Over 1000 game adaptations in single file

[ParanoidLittleMan]

This was asked by many people, and I already made some compilations years ago. Now, count of games is over 1200 ( atari.8bitchip.info ) . That means that making it as single archive took days of work. I explained that don't think that DL all it and once, put on hard disk, and then play some games from  is the best idea, way. Really so hard to DL 10 games one by one ? Who even can play more in 1 day ?  And need for feedback from users. Some even did not answer on my simple question: how it works on Falcon, and I made it on their request ? There is lot of work in all it. And I still have some new solutions, but motivation is really not high with this low feedback level.  In short: I don't do this to fill hard disk with 1000's of files. It is for using it. To check it, and improve if needed.

 

Anyway, there is RAR file on fileshare host, with over 1100 hard disk adapted games. I will not give here link. All you need to do is to e-mail me.

 

[+CyranoJ]

If it isn't a brown blobby donut spazzing around at 5fps nobody cares anymore. Just like 10 years ago

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Sure my dear friend Cyrano . Nobody cares - for your 'opinion' . Or I need to add: 'ask CJ first' ?

I guess over 1.3 M DL-ads are nothing.

[+CyranoJ]

[Bikerbob]

I dont think he was dissing you Ppera.. but thats just the way I read it.. I think he was supporting the idea that people are not leaving you feedback.. and that it is inconsiderate - making the statement that if it is not something flashy like a demo etc.. people just dont comment or put the effort in.

 

I agree who needs a 1000 files at once..  but thats the way people are.. they want to download it .. and be done.. they may never even play 10 games in the group.  

 

I know I have said it.. and I intend to do it..   I just keep doing hardware stuff (I have to STOP!!) and play some games and give you feedback..  But honestly.. it sounded like CyranoJ was agreeing.. not giving you grief.

 

James

Edited December 9, 2019 by Bikerbob

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Well, if someone talk in clues, posts some supposedly funny photos ... Then some threads from couple months ago ..

 

And of course, I did not say or think that nobody cares, or nobody gives feedback. There are really nice people, and I got many thanks, praises, some bug reports, some supposed bug reports (that's why I made thread about old Ataris recently), some suggestions and so on. But it can be better. (could say 'could' ? ) . So, I keep being annoying, naggy, and try to remind people ?  Hey ! Nothing is total white or black. Everything is gray . And I hate that color ?

And I think that there are things what ordinary users just don't understand. Why all this complications, diverse conditions to meet, so it work ?

Atari ST and it's TOS is way more complicated than some 8-bit computer and it's OS (if it can called that at all) .

For instance, some SW can be started, run in several ways:

1. Boot from disk - used mostly by games - bootsector contains code for loading further stages. Which may be in regular files, or in custom type files.

Custom files may be loaded via XBIOS 8 floppy access TOS function, or with own (custom) code - some call it DMA loader, what is misleading, because TOS uses DMA too. Regular files via TOS function (usually referred as Trap #1) . And even regular files may be loaded via custom code. That's already pretty much. And why custom code for regular files ? Because TOS self takes some RAM - what is between 24 KB and some 100 KB - depends from TOS version, start mode (boot, AUTO, Desktop start ...).  Custom loader may do it with less RAM used, so more is free for game.

2. AUTO run - that's popular and comfortable way, ideal for floppies. But in it, we again have some funny things. Will not go here in details, there is recent thread in programming section with it.

3. Desktop start - and even it can be automatic. But my experience says that it is barely used. Plenty of games where user need to open A: , then look what file is for start .  And worst part is when game needs AES, GEM for work, while there is nothing from Windows, Dialogs or even mouse usage.

That's why I made new HAGE system - complete TOS 1.04 in RAM . I patched some such in past, but that's really time consuming and not always make it work well.

And there is so called command.prg type SW start - special function of TOS, barely used, but some choose it. Basically same effect as AUTO run.

Yeah, longer post, and I just scratched surface a bit. There is much more ...

 

[+SoulBuster]

Like Bikerbob, I want to help out and test the games you have carefully and lovingly modified to work from HD, but I am in hardware hell as well.

 

I am updating memory on 6 STs from the original ST(M)s to STF(M)s.  Fixing other STF(M)s, Megas, Megafiel 44s, Megafile 30s, Other Hard Drives and even some 8-bit stuff.  In addition, after Christmas I will have one of Exxos' Remake boards to play with.

 

I have downloaded a few of your game mods and loaded them, but that is all the further I have gotten.

As far as a single download … I think it is better to READ about what you are downloading and know how to run it properly by the instructions on the website.  In my opinion, do not do a single download file.

[jefffulton]

On 12/9/2019 at 12:01 AM, ParanoidLittleMan said:

This was asked by many people, and I already made some compilations years ago. Now, count of games is over 1200 ( atari.8bitchip.info ) . That means that making it as single archive took days of work. I explained that don't think that DL all it and once, put on hard disk, and then play some games from  is the best idea, way. Really so hard to DL 10 games one by one ? Who even can play more in 1 day ?  And need for feedback from users. Some even did not answer on my simple question: how it works on Falcon, and I made it on their request ? There is lot of work in all it. And I still have some new solutions, but motivation is really not high with this low feedback level.  In short: I don't do this to fill hard disk with 1000's of files. It is for using it. To check it, and improve if needed.

 

Anyway, there is RAR file on fileshare host, with over 1100 hard disk adapted games. I will not give here link. All you need to do is to e-mail me.

 

I've visited your site and 200 x in the last year and have downloaded and played (well 200) of these one by one. That's a much better way to do it (for me) than a single file. 
Thanks for all of your hard work. The HD and fixed games on an STE are AMAZING!