Theme Park HD install issues

[britain4]

Ok I thought I'd be best making a new thread on this since the last one I created isn't 100% relevant to the issue I'm having.

Basically I have installed Theme Park AGA to my hard drive. It gives an error when I try and run it from Workbench but runs fine from command line, which will do.

The problems I'm having are:

Saves don't save - I can access them as long as I'm playing but as soon as I quit the game the saves are gone, verified by looking in the Saves folder of the install.

When I click the tick to exit the Stock screen the colours invert and it stops doing anything. Music continues to play and the screen flashes when I click the tick but the screen is un-exitable and requires a restart of the game.

Any suggestions? I really want to get this game working!

[edd_jedi]

Have had exactly the same problem myself with both the WHDLoad and regular installs, I posted about it a while ago. The only reliable saving I have encountered is both running the game and saving via floppy

I agree, low floppy space is probably the reason. The Amiga I made the test on has 2MB chip and 8MB fast, so insufficient RAM should not be the reason.

[Tsak]

Same deal here (more or less)...

Theme Park is a cool classic and it's unfortunate to see that after all those years, the game still has a ton of issues that remain unsolved....

I'll try to list some of those (together with possible workarounds). For the record, the machine I'm using is a 1200 equipped with a blizzard 030/50 with 64mb. The Theme Park version is the AGA one:

-whdload version: completely unplayable after a few minutes due to severe frame rate drop. This seems to be unrelated with what is going on on screen...

-floppy versions: I tried to play the game from floppy but it refuses to work... After a couple of seconds reading the first disk, the game reaches a light blue screen and the machine freezes. I tried various floppies and even created new disks from adf versions but always the result is the same. I can verify that the game DID work ok from floppies when I had my 1200 without the accelerator. Perhaps this is the culprit here?

-HD installed version (SFS partition): as @britain4 pointed out:
a) double click on the "GO" icon (that starts the game) crashes the system. This can be bypassed -though- if you run the game from cli or simply double click and execute the "park" file within the folder (which bypasses the intro).
b) Saving does not work correctly. While you can save and load fine in one gaming session, once you close the game all your saves are gone (and the saves folder remains empty)! This is quite strange actually cause after numerous attempts I DID manage to save once (but only once in -say- 30 tries). After that, still nothing...
c) Stock screen issue: I cannot confirm that problem. It seems my version works fine here.

-HD installed version (FFS partition): This is the only option that worked for me. Here game saving works and save files are indeed created but still the whole deal is inconsistent and has various issues:
Saves created are named after the name you choose at the "player name" or "nickname" tag when you start a new game. But if you select any name, other then "bullfrog" (which is the default one at the setup screen) and you do a new save using that, the next time you start the game again it seems that all your saves are gone (even though those are still inside the saves folder). There's a solution to this: you need to start a new game and select at the setup screen the same name you used at your saves. You don't need to fill in any other info here, just the name. Then, after the game starts your saves will be accessible once again.
Unfortunately (and here is the inconsistency) this does not always works as so... Sometimes, the saves are still nowhere to be loaded. In that case (and if you are still ...ahem..."logged-in" with the same name) what you need to do is simply make a new save (prefferably at an unused slot, in order not to overwrite your other saves). This will -again- make your saves accessible.

Bugs aside, this above logging-like system that affects saving and loading is quite strange actually cause it seems to be deliberate. The game offers only 9 slots for saving but this is restricted per name used. In that sense you can have -f.e.- 9 saves (total) under the name "BULLFROG" and another 9 saves under the name "TSAK" and so on... A close look at the saves name structure reveals this: So you'd have saves named like BULLFROG.g0, BULLFROG.g1, TSAK.g0, TSAK.g1 e.t.c.

The unfortunate thing here is that there's no hint or indication for the end user that this system exists (if that's really the case after all) and how to use it... At the start menu, the game gives you only access to save games named after the BULLFROG default -if you have any- otherwise you'd get only empty slots (even though your saves directory might be full with saves named otherwise).
Your only option (as mentioned above) in order to access those saves is to start a new game using the same name you used before, go through the complete procedure and -finally load within the game.
And as a cherry on top, there's not a single mention about the whole deal at the manual...
Go figure...

[Torti-the-Smurf]

Exactly

The original had a save bug that left the filesystem in an unvalidated state....
so it would save on a FFS partition, but would validate after a reset, and if you use PFS or anythink like that,
nothing was actually saved.

Also, it uses some sort of Midi adapter software solution for the AGA version that makes it painfully slow,
and in WHDLoad unplaybale ( 2 frames per second 1.3 kick and no cache support)

The CD32 release is better because they ripped that midi thing out, so it runs way better,
but even then they screw up the save feature. Nothing will be saved, only the money !!!

That is also a problem for the WHdload install.

So, if you want to play Theme park the best option for now would be to play the OCS version
until the Whdload salves get fixed.
(code to fastmem, cache support, keyboard fix for the cd version & actually been able to save in the CD32 version)

Its also interresting that in the CD release (NOT the cd32) there are 2 folders on the disc, one with the OCS version,
the other with a AGA version.

The weird thing is that the AGA version on that CD has all the same files and bugs like the floppy AGA version ,
but it misses those files compared to the AGA Floppy version:

PCSTOCK.PAL
BSTSPR-0.DAT
BSTSPR-0.TAB
apalette-0.dat

It runs just as bad.

So, theme park on the Amiga is F. up and so is the WHD version

[Torti-the-Smurf]

I made a small 3.1 based WHDLoad Pack.
It runs better then the WHDload specific Slave.

https://eab.abime.net/zone/ThemeParkTortiWHD.lha

[Seiya]

the game save correctly when installed on HD (if you watch in your "save" directory you see the save file. The problem is that the game don't load the same file it creates if you return to workbench and than start the game again.
The saves working only in the current session.

[Torti-the-Smurf]

It saves to the HD when installed (save folder), but it does not validate the file.

After you reset the Amiga the whole drive will be validated, because FFS checks for errors.
(but the file is still there and can be loaded again)

There will be no file, when you use the PFS filesystem for example.

With this pack you can load your saves again. Its save and works also with PFS

[derSammler]

Originally Posted by Torti-the-Smurf

It saves to the HD when installed (save folder), but it does not validate the file.

Since when has a game to validate files? That is the task of the OS, not the application.

[Aardvark]

If you have 040+ and AGA or RTG then the Mac version plays smoothly

[Torti-the-Smurf]

@Aardvark : I have heard that, but never tried Shapeshifte (besides, the Minimig doesn´t support 040)

@ Sammler
Exactly. Theme Park turns it off, and for the moment it saves, its still off.
hence why its corrupt/not validated. (that is also the case for example; Neon Noir) - just try it XD

1) Download Neon Noir (its free) https://steamknight.itch.io/neonnoir
2) Start the game and save
3) RESET your amiga (DONT quit to the WB)
4) you will see that the whole drive gets validated (when FFS is used) or that there is no file at all with PFS

5) Now, lets try that again... load Neoin Noir, Save.... and after that .. use the ingame option in Neon Noir to go back to the WB... as soon as you are back in the WB the HD flashes and the Validation was made. Means no FFS error check and the file in PFS is there. (there is even a warning in the latest build about that ... but that is not public yet *caugh caugh*)

@Seiya Dont change the nickname. Leave it at Bullfrog.
(otherwise you have to start a new game, remember the nickname you had used the last time, then quit this session, return to the main menu and THEN load your savegame )

Thats why i always leave the Nickname as Bullfrog.
You start the game and can immediately load your save (because Bullfrog is default),
and all you stuff and all the parks are right there

[Seiya]

ah ok, thanks

[Octopus66]

This is very interesting. So for the normal HD version are saying you need to exit to wb/dos to allow the system to validate the game saves? If you reset the whole partition will need validating?

[Torti-the-Smurf]

Originally Posted by Seiya

ah ok, thanks

Your welcome

Originally Posted by Octopus66

This is very interesting. So for the normal HD version are saying you need to exit to wb/dos to allow the system to validate the game saves? If you reset the whole partition will need validating?

Exactly

Theme park has no return to WB function and after the 3 finger reset the partition will be validated
(FFS) or the file is not even there (PFS).

Exactly the same as in Neon Noir, but there is a back to WB option at least.
(and immediately when you are back to WB the HD flashes... thats the validation; thats not normal/a bug.)

Thats, ok for Mass (who made Neon noir)
but for a "professional" Studio like Bullfrog, who wated full price for this, its unacceptable


They dont gave a single f. at this point

I mean the CD32 version dont save at all !!! (well.... only the money..nothing else)

Great,.... can you imagine that; playing such a long game,
where you put so many hours into it and you are not even able to save...???

i mean... WHAT WHERE THEY THINKING ???

[Seiya]

i understood how it works both version:

Exit game and return to Workbench is: F7 from main menu

ECS version working with none nickname (so the option must be empty)
AGA version working with nickname "BULLFROG"

[Torti-the-Smurf]

Nice ! So, Theme Park lets you Quiet to WB ! (F7)

[ Show youtube player ]



But it doesn't like setpatch ( Mouse pointer colours are wrong )

So, i stick to my WHDLoad Pack for now

[Daedalus]

I don't ever remember having these issues with Theme Park AGA when I installed it on my hard drive back in the day. Saving to hard drive worked just fine on FFS, and again on SFS (haven't tried it on PFS). I wonder if there are a couple of different versions out there, perhaps later releases were bug fixed?

Indeed, it's not the game's job to validate a file, it's the responsibility of DOS to do that. But it *is* the responsibility of the game to close the file. If that doesn't happen, the filesystem doesn't know it has to validate the file, and thus the bitmap is invalid for FFS, or the file simply doesn't exist (SFS/PFS). It might be that the game simply doesn't wait long enough before returning to the gameplay (which suspends the OS), but whatever the reason, rebooting with a file open for writing will result in an invalid file or filesystem, regardless of the root cause.

[Torti-the-Smurf]

Exactly (validation n stuff)

Not sure about an "official" fixed version... hmmm

I even tried the CD releases from Mindcape and Acid Software;
(which have Theme Park AGA & ECS on it)
and when memory serves me right they had the same issue.

Maybe there was fixed cracked version.......

[Daedalus]

Maybe... I had a "backup" version, but I'm 99% sure they were backups of the original disks my friend had. It was originally installed on FFS, but at one of my hard drive upgrades I switched to SFS, and the original installation was copied over.

I still have that installation on my A1200 to this day, along with my save files. I must fire it up again and see if I can spot anything funky...

[Torti-the-Smurf]

You still have your Amiga and HD from back then ?

Thats amazing !!!

I wish i could say the same, but mine was stolen... no kidding
(A1200 blizzard 30/50mhz)

It "vanished" in the 1 Year i did community service

A mystery to this very day.
And not only that; all my Amiga Joker Magazines where also gone ....