for running from hard disk, gamestate saving, TOS 2.06, Falcon, TT compatibility
Would be good to read instructions
about how to use all this in best way - on following pages. Of course
stays mostly for beginners in this, with Atari ST family.
Here only about what config, mass storage is good for this: Surely,
some Atari ST(E) with hard disk, well, now rather Flash card adapter.
Min RAM is 1 MB for most of games, some may need min 2 MB (those which
need 1 MB in case of floppy run) . And there are more details:
emulators for modern computers can serve too, of course. But it is in
first place for real Ataris . And lately for MiSTer - now is pretty
good and compatible. What hard disks, what Flash card
adapters are good for this ? Surely those which work via ST ACSI port -
that's is what is supported with all TOS versions, all ST, STE models
(and with TT too) . And to add: there are no drives compatible with ST
ACSI port - must have adapter what will do needed conversions to:
SCSI (present in Mega STE, Stacy), then diverse external
adapters. Firm ICD did best adapters, and new protocol which overrides
Basic ACSI limit of 1 GB hard disk space accessible (that was not bad
in 80-es) . And now we are at multiple ACSI-SD card adapters, which use
ICD extended ACSI protocol (except Satandisk) , so capable for much
more than 1 GB storage space. Will not go here in TOS limitations - you
can see pages about it on this site. Other mass storage way,
used with Atari ST and followers is IDE (ATA) - supported first in TOS
2.06 (1991-2), when IDE disks became more used than SCSI, and with new
features . Less popular, as it needs internal adapter. Speed -
actually both systems have similar max possible speed. And it is over
1.5 MB/sec (peek is about 2 MB/sec. ) , despite some wrong claims
in literature, DOCs . Driver SW is available for both for
long time. Some of it is limited to max 32 MB partitions . Of course
newer ones support more. Compatibility with wide spread DOS
compatible FAT16, for partitions over 32 MB size is now very useful -
easy data exchange with modern computers (Win, Mac, Linux) . My
driver/partitioner SW is such, and of course images of game
compilations are with such drivers. Some different solutions
- like sidecarTridge, with so caleed GEMdrive (wrong name) are not so
good - just partially compatible, and this one is slow too . Better
order ACSI2STM from same firm. Or if like speed SD4ST .
UltraSatan is fast too, and has all needed for good work with ST(E), TT
. Work with classic hard disks - not recommended, unless you
have it already. It will just not last long. Data tranfers are hard
case - can not connect via USB reader.
One
of things what people asked over last years was compilation of all
games here, in single download - like archive with all games here.
Indeed makes things faster and easier. And I made diverse compilations,
over 1000 DLs of some, and sadly with very poor feedback. Here to
mention that some people made self some compilations, without any
asking and consulting with me. Like they made good thing. Sure - just
few 'little problems' - not crediting me (who did huge work on it,
thousands of hours, buying diverse equipment for testing it with real
Ataris, newer storage HW, Flash cards, etc. ) .Then making really silly
mistakes: like double DIRs for game - When you open DIR DEJAVU will see
another subDIR DEJAVU instead files :-) There
were 4 compilations available for DL in last year, and all they contain
same games (depending on available space) - but because of TOS version
differences it can not be all in just one, while keeping efficient
space usage (images are of size 1, 1.6 GB, so can use them with
adapters limited to 1 GB, or with 2 GB Flash cards (real capacity is
always less)) . TOS 1.00-1.02 need little different partitioning, so I
took effort and time to make special image for users with those TOS
versions.
New images, which contain over 2000 games (all adapts I did) available,
some games in multiple versions, and to add there are some game compilations
too in all this - which were on floppy - like DISK15, or some other
with 20 games - sure, simpler games. There is new Game Menu,
with GUI, what works in all TOS (regular and iTOS) versions. And even
aka game names included in game list. It means that there is title
Driller and title Space Station Oblivion - both pointing on same DIR,
because it is same game. There are about 30 games with 2 English titles
- mostly US release names differ from UK, Eu releases. That will help
people to easier find desired games. And there are screenshots from games - can look them in Game menu.
There is search function too.
YT demo:
Compilations available for DL: Note: they are hard disk image files (RAW images, so 100% org
content). They contain multiple partitions, like 8 - C, D, E, F, G, H,
I, J . And hard disk driver with low RAM usage, optimized for specific TOS
versions. You don't need to create anything on SD cards. Just to write
whole image to SD card with USB reader, as image, not as simple file
copy. It will of course overwrite what is there, so only write where
nothing is to keep . This mine Win program can serve: drimus.php Work under emulators:
I have bad news: recently made some tests with latest Hatari (Win
v.) and Steem SSE versions. And there are problems - Steem SSE 4.1.2
works not with images above 2 GB size, and this is about 3.5 GB. In
both there is unreliable work, as I see especially from area near to
end of image. I
sent report to Sensei Software about it. And hope
that they will work on problem(s). Today storage is cheap, so something
like 7 GB SD card image file is nothing special. So, this is not
for emulators. Will it be ? Of course depends on emulator programmers,
developers.
1. Special for iTOS - 1400 games + couple latest releases in 1 GB long image, so good for Mega STE internal adapter too. Only
with iTOS is possible to put so many games in 1 GB (more efficient
space usage). It is with special driver too. 8 partitions. Game start
menu for easier usage . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thnASI5rQ54
2. Special for TOS 1.00-1.02 . Those TOS versions are not so good with hard disks, so need special partitioning. 14 partitions, latest are empty. About 1840 DIRs, special autoboot driver . This can be used with later regular TOS versions too. Image size is 3.5 GB.
3. For usual TOS versions, so 1.04 and later. 2200 DIRs - some games are with multiple versions, audio track(s). 14 partitions, 2 latest are empty. Image
size is now 7 GB. So fits on 8 GB Flash cards, which
usually have about 10% less capacity than indicated (what stays for other size cards too). 3.5 GB image I
tested with MiSTer, and works fine. Setup is really easy - just need
to rename image extension to VHD (from IMG), and use MiSTer settings
menu to set it as HDD0 image.
No reason to expect that 7 GB img. will not work with MiSTer. Update: yep, some people tested, and it works well.
Screen draw in GMMJ.PRG updated, for faster work, displaying. Complete intro of 'Raj' game.
Above 4 images are hard disk/Flash card image files, with autoboot driver, so ready
to use with real Ataris equipped with mass storage. And drivers used
are optimized for game playing. For instance Timer-C is not used
in driver at all, because some games take control over it (Space
Harrier for example). Other popular drivers usually use Timer-C for
time-out check. If it changes machine may stuck instead loading files
from disk. In all 4 cases partitions are DOS FAT16 compatible, so you can access them with modern OS, computers. Doing file transfers.
YT
videos of new v. of Game Menu, with info about color, B&W
(monochrome) support, controls, game category. And now support for show
screenshots in low, med and high res. :
In monochrome (B&W) mode:
For details, how to get link, please write e-mail (link at bottom of this
page). It must contain details about your config(s). Like Atari model, RAM size, TOS version, what hard disk/Flash card adapter using. Sorry, but with Atari ST family it is much more complicated than with 8-bitters. And must say this again: not for current Atari ST emulators. Image with size of 3.5 GB is problem for them.
Note for those who want to put game adaptations from here on their
sites, or doing some other way of distribution. Instead it, use link to
this site.
Ask for permission and explanations about how to use this - result of
my hard work over many years. I saw really shameless things - like not
crediting author of all it at all. This is not so simple as with 8-bit
computer games - like just run it's file. This games were on floppies,
not on tapes. Much more ways for loading, running them. Then TOS
versions, how to set computer, hard disk driver, copy protections in
hundreds of ways ... Now
is trendy to make so called 'frontends' , with which can launch
specific game with simple click on it's title. Actually nothing new,
Gamebase (ST) did it long time ago. But with floppy images. Talking
about emulators on PC, Windows . As is stated above, it can not
work just like that with lot of Atari ST games. For instance there are
multiple launchers for same game in many cases. Not to mention that
user should read README.TXT before starting to play. Whole hard
disk type approach is little different. Hardest part (especially in
case of over 1700 games) is to open game's DIR. But really not so hard,
maybe for those not familiar with GEM (what differs really not much
from Windows file explorer).
Oct. 2024 Times
are not good - we have multiple wars on this planet, and some powerful
structures instead working on stop them work on expand them. There will
be always differences between people, nations, countries, religions ...
They can be handled, solved in civilized way, without violence,
destruction, killing innocent people. Why I coming here with this
? Well, I see uncivilized things in this, so called 'Atari ST
community' - instead doing some decent talk, discussion, listening to
others arguments, some big heads (in their opinion) will rather declare
those who are on different opinion(s), way - as kind of associal ones,
insulting ones - this is most used one - talking openly is insult -
just because someone pointed on their mistakes, in polite, decent way.
No, they do not make mistakes, they are people on position !
Yeah, that's one of the most bad things in today's humankind.
Lack of self critic, lack of opened talk. Instead it we have big words
with low content, level of reality. And corruption. Clicques.
Yes, that matters for them, not what someone out of their clique
says. So, there were different writes on Atari ST forums,
sites of cliques about my SW, game adaptations . Started by idiot
marcer, who wrote that my game adaptations (probably used term
'patches') destroyed hard disk content on his PC :-) Well,
that's pathetic and just not possible if that PC is in good condition.
Emulators of old computers don't have low level access to hard disk on host
computer (PC, MAC ...) Worst thing what can happen is damaging of
folder content where game files are. Of course, smartheads at forums
have no clue about such things (or won't to have) . After it I saw even
worse nonsense at so great Dbug site (what changed couple times since
that), but bullshit is still on. Now I will talk openly: they are
just one of biggest self praising, thinking that they are best
idiots what I ever saw. For instance, they have no clue
about real ratio of Atari ST games using TOS functions and those not
using them (so using own code for floppy access). Is it because of
that they do not have any support for TOS function calling games (in
ULS or something else, but no something else by buggers - Klapauzius
made some about it, but he is not Dbug). All it did not prevent CJ to
write couple times that I stole ULS code (byte by byte :-) ) . Well,
sure, I stoled code what actually does not exist :-) .
Fresh example of cracking crew's "we are best, f* the rest" attitude:
Replicants released in 2022 fixed v. of Son Shu Shi. According to
some writes, it was in cowork with game authors, so using original
source files, most likely. They mention some bugs in original - well,
that may be the reason why game is so rare, and that no good image
appeared in over 10 years. And in usual longer blah after starting game
I was mentioned too - like I never will make so good hard disk version
as them . Of course, because they are best in everything ! Does not
matter my experience over 15 years active in this, count of games
adapted over 2200 ... Really immature, childish behaviour. Grow up
idiots ! We could have good cooperation, but no, they want
to be only ones who did good version of some game. And of course will
not share sources, images of original. This stays for many of crews in
Atari ST retro world. Selfishness, simply said. Not helping
preservation. And I could continue ... For end just something stoopid
too: writing about errors, not so good quality of such crew work
to them is not considered, and no fixing is performed - no, those who do it are
trolls. Sure idiots - enjoy further stupid approach of stupid fanboy
people. What happened so far with all this confirms that my approach,
attitude is right one.
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