convert d64 to crt

[+Steve Jones]

Apologies if this has already been asked and answered, I did do a search but found no answer.

 

I have a bunch of games in d64 format that I want to convert to crt so I can put on my EasyFlash 3,

 

what is the simplest to use software that can do this?

 

I'm relatively new to C64 stuff and just learning all this.

 

Thank in advance.

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Steve Jones

[Punishermark]

Look on https://csdb.dk . 

A ton of games have been converted.

Even multi-disk games such as the Dungeons and Dragons ones.

[carlsson]

Are your games single filed with one or more games per D64? In that case there are cartridge collection generators, e.g. Draco's cart maker (Java applet).

 

If it is a game with multiple files to be loaded, it would require much more work to convert it into an EasyFlash CRT image, not trivial.

[DragonGrafx-16]

Just get a SD2IEC for disk games or see if you can find .prg versions.

On 3/4/2022 at 11:48 AM, carlsson said:

Are your games single filed with one or more games per D64? In that case there are cartridge collection generators, e.g. Draco's cart maker (Java applet).

 

If it is a game with multiple files to be loaded, it would require much more work to convert it into an EasyFlash CRT image, not trivial.

You can't put .d64 files on an EasyFlash... just .crt and .prg files.

[carlsson]

Yes, but if each game on the D64 is a single file (PRG), you can extract them from the disk image and put into the CRT image.

 

If the D64 consists of multiple files to be loaded independently, it doesn't work.

[DragonGrafx-16]

I used this to make my first multicart and not Draco's Cart Maker.... which did not work for me.

 

[CSDb] - ndefpack 1.0.1 by Nojoopa (2012)

[carlsson]

The final result looks identical, so I suppose the different tools install the same menu system, just different PC tools to create the CRT image itself. I agree that Draco is a bit strange to get running, mainly because it is made in Java which itself is a strange component.

[carlsson]

Anyway, @Steve Jones hasn't commented any further so either he got the tools he needs or gave up. The hint to look on CSDb for ready-made images of the more complex games is a good one. For instance I found a single filed version of M.U.L.E. so I could put it onto my EasyFlash among other games. That one only loads two parts in a given order so perhaps it was easier than converting e.g. the Epyx games series (which I know exist as a ready-made CRT) or something else that relies on a lot of disk access.

[DragonGrafx-16]

2 minutes ago, carlsson said:

The final result looks identical, so I suppose the different tools install the same menu system, just different PC tools to create the CRT image itself. I agree that Draco is a bit strange to get running, mainly because it is made in Java which itself is a strange component.

It did not export anything for me... it just made a blank 8KB .crt file. 

 

ndefpack exported correctly for me and lets you know if a file isn't compatible when you add it. 

[carlsson]

YMMV. I have been able to use DCM at least 5 times, based on the revisions of the CRT images I have created.

 

For fun, these are the 38 games currently on my EasyFlash: Archon, Assembloids, BC's Quest For Tires, Bomb Jack, Boulder Dash II, Bruce Lee, C64anabalt, C=2048, Commando, Decathlon, Deflektor, Delta, Fairy Well, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Giana Sisters, Gyruss, H.E.R.O, IK+, Impossible Mission, M.U.L.E., Micro Hexagon, Monster Buster, Motor Mania, Nebulus, Out Run, Pac-Mania, Pit Stop II, Powerglove, Revenge of Doh (Arkanoid II), Space Action, Spy Hunter, Super Bread Box, Tapper, Tetris, Trailblazer, Up 'n Down, Voivod Attack, Yie Ar Kung-Fu.

 

My very first collection only had 29 games: Alf in the Color Caves, BC's Quest For Tires, Bomb Jack, Bruce Lee, Bubble Bobble, Commando, Crystal Castles, Decathlon, Delta, Donkey Kong, Frogger II: Threedeep, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Gyruss, IK+, Impossible Mission, International Soccer, Nebulus, Out Run, Pac-Mania, Pang!, Pit Stop II, Pitfall II, Revenge of Doh, Spy Hunter, Tapper, Trailblazer, Up 'n Down, Yie Ar Kung-Fu.

 

As you can see, a good deal of those have stayed in my collection through another four revisions, but some had to go - in particular 128K games like Pang! and later Toki don't make up for the space of another 3-4 games.

Edited March 13, 2022 by carlsson

[DragonGrafx-16]

2 minutes ago, carlsson said:

YMMV. I have been able to use DCM at least 5 times, based on the revisions of the CRT images I have created.

 

For fun, these are the 38 games currently on my EasyFlash: Archon, Assembloids, BC's Quest For Tires, Bomb Jack, Boulder Dash II, Bruce Lee, C64anabalt, C=2048, Commando, Decathlon, Deflektor, Delta, Fairy Well, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Giana Sisters, Gyruss, H.E.R.O, IK+, Impossible Mission, M.U.L.E., Micro Hexagon, Monster Buster, Motor Mania, Nebulus, Out Run, Pac-Mania, Pit Stop II, Powerglove, Revenge of Doh (Arkanoid II), Space Action, Spy Hunter, Super Bread Box, Tapper, Tetris, Trailblazer, Up 'n Down, Voivod Attack, Yie Ar Kung-Fu.

I have 53 games in the cart I have made and I've got more to make as I am separating genres. I plan on putting larger games on my SD2IEC when that gets here. I also did not include carts that I own physical copies of.

[carlsson]

Me neither, except that I've thinned out my collection of physical games quite a lot in the last few years.

 

53 games means an average of 19 kB/game. It suggests you've got quite a number of 8-16 kB CRT images on your collection and only a few larger PRG files. I believe about 9 of the CRT images in my collection are recent (Y2K and later) homebrew cartridge games. I used to have a few more but cut down to the ones I enjoyed. Unfortunately I think rather few of the 300+ original cartridge games really hold up compared to the larger tape/disk based games, which can be explained by the fact that most of the C64 cartridge games came out around 1982-84 while the majority of the popular tape/disk games came out 1985-90.

[DragonGrafx-16]

15 minutes ago, carlsson said:

Me neither, except that I've thinned out my collection of physical games quite a lot in the last few years.

 

53 games means an average of 19 kB/game. It suggests you've got quite a number of 8-16 kB CRT images on your collection and only a few larger PRG files. I believe about 9 of the CRT images in my collection are recent (Y2K and later) homebrew cartridge games. I used to have a few more but cut down to the ones I enjoyed. Unfortunately I think rather few of the 300+ original cartridge games really hold up compared to the larger tape/disk based games, which can be explained by the fact that most of the C64 cartridge games came out around 1982-84 while the majority of the popular tape/disk games came out 1985-90.

Unfortunately, I have an NTSC C64 and a lot of the later games are PAL and most run too fast or have graphics glitches. I do have a number of homebrew in this multicart that are NTSC friendly however. Also this multicart is strictly shooters, and I am going to make more for other genres (platformer, arcade, adventure/rpg, etc).  These 53 games also only take up a single bank on my EasyFlash 3 so I can fit a lot more games on it. One is going to be taken up from the game Soul Force (a shmup homebrew) that uses a 500kb cartridge. 

Edited March 13, 2022 by DragonGrafx-16

[+Steve Jones]

2 hours ago, carlsson said:

Anyway, @Steve Jones hasn't commented any further so either he got the tools he needs or gave up. The hint to look on CSDb for ready-made images of the more complex games is a good one. For instance I found a single filed version of M.U.L.E. so I could put it onto my EasyFlash among other games. That one only loads two parts in a given order so perhaps it was easier than converting e.g. the Epyx games series (which I know exist as a ready-made CRT) or something else that relies on a lot of disk access.

While there are lots of CRTs on CSDb, it seems to not have everything I was looking for, QIX is one example. But since I posted I have just been too busy with work to investigate further, when things slow down I will investigate more.

I have seen comments online that conversion tools are not very successful, but others say that they work fine so I'm not sure what to believe.

 

 

[DragonGrafx-16]

25 minutes ago, Steve Jones said:

While there are lots of CRTs on CSDb, it seems to not have everything I was looking for, QIX is one example. But since I posted I have just been too busy with work to investigate further, when things slow down I will investigate more.

I have seen comments online that conversion tools are not very successful, but others say that they work fine so I'm not sure what to believe.

 

 

One reason why I got a SD2IEC to supplement my EasyFlash 3... the SD2IEC can natively run .d64 roms.

[carlsson]

Not sure about Taito's own Qix version but clones like Stix definitely exist as single filed and are a piece of cake to put onto a CRT collection.

 

SD2IEC unfortunately only runs D64 that don't implement custom fastloaders so just a little more compatible than an EF cartridge. If you need full compatibility, you need at least Pi1541 or something like Ultimate-II+ which is in a completely different price range.

[DragonGrafx-16]

 

I have Qix as a .prg file.4