Starpath Supercharger games on the Harmony cart

[+save2600]

I was just wondering, for the multi-load games, how the Harmony handles that. Would you get the Starpath prompt prompt asking you to press play on your tape recorder, or would it bring you back to the Harmony menu screen so you could select the appropriate file?

[+SpiceWare]

The QuickStart Guide* for Harmony has this in it:

 

Q) My supercharger multiload game crashes after the first part - is there any

way to make it work properly?

 

A) Supercharger multiloads are supported on the Harmony cartridge, but only

if they are made into a single binary file. You need to join all of the

separate parts together using a utility, or obtain a file that has already

been joined together.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the same format that Stella uses. The documentation for Stella has this in it

Stella supports multi-load games, however, the set of ROM images must be combined into a single ROM image file. For example to create a multi-load ROM image file for Survival Island you would do the following under Unix:

 

% cat survivl0.bin survivl6.bin survivl7.bin > survivl.bin

or to create it under DOS you would:

% copy /b survivl0.bin+survivl6.bin+survivl7.bin survivl.bin

Once you have the multi-load ROM image file, survivl.bin in this case, you can play the game using it.

 

* might not be officially released yet.

Edited October 6, 2009 by SpiceWare

[+batari]

Yes, there are a lot of multiload games broken into single parts floating around, which are only useful for the actual Supercharger, Cuttle Cart or Cuttle Cart 2, apparently (I am somewhat relieved to hear that Stella needs the combined binaries as well, so I don't feel too bad for not supporting the games broken into single parts.)

 

Anyway, when using the combined binaries, the multiloads will load automatically and instantly.

 

Just a note: I've tested most multiload games and they work fine, but the third load of Survival Island currently doesn't work. I know the problem but haven't solved it yet.

[Buzbard]

It should also be noted that Party Mix should not be combined into a single file.

 

Part 1 contains "Bop a Buggy"

Part 2 contains "Tug of War" and "Wizard's Keep"

Part 3 contains "Down On the Line" and "Handcar"

 

If they are combined, the only game you'll ever see is "Bop a Buggy".

Use the Select switch to toggle between the games in Parts 2 & 3.

Edited January 16, 2010 by Buzbard

[mos6507]

BTW, I don't want to steal batari's thunder, but he now has 50 Stella CDs re-appropriated from Hozer which will enable him to distribute the Starpath catalog on 50 Harmony carts. I'm quite excited about this as it is as close to realizing my "dream" of a Supercharger replacement as it's gonna get. Shipping a batch of Harmonies with the games (legally) preloaded (since they could be considered backup copies of a 'used' product) was the way to make this happen with no legal hassles.

 

[+batari]

I mentioned on the Harmony order page that the next 50 deluxe orders get a free gift. I didn't say what it was as I wasn't sure if you wanted me to - I guess your post means I can go ahead and say what the gift is on the order page now.

[Pioneer4x4]

Yes, there are a lot of multiload games broken into single parts floating around, which are only useful for the actual Supercharger, Cuttle Cart or Cuttle Cart 2, apparently (I am somewhat relieved to hear that Stella needs the combined binaries as well, so I don't feel too bad for not supporting the games broken into single parts.)

 

Anyway, when using the combined binaries, the multiloads will load automatically and instantly.

 

Just a note: I've tested most multiload games and they work fine, but the third load of Survival Island currently doesn't work. I know the problem but haven't solved it yet.

Are these available anywhere? If I combine them myself, should I combine the 6K or the 8.25K bins?

[+batari]

Yes, there are a lot of multiload games broken into single parts floating around, which are only useful for the actual Supercharger, Cuttle Cart or Cuttle Cart 2, apparently (I am somewhat relieved to hear that Stella needs the combined binaries as well, so I don't feel too bad for not supporting the games broken into single parts.)

 

Anyway, when using the combined binaries, the multiloads will load automatically and instantly.

 

Just a note: I've tested most multiload games and they work fine, but the third load of Survival Island currently doesn't work. I know the problem but haven't solved it yet.

Are these available anywhere? If I combine them myself, should I combine the 6K or the 8.25K bins?

I downloaded them somewhere, but not sure where.

 

If you combine them, combine the 8.25k binaries.

[Pioneer4x4]

If you combine them, combine the 8.25k binaries.

OK, I'll give that a shot tomorrow. Thanks

[Nukey Shay]

No real need to, since you can download the complete versions immediately using the old computer

 

 

/too-obvious hint

[Pioneer4x4]

No real need to, since you can download the complete versions immediately using the old computer

 

 

/too-obvious hint

I feel like a dolt, but I'm missing that one, unless I need to think "Way Back", but actually, I DO HAVE THEM on my OLD COMPUTER!!!. I have the original "Stella Gets a New Brain" CD with them also, and cutbin, and added them... I can't test until tomorrow now though. Feel free to PM me if I am missing something!

[ovalbugmann]

I would like to try some combined load Starpath games on the Harmony also, are they on here somewhere? 2600 section? Unfortunately, I'm missing Nukey's hint can someone spell out the location of these combined multi-load Starpath files for the denser dudes!?

[+batari]

No real need to, since you can download the complete versions immediately using the old computer

dot com

[Pioneer4x4]

I feel like a dolt, but I'm missing that one, unless I need to think "Way Back", but actually, I DO HAVE THEM on my OLD COMPUTER!!!. I have the original "Stella Gets a New Brain" CD with them also, and cutbin, and added them... I can't test until tomorrow now though. Feel free to PM me if I am missing something!

I found my 8¼K bins, and did the copy /B load1.bin+load2.bin loadall.bin. and it worked great. I only tested Escape from the Mindmaster to maze 4, and the transition from mase 2 to maze 3 was instantaneous (I think that is where the second load kicks in).

[ovalbugmann]

I looked for the Supercharger games at the oldcomputer.com and did not find any.

[potatohead]

BTW, I don't want to steal batari's thunder, but he now has 50 Stella CDs re-appropriated from Hozer which will enable him to distribute the Starpath catalog on 50 Harmony carts. I'm quite excited about this as it is as close to realizing my "dream" of a Supercharger replacement as it's gonna get. Shipping a batch of Harmonies with the games (legally) preloaded (since they could be considered backup copies of a 'used' product) was the way to make this happen with no legal hassles.

 

 

Sweet. This is the coolest project CD. I still have my #96, in the manilla envelope you sent it to me in.

 

If I were you, I would feel really good right now. It got done man! Seriously, it just did. If one goes and digs back to that time, and reads a few of the things said, here we are, and they mostly are possible, and Batari just worked on it, until he got it home! Well, there is that Rastan port hanging out there, but hey! It's looking really good, from where I stand. Check out this months Retrogaming times for some impressions, mention of that project, and other musings from that time. That project really impressed and moved me then. It is one of the things that kind of kept me thinking VCS.

 

What a cool gift to include the CD!

 

Everyone: Be sure and play the "Suicide Mission" with real Asteroids, not the blobs. It's a rare and special VCS treat, IMHO. That was my favorite off the CD.

Edited February 1, 2010 by potatohead

[Nukey Shay]

Are you sure that you don't see any Starpath games there?

[potatohead]

No real need to, since you can download the complete versions immediately using the old computer

dot com

 

Queue those goofy Expedia! "Dot Commmm" guys. (sorry, you can throw stuff now)

[Buzbard]

I looked for the Supercharger games at the oldcomputer.com and did not find any.

 

And you also forgot THE most important part of the url.

[ovalbugmann]

Are you sure that you don't see any Starpath games there?

 

Thanks Nukey, found 'em! I see why you italized the word Starpath. The Starpath games are the only ones grouped by their releasing company, I was trying to look up each SC game by it's name.

 

I looked for the Supercharger games at the oldcomputer.com and did not find any.

 

And you also forgot THE most important part of the url.

 

Uh-huh... Yeah dude, I was there otherwise I would have said I couldn't find the site, but I said I couldn't find the roms because I was there for just a few minutes last night and tried to find Phaser Patrol, Communist Muntants, and Escape of the Mindmaster - all by title I didn't scroll down to "S." I was not putting in a link to ask if that was the site so I left out the http:// part in my post. Although this was my fault for not looking at everything, you added to my frustration by adding in a little comment that was not the problem. Thanks.

 

 

 

Well, that will teach me to do things half-assed, and then ask questions about it.

[Pioneer4x4]

Remember Starpath games are also listed as "Arcadia" sometimes.

[Buzbard]

Are you sure that you don't see any Starpath games there?

 

Thanks Nukey, found 'em! I see why you italized the word Starpath. The Starpath games are the only ones grouped by their releasing company, I was trying to look up each SC game by it's name.

 

I looked for the Supercharger games at the oldcomputer.com and did not find any.

 

And you also forgot THE most important part of the url.

 

Uh-huh... Yeah dude, I was there otherwise I would have said I couldn't find the site, but I said I couldn't find the roms because I was there for just a few minutes last night and tried to find Phaser Patrol, Communist Muntants, and Escape of the Mindmaster - all by title I didn't scroll down to "S." I was not putting in a link to ask if that was the site so I left out the http:// part in my post. Although this was my fault for not looking at everything, you added to my frustration by adding in a little comment that was not the problem. Thanks.

 

 

 

Well, that will teach me to do things half-assed, and then ask questions about it.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you. In your previous post you typed oldcomputer.com and I was only hinting that the url is theoldcomputer.com.