Apple IIgs Game Questions

[Rockin' Kat]

Actually I have a shiny new Powerbook G4.  I assume OS X still uses that format?  Too bad it doesn't have a floppy drive or I could try writing discs as well.  Still, this would require me to get my CD drive working on my IIgs, I'll have to look at that this weekend. 

 

Ah, then as long as you have a burning application that can do HFS then it shouldn't be any problem. I used Toast to make my disk. Floppies are nice for transfering a few files, but it's slower and more cumbersome when you're transfering lots of disk images between the Mac and the Apple IIgs.

 

So can any single disc image be copied onto the HD and run from it?  I wanted to try and copy one of my current game disks to the HD and see if it would run, but when I try and read one from OS 6, it just says that the disk isnt formatted.  Why can't it read it?  Do I need to use some utility to do that?

 

Tempest

860792[/snapback]

 

You need to have a special utility to load games from images...and it was only for 8 bit games... but I really don't remember it's name or where I found it... mostly because I honestly never really tried to use it. I just read about it somewhere.. I'm sure if it really exists though, someone on csa2 would know about it.

 

Also, to view DOS 3.3 format floppies which is what most 8-bit Apple II games are on, you need to install special FST's in the system folder using the Apple IIgs GS OS 6.0.1 install disks.

 

For HFS disks you need to install the HFS FST and for DOS 3.3 you nead the DOS 3.3 FST. it's pretty easy to add if you don't alerady have these installed.

 

Also you'll need a disk image utility to make disk images out of 5.25" disks or vice versa. I use Asimove2 for 8-bit software.

[Tempest]

You need to have a special utility to load games from images...and it was only for 8 bit games... but I really don't remember it's name or where I found it... mostly because I honestly never really tried to use it.  I just read about it somewhere.. I'm sure if it really exists though, someone on csa2 would know about it.

 

I wonder if this utility would cause problems in games?

 

 

Also, to view DOS 3.3 format floppies which is what most 8-bit Apple II games are on, you need to install special FST's in the system folder using the Apple IIgs GS OS 6.0.1 install disks. 

 

For HFS disks you need to install the HFS FST and for DOS 3.3 you nead the DOS 3.3 FST.  it's pretty easy to add if you don't alerady have these installed.

 

I'm still very new to OS 6.0.1, how do I go about doing this? I have the system disks, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

Also you'll need a disk image utility to make disk images out of 5.25" disks or vice versa.

 

I'll have to try that. If I can get most of my games to run from the IIgs HD then I'll be happy (they have to go on the Prodos partition though correct?). 90% of my games are single disk games, and the rest I'm hoping will run from disk normally (I haven't tried them all, but some like Airheart seemed to work).

 

I suppose I can go back to using the smartport for the 5.25 drives since that wasn't the problem after all. If I want to chain 2 3.5 drives and 2 5.25 drives, how do I go about doing that? Do the 3.5's go first (get plugged into the smart port) and then the 5.25's? I'd like it to try and boot form the 5.25's first then the 3.5's.

 

Tempest

[82atari5200]

Apple made an RGB monitor for the IIe?  Got any pictures of that, I'd be interested in seeing them.  I wonder what use RGB would be on the IIe though, since the IIgs one causes problems with double hi-res games.  I assume this monitor would have the same issues.

 

Tempest

860886[/snapback]

I haven't noticed any issues. It's a hell of a lot better than the Composite Monitor. I'll P.M. some pics later.

[Rockin' Kat]

I wonder if this utility would cause problems in games?

 

I wouldn't be surprised

 

I'm still very new to OS 6.0.1, how do I go about doing this?  I have the system disks, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

You can either load the installer by booting to DISK 1 or you can boot up to GS OS on your hard drive and load the installer by opening the disk and doubleclicking the installer. From the installer you would want to select "Customize"

 

then you use the "Disk" button to select the drive you wish to install on.

 

Then you look for the FST's you want to install.. select them and click install to add

 

if you are curious about one of the options you can install, you can click on it and then click the help button.

 

If I can get most of my games to run from the IIgs HD then I'll be happy (they have to go on the Prodos partition though correct?).  90% of my games are single disk games, and the rest I'm hoping will run from disk normally (I haven't tried them all, but some like Airheart seemed to work).

 

I'd imagine you might have problems if you try to use images you've made from copy protected disks. Like I said, I never really tried to use it and I can't really remember what it was even..

 

I suppose I can go back to using the smartport for the 5.25 drives since that wasn't the problem after all.  If I want to chain 2 3.5 drives and 2 5.25 drives, how do I go about doing that?  Do the 3.5's go first (get plugged into the smart port) and then the 5.25's?  I'd like it to try and boot form the 5.25's first then the 3.5's.

 

you have to connect the following way:

 

Computer -> 3.5 #1 -> 3.5 #2 -> 5.25" #1 -> 5.25 #2

 

The computer associates the 3.5 drives with slot 5 and the 5.25 drives with slot 6 in the slot settings in the control panel.

 

If you set the computer to scan in the slot settings for boot slot it will go in the following order:

 

Slot 7

Slot 6 for 5.25" drives

Slot 5 for 3.5" drives

Slot 4

Slot 3

Slot 2

Slot 1

 

if you're going to have a hard drive on SCSI in the IIgs and have things set up to scan, you'd have to use either slot 1 or 2 for the SCSI card and set one of them from "printer port" or "modem port" over to "your card"

[Tempest]

I'd imagine you might have problems if you try to use images you've made from copy protected disks. Like I said, I never really tried to use it and I can't really remember what it was even..

 

ADT? Apple Disk Transfer Utility?

 

 

If you set the computer to scan in the slot settings for boot slot it will go in the following order:

 

Slot 7

Slot 6 for 5.25" drives

Slot 5 for 3.5" drives

Slot 4

Slot 3

Slot 2

Slot 1

 

if you're going to have a hard drive on SCSI in the IIgs and have things set up to scan, you'd have to use either slot 1 or 2 for the SCSI card and set one of them from "printer port" or "modem port" over to "your card"

 

Interesting, because I believe the way it is set up now the SCSI card is in Slot 7. Why does it have to be in Slot 1 or 2? Could this be why the CD-ROM drive won't work when I add it to the chain?

 

Tempest

[Rockin' Kat]

I'd imagine you might have problems if you try to use images you've made from copy protected disks. Like I said, I never really tried to use it and I can't really remember what it was even..

 

ADT? Apple Disk Transfer Utility?

 

 

If you set the computer to scan in the slot settings for boot slot it will go in the following order:

 

Slot 7

Slot 6 for 5.25" drives

Slot 5 for 3.5" drives

Slot 4

Slot 3

Slot 2

Slot 1

 

if you're going to have a hard drive on SCSI in the IIgs and have things set up to scan, you'd have to use either slot 1 or 2 for the SCSI card and set one of them from "printer port" or "modem port" over to "your card"

 

Interesting, because I believe the way it is set up now the SCSI card is in Slot 7. Why does it have to be in Slot 1 or 2? Could this be why the CD-ROM drive won't work when I add it to the chain?

 

Tempest

861066[/snapback]

 

It's ok in slot 7 IF you intend to have both a modem and a printer on a ROM 01 IIgs you can't use slots 1 or 2 for anything else... on a ROM 03 that may be a little different....

 

Me personally, I have an image writer II on the printer port so I can only use Slot 1 for cards that only get power from the slot(an stereo audio card for exampe, plugs in, gets power from the slot, and gets it's signals through a cable that hooks up elswhere on the board to connect with the IIgs's audio circuitry) I however have no use for a modem.. I have an eithernet card which doesn't have to be in slot 2.

 

it's ok to have SCSI in slot 7. It just means you won't be able to use slot scanning to have the computer automatically boot to a 5.25" drive when you have a disk in them.. cuz it will always boot to the first slot it detects...which would be the SCSI hard drive on the SCSI card, in Slot 7.

 

I have my setup as follows:

 

Slot 1: [Printer port] your card -

 

I have a stereo audio card in slot 1... but since it only gets power from the slot, I'm still able to leave the slot associated with the printer.

 

Slot 2: Modem port [your card] -

 

My SCSI card is in this slot so I have it on "your card"

 

slot 3: [built-In Text Display] your card -

 

this has to be set this way in order for 80-column text in 8-bit software. Personally, I also have an accelerator card in this slot.. again, like the stereo audio card, it only gets it's power from the slot, everything else is done through another connection.

 

slot 4: [mouse port] your card -

 

if this is changed I can't use my mouse, however, you have a ROM 03.... so this setting can be changed if you only use the mouse in GS OS... so it's only imporant to keep this set as mouse port on the ROM 03 if you intend to use a mouse in 8-bit software.

 

slot 5: [smart port] your card -

 

For me I change this setting fairly often.. I have a 3.5 drive on my smart port, but I also have a superdrive card with a superdrive in slot 5 so I can use HD 3.5" floppies that I've written to using the USB floppy drive on my Mac (which can't write HFS on DD disks) A lot of games that boot from 3.5" DD floppies are not compatible wtih the superdrive card.. so they have to be booted off a 3.5" drive on the smart port.

 

slot 6: [Disk Port] your card

 

This setting associates thee 5.25" drives connected with the smart port to slot 6.

 

Slot 7: apple talk* [your card]

 

My ethernet card is hooked up to slot 7. *On the ROM 01 you turn apple talk on on slot 7 and set either slot's 1 or 2 to "your card" to free up that port for appletalk. On the ROM 03, you select "Apple Talk" under the options for either slots 1 or 2. Unless you intend to network an old Mac

 

 

 

 

As far as your problems with getting the CD rom working.... SCSI can be a real pain in the rear on any computer if it's not configured right. And considering what I went through to get it working on my IIgs I'd say I'm not the best person to advise you on hooking up your scsi chain...

 

But I can list the problems I've had:

 

I didn'thave termination power at first.. the card I use(apple high speed) does not provide term power like newer scsi cards for new computers do.... back then drives(such as I think early Apple CD ROM drives) could provide termination power I'm honestly not sure what's providing term power on my chain.

 

I didn't have ID's set right... on the Apple High Speed card, I learned that the boot drive had to be the drive with the lowest ID... so If I set the CD ROM to 2 and the drive to 3, it would try to boot to the CD ROM rather than the hard drive. and that woudln't work now would it? so I set the hard drive to ID 0, the CD rom is something between 1 and 6... and the SCSI card is ID 7.

 

what the heck drive is terminating this damn chain anyway? Gah! NONE so now it's cauzing my whole comptuer to freak out! solution... pick up a pass through terminator to put between my CD ROM and my hard drive... the one I got even has the option of providing termination Power for the chain... but when I put it in, the little lites on it told me I didn't need to plug power into it because something else was already providing termination power.

 

You may wish to check out the CSA2 FAQ's section on Hard Disks & SCSI Interfaces

Edited May 24, 2005 by SuperPsycho

[Tempest]

Ok Im confused on how to hook this SCSI stuff up. I have a HD and a CD drive. I have two cables (one for each drive) and something that looks like a little adapter that has connectors on both ends. I think the little adapter gizmo is the terminator, but I'm not sure where to put it in the chain. Any ideas?

 

Tempest

[Tempest]

Bump.

 

Tempest

[82atari5200]

My External Hard drives and cdrom drives both have 2 connectors. Normally you would hook up the hard drive to the scsi card then hook up the cdrom drive to the hard drive then put the terminator in the remaining connector on the cd rom drive. thus terminating the daisy chain. You might need a scsi pass thru connector. I might have a few spare if you need. Most of the scsi connectors I have are the normal 25 pin to the fat parallel port looking connector. You might need the fat parallel port looking connector to the fast parallel port looking connector.

Edited May 27, 2005 by 82atari5200

[Tempest]

My External Hard drives and cdrom drives both have 2 connectors. Normally you would hook up the hard drive to the scsi card then hook up the cdrom drive to the hard drive then put the terminator in the remaining connector on the cd rom drive. thus terminating the daisy chain. You might need a scsi pass thru connector. I might have a few spare if you need. Most of the scsi connectors I have are the normal 25 pin to the fat parallel port looking connector. You might need the fat parallel port looking connector to the fast parallel port looking connector.

862472[/snapback]

 

Hmm... Maybe I have things mixed up. I have a thing which I guess is a pass through (it has connectors on both ends). I assumed this was the terminator. However if it hook it up in the way you suggested (which is how i thought it should go) it doesnt work. The HD only work if the adapter gizmo (pass through or whatever) is attached to the second port while the first port is hooked to the scsi card. This is why I assumed it was the terminator.

 

BTW any word on that monitor or duodisk? Im still very interested in them. I want to trick out my IIe

 

Tempest