amiga game configs

[ransom1122]

Hi,

Is there a database of configs for all adf games??

for example the exact config to make the game run at its optimum,

I ask because different games require different setups, would be nice to have saved configs we can all share.

thanks

[s2325]

try http://www.back2roots.org/Games/ADF-Games/

[Toni Wilen]

Quickstart config, just load your normal configuration, select correct quickstart model, click set configuration and your configuration's hardware settings are replaced with correct real-world Amiga setup.

Of course this does not solve problem of guessing correct Amiga configuration and there are no config that works with all games. (real or emulated)

I also wouldn't trust those BTTR configs too much anymore. They can be used as a starting point (for example to check if slow memory is needed etc..) but don't complain if something does not work anymore even if it says so

[ma693541]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I also wouldn't trust those BTTR configs too much anymore. They can be used as a starting point (for example to check if slow memory is needed etc..) but don't complain if something does not work anymore even if it says so

That's because they use a old version of WinUAE for the configs and the new, last public version of WinUAE have more options for fine tuning the config than the old one used by BTTR. I maybe have got this wrong, but i have read it here on EAB about the configs.

[Toni Wilen]

I think biggest reason is that many old configurations depend on old emulation bugs, for example blitter speed was very wrong in some situations in very old UAE versions: Previously working configuration equals flickering garbage today. (and today's configuration would not work on old UAE version)

I always recommend testing A500 Quickstart most common + cycle exact mode first. (if not, another is 1M Chip RAM only config for older games. 1M Chip because "real" 512k usually means not enough memory if any external floppy drive is enabled)

If either works, then you can start adjusting configuration (for example disable cycle-exact if you want less CPU usage etc..)

[ma693541]

Yep. You should know your own WinUAE builds best, Toni. Keep up the good work on it.

[ransom1122]

Thanks Toni,

So there is no complete file set of configs for all games? It would be nice if there existed one, so we all can have the exact config for each game instead of everyone fiddling and spending time to adjust configs on every game.

Anyone else with comments please feel free to reply
Thanks everyone

[brolly]

What default config is most of you guys using for whdload games btw?

I'm using the default A1200 fast ram 4MB expanded config with cycle exact active, but seems most people don't use cycle exact for A1200 or whdload games so what would work better? I know A1200 emulation still isn't accurate enough, but still curious to hear what Toni for example would say is the best option, leave cycle exact on or off.

Also any particular settings changes I should look into when dealing with AGA versus non-AGA games?

[ransom1122]

"Also any particular settings changes I should look into when dealing with AGA versus non-AGA games?"

yeah good to know.

Also my ideal thought for configs is to have the best config for each and every amiga game saved, by people who know what the exact configs are for each game.
This way it will make playing amiga games so easy and fun.

[brolly]

Most games will work just fine with one of the default configs ransom, you just need to find if the game runs in ECS, OCS or AGA and select accordingly. Only a few stubborn games will require some very specific configurations, mostly memory related.

[Toni Wilen]

A500 with 512k chip and 512k slow, KS1.2 or KS1.3, 1 external drive (not more), ocs: this is the most common A500 configuration. At least over 95% of A500 games will work.

Some very old games don't like fast ram or require KS 1.2.

There is practically only one A1200 configuration for disk based games, basic A1200, no expansion RAM.

[brolly]

Toni, any suggestions for whdload games? Would really like to hear your opinion on the subject.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by brolly

Toni, any suggestions for whdload games? Would really like to hear your opinion on the subject.

It is very game and slave specific.

JIT should be usually disabled.
Immediate blitter may help if you want to keep fastest possible enabled and there are random graphics glitches.
Cycle exact is rarely needed.

Use of uae-configuration via whdload.prefs to switch JIT/fastest possible on and off automatically is probably the best of the both worlds solution (fast WB, compatible with games)

[brolly]

Thanks, you mean add something like this to whdload.prefs:
ExecuteStartup=uae-configuration cpu_speed real cachesize 0
ExecuteCleanup=uae-configuration cpu_speed max cachesize 8192

Should I use fastest possible for all games or AGA only? I was assuming non-AGA would probably work better with Approximate A500 or A500/A1200 cycle-exact.
I never have JIT enabled btw, so maybe this isn't even necessary because it's never active on my config.

These are the settings I found on another thread, do they look about right to you?
AGA Games : collision_level=playfields|cpu_speed=max|finegrain_cpu_speed=max|immediate_blits=false|cpu_compatible=false|cpu_cycle_exact=false|blitter_cycle_exact=false|cycle_exact=false
(don't think finegrain_cpu_speed is used anymore?)

Non-AGA Games: collision_level=playfields|cpu_speed=real|immediate_blits=false|cpu_compatible=false|cpu_cycle_exact=false|blitter_cycle_exact=false|cycle_exact=false

Not sure about cpu_compatible off for Non-AGA games, again I was assuming having it on would be more accurate.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by brolly

Thanks, you mean add something like this to whdload.prefs:
ExecuteStartup=uae-configuration cpu_speed real cachesize 0
ExecuteCleanup=uae-configuration cpu_speed max cachesize 8192

Yeah.

Should I use fastest possible for all games or AGA only? I was assuming non-AGA would probably work better with Approximate A500 or A500/A1200 cycle-exact.

Again, depends on game..

AGA Games : collision_level=playfields|cpu_speed=max|finegrain_cpu_speed=max|immediate_blits=false|cpu_compatible=false|cpu_cycle_exact=false|blitter_cycle_exact=false|cycle_exact=false

cycle_exact=false equals cpu_cycle_exact=false blitter_cycle_exact=false. No need to have both. I also recommend ordering these so that it makes more sense, first disable cycle_exact, then set cpu speed to max. (Strange order may not always work)

Not sure why collision_level is included. It rarely needs to be changed.

(don't think finegrain_cpu_speed is used anymore?)

It did something in approximate cpu speed modes. It never did anything if fastest possible. Was replaced with new CPU speed adjustment.

Not sure about cpu_compatible off for Non-AGA games

cpu_compatible means prefetch emulation (and only affects approximate speed 68000. 68020 will be implemented in next version) which shouldn't be needed with whdload because it means self-modifying code which usually don't work with 68040+ = fixed in slave.

[brolly]

Thanks Toni, great info as usual. Had no clue that the order of the settings could make a difference, good to know.