Online Atari SW resources, and what we really need

[ParanoidLittleMan]

In last couple days I again went to see about TOSEC, Atari ST part, in hope to find there some missing Pasti images. After seeing some writings that there is 1800 STX image.

Currently, you can get it only via Torrent, what is very slow in my case. So, I DL-ed only lists.

 

There is Atari ST games STX section. As I calculated, there may be about 1600 images. But since we have a lot of multifloppy games + there are multiple versions of same game, I guess that max some 500-600 games are there. And I did not see anything from missing list. Well - it is not surprise - I guess that people already upped everything interesting to AM.

 

Probably more interesting is section with cracks (ST, MSA images) - there is really lot of images, over 10000 for sure. But how many games really ? And how many bad cracks, corrupted files and similar ?ű

As I see there was not much care about it. Just add everything possible, and people will find what is good ... Hmmm... I think that such approach is not efficient. To check and sort out what is good and what not is task for many people.

We need some cooperation in it. Otherwise, everything will be like it was: ocasional postings in forums, e-mails. But not some proven lists on easy findable places.

This is what I try to override with my Atari ST Game Archive and some lists of 'bad games' - will soon post them here ...

 

TOSEC impressed people with huge number of images in first place, and maybe with given CRC and M5 checksums for files. But I say that it was not really good approach. It was just faster than what we really need: checked content. Instead of 5-10 copies of same title, just one, but one proven.

 

For instance: you will find at least 4 versions of Son Shu-Shi there. And all are same: corrupted parts, and game will crash at some levels. There are other examples, of course, and for sure many undiscovered errors yet.

 

Basically, everything what is on TOSEC, Atari ST section I already DL-ed some 6 years ago. Those sites disappeared, but we have new ones, with practically same content. Maybe not possible to DL everything at once, but real question is: do we need bunch of files, fill hard disks and CDs, DVDs with them, and beeing happy that now we have everything, or maybe to do something to make really useful image base: without multiplicity, with checked images.

Still, there may be place for all tastes: who prefers originals may go on STX, who prefers menu disks can find many sites hostimg them. Who likes games self, perhaps with some cheats may get such versions - here I mean games self, so no intros and messages. And of course, hard disk runnable versions too.

We are not far from having everything quality in flawless images, hard disk folders. Just need little more people sending images and testing releases.