First time user having trouble

Greetings all,

For no particular reason at all, I suddenly had the urge to try and get a game I used to play last millennium up and running again. It has not been going well.

I am running Mac OS 10.12.6 and I have version 2.8.3 of FS– UAE Launcher. I have a few Amiga Kickstarts, though I'm not sure if I have the right one — is there a way to figure out which one to use?

I am trying to emulate version 3.71 of MechForce, by Ralph Reed. I downloaded the game from http://aminet.net/search?query=MechForce (in case this help troubleshoot my issue).

Here is what I have done so far:

On the Main Configuration Options page of FS– UAE Launcher I have selected Amiga Model A500 and the 1.3 ROM 512 KB "Slow" RAM option.

Under the Floppy Drive section I navigate to the MechForce 3.71 file on my hard drive.

I then click Start.

A window opens with the title FS– UAE - Amiga 500. The window has a blue background with white text saying:

AmigaDOS
Copyright 1987 Commodore– Amiga, Inc.
All rights reserved
Release 1.3
1>

I know I'm doing something wrong, but I can't figure out how to fix it. Does anyone have any advice for me? I appreciate any and all help!

[Hewitson]

The floppy drive section is meant for floppy disk images. These are usually in the ADF format.

I believe you are trying to use an lha file as a disk image. This won't work as it's an archive which needs to be extracted onto a floppy/hard disk before it can be used.

The LhA software can be found on Aminet.

[amigafreak68k]

The contents of this LHA archive looks like the contents of a floppy disk (there is a s/startup-sequence, which means it should be able to boot). Maybe someone can build you an ADF of the contents from this archive...

I've been struggling to find a way to make this work. I've been doing searches for a MechForce ADF and found a lot of nothing. It's been a bit frustrating.

Is it difficult to build an ADF? I have no idea how it is done, or if it's just a matter of getting the right software to do it (or if a Mac can even pull it off). Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially since I have such great memories of playing this game way back in the day and would really like to give it another try.

Thank you both, Hewitson and amigafreak68k, for your replies. It is appreciated!

[nexus]

you need to boot workbench and install lha then open that archive copy to a ADF you created with FS-UAE
they have the option to make blank ADF's

[amiman99]

Hi, Here is the lha file converted to adf. You will need a WB disk first to play it.
I don't know how to play this game, so I hope you can figure it out.
In the emulator put the WB disk in DF0, and this disk to DF1.

[amigafreak68k]

Originally Posted by amiman99

Hi, Here is the lha file converted to adf. You will need a WB disk first to play it.
I don't know how to play this game, so I hope you can figure it out.
In the emulator put the WB disk in DF0, and this disk to DF1.

The only file missing is "loadwb" in C folder

in s/startup-sequence it is

loadwb
endcli

I think the author haven't included "loadwb" because of legallity...

[Hewitson]

I'd just replace the loadwb in S-S with the game executable and install a bootblock on the disk. This can be done with "install <drive>".

No idea why a game like this exists in lha format instead of DMS or ADF. I can only imagine the coder knows very little about Amigas.

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

No idea why a game like this exists in lha format instead of DMS or ADF. I can only imagine the coder knows very little about Amigas.

Jumping to conclusions here... DMS was banned on Aminet and ADF wasn't a common format back then.

[amiman99]

The disk I made is bootable.
In the startup-sequence it wants to load LOADWB and I think it wants version 1.3, because the color scheme is blue/orange.
I think the game is a WB game and needs to be started in WB by using the icon.

[malko]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

[...] I can only imagine the coder knows very little about Amigas.

Hum, hum...

Originally Posted by Amiguy

[...]
I know I'm doing something wrong, but I can't figure out how to fix it. Does anyone have any advice for me? I appreciate any and all help!

Better read the "ReadMe.1st" that is on the "archive" .

[..]
GAME SETUP:
      Format and Install a blank disk.  Copy the MechForce LZH file onto the
disk.  CD to the disk and uncompress the file with "LHarc -x x MForce70".
This will uncompress the file.  Once you have the file extracted you will find
this file and a file called "DF0_WBfiles_to_DF1".  It will copy certain Amiga
files from a WorkBench disk into the appropriate directories on the MechForce
disk.  This file assumes that the WorkBench disk is in drive DF0:  and the
MechForce disk is in drive DF1:.  If you are using any other configuration
either transfer the files manually or modify the batch file.  Once you are
done your disk should look like the "Listing" file.  Now boot the disk, read
the "ConfigEd_doc" file, and run the ConfigEd program to set up your
configuration.

HARD DRIVE SETUP:
     MechForce multi-tasks and works fine on a hard drive.  Copy all of the
program files over too your hard drive.  Make sure and keep the
sub-directories.  I put all my game file sub-directories in a directory
called "gamefiles", but you can do it any way you want.  When you are done,
run the "ConfigEd" program and change all of the paths to match the way you
have set up your drive.  When you "Save" from the ConfigEd program it will
create a file called "MechForce.cfg" in the S:  directory of your boot disk.

     All MechForce programs use a wide variety of support files.  It is
important that the programs be able to FIND these files.  The programs will
look for images files in a subdirectory called "Images" on the boot disk.  It
will look for sound files in "SND", map files in "Maps", saved games in
"Games", unit files in "Units", warrior and technician files in "Warriors"
and mech files in "Mechs".  In addition, it expects mechs to be subdivided
into four classes of mechs, "Light" 20-35 tons, "Medium" 40-55 tons, "Heavy"
60-75 tons, and "Assault" 80-100 tons.  If you create new mechs and put them
in the wrong subdirectory some parts of the programs will have trouble
finding your new mechs.  To help you set up your disk ALL programs try to
read a file called "MechForce.cfg" in the S:  directory of your boot disk.

     You can change the included config file with the included "ConfigEd"
program.  Make sure the paths are valid paths and correct.  THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT.  If the programs can not find the files they need they will not
work.  If a program can not find the config file it will default to just the
subdirectory name on the boot disk.  In addition, The config file will set
 some variables in MechForce.  Please read the ConfigEd_doc file.
[..]

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Originally Posted by amiman99

The disk I made is bootable.
In the startup-sequence it wants to load LOADWB and I think it wants version 1.3, because the color scheme is blue/orange.
I think the game is a WB game and needs to be started in WB by using the icon.

The game is compatible with 1.3 / 2.x / 3.x to start the floppy and make the game work in addition to LoadWB you have to copy too diskfont.library, the game also works installed on HD.

If copy LoadWB and diskfont.library WB 1.3, the floppy will boot with any system.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I believe you are trying to use an lha file as a disk image. This won't work as it's an archive which needs to be extracted onto a floppy/hard disk before it can be used.
.

If the contents of a bootable floppy are included in an archive LHA, LZX or ZIP this can be started from WinUAE not as floppy but as Hardisk

While an ADF or DMS compressed LHA, LZX or ZIP can be started as a normal floppy image.

[Retroplay]

Bootable adf in the zone.

[amiman99]

Originally Posted by AMIGASYSTEM

The game is compatible with 1.3 / 2.x / 3.x to start the floppy and make the game work in addition to LoadWB you have to copy too diskfont.library, the game also works installed on HD.

If copy LoadWB and diskfont.library WB 1.3, the floppy will boot with any system.

I did not read the readme file in the archive, I just copy the files from the lha to a floppy disk and made it as ADF.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

I almost never read the Readme, only if necessary, I only monitored the executable, the diskfont.library is almost always necessary for games .