Peter's Dungeon Master version, nice job!

[Randy]

I finally was able to get my HD floppy working on my Mega STe, and with this I have the floppy space to download and run some of PP's games that he has made available through his hard work.  Breach is one game I mentioned a while back that when I ran it on my 4160 STe and Mega STe had an issue with the silver graphic used for lettering in the game.  In Peter's version, the lettering is perfect an allows for proper running of the game.  I did note that I am not sure if the blitter can be set to run when loading this game, while the movement is faster than the original, it is not as fast as when the blitter is engaged, then the game really moves quickly!

 

In DM, wow, significant improvements!  The sound seems a bit clearer, but the biggest change is the speed of the game.  It loads very quick, much quicker than the original, and the play is much quicker, and thus, more challenging!  I'm not sure why it in-game play is so much quicker, Peter, can you shed some light on that?  All in all, big improvement.  I should note, I am running these games off of the HD floppy drive, not CF or HD at this time, but will look to get there before the year is out.  But meantime, the HD floppy is working great, I am reading many disks that would not even read before on my Epson 380 drives on my 4160 STe.  In that case, I am wondering if the ROM in the 4160 (2.06) may be contributing to the floppy read errors?  Thanks

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Dungeon Master for hard disk run sets Mega STE to 16 MHz at start, what is indicated, and you can set it to run at regular 8 MHz when press key M at start screen. There is little speed gain because audio (DMA v.) too. Loading is much faster because using only 1 level packed data, instead 2 levels by original (used to fit on 1 SS floppy) .

I made new TOS in RAM v., where can activate blitter - for games using TOS functions to draw on screen. Will make Breach with it soon.

TOS 2.06 works reliable with floppies, but there are some differences in floppy code in compare to TOS 1.xx . Can it affect reliability of read is hard to say without concrete tests. What I know is that 2.06 floppy code is less compatible with games - if game (or any SW) changes Timer-C for own purposes, it will be not able to access floppy via TOS calls. Other difference is steprate, what is 6 mS for DD disks (should be 3), and that is noticeable, but that should not increase errors.

[Randy]

Thanks for the information, Peter!  As you probably already know, your work on the games you have posted is excellent, and had provided the community with many enjoyable moments.  With a now running Dungeon Master (16 mHz, wow!) that sounds and plays great, my many thanks!  And I will need to talk to you later this year about the TOS configurations that you sell, I would be interested in trying those out as well as your hard drive program.  BTW, does that program also work with removable media, such as Syquest 44 meg removable drives?  Thanks.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

On 7/13/2020 at 5:46 PM, Randy said:

" BTW, does that program also work with removable media, such as Syquest 44 meg removable drives?  Thanks. "

Yes, works .