Cubic Dream in WinUAE

[thor]

I did run the demo Cubic Dream by TRSI (http://planetemu.net/?section=roms&dat=37) and found some problems with it and investigated them further with other versions of WinUAE. All testing was done with the A1200 quickstart settings (or equal ones on 0.8.x versions).
The main problem is that it crashes after the first picture and a garbled screen (pic1) with a guru. That works fine with version upto 0.9.91 and breaks with 0.9.92. Sometimes it shows the screen from pic 1 and continues, but that is very seldom. The second is maybe related as it is also introduced with 0.9.92, where the decrunching counter on loading counts only to about one second instead of over ten seconds. The next problem is a graphics error with the starfield which is present from 0.9.92 onwards too. Instead of the continuous starfield first only a single dot flows to the lower right edge and then only pulses of stars are drawn. The last error is the graphics error from pic 2 and introduced in version 0.9.90 where it is supposed to show a fractal tunnel.

[Paul]

I've just tried this demo again with WinUAE 1.3.4 and get the same prob as thor

Originally Posted by thor

The main problem is that it crashes after the first picture and a garbled screen (pic1) with a guru....snip.....where the decrunching counter on loading counts only to about one second instead of over ten seconds

The only way I managed to get this demo to load & decrunch fully without it crashing with guru was to set CPU Emulation speed to Match A500 speed

I'm using the same images as thor and Quickstart A1200 basic non-expanded config

[Paul]

Also have problems with Virtual Dream / Fairlight 1994 Love Adf version and also have to set CPU Emulation speed to Match A500 speed to stop it crashing

Images from http://cyberpingui.free.fr/oldiesoldsk.htm from Amiga Demos AGA page

[andreas]

Originally Posted by Paul

The only way I managed to get this demo to load & decrunch fully without it crashing with guru was to set CPU Emulation speed to Match A500 speed

Does this count as a bug? I beg to differ.
"Match A500 speed" means that the demo requires very exact "old-school" timing, and that it will cause an at least 50% predictable incompatibility on A1200s. I usually have this option active with OCS/ECS games from 1985-beginning of 1990s.

[Skylight]

But Cubic Dream is an AGA trackmo AFAIK.
So "Match A500 Speed" should be never necessary ...

[sink]

strange i have the same problem/solution with peewee demo by complex without "Match A500 Speed" , the demo crash and if i active "Match A500 Speed" some part are slow but the demo is ok... perhaps a begining of solution for all demos AGa wich don't work properly again.

[Skylight]

hmmm .. then it would be better to have a "Match A1200 speed" function.

It's interesting to see the chipset emulation getting worse instead of getting better ...

But i believe WinUAE and UAE in general is very hard to maintain.
And the AMIGA hardware is still too complicated (or too special) for a perfect software emulation on modern PC's.


Ciao, Rick ...

[Toni Wilen]

FAQ again. I am not going to repeat anymore.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by Skylight

It's interesting to see the chipset emulation getting worse instead of getting better ...

So all those AGA programs that work better now is only an imagination?
(sorry but I get extremely annoyed by these kinds of comments)

[Skylight]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

So all those AGA programs that work better now is only an imagination?
(sorry but I get extremely annoyed by these kinds of comments)

This was no complaint ... i have no real problems with WinUAE in this case.

If something is not working properly in WinUAE, i can use WinFellow if possible.
Or i can use one of my dozens real Amigas (6x A4000, 2x A3000, 5x A1200, 5x A600, 5x A2000, 20x A500, 6x CDTV, 6X CD32) ...

But It's interesting to see that not only improvements were made in the evolution of WinUAE ...
But it's like i said, WinUAE (and AMIGA emulation in general) is not easy to maintain.
And we are still far from perfection ...

Your work on WinUAE is still highly appreciated!


Ciao, Rick ...