Infocom single side interpreter - looking for tester(s)

[jindroush]

Hi,
I modified two single density disk Infocom interpreter to run games from one double density disk.
Can anybody interested in Infocom games test this image on any real DD drive? I've tested it for a while on Altirra, it works, but I'm a bit rusty (never had disk drive in my active years), so testing on real hardware would be welcome.

It's Stationfall. Savegame disk must be also DD.

TIA

 

test_stationfall_107.atr

Edited June 12, 2023 by jindroush

[Wrathchild]

>$VE
Verifying.

Atari Version G

 

Scans disk but then displays:

Atari Version GOkay.

 

[jindroush]

Yep, original asks for disk swapping, this version does not, that's why it's "joined" probably.

EDIT: Fixed version in first post.

Edited June 12, 2023 by jindroush

[Wrathchild]

I split the ATR Quads (four titles per image) to individual titles per ATR, however those would still be 128 byte sector size.

 

One thing you could do is reserve save space on the game disk (still gives the option to write to another disk).

Although this breaks save compatibility with original save disks that doesn't seem a concern if you've moved to DD? 

sf3d_stationfall.atr

Edited June 12, 2023 by Wrathchild

[jindroush]

Hi Mark,
I wanted it to run from real diskette, that's why I had to switch to DD. That way it'd run on various emulated environments (I assume all the ATR emulations on modern cartridges etc) and on real disk drive (XF551 for example) as well. I may be overlooking something, but your atr doesn't run for diskette, right?

Regarding game saves - interpreter G allocates 144 SD sectors for one savegame, so I used 72 DD sectors for one. I've checked the created image, it's possible to save 2 positions on the story disk. But it would complicate UI for saving - it'd need one additional question for saving to save disk/game disk, then maybe question for saving in dd/sd etc.

[+DjayBee]

26 minutes ago, jindroush said:

I've checked the created image, it's possible to save 2 positions on the story disk. But it would complicate UI for saving - it'd need one additional question for saving to save disk/game disk, then maybe question for saving in dd/sd etc.

Isn't there some sort of directory or allocation table for save games?

Then you could create one for the story disk with all slots used but two.

[jindroush]

Nope. The interpreter is completely blind and depends on correct behavior of the being between chair and keyboard
So you can save anywhere, it does not check what is there. It would also allow you to load swappable parts of the game from the save disk without a word (until it crashes). Just on RESTORE it does check if the bytes 2-3 of game match the release version of the game.

[Wrathchild]

30 minutes ago, DjayBee said:

Isn't there some sort of directory or allocation table for save games?

No, the games files are loaded via 256 byte blocks and so loaded as 2 consecutive 128 byte sectors in the original interpreter and @jindroush has probably made that a one sector load in DD mode.

 

Save states are basically the same, dump memory to sectors starting at Slot*SlotSize

 

So there is no FMS utilised. Would be nice to make an interpreter that can (at the sacrifice of some RAM) as this would then say let z-files be run from SDX command line.  

Edited June 13, 2023 by Wrathchild

[Wrathchild]

1 hour ago, jindroush said:

I may be overlooking something, but your atr doesn't run for diskette, right?

Correct, they are more aimed at devices such as SIO2SD, Multi-carts with ATR support (with write capability)

[jindroush]

There's only about $400-500 bytes free in Plundered Hearts used for disk caching. Interpreter uses various disk buffers between $400-$BFF. Rewriting this for SDX file operation would need lots of work (looking aside from the fact I currently know nothing about random file access in Sparta). This version of interpreter needs OS rom for E: and for D:, so turning it off doesn't seem like the option.

The story files for Z3 are large - 128KB, and the resident part must be wholly loaded to RAM. That's ~$9000 usually for two disk games.

[Wrathchild]

Such an undertaking would assume a modern user is using 128KB or more and so extra RAM would be used for caching/resident blocks as 48K/64KB machines already catered for with other solutions. Also leads into getting around to making A8 Z4/Z5 interpreters

[jindroush]

But, taking this 128k+ idea in account, what positives would SpartaDos bring to the end user? Isn't it easier just to use two DD disks for 'real DD drives', and one 'X-large' disk for 'sio-emulators'?

Z3 - they would always fit DD, some of them SD.
Z4/Z5 - they would always need 128K+ and two DD disks.

Edited June 13, 2023 by jindroush

[DrVenkman]

2 hours ago, Wrathchild said:

Also leads into getting around to making A8 Z4/Z5 interpreters

Yes, please.

[Wrathchild]

5 hours ago, jindroush said:

what positives would SpartaDos bring to the end user?

one instance of the interpreter able to run specified file from command line.

impression here is that someone already with their expansion typically has some form of IDE device (CF / SD etc) and partitions mounted on those.