rensoup Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 On 1/8/2022 at 8:46 PM, Stechmann said: In the title menu there is an option "Start Level" and "Start Health" but they are both greyed out. Anyone know how I can activate these options so that I can use them? I guess I didn't make it very obvious... With this, hopefully search engines will catch it: Prince of Persia for Atari XL (v1.0 & v1.01) cheat code: On 1/8/2022 at 10:48 PM, Peri Noid said: Read here: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/298914-unicorns-season-prince-of-persia-for-the-a8/?do=findComment&comment=4971579 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rensoup Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 On 1/9/2022 at 3:46 PM, twh/f2 said: I just recently had a go with the Atari ST version of Prince of Persia. The slow downs, the sound fx, palette etc. is just so brutal. What a mess!!!! It only emphasizes the great great great quality of the XL/XE version. I'm speechless. Thanks! I suppose the ST version uses some form of emulation (precompiled or at runtime) and something went very wrong. They might have unintentionally left the Apple2 6502 display code which is by far the slowest part and can be totally cut off. Most ST games used crap sprite routines too so that didn't help. Perhaps tight deadlines were a factor though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggn Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 17 hours ago, rensoup said: Thanks! I suppose the ST version uses some form of emulation (precompiled or at runtime) and something went very wrong. They might have unintentionally left the Apple2 6502 display code which is by far the slowest part and can be totally cut off. Most ST games used crap sprite routines too so that didn't help. Perhaps tight deadlines were a factor though... The ST version was targeted for 512k machines. This makes things tremendously difficult because the animation frames take quite a bit of space, there's samples which also take a good chunk of RAM, and also sampled music. With these restrictions you cannot optimise for anything than size. Sprite routines have to real time shift+mask+overlay the top layers etc etc. I haven't looked deeply but it's probably safe to assume they weren't the best ever made. Unlike the amiga version, which was done inhouse, this was done by a French crew (not 100% sure but I think that the ST version doesn't share any code with the original Apple 2 version). The graphics have been redrawn from scratch and look pretty damn good in my opinion. Yes, there are slowdowns as reported. But no, it's far far far from being a mess. Personally I rate the ST version the second best I've seen to the A8 version, and that was done 31 years ago :). (Sorry for being OT but damn it, someone had to stand up for the ST version! And again, the A8 team did an amazing job, so kudos!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rensoup Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 7:45 PM, ggn said: The ST version was targeted for 512k machines. This makes things tremendously difficult because the animation frames take quite a bit of space, there's samples which also take a good chunk of RAM, and also sampled music. With these restrictions you cannot optimise for anything than size. Sprite routines have to real time shift+mask+overlay the top layers etc etc. I haven't looked deeply but it's probably safe to assume they weren't the best ever made. I don't know about tremendously difficult ?, the space allocated for art at runtime (background + sprites) on the A8 is less than 64KB. The ST runs at twice the resolution with twice the number of bitplanes, so no more than 256KB was needed. I doubt the in game samples required more than 100KB because there just isn't that much sound while the game is running. Even with 2 32KB screen buffers, that leaves a decent amount of memory for the game code/data. On 1/11/2022 at 7:45 PM, ggn said: Yes, there are slowdowns as reported. But no, it's far far far from being a mess. Personally I rate the ST version the second best I've seen to the A8 version, and that was done 31 years ago :). The lack of frame limiter really breaks the gameplay and feels amateurish, the frame rate limiter takes about 10 lines of code on the A8. I started asm coding on the ST way back and witnessing the release of so many rushed ports (THANKS US GOLD!) felt like a WTF experience, PoP ST being no exception. Thanks for rating the A8 versions a little higher than the ST version though ? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) Question: Am I getting this ridiculous demo instead of PoP because I am running on a 65C802 CPU? If so, then, you must know that according to universal law that NO one person is above ANOTHER. This is universal law. Are you a STRICTLY 8 bit CPU CULT? I like what is Compatible [ If [YOU] follow the RULES]. Please stay compatible and it will all be great. How DARE [YOU] DISCRIMINATE? I hope I am wrong. about this and made a mistake. If Not, Then BE READY. Class Action Lawsuits can be effective. DISCRIMINATION = [EVIL] Seriously, is this a sick joke, or what? Edited January 21, 2022 by Kyle22 spell err. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 6 minutes ago, Kyle22 said: Question: Am I getting this ridiculous demo instead of PoP because I am running on a 65C802 CPU? If so, then, you must know that according to universal law that NO one person is above ANOTHER. This is universal law. Are you a STRICTLY 8 bit CPU CULT? I like what is Compatible [ If [YOU] follow the RULES]. Please stay compatible and it will abb be great. How DARE [YOU] DISCRIMINATE? I hope I am wrong. about this and made a mistake. If Not, Then BE READY. Class Action Lawsuits can be effective. DISCRIMINATION = [EVIL] Seriously, is this a sick joke, or what? Would you like some olio for your bunghole? Seriously, you're acting like you were singled out because you're not using a stock CPU. How terrible that the author didn't take your specific hardware's non-factory corner case CPU into account when writing the game BTW: you have tried pressing START to exit the demo, yes? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 This is NOT a 'Corner Case.'. We sold Sweet 16's in the mid-late 90's. There is NO reason to PURPOSELY EXCLUDE the Perfectly compatible 16 bit chip because you are a cult member or have a nefarious agenda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 1 minute ago, Kyle22 said: This is NOT a 'Corner Case.'. We sold Sweet 16's in the mid-late 90's. There is NO reason to PURPOSELY EXCLUDE the Perfectly compatible 16 bit chip because you are a cult member or have a nefarious agenda. Did you press START to exit the demo and, uh, start the game? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Is there any polite person that can point me to a compatible version of this game? If not, then it's a REAL shame. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 1 minute ago, Kyle22 said: polite person Pot, meet kettle. You're the one who decided to charge in here, guns blazing, ranting about how your oddball hardware may be causing an issue that is frankly unreasonable for any programmer to anticipate. I'll ask again, since you've avoided the question repeatedly: HAVE YOU TRIED PRESSING START TO EXIT THE DEMO? You've never actually confirmed if you have or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 ALL my point is: Look to the FUTURE, not the Past. More and More people are going to use these improved CPUs. Seriously, this IS a big deal. Let's be COMPATIBLE. LOVE EACH OTHER. OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I think I pressed everything, but I'll try it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I held [START] right away, but nothing happened. I have a spinning Fuji symbol, 1/2 white, lower half yellow. Music is playing. 3 horizontal lines in upper part of video. First line lower than the second 2. ALL I want is to know how to use this. Will it run on my CPU is the question. The 65xxx architecture will be around forever, and we MUST keep up w/ the new ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I just want to know if this was an accident ( hopefully ), or on purpose. I am going to leave this here. before I say too much. Have a good day everyone, and let's make tomorrow an even better (more compatible) day. Come on guys. Do the RIGHT thing. The Universe [GOD] is watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, Kyle22 said: How DARE [YOU] DISCRIMINATE? I hope I am wrong. about this and made a mistake. If Not, Then BE READY. Class Action Lawsuits can be effective. DISCRIMINATION = [EVIL] Kyle seriously? A class action lawsuit? You do realize that a class action lawsuit requires more than one participant. But hey thanks for making me laugh Edit: Well I guess a single individual could file a class action lawsuit, but good luck getting a judge to take that seriously, especially considering the circumstances. Edited January 21, 2022 by mytek 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxl Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 4 hours ago, Kyle22 said: How DARE [YOU] DISCRIMINATE? I hope I am wrong. about this and made a mistake. If Not, Then BE READY. Class Action Lawsuits can be effective. DISCRIMINATION = [EVIL] discrimination is life, is the most precious good. It defines free will. He who takes away the right to discriminate stands on the side of the agenda of evil. All progress, civilization, natural selection is based on discrimination. Nature discriminates against the less adapted... you. If PoP doesn't work on your computer it only means that your computer is not compatible and nothing more. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beeblebrox Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 It's start or space bar that exits the title demo and loads the game. (For ref I just test ran the Car file versions of the PoP_Atarimax_20211206_final version from my U1MB'd 800XL as well as Altirra) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorRossie Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 5 hours ago, Kyle22 said: ALL I want is to know how to use this. Will it run on my CPU is the question. I ran it on an Antonia expanded 600XL, so it should work. I did notice the intro was garbled and the timing of the key presses to skip the intro is tricky (somewhere before the intro runs), but the game runs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrbrevin Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 also works fine on my Antonia & UAV 800XL, no issues to report ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible kid Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 The demo is frickin' great, the sound is amazing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 11 hours ago, Kyle22 said: This is NOT a 'Corner Case.'. We sold Sweet 16's in the mid-late 90's. There is NO reason to PURPOSELY EXCLUDE the Perfectly compatible 16 bit chip because you are a cult member or have a nefarious agenda. Someone forget to take his anti-psychotic meds? Maybe it's a case of us Windows 10 SPY users ganging up on the XP brigade. Did you try wrapping your Atari in tin foil? It could be alien signals preventing the START button from working. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 On 12/23/2021 at 11:45 PM, rensoup said: Something a bunch of you have been waiting for: Reveal hidden contents ? IPOOP ? GREAT Noticed and used it earlier on, too busy to respond yet though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 13 hours ago, Kyle22 said: ALL my point is: Look to the FUTURE, not the Past. More and More people are going to use these improved CPUs. Ahahahahahaha...........NO ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 11 hours ago, mytek said: Kyle seriously? A class action lawsuit? You do realize that a class action lawsuit requires more than one participant. But hey thanks for making me laugh Edit: Well I guess a single individual could file a class action lawsuit, but good luck getting a judge to take that seriously, especially considering the circumstances. He didn't state which country. You Americans all think the world is not greater than your scary corner of the planet.... Edited January 21, 2022 by Level42 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DjayBee Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 13 hours ago, Kyle22 said: ALL my point is: Look to the FUTURE, not the Past. More and More people are going to use these improved CPUs. Seriously, this IS a big deal. Let's be COMPATIBLE. ? ... says the one working with a by-itself retro OS with gazillions of vulnerabilities which let everyone spy on him except for - maybe - the guys from Seattle. Edited January 21, 2022 by DjayBee typo 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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