

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21 October 2018, 20:32	#3
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,436	Yep, takes 1-2 minutes with a lot of OS/WHDload switches to create a new save game file. Iirc Pools of Radiance had the same problem when saving a game, then Psygore improved it a lot. I guess a new slave (with less switches) would be nice.

21 October 2018, 21:02	#4
StingRay move.l #$c0ff33,throat Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Berlin/Joymoney Posts: 6,863	Is a save game created when the game is started? If so, it might help to just copy an empty file with the same size of the save game file to the data directory to avoid the OS swaps and delays.

21 October 2018, 23:04	#5
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,436	Unfortunately this isn't working. I've created a dummy file in the exact same size of the original save and called it "save00.mm3", as the game would do. But with this file inside the game folder M&M III creates a new "save01.mm3" (with the black flashing) when i try to start a new game and ignores the other one.

21 October 2018, 23:22	#9
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,436	Lol, what did you do? You moved your post down. Now my post #6 doesn't make sense anymore.

21 October 2018, 23:50	#10
MageMaster Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 106	Sweet.. I spent a ton of time in the game.. same as clouds/darkside/world

22 October 2018, 01:50	#11
Vairn The Grim-Button Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Age: 43 Posts: 414	Glad you got it sorted, the black screen when loading from floppy is familiar to me. I remember it happening a lot back on my a500, but not sure about my 1200. I need to investigate lol PS. you can ignore my PM I sent before I saw this lol.

22 October 2018, 11:32	#14
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,436	Thanks for that, Stingy.

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