CD32Launch

jotd · 16 February 2019, 22:41

New project in the works: CD32launch

You already know CD32load, which reuses whdload slaves but reads CD using a hardware routine to avoid swaps and allow to run most games with 2MB stock CD32 & remap keys to joypad buttons

Some games can't fit in CD32Load on a stock CD32 for various reasons, even if a slave exists:

- game has too many small files and it loads forever (Test Drive II, Panza Kick Boxing)
- game is AGA & DOS based: CD32load doesn't support kickstart 3.1, just because it's useless: it takes 512K of memory, then you cannot run AGA games (ex: Watchtower, Mutant League Hockey AGA)

A lot of games still use the system to load, so work on a CD32, but:

- there's sometimes physical protection so you need a crack
- most of them need the keyboard (passwords, pause, esc...)

My project (in construction) will be able to load an executable, perform the necessary assigns (if needed) and (in generic mode) use VBR to add a level 3 interrupt which reads joypads (like CD32load) and send key events.

For patches, specific slave would be required, with reuse of bits of the whdload slave (patchlist) to patch the executable. Fortunately, I have a lot of kickstart emulation slaves source code, or have written those myself.

The program will be useable on a stock A1200 to be able to benefit from the joypad remap feature too.

Just to keep you informed about that. I generally don't talk about my projects before I release some version, but not here

aCCoLa · 17 February 2019, 02:02

Cracking! I await with interest. Keep up the good work

Retro-Nerd · 17 February 2019, 02:25

Great! A joypad remap feature was always on my "killer feature" list for a A1200 game launcher. Can't wait to test some of your new patches (and CD32Launch) then.

TroyWilkins · 17 February 2019, 03:21

This sounds promising, I look forward to further news on this project.

jotd · 17 February 2019, 09:31

Retronerd in fact it already exists and is available if you have a 1200+fastmem. It's called JST, and has the same joypad redirection features as CD32load, for all whdload compatible games.

CD32Launch is designed to run AGA games with fixes/patches/joypad on the unexpanded A1200/CD32

wairnair · 17 February 2019, 14:10

Very cool, looking forward to it

Retro-Nerd · 17 February 2019, 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

Retronerd in fact it already exists and is available if you have a 1200+fastmem. It's called JST, and has the same joypad redirection features as CD32load, for all whdload compatible games.

CD32Launch is designed to run AGA games with fixes/patches/joypad on the unexpanded A1200/CD32

Ah, you mean your newer JST version? Never tried it. Maybe it's time.

Got it working on my A1200. But i can't get the Joypad remapping to work.

As an example: Gods uses the SPACE key for pause: JST Gods.slave JOY1GREEN=0x40 doesn't work at all for Green = pause. Tried it with the Honey Bee CD32 controller.

jotd · 17 February 2019, 15:55

aaah but unlike CD32Load, you have to enable JOYPAD tooltype (pads 1 & 2) for it to work

JST Gods.slave JOYPAD=3 JOY1GREEN=0x40

I could change this so JOYx tooltypes enable JOYPAD by default, true. Note that adding DEBUG tooltype adds color flashes that happen when you press the buttons.

Retro-Nerd · 17 February 2019, 16:14

Ah nice, now it works. First i tried it via game icon but this doesn't work. Start via shell is fine with the button mapping.

One last question in this thread: It probably only works with official used game keys. What about remapping JoyUP to a button (jump button)? Would this be possible too somehow?

patrik · 17 February 2019, 17:03

Awesome!

jotd · 17 February 2019, 18:16

Quote:

Ah nice, now it works. First i tried it via game icon but this doesn't work. Start via shell is fine with the button mapping.

JST has WB support but it's reported as broken on kickstart 1.3. I can at least add the JOYPAD tooltype that I hadn't added

CD32load doesn't have a WB mode, and I ported back the arg parsing from it.

Quote:

One last question in this thread: It probably only works with official used game keys. What about remapping JoyUP to a button (jump button)? Would this be possible too somehow?

This question could concern any program which remaps inputs.

Unfortunately, (and it's the same for fire button, well depends on the CIA version actually!!) it's not possible to modify $DFF00A & $DFF00C (joy input).

It works as-is for keys because Toni found a way to generate something very similar to a keyboard interrupt. But generating joystick events isn't possible. Each game must be patched specifically (Superfrog

)

Retro-Nerd · 17 February 2019, 18:19

Ah, thought you would say that. Anyway, nice tool.

Quote:

JST has WB support but it's reported as broken on kickstart 1.3.

In WB 3.0/3.1 (i use ClassicWB LITE) obivously too.

jotd · 17 February 2019, 18:21

To remap a button to up, post your requests on mantis or in the relevant whdload controller fix thread as you did previously.

(when I mean that WB support is broken for 1.3 I mean that it crashes, not that it is incomplete)

Retro-Nerd · 17 February 2019, 18:22

Ok, will think of a few additional games then.

amigoun · 19 February 2019, 00:07

I question on JOYPAD-keyboard remapping in JST. If I use joypad I can use joy1red and joy1blue buttons well, but when I use standard 2-button gamepad, only I can use joy1red, but when I used joy1blue it always quits the game to WB instead. Could it be made to work for 2-buttons gamepads aswell?

jotd · 19 February 2019, 08:03

That's a joypad vs standard joystick detection issue that I thought having solved, but, well, it doesn't seem so (I also had the issue myself with my 2 button joystick on a real amiga, but only once, works perfect on WinUAE...). If joystick is wrongly detected, pressing blue button has the same effect as pressing ALL the buttons (which explains pause, quit...)

Duly noted (adding an option to force 2nd button joy would work too, though, and performing a detection with lowlevel.library at startup is also an option to make sure that it's properly detected). I wonder if you have tried recent whdload joypad adaptations. The code is the same.

I'd be interested in the result of this program with your joystick: http://aminet.net/package/driver/input/JoyPortTest

(see if it's properly recognized even with "no lowlevel" mode)

amigoun · 19 February 2019, 14:49

An option to force 2 button joystick would be great indeed.
JoyPortTest is detecting the joypad correctly (even with no lowlevel).
By recent whdload joypad adaptations you mean KTRL CD32 joypad?

Retro-Nerd · 19 February 2019, 14:51

I guess Jotd means his recent WHDLoad patches with joypad support.

amigoun · 19 February 2019, 15:39

Ok I will try. Which one you recommend?

Retro-Nerd · 19 February 2019, 15:53

Bubble and Squeak should work as good test for 2-button only pads/sticks. Current version is v2.2.

16 February 2019, 22:41	#1
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,199	CD32Launch New project in the works: CD32launch You already know CD32load, which reuses whdload slaves but reads CD using a hardware routine to avoid swaps and allow to run most games with 2MB stock CD32 & remap keys to joypad buttons Some games can't fit in CD32Load on a stock CD32 for various reasons, even if a slave exists: - game has too many small files and it loads forever (Test Drive II, Panza Kick Boxing) - game is AGA & DOS based: CD32load doesn't support kickstart 3.1, just because it's useless: it takes 512K of memory, then you cannot run AGA games (ex: Watchtower, Mutant League Hockey AGA) A lot of games still use the system to load, so work on a CD32, but: - there's sometimes physical protection so you need a crack - most of them need the keyboard (passwords, pause, esc...) My project (in construction) will be able to load an executable, perform the necessary assigns (if needed) and (in generic mode) use VBR to add a level 3 interrupt which reads joypads (like CD32load) and send key events. For patches, specific slave would be required, with reuse of bits of the whdload slave (patchlist) to patch the executable. Fortunately, I have a lot of kickstart emulation slaves source code, or have written those myself. The program will be useable on a stock A1200 to be able to benefit from the joypad remap feature too. Just to keep you informed about that. I generally don't talk about my projects before I release some version, but not here

17 February 2019, 02:25	#3
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,445	Great! A joypad remap feature was always on my "killer feature" list for a A1200 game launcher. Can't wait to test some of your new patches (and CD32Launch) then. Last edited by Retro-Nerd; 17 February 2019 at 02:33.

17 February 2019, 02:02	#2
aCCoLa Registered User Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Arbroath, Scotland Age: 51 Posts: 65	Cracking! I await with interest. Keep up the good work

17 February 2019, 03:21	#4
TroyWilkins Registered User Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 548	This sounds promising, I look forward to further news on this project.

17 February 2019, 09:31	#5
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,199	Retronerd in fact it already exists and is available if you have a 1200+fastmem. It's called JST, and has the same joypad redirection features as CD32load, for all whdload compatible games. CD32Launch is designed to run AGA games with fixes/patches/joypad on the unexpanded A1200/CD32

17 February 2019, 14:10	#6
wairnair Registered User Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Budapest Posts: 355	Very cool, looking forward to it

17 February 2019, 15:55	#8
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,199	aaah but unlike CD32Load, you have to enable JOYPAD tooltype (pads 1 & 2) for it to work JST Gods.slave JOYPAD=3 JOY1GREEN=0x40 I could change this so JOYx tooltypes enable JOYPAD by default, true. Note that adding DEBUG tooltype adds color flashes that happen when you press the buttons.

17 February 2019, 16:14	#9
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,445	Ah nice, now it works. First i tried it via game icon but this doesn't work. Start via shell is fine with the button mapping. One last question in this thread: It probably only works with official used game keys. What about remapping JoyUP to a button (jump button)? Would this be possible too somehow?

17 February 2019, 17:03	#10
patrik Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Umeå Age: 43 Posts: 924	Awesome!

17 February 2019, 18:21	#13
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,199	To remap a button to up, post your requests on mantis or in the relevant whdload controller fix thread as you did previously. (when I mean that WB support is broken for 1.3 I mean that it crashes, not that it is incomplete)

17 February 2019, 18:22	#14
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,445	Ok, will think of a few additional games then.

19 February 2019, 00:07	#15
amigoun Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Czech Rep Posts: 599	I question on JOYPAD-keyboard remapping in JST. If I use joypad I can use joy1red and joy1blue buttons well, but when I use standard 2-button gamepad, only I can use joy1red, but when I used joy1blue it always quits the game to WB instead. Could it be made to work for 2-buttons gamepads aswell?

19 February 2019, 08:03	#16
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,199	That's a joypad vs standard joystick detection issue that I thought having solved, but, well, it doesn't seem so (I also had the issue myself with my 2 button joystick on a real amiga, but only once, works perfect on WinUAE...). If joystick is wrongly detected, pressing blue button has the same effect as pressing ALL the buttons (which explains pause, quit...) Duly noted (adding an option to force 2nd button joy would work too, though, and performing a detection with lowlevel.library at startup is also an option to make sure that it's properly detected). I wonder if you have tried recent whdload joypad adaptations. The code is the same. I'd be interested in the result of this program with your joystick: http://aminet.net/package/driver/input/JoyPortTest (see if it's properly recognized even with "no lowlevel" mode)

19 February 2019, 14:49	#17
amigoun Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Czech Rep Posts: 599	An option to force 2 button joystick would be great indeed. JoyPortTest is detecting the joypad correctly (even with no lowlevel). By recent whdload joypad adaptations you mean KTRL CD32 joypad?

19 February 2019, 14:51	#18
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,445	I guess Jotd means his recent WHDLoad patches with joypad support.

19 February 2019, 15:39	#19
amigoun Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Czech Rep Posts: 599	Ok I will try. Which one you recommend?

19 February 2019, 15:53	#20
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,445	Bubble and Squeak should work as good test for 2-button only pads/sticks. Current version is v2.2.

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