Fast Red Zone and other fastmem-relocated projects - Page 5

jotd · 14 May 2022, 19:03

haha native english speakers read that differently than us

That came out wrong lol

Angus · 15 May 2022, 14:14

:-)

I have a crash problem, and I am not referring to my biker skills (or lack of them). I have posted a core dump to the Zone.

Similar to previously, I was winning a race (in France!) and shortly before the Finish of the race (but still a few seconds away) the game crashed. Previously it happened at the moment of crossing the line, I think.

Again, it is great fun to play - fantastic job, Jean Francois!

Here are some handy keys, pinched from JOTD's original WHDLoad release

CONTROLS
~~~~~~~~

Miscellaneous Keyboard Controls
-------------------------------

F5 - External View.
F6 - Diaply map on/off (Shows map of current circuit on screen).
F7 - Control Cursor on/off (See your lean degree).
F8 - Track recentering - only while stationary - puts you back on
the rails but gives you a five second penalty.
F9 - Select NTSC/PAL display.
F10 - Display opponent position markers.
DEL - Pause.
C - Toggle through mouse, joystick and keyboard control options.

View Control Keys
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
F1 - Forward View
F2 - Rear View
F3 - Left View
F4 - Right View
SPACE- Rear-View mirrors on/off (Forward View only).
< - Push bike left (Only while stationary)
> - Push bike Right (Only While stationery)

Bike Control
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mouse
-----
Push mouse left and right to turn. The left and right mouse buttons
have similar modes of operation for both automatic and manual. In
automatic: Left = Brake and Right = Accelerate, and in manual,
Left = Brake (release and quick re-press steps down a gear),
right = Accelerate (release and quick press to step up a gear).

Joystick
--------
Push the joystick left and right to turn. The fire button is
the accelerator and joystick down is brake. If operating in
manual mode, change gear by pushing the joystick forwards
to go UP a gear and bakcwards to go DOWN a gear - while the
fire button is pressed.

Keyboard
--------

S - Turn left.
D - Turn right.
L - Accelerate
A - Brake

In Manual Mode :

K - Up a gear
M - Down a gear.

In ALL control modes the cursor keys move your bike left and right -
as if you were pushing it with your feet - but only while its stationery.

jotd · 15 May 2022, 16:55

I have changed my access fault avoid parameters. It was too laxist. I uploaded "fast_object" in the zone. Overwrite the old one in data by that one and tell me.

I'm pretty confident that it will work even if that means that there could be some temporary graphical corruption when the bug occurs but I can fix that too I think.

Angus · 16 May 2022, 21:55

It behaved as before Jean Francois, a crash shortly before the finish. I noticed it was exactly the same filesize as the previous file, is that as it should be?

jotd · 18 May 2022, 00:03

same size is expected. I have zoned a new exe.

I also confirm that using replays crash the game with a nasty access fault. Probably not going to fix that... We'll see. Maybe I will. It doesn't happen in the original game with original code in chipmem.

Oh and "Shuttle" with faster framerate will soon be available as whdload update

Angus · 18 May 2022, 10:46

Oh my God!!! :-)

jotd · 18 May 2022, 17:34

fixed access fault on replay section! now game is really better than the original part.

whdload package updated.

Angus · 18 May 2022, 21:35

Awesome work, Jean-Francois!

Angus · 20 May 2022, 20:30

Ah-ha! I see Shuttle has apperared on the WHDLoad website. :-)

jotd · 09 July 2022, 23:25

Just fixed CastleMaster and found out that making it run in fastmem was not that hard. After doing that I tried on my 68060 with and without fastmem, and the result was soooo different

With chip only, the game crawls at 5 FPS. With fastmem, I had to introduce speed regulation else the game runs too fast

(like it does in winuae)

Reynolds · 10 July 2022, 09:37

So Castle Master have beem improved too? Sounds great!

alexh · 27 July 2022, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

Just fixed CastleMaster and found out that making it run in fastmem was not that hard. After doing that I tried on my 68060 with and without fastmem, and the result was soooo different

With chip only, the game crawls at 5 FPS. With fastmem, I had to introduce speed regulation else the game runs too fast

(like it does in winuae)

I remember you wrote this. I thought you might like to see a video of the Atari ST version of Castlemaster running with a TF536 (030@50)

[ Show youtube player ]

jotd · 27 July 2022, 20:50

yes that is probably as fast as the amiga version in fastmem. Atari doesn't have chipmem speed issues.

note that the game is too fast and needs regulation

alexh · 28 July 2022, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

Atari doesn't have chipmem speed issues?

It does. It's equivalent ST-RAM has the same limitations. 8MHz bus speed + bandwidth limited due to other DMA masters.

This is being overcome on the Atari WITHOUT changing the game code (to relocate to Fast-RAM) by adding an L2 write through cache covering ST-RAM to TF536 FW.

I don't think you can do this with the Amiga without putting a duplicate copper chip inside the TF536 and I don't think it's CPLD is big enough.

On the ST it's just the FDC, HDC, blitter. Plus games were written to support ST's without a blitter

jotd · 28 July 2022, 10:52

Good information. I didn't know that ST could do DMA (well I knew that the STE had a blitter though, so DMA is there).

The funny thing is: the game has a reloc table. It just allocates chip memory for its code. So the job was really easier than for Red Zone. Just move the music module back to chip, and the rest works without any change.

Angus · 28 July 2022, 11:17

Didn't the 3D Construction Kit use the same (Freescape?) system as Castlemaster? Don't suppose that could utilise the same work you've done with Castlemaster, Jean-Francois?

[ Show youtube player ]

Update:

Hey, I didn't know there was a WHDLoad patch. :-) Nobody was interested when I asked - but that was probably 20 years ago. But by the look of it, it still needs chip memory.

jotd · 28 July 2022, 14:13

Maybe it's quite easy to adapt it to fast memory. Will check that out.

Angus · 28 July 2022, 18:24

That would be great - we could have a fast 3D game writing competition on EAB. :-)

jotd · 28 July 2022, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angus

That would be great - we could have a fast 3D game writing competition on EAB. :-)

Ahh Psygore did that. Psygore = no source code _ever_. You'll have to ask him

alexh · 29 July 2022, 10:08

We're going slightly off topic here talking about Freescape / Castlemaster but there are 3 other games based on the same Engine (codebase?) that might be easy to patch for FASTRAM too? Their slaves were all by Codetapper.

https://hol.abime.net/434 http://whdload.de/games/Driller.html
https://hol.abime.net/275 http://whdload.de/games/DarkSide.html
https://hol.abime.net/1473 http://whdload.de/games/TotalEclipse.html

18 May 2022, 00:03	#85
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	same size is expected. I have zoned a new exe. I also confirm that using replays crash the game with a nasty access fault. Probably not going to fix that... We'll see. Maybe I will. It doesn't happen in the original game with original code in chipmem. Oh and "Shuttle" with faster framerate will soon be available as whdload update Last edited by jotd; 18 May 2022 at 11:00.

28 July 2022, 11:17	#96
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	Didn't the 3D Construction Kit use the same (Freescape?) system as Castlemaster? Don't suppose that could utilise the same work you've done with Castlemaster, Jean-Francois? [ Show youtube player ] Update: Hey, I didn't know there was a WHDLoad patch. :-) Nobody was interested when I asked - but that was probably 20 years ago. But by the look of it, it still needs chip memory. Last edited by Angus; 28 July 2022 at 11:44.

29 July 2022, 10:08	#100
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,337	We're going slightly off topic here talking about Freescape / Castlemaster but there are 3 other games based on the same Engine (codebase?) that might be easy to patch for FASTRAM too? Their slaves were all by Codetapper. https://hol.abime.net/434 http://whdload.de/games/Driller.html https://hol.abime.net/275 http://whdload.de/games/DarkSide.html https://hol.abime.net/1473 http://whdload.de/games/TotalEclipse.html Last edited by alexh; 29 July 2022 at 10:18.

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14 May 2022, 19:03	#81
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	haha native english speakers read that differently than us That came out wrong lol

15 May 2022, 14:14	#82
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	:-) I have a crash problem, and I am not referring to my biker skills (or lack of them). I have posted a core dump to the Zone. Similar to previously, I was winning a race (in France!) and shortly before the Finish of the race (but still a few seconds away) the game crashed. Previously it happened at the moment of crossing the line, I think. Again, it is great fun to play - fantastic job, Jean Francois! Here are some handy keys, pinched from JOTD's original WHDLoad release CONTROLS ~~~~~~~~ Miscellaneous Keyboard Controls ------------------------------- F5 - External View. F6 - Diaply map on/off (Shows map of current circuit on screen). F7 - Control Cursor on/off (See your lean degree). F8 - Track recentering - only while stationary - puts you back on the rails but gives you a five second penalty. F9 - Select NTSC/PAL display. F10 - Display opponent position markers. DEL - Pause. C - Toggle through mouse, joystick and keyboard control options. View Control Keys ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ F1 - Forward View F2 - Rear View F3 - Left View F4 - Right View SPACE- Rear-View mirrors on/off (Forward View only). < - Push bike left (Only while stationary) > - Push bike Right (Only While stationery) Bike Control ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mouse ----- Push mouse left and right to turn. The left and right mouse buttons have similar modes of operation for both automatic and manual. In automatic: Left = Brake and Right = Accelerate, and in manual, Left = Brake (release and quick re-press steps down a gear), right = Accelerate (release and quick press to step up a gear). Joystick -------- Push the joystick left and right to turn. The fire button is the accelerator and joystick down is brake. If operating in manual mode, change gear by pushing the joystick forwards to go UP a gear and bakcwards to go DOWN a gear - while the fire button is pressed. Keyboard -------- S - Turn left. D - Turn right. L - Accelerate A - Brake In Manual Mode : K - Up a gear M - Down a gear. In ALL control modes the cursor keys move your bike left and right - as if you were pushing it with your feet - but only while its stationery.

15 May 2022, 16:55	#83
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	I have changed my access fault avoid parameters. It was too laxist. I uploaded "fast_object" in the zone. Overwrite the old one in data by that one and tell me. I'm pretty confident that it will work even if that means that there could be some temporary graphical corruption when the bug occurs but I can fix that too I think.

16 May 2022, 21:55	#84
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	It behaved as before Jean Francois, a crash shortly before the finish. I noticed it was exactly the same filesize as the previous file, is that as it should be?

18 May 2022, 10:46	#86
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	Oh my God!!! :-)

18 May 2022, 17:34	#87
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	fixed access fault on replay section! now game is really better than the original part. whdload package updated.

18 May 2022, 21:35	#88
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	Awesome work, Jean-Francois!

20 May 2022, 20:30	#89
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	Ah-ha! I see Shuttle has apperared on the WHDLoad website. :-)

09 July 2022, 23:25	#90
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	Just fixed CastleMaster and found out that making it run in fastmem was not that hard. After doing that I tried on my 68060 with and without fastmem, and the result was soooo different With chip only, the game crawls at 5 FPS. With fastmem, I had to introduce speed regulation else the game runs too fast (like it does in winuae)

10 July 2022, 09:37	#91
Reynolds Alien Breeder Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Szigetszentmiklos / Hungary Age: 46 Posts: 1,096	So Castle Master have beem improved too? Sounds great!

27 July 2022, 20:50	#93
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	yes that is probably as fast as the amiga version in fastmem. Atari doesn't have chipmem speed issues. note that the game is too fast and needs regulation

28 July 2022, 10:52	#95
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	Good information. I didn't know that ST could do DMA (well I knew that the STE had a blitter though, so DMA is there). The funny thing is: the game has a reloc table. It just allocates chip memory for its code. So the job was really easier than for Red Zone. Just move the music module back to chip, and the rest works without any change.

28 July 2022, 14:13	#97
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,162	Maybe it's quite easy to adapt it to fast memory. Will check that out.

28 July 2022, 18:24	#98
Angus Amiga Games Database Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West England Posts: 1,240	That would be great - we could have a fast 3D game writing competition on EAB. :-)

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