ConjurerDragon

I try to get Pool of Radiance to work on my PC under Windows XP SP3 using
the WinUAE emulator.

I already downloaded and installed WinUAE version 2.3.1.0.

When an error occured that no ROM´s were found I directed it to the ROM in the subdirectory of the "RetroClassix" game collection I bought a few years ago.

I downloaded the amiga version of Pool of Radiance and have 3 files in a subdirectory:
PoolofRadiance-1.Adf
PoolofRadiance-2.Adf
poolsave.adf

Using the Quickstart option I got the game to run in a window but could not save anything or leave the game without complaining that nothing could be saved. I guess that was because in quickstart there is only room to add 2 disks and I added the first two files (*1.adf and *2.adf) as disks readonly.

When I tried to run it without quickstart by addind all 3 files as disks and using the fullscreen option I only get a black screen and nothing happens.

Could someone perhaps tell me step-by-step how I need to configure WinUAE to run Pool of Radiance and being able to save and exit without errors?

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Arnie

You can add more Floppy drives in quickstart.

Make a backup of the 3 disks as they are written to during the game. Insert the disks into the floppy drives making sure the read/wirte option is unticked. Press start.

If you go into Pri. & Extentions you can associate .adf files so that double clicking on them will automatically start WinUAE and load the game.

Any errors may be due to the adf or the kickstart images you have.

I briefly loaded the game using quickstart with no errors, so the game does work in WinUAE.

ConjurerDragon

How? I only see DF0 and DF1 slots in the quickstart menu to add .adf files to. Only if I go to the disks menu outside the quickstart menu I see more DF-slots to use for disks.

I associated adf files with WinUAE in that option. Now the adf files are displayed as blue diskettes in the windows explorer. However simply clicking on the poolofradiance-1.adf only gives me a black window.

TCD

You need at least the 1.3 Kickstart image. I assume that if you click on 'Rescan ROMs' on the Paths panel it shows 'A500 Boot ROM 1.3: unavailable' ?

__________________


"I am Polka and that's why I don't like accordions" - CrazyOne, April 2013

ConjurerDragon

No,
"A500 Boot ROM 1.3 available"
However all others listed there are unavailable.

TCD

Okay, then goto the Miscellaneous panel, change 'Graphics API' to 'DirectDraw' and see if that 'fixes' your black fullscreen mode.

__________________


"I am Polka and that's why I don't like accordions" - CrazyOne, April 2013

ConjurerDragon

Now it works. Thankyou

I had already played Pool of Radiance when it was first released on my C-64 and a while ago I purchaesed the PC "Forgotten Realms Archives" that contain that game, too - but I could not get used to the lack of sound and the uglyness of the first MS-DOS versions of the Gold Box games.
And now I´m playing the prettiest version of PoR

Edit: And have already been defeated in a tavern brawl because I entered there before memorizing any spells... But still fun to see that game again after so many years

NatalieEGH

I recently started with WinUAE2.33. I have downloaded Pool of Radiance. I am configuring the df0 as the first .zip file, df1 as the second .zip file, and df2 as POOLDATA.adf (which I created using WinUAE2.33 and must be capital letters, Amiga filenames are case sensitive). I made no other changes to WinUAE2.33 configuration. It had required the name POOLDATA on a previous attempt and would not continue until I said cancel.

I start the configuration.

I get to the screen that has a message window that says:

Direct3D: Newer DirectX Runtime required.
http://go.mircrosoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56513

I just closed the WinUAE message box and closed the browser window opened.

After about 30 seconds the program started.

I created characters and added them to the party and then started to play. I camped and did a save and exited the game.

When I started up the game again and tried to load my game, it is now asking for:

PATH FOR SAVE RETURN = POOLSAVE:

I have tried return, "POOLDATA", "A" (the save file I chose from the list), "POOLDATA:". Nothing seems to work. Does anyone (ConjurerDragon??) have a solution?

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s2325

Try WinUAE save state option.

NatalieEGH

Thank you. That is indeed working. And unlike with saves normally done by the SSI games allows actually naming my saves.

Tempest790

Pool of Radiance is one of my favorite games, and the Amiga version is the best by far. I first played POR on my C64. I then played it on the Amiga and finally the PC along with all the gold box games and the EOB trilogy.

Anyway, I have a character editor for the PC version which allows me to hack the stats to my PC's giving them a lot more hit points, levels, experience, etc. I particularly like the higher level since I can cast more fireballs to speed up combat which can bog down in POR.

I couple of years ago, I finally opened up my save files in a hex editor, and it's pretty simple to figure out. I took my character files (TEMPEST.CHA for example) off the ADF image and placed them in my hard drive folder which allows me direct access to the file on the Windows side. Alternatively, you can load a hex editor straight on the Amiga and make the changes too. Note, this is for the character only not the save game itself which is a lot bigger and more complicated. It's better to export all your characters out and then modify them.

Below is an image of the hex codes:



Although it's a little tedious, I recommend adding your experience points and then leveling them up in the game and then exporting them back out. Although you can directly level them up in the hex editor, you will not get to choose additional spells and it doesn't seem to calculate your stats correctly until you open the character. Since the Amiga POR can crash somewhat frequently, I'd try to keep the modifications to a minimum.

Use your Windows calculator to switch numbers to hexadecimal. For instance 25 Strength (25 is the highest the game will allow in all attributes) you will enter hex 19 (equals 25). Same goes for money. Platinum in hex would be FF which is 255 platinum pieces. Lastly, the experience points are spread over three parts which should be a theoretical maximum of 16,777,216 points. The most you'll need in the game to max out is about 260,000. Hit points max out at 255 but if you're leveling up in the game, make this about 200 to give you some room.

Once you're finished modifying your character, copy it back to the original directory (or back into the ADF like I did). From there you will be able to import it back into your POR game.

I just started playing again to get all my powerful magic items again. I thought I share this tidbit, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Note: Do not attempt to re-run the game back to back when exporting and importing characters as it will crash or error out if you try to encamp. Always do a restart and load the game from scratch to prevent memory issues. You can speed this up by setting your WinUAE floppies to 800% or turbo mode (I use 800% with no issues).

Here's a screenshot of my main character:



The heavy encumbrance is from the arrows +2 which I duplicated. But my Titan 25 strength has no issues with it!

One last note: Some attributes are so great they may cause some in game rolls to "wrap around" and be impossibly difficult. Having 25 strength causes issues with Bash doors in the game for this reason. It's good to have at lease one thief who can then pick any locks with ease.