How to Insert Disk 2?

[space_dungeon]

So far I've tried 5 of my favorite XL games and they all worked well. I actually like the joystick.

 

But I tried to play a highly extensive 4 disk game in Alternate Reality.  The game loads up great but I don't know how to insert side 2.  Is there an option to insert multiple disks?

 

Thanks

Edited March 31 by space_dungeon

[Sean_1970]

The online manual (scan the QR code in the setup guide) has instructions around this in the “Loading your own programs” section, but basically you stick them into a folder and then create a uniquely-named config file that lists the disk locations in order using relative path positioning. You’re supposed to be able to then click the config filename to launch.

[fant3]

Page 19 in the user manual documents how to do this. You create a playlist which is a text file with and extension of .m3u that points the the disk file. Do not include the \ at the beginning of the file path to the file. You start the load by starting the playlist. When prompted for the next disk press and hold the HOME button plus the bottom ring button on the joystick. Once done, reply to the disk change in the game.

[pjedavison]

Also worth noting that for games with up to three disks (so Alternate Reality is out, unfortunately), you don't have to make a playlist. Choose the first disk with the fire button as normal, then choose the other two with the shoulder button. You can then switch between them in-game with HOME+bottom ring button as above.

[Sean_1970]

Sort of related question. Alternate Reality has a character creation bit - you can use a temp character just to play, but if you want to make one with a unique name and save progress in-game you need to insert a blank disk. How do we do that? There’s mention of having multiple basic disks in the 400Mini manual, but that’s not like trying to swap in a new blank whilst a program is running.

[fant3]

My guess (and it only a guess) is you would create a blank disk or 2 like you would for basic and then add them as the last 2 disk in the play list. I assume the game prompts you to load the blank disk when you are saving, so hit the swap disk key sequence until you get to one of the blank disk you created.  Let us know if this works.

[pjedavison]

1 hour ago, Sean_1970 said:

Sort of related question. Alternate Reality has a character creation bit - you can use a temp character just to play, but if you want to make one with a unique name and save progress in-game you need to insert a blank disk. How do we do that? There’s mention of having multiple basic disks in the 400Mini manual, but that’s not like trying to swap in a new blank whilst a program is running.

You'll want a blank disk image. I think Altirra comes with some that you can just duplicate, rename and put where you want on the USB stick. Alternatively, just duplicate THEA400_BASIC.ATR on the USB stick, as that's just a blank DOS 2.5 disk.

 

Unfortunately there's no means of creating or duplicating disk images on the unit yourself so you'll have to whip out the USB stick and do the file management on another device. I've actually just bought a USB C to A adapter for my phone to let me do stuff like this without having to go downstairs to "the big PC"

 

EDIT: Don't forget once you've created a saves disk for any game that needs one, you'll need to include it in the game's m3u playlist or remember to tag it with the shoulder buttons on The400 Mini itself!

Edited April 1 by pjedavison

[Sean_1970]

Great stuff guys, I’ll give it a go tomorrow. Can’t see playing Alternate Reality without it!

[Sean_1970]

That worked folks. I had to get a new image of the .atr files as Disk 2 Side 1 wasn’t being recognised. Saving prompted for inserting the character disk and then the game seemed to hang after  “you are saved” appeared, but when I started again, inserted the disk and chose “E” to resume, it was seen just fine.

 

This game has so much disk swapping and loading though! I forgot how tedious this game is. So remarkable at the time for resembling a pen-and-paper rpg with stats and shops and bars, but the random encounters are too frequent and it took me ten minutes to kill a mugger. Granted I was unarmed, but waiting for the dialogue to press “A” and either miss or do one point of damage…curiosity and nostalgia satisfied and new disk mechanic tested 👍

Edited April 2 by Sean_1970

[smoore]

I play this in Altirra mainly, a lot easier to swap disks and F1 can be used to speed up loading times

 

[Sean_1970]

Having multiple virtual disk drives would definitely help. xAtari800x had this feature, but I guess having an option to swap disks at all is something.

[pjedavison]

1 hour ago, smoore said:

I play this in Altirra mainly, a lot easier to swap disks and F1 can be used to speed up loading times

 

The400 Mini has fast loading on by default (in fact, you can't disable it right now, which I hope is something that will change... I want my I/O noises, dammit!).

10 minutes ago, Sean_1970 said:

Having multiple virtual disk drives would definitely help. xAtari800x had this feature, but I guess having an option to swap disks at all is something.

Trouble is, not all multi-disk games support multiple disk drives. Remember that many titles that are distributed as multiple disk images these days were actually a single double-sided disk originally, meaning they wouldn't have supported multiple drives.

 

The solution we have at the moment works easily enough. 3 disks (which is what you can queue up in the interface on the system itself) is enough for a double-sided game plus a game save disk, and anything larger than that can be set up easily with an .m3u playlist. So long as you remember the button combo to swap disks (Home+Down Ring) it's a breeze. I actually find it less cumbersome than using Altirra's "Rotate drives" option, but your mileage may vary.

 

I would eventually like to see the ability to create new blank disk images on the system itself, but I suspect that won't happen, given that it's not happened on TheC64 or TheA500 Mini and they've both been out for a while. Still, it's easy enough to duplicate THE400MINI_BASIC.ATR using a PC or phone file manager -- I bought a USB C to A adapter for my phone specifically so I could do this on my phone rather than having to run to my PC!