Playing "Dragon's Lair" & "Escape from Singe's Castle" together?

[Qun Mang]

I had this in the request thread, but I decided it's not really a new game request so I deleted that post and am asking here instead (better visibility helps too ).

Has anyone asked about playing Dragon's Lair and Escape from Singe's Castle together? Not sure if you can with your setup because you use the floppy images. I may be remembering wrong, but couldn't these two games be installed to hard drive together, thereby giving one a fuller arcade experience? If this has been asked and answered, or if I'm just plain wrong my apologies. I played at least one of them back in the day myself, but only via floppies. By the time I eventually got a hard drive I apparently forgot about them.

EDIT: Okay, I've been trying this myself. I copied one of your .hdf files (Hare Raising Havoc) with its configuration, loaded it up, deleted the Hare Raising Havoc game folder, inserted Escape from Singe's Castle into DF0 and ran it, selected the configuration button, selected the link button, inserted Dragon's Lair disk 1 when it asked, then nothing. Wasn't recognized. Also selected install but it only installed Singe's Castle to DH0 since linking didn't work. One of two things could be at fault. Hare Raising Havoc is using an AGA configuration and Dragon's Lair may not like that. Naturally I tried loading the .hdf with ECS/1MB chip/1.3 but of course it failed since the installed OS is 3.1. I've been looking for a hard-drive configuration of yours using A500/1.3, but all I'm finding so far are AGA configs.

More likely though is the disk wasn't recognized because it's a cracked version. I still have Gamebase Amiga installed, but those Dragon's Lair disks are unfortunately the same cracked version. I'll have to try one of two things next- build a bootable .hdf file myself using the A500/1.3 configuration to try that angle, or search out Dragon's Lair .ipf files- .ipf is the best bet I think to be recognized since they are uncracked. I suppose yet another option would be to seek out a whdload version that is already installed and linked.

EDIT2: Just found a 2.05 .hdf (Duncan) and tried it with that and same thing- definitely pointing to cracked version being the issue.

[malko]

Originally Posted by Qun Mang

[...] Has anyone asked about playing Dragon's Lair and Escape from Singe's Castle together? Not sure if you can with your setup because you use the floppy images. I may be remembering wrong, but couldn't these two games be installed to hard drive together, thereby giving one a fuller arcade experience? If this has been asked and answered, or if I'm just plain wrong my apologies. I played at least one of them back in the day myself, but only via floppies. By the time I eventually got a hard drive I apparently forgot about them. [...]

Back in the day I did try to install the games together. It never worked (original copy was used). As far as I remember the 1st DL can only be installed if a specific HD controller is present. Always though was part of the problem.

[Qun Mang]

Originally Posted by malko

Back in time I did try to install the games together. It never worked (original copy was used). As far as I remember the 1st DL can only be installed if a specific HD controller is present. Always though was part of the problem.

Very interesting. Linking the games is probably mostly useless unless it can be installed to hard drive too. After all, between the two games there are 13 disks. One could hope though Readysoft thought ahead and stuck the Singe's Castle disks between Dragon's Lair disks to minimize swapping. Something like DL1->DL2->ESC1->DL3->ESC2-(etc)->DL8. Still, installation would be best as it should allow more randomization of scenes.

Anyway, there are so many other options for getting the arcade experience with Dragon's Lair from emulating the CD-based systems it was released on to the arcade with the Daphne emulator to buying the HD version on Steam or GOG. It's no big deal then if we can't link these games- this unique Amiga version can still be played here as likely most of us played it back in the day.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Qun Mang

I had this in the request thread, but I decided it's not really a new game request so I deleted that post and am asking here instead (better visibility helps too ).

Moved from my DamienD's WinUAE Collection thread as it's totally unrelated; and better that it has it's own one for continued discussion...

[malko]

OK, I gave the install another go (after so many years ).
Received some error messages but finally managed to make the install process goes to the end. I have tested with the IPF (protection code asked) under WinUAE. So it's working and both games are installed "linked" on my WB 1.3 PFS3aio partition.

Loading time are really fast !! It's a pleasure !!

[DamienD]

You guys are talking about mixing Dragon's Lair + Dragon's Lair: Escape From Singe's Castle into a single install.

Not sure I understand the benefit; does "Dragon's Lair" play first and then onto "Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle" or something else?

[Pyromania]

Dragon's Lair is fun as hell.

[malko]

@Qun Mang : Here is the linked (trained) version. It is a mix between the Original Dragon's Lair & the Cracked Escape from Singe's Castle.
I have played quarter of the game to check it was not crashing.
Also, on that occasion, I have quickly made a workbench icon (disk.info) and a really quick and dirty hack for the screen-shot Title screen (for WinUAE).
I leave the configuration under WinUAE at your care

@Damien: First time I try the linked version. Anyway, it seems that the levels from DL & EfSC are mixed to fit as close as possible the arcade version.

Edit: More information here (DL) & here (EfSC). Does someone did play the linked version back in the day or recently ?

[malko]

I even forgot about this one

[malko]

I just finished to check if the linked version of Dragon's Lair is really mixing the levels of Dragon's Lair & Escape from Singe's Castle (as red somewhere on the net - can't find back the site that I did not bookmark ).

As far as I remember the levels, they are not mixed at all.
First DL levels and then EfSC levels in the bellow mentioned order.

Anyway, for users like me, using the WB 1.3, and who don't have access to WHDLoad for this reason, loading from HD brings a big advantage. Furthermore, there is the benefit of the integrated "solution" displayed on-screen while playing. Not to mention, for the one dying too often, that the "infinite live trainer" and the "protection check removal" are working

 1- DrawBridge
 2- Drink Me
 3- Batz
 4- Tentacle
 5- Cauldron
 6- Boat
 7- Knight
 8- Balls
 9- Wall
10- Lair, part 1
11- Lair, part 2  (end of DL - Princess is rescued)
12- Tilt
13- Horse
14- WalkWay
15- Smithee
16- Ropes
17- Lizard
18- Knocker
19- Goons
20- MudMen
21- Labyrinth
22- The Crypt (end of EfSC - Princess is rescued)

[Qun Mang]

Thanks Malko for letting me know the posts were moved here- I had no idea (thought Damien just deleted them from the WinUAE Collection thread- while it did start out as a request related to the collection, it did turn into off-topic territory so I understand moving or deleting it).

Anyway, I kind of gave up after awhile. I couldn't get the cracked versions to link, or even the cracked EFSC to link to .ipfs of Dragon's Lair. I did finally get the two to link and install to HD by using .ipfs for both, but then the game froze after loading the first stage and clicking on "play". Probably the WinUAE settings I was using.

I didn't try the WHDLoad archives, but now that you posted about the order being static and not random with the dragon's lair stage in the middle of the linked game, there really doesn't seem to be any point anymore. Still, maybe I'll try one of those links you also mentioned- thanks again.

EDIT: Wait- you also said they were in fact mixed in a different post- now I think I *will* take a look to see which is true. Couldn't find the CD32 one anywhere on the Drive/FTP site, but the other link worked. Now to plug it into the WinUAE collection...

[malko]

You can use the link in post #8 to download the functionnal "linked DL + EfSC" HDF. Then setup an OS 1.3 configuration in WinUAE

[Qun Mang]

Originally Posted by malko

You can use the link in post #8 to download the functionnal "linked DL + EfSC" HDF. Then setup an OS 1.3 configuration in WinUAE

Yes, I've been playing around with that. Unfortunately I can't get into the game no matter what config I use. I've tried A500+, A600, and A1200 configurations (had to add expanded memory as well as the basic A500+ and A600 configs just crash the game outright before even the trainer shows). Every time I run into the same issue. I start the game, click on the play button, it loads a scene and says to hit play again to start, and then when I hit play the game just freezes- mouse pointer stops moving and all. This is the same problem I ran into when I was finally able to link and install the uncracked .ipf images. I wish I knew what I was doing wrong.

EDIT: Also tried the A500 config (plus extra chip and fast RAM), but it wouldn't boot from hard drive. So I booted from a Workbench floppy and ran it from the hard drive that way. Unfortunately in this case the game didn't completely load from the hard drive asking to insert EfSC disk A along the way and wouldn't use the hard drive files after that.

[malko]

Hummm... Ok, I have recreated the archive. Now it also contains the configuration. Grab it and unpack it in the WinUAE folder

[Qun Mang]

No more freeze for me- nice. I noticed the hard drive booted for you in 1.3- what change did you make for this to happen? When I tried a 68000/KS1.3 configuration it would give me an error saying the drive wasn't a DOS device? I do see that you have just ECS Agnus selected as opposed to either OCS or full ECS, so... I don't know. Anyway, thanks again.

[malko]

You are welcome.
(archive : see below)

[malko]

By the way, I forgot to mention, but if you like this game, why not watching the cartoon series

[Qun Mang]

Ooh- I haven't seen that in forever. Think I will, thanks.

[malko]

In the wake of the Faery Tale Adventure icons, I took the opportunity to recolour (for WB2+) the original "Escape from Singe's Castle" icon and make the WB2+ version of the "disk.info" I had created some month ago.
I also had fun quickly making a new "__Title" image for WinUAE.
They are available in the 7z archive here.

[Seiya]

@malko
do you have the link to download linked DL version? i'd like to try it