Mutation Gold Compilation - only 2 out of 5 games work.

MethodGit · 12 July 2011, 01:36

Pretty sure I mentioned this before in the Mutation Gold thread, but I thought I'd try this again to see if a more recent version of WinUAE (2.3.2 in this case) fixed things.

Well, it still appears to be the case that - under a CD³² quickstart setting - I can only get Doodlebug and Cyberpunks to actually run. The other three titles look like they're about to get somewhere (the 'CD' light flickers for a good ten seconds or so), but then it stops dead, and nothing on-screen materialises. Attempting to add a meg or two of Fast RAM does not improve the situation. Attempting to inspect the code in memory when it freezes doesn't really explain anything. I am running an ISO image through the emulator, not mounted. I made a full winuaelog.txt while it loaded but looking at it afterwards didn't show any particular errors towards the end. I can attach it anyway if still needed.

I know Adrian mentioned something about this CD's loading system being very picky, but is it that picky enough that only 20% of the compilation is actually playable on a stock CD³²?

(For those interested in taking a look, it's in the File Server under "CD\AmigaCD\Game".)

Mclane · 12 July 2011, 17:56

Just tried it myself and get the same problem, tried the delay config option and that didn't fix it.

One for Toni or duff image?

Toni Wilen · 12 July 2011, 20:11

Seems to be some RNC CD32 loader special case that is not handled completely yet.

It plays with CD command DMA pointers and offsets without disabling command DMA. Either something is not emulated completely yet or this thing only works accidentally (on a real CD32 because of CD firmware timing..)

Toni Wilen · 05 December 2011, 11:46

All games should finally load in next version.

Toni Wilen · 05 December 2011, 18:41

This is much more interesting problem after all..

Those 3 games DO NOT work on my real CD32 either! (First 2 works). Tested with 2 CD32s.

Technical details of the problem:

Games use RNC loader.

Non-working games set Akiko CD DMA base address to unaligned address. CD32 internal driver and all RNC CD32 loader games (except this one) use 64k alignment. These 3 non-working games use 4k alignment which obviously is not supported by hardware (CD DMA controller inside Akiko chip)

So either there is Akiko revision that supports 4k alignment or this compilation never worked which does not make much sense..

Any ideas?

Non-working games load on emulation if 64k alignment restriction is removed. (Except Tommy Gun which hangs after "please wait" screen, again does something weird with CD hardware)

Perhaps there is some kind of CD32 development hardware that has different chipset revision? (Or my CD32s are borken)

MethodGit · 08 December 2011, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

All games should finally load in next version.

Oooo thanks! Do you mean they're playable in the currently available beta or in the next beta you plan to bring out?

And it's quite unfortunate to hear that this compilation causes problems on genuine hardware too. Its "load games from HD" function appears to be similarly broken too, or at least I've been dismally unsuccessful with it. Something tells me this poor thing needs a WHDJab at some point!

If it uses the RNC CD loader though, I wonder if it's something musashi can fix? He did wonders with the Uridium 2 CD³² conversion after all.

Retro1234 · 08 December 2011, 15:15

Maybe he uploaded a beta by acciedent I think he said it ran fine on his A4000 from HD
I dont know if you can shed any light but when I run the first 2 games from HD on my A1200 as soon as I press any button on the CD32 PAD they reset - I assume for some reason it goes into 2 button button mode causing this bug.

Yeah the WHDload treatment would be great.

MethodGit · 30 September 2013, 13:11

Went back to this compilation today to see how well it performed under the latest stable release (2.6.1).

The good news - 4 out of the 5 games now work correctly and are playable. Only Tommy Gun still seems to have an issue - it'll get to the initial loading screen but then stay on that screen forevermore, with no progress to the next set of screens forthcoming. Not sure why of course.

Tested under the CD³² quickstart config, as always.

Toni Wilen · 30 September 2013, 19:38

It works 100% correctly = it hangs. Only real problem is that those 2 also shouldn't work!

12 July 2011, 01:36	#1
MethodGit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Streets Age: 39 Posts: 2,731	Mutation Gold Compilation - only 2 out of 5 games work. Pretty sure I mentioned this before in the Mutation Gold thread, but I thought I'd try this again to see if a more recent version of WinUAE (2.3.2 in this case) fixed things. Well, it still appears to be the case that - under a CD³² quickstart setting - I can only get Doodlebug and Cyberpunks to actually run. The other three titles look like they're about to get somewhere (the 'CD' light flickers for a good ten seconds or so), but then it stops dead, and nothing on-screen materialises. Attempting to add a meg or two of Fast RAM does not improve the situation. Attempting to inspect the code in memory when it freezes doesn't really explain anything. I am running an ISO image through the emulator, not mounted. I made a full winuaelog.txt while it loaded but looking at it afterwards didn't show any particular errors towards the end. I can attach it anyway if still needed. I know Adrian mentioned something about this CD's loading system being very picky, but is it that picky enough that only 20% of the compilation is actually playable on a stock CD³²? (For those interested in taking a look, it's in the File Server under "CD\AmigaCD\Game".)

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12 July 2011, 17:56	#2
Mclane Old retro god. Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Northolt, West London Age: 62 Posts: 857	Just tried it myself and get the same problem, tried the delay config option and that didn't fix it. One for Toni or duff image?

12 July 2011, 20:11	#3
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	Seems to be some RNC CD32 loader special case that is not handled completely yet. It plays with CD command DMA pointers and offsets without disabling command DMA. Either something is not emulated completely yet or this thing only works accidentally (on a real CD32 because of CD firmware timing..)

05 December 2011, 11:46	#4
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	All games should finally load in next version.

05 December 2011, 18:41	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	This is much more interesting problem after all.. Those 3 games DO NOT work on my real CD32 either! (First 2 works). Tested with 2 CD32s. Technical details of the problem: Games use RNC loader. Non-working games set Akiko CD DMA base address to unaligned address. CD32 internal driver and all RNC CD32 loader games (except this one) use 64k alignment. These 3 non-working games use 4k alignment which obviously is not supported by hardware (CD DMA controller inside Akiko chip) So either there is Akiko revision that supports 4k alignment or this compilation never worked which does not make much sense.. Any ideas? Non-working games load on emulation if 64k alignment restriction is removed. (Except Tommy Gun which hangs after "please wait" screen, again does something weird with CD hardware) Perhaps there is some kind of CD32 development hardware that has different chipset revision? (Or my CD32s are borken)

08 December 2011, 15:15	#7
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,773	Maybe he uploaded a beta by acciedent I think he said it ran fine on his A4000 from HD I dont know if you can shed any light but when I run the first 2 games from HD on my A1200 as soon as I press any button on the CD32 PAD they reset - I assume for some reason it goes into 2 button button mode causing this bug. Yeah the WHDload treatment would be great.

30 September 2013, 13:11	#8
MethodGit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Streets Age: 39 Posts: 2,731	Went back to this compilation today to see how well it performed under the latest stable release (2.6.1). The good news - 4 out of the 5 games now work correctly and are playable. Only Tommy Gun still seems to have an issue - it'll get to the initial loading screen but then stay on that screen forevermore, with no progress to the next set of screens forthcoming. Not sure why of course. Tested under the CD³² quickstart config, as always.

30 September 2013, 19:38	#9
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	It works 100% correctly = it hangs. Only real problem is that those 2 also shouldn't work!

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