Discussion: Rygar AGA Edition

[ross]

WHDLoad is a great and complete package, with support of various cases and all processors setup.
You need to emulate his functions, absolutely doable but not in a trivial way.
Remember that if you start a program from WB there can be much resources allocated which must be restored (take for example the considerable RYGAR's use of chip RAM, this must be 'moved/restored', WHDLoad does it transparently).

[Devlin]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I'm sorry guys but I still don't see the reason for the WHDLoad version. This is an AmigaDOS game, the source code is available, obviously I'm missing something here.

All the game launchers that can run WHDLoad LHAs without a second thought springs to mind.
It might be more convenient in cases where the original binary can't be used (morphos etc?)

[mcgeezer]

I might take a look at this to see how viable it is.

When the system goes down it looks like I call Disable() and Forbid() but I also Save and overwrite the copper.

I guess a good start would be to call Enable() and Permit before using AmigaDOS again to use the harddrive, but would I need to re-enable the previous copper list and restore the CIA timers as well, doing so would kaput the module player for a start.

All that would be very new territory for me and I really don't want to risk breaking people's hard drives.

Geezer

[jotd]

you cannot break hard drives by just reading to it. But you can crash the machine all right

Writing is something else...

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by jotd

you cannot break hard drives by just reading to it. But you can crash the machine all right

Writing is something else...

Been thinking about it and i really would prefer to keep this on a whdload.
Anything else will just distract me from completing the game.

[ross]

jotd can create a slave without too much difficulty
Game is well written and practically nothing should be patched (all game's components support higher processor).

What is needed is just the management of hdd loading (a trap for the non-system loader).
Well, there are the annoying WHDLoad blinking when the system is restored for the hdd load. But PRELOAD exists.

@Hewitson:
What are the contraindications? It may be that some particular reason in this moment escapes me.
Maybe because a machine with more resources is required?
Anyway, if you do not boot from floppy, a machine with fast RAM is required...

[ross]

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

Some people might be interested in this but I was asked to do a little Q&A about my time with the Amiga by 4Play which has been published here....

I read your interview with much pleasure!

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

Anything else will just distract me from completing the game.

+1
In any case, an 'internal' hdd support can also be added later when the game is completed.
The sources are available for everyone!

[jotd]

mcgeezer you're totally right. I think that if I created a game I'd do the same. No need to properly setup & restore everything: video/audio/memory/CIAs.

WHDLoad does a very good job already.

I'm not forgetting what I promised. I'm committed on other events (stack overflow moderator election: https://stackoverflow.com/election/11#post-54994793, and Premiere CD32 version with audio tracks ). Plus I have a big trip tomorrow, but will try to look afterwards.

[DanScott]

Originally Posted by jotd

and Premiere CD32 version with audio tracks ).

Oooooh

[trydowave]

Havent been following this for a bit and never knew there was an OCS version out there. Was it done by the same person? The AGA version looks great and I cant wait to try it. Is EAB09 the latest version?

Thanks

[seuden]

Frigging awesome stuff Geezer! Can't wait to try. Loved the interview too.

[phx]

(060 freeze)

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

Probably, i will try and reproduce and fix it today.

It would be helpful if u could video or photo exactly where it hangs?

As TjLaZer and nobody else with 68060 was able to provide you with any more information on this issue I had a quick look this evening. I can confirm the freeze with UAE 68060, and attached a screenshot for you.

"Let's Fight" is displayed once and then the screen stays as in the screenshot. Rygar does not appear and the game seems frozen. Only the music plays.

When I break into the UAE debugger I see the CPU is probably spending all the time in the OS task scheduler after "stop #$2000", waiting for another task or interrupt.

With the UAE debugger command 'f' I can proceed to the next instruction executed in RAM, and this is always the level 6 interrupt handler (ptplayer). No user task will ever be executed. The game has completely lost the CPU. Although I wonder how much of the OS did you keep alive in Rygar? Didn't you take over the system?

To exclude the possibility of an emulation problem I have set up my old A4000 with CSPPC/060 for another test. Zorro boards no longer work correctly in it, but an AGA game should run fine.

What I see is identical to UAE with 060 setting. There is the same freeze. Tested with Rygar 0.10 and with Rygar 0.11. Also tried to turn caches off in early startup. No difference.

Hope that helps.

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by phx

(060 freeze)


As TjLaZer and nobody else with 68060 was able to provide you with any more information on this issue I had a quick look this evening. I can confirm the freeze with UAE 68060, and attached a screenshot for you.

"Let's Fight" is displayed once and then the screen stays as in the screenshot. Rygar does not appear and the game seems frozen. Only the music plays.

When I break into the UAE debugger I see the CPU is probably spending all the time in the OS task scheduler after "stop #$2000", waiting for another task or interrupt.

With the UAE debugger command 'f' I can proceed to the next instruction executed in RAM, and this is always the level 6 interrupt handler (ptplayer). No user task will ever be executed. The game has completely lost the CPU. Although I wonder how much of the OS did you keep alive in Rygar? Didn't you take over the system?

To exclude the possibility of an emulation problem I have set up my old A4000 with CSPPC/060 for another test. Zorro boards no longer work correctly in it, but an AGA game should run fine.

What I see is identical to UAE with 060 setting. There is the same freeze. Tested with Rygar 0.10 and with Rygar 0.11. Also tried to turn caches off in early startup. No difference.

Hope that helps.

Thanks PHX...

I bloody tried a 68060 config in WinUAE and it didn't crash for me at all. I'll try again tomorrow and see if I can replicate it here.

I appreciate you taking the time to look at it though. This smells fishy like a failure to wait for the blitter.... I had similar issues in Bomb Jack.

Graeme

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by trydowave

Havent been following this for a bit and never knew there was an OCS version out there. Was it done by the same person?

No "sandruzzo" started an OCS version but stopped over a year ago; see this thread: Conversion Capers: Rygar

Originally Posted by trydowave

The AGA version looks great and I cant wait to try it. Is EAB09 the latest version?

Thanks

No, RygarEAB0B.adf is the latest version that mcgeezer has made public.

[jotd]

Oh mcgeezer what would be cool would be to get the executable with symbols for the whdload patch. Note that using an exe packer would also allow to save space on the disk (300% compression) and still include the symbols. EDIT: don't bother, I have something running, figured out ross loader inputs.

Dan yup will re-issue a better CD32 version of Premiere than the original CD32 edition, with 2nd button jump too. That will be a first.

[jotd]

ok, done a whdload version in the zone. It's currently beta, and current game version has bugs

- some raised the "2nd button not working" issue on EAB: button could appear "stuck" (unless it's a CD32 controller). It is because you have to write $FF00 to $DFF034 when reading $DFF016 or 2-button joystick may not work more than 1 time. Classic bug.
- credits: it's SIESMIC MINDS but isn't that a typo for SEISMIC MINDS???
- access fault at some point memory is read at $FFFF0000
- can someone create a nice icon for the install?

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by jotd

ok, done a whdload version in the zone. It's currently beta, and current game version has bugs

Not surprised it has bugs, was a bit of a rush job...but will fix asap

Originally Posted by jotd

- some raised the "2nd button not working" issue on EAB: button could appear "stuck" (unless it's a CD32 controller). It is because you have to write $FF00 to $DFF034 when reading $DFF016 or 2-button joystick may not work more than 1 time. Classic bug.

Ohh I thought I fixed this.... maybe not, but thanks for the tip...I'll see if I can fix it up tonight. Edit: it looks like I do this..

	move.w	#$c000,POTGO(a5)

Then over 4 scan lines later read POTGOR for the button state. Does it have to be #$c000???

Originally Posted by jotd

- credits: it's SIESMIC MINDS but isn't that a typo for SEISMIC MINDS???

What can I say but FOR FUCK SAKE! SIESMIC MINDS... I checked the bloody spelling of it as well...

As luck would have it "seismicminds.com and seismicminds.co.uk" were still available so have registered those too for 2 years, it just means I have to generate the SSL certs again!

Originally Posted by jotd

- access fault at some point memory is read at $FFFF0000

Ross pm'd me to say that he spotted the problem where this is so I will fix in next release (possibly tonight)

Originally Posted by jotd

- can someone create a nice icon for the install?

Beyond my ability! I can't even spell!

[Irek´72]

Originally Posted by jotd

can someone create a nice icon for the install?

Check the zone

[mcgeezer]

Here's a Youtube video showing the implementation of the Dragon Rider. This was pretty wicked to code and took a fair bit of thinking.

You'll notice the little physics bits into it when the rider lands there is a little pause, or just before he jumps there's a little pause. Also notice that the enemy initially after landing is slower than Rygar but gains speed gradually.

Next update will have him included in the game.

[ Show youtube player ]

[roondar]

Ooh, cool - dragons dropping dangerous dudes!