Notable cover disks with full games on?

[wmd]

I just noticed an old Archimedes World cover disk on ebay that happens to have the full version of Dragon Ball on it:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174987866197

Does anyone know of any other Archimedes magazine disks / CDs (from Acorn User, Archimedes World, etc.) that had full games on them?

[paintings]

Acorn User CD10 had:
Alone In The Dark, Burn Out, Cannon Fodder, Elite, Gods, Heimdall, Interdictor, Lemmings 2, Mad Professor Moriarty, Nebulous, Pacmania, Premier Manager, Quest For Gold, Revelation, SWIV, Terramex, Twin World, Xenon 2 and Zool.

...but I expect you already knew that.

[SarahWalker]

Acorn User had a bunch in 1997. Ones I have :

* January 1997 - Xenon II
* March 1997 - Twinworld
* April 1997 - Spheres of Chaos
* June 1997 - Apocalypse
* September 1997 - Marsquake II

There may be others.

[MarkMoxon]

Acorn User August 1995 had the full version of Archimedes Elite on it, and the following month featured an interview with one of the authors. That was a pretty good deal!

Mark

[wmd]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. About Spheres of Chaos - I think I read somewhere recently (possibly this forum) that the version on one of the cover disks was the "definitive" version. Presumably it's the one on the Acorn User April 97 disk that SarahWalker mentioned. Does anyone know why it is the definitive version? Bug fixes, optimisations, other enhancements?

Also, I found another one - Starch on an Archimedes World cover disc (CD), but they don't say which year / month:

http://www.cjemicros.co.uk/micros/indiv ... -STARCH-SH

How would one go about using such a CD with Arculator and / or real hardware that doesn't have a CD drive?

[IanJeffray]

Also, I found another one - Starch on an Archimedes World cover disc (CD), but they don't say which year / month:

More likely a floppy than CD:
https://arcarc.nl/archive/Magazine%20Di ... s%20World/
For Arculator, you can just select the .ADF as a floppy image from the emulator menu.

The full original is also here:
https://archive.org/download/AcornArchi ... yGhostware
Note that this does "horrible things" to the machine in order to run.

[wmd]

Thanks for the links. About ISO reading on an Arc - I'd still like to know if that's possible without an actual CD drive. I found some ISO links for old APDL collections and would like to use them with my A3020.

[wmd]

Note that this does "horrible things" to the machine in order to run.

This sounds ominous. What does it do to the machine?

[IanJeffray]

Thanks for the links. About ISO reading on an Arc - I'd still like to know if that's possible without an actual CD drive. I found some ISO links for old APDL collections and would like to use them with my A3020.

Look for !CDFaker / !FakeCD

[IanJeffray]

Note that this does "horrible things" to the machine in order to run.

This sounds ominous. What does it do to the machine?

Yucky reconfiguration. This was quite common for early Archimedes software - very anti-social behaviour!

[Sophira]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. About Spheres of Chaos - I think I read somewhere recently (possibly this forum) that the version on one of the cover disks was the "definitive" version. Presumably it's the one on the Acorn User April 97 disk that SarahWalker mentioned. Does anyone know why it is the definitive version? Bug fixes, optimisations, other enhancements?

I looked up the magazine issue and it had this to say:

New bits

This version of Spheres of Chaos has been updated for Acorn User. It works in different screen modes. To change mode, go to the Screens menu. Click on the mode number or the x/y sizes to change them. Click on 'Set' by the mode number to change to that mode, or click on the lower 'set' next to Risc PC mode to use the x/y sizes. This only works on a Risc PC or A7000 and a 256-colour mode with those x/y sizes must be defined in on your machine.

If nothing happens the mode doesn't exist, has the wrong number of colours (256) or can't get enough memory. If the display is very flickery it means only one screen bank exists, due to lack of memory. The game uses two alternating screens. The largest screen useable is 2048*2048, although Acorn machines can't display it yet. 1600 * 1200 works, with only 1 screen bank.

There is some speed compensation for modes with different frame-rates, but not everything is done. The total number of objects can be set, from the difficulty menu. Click on Things.

Have fun.

Also, I found another one - Starch on an Archimedes World cover disc (CD), but they don't say which year / month:

http://www.cjemicros.co.uk/micros/indiv ... -STARCH-SH

That would be the February 1994 issue. (On a side note, if you're just looking to emulate rather than preserve originals, it's a lot easier to find what you need at arcarc.nl. It's a huge archive and Starch is in there, along with many other things.)

How would one go about using such a CD with Arculator and / or real hardware that doesn't have a CD drive?

I can't speak for real hardware, but on Arculator the best way I've found is to use the excellent !CDFaker application. The way it works is that you use the regular CDFS module and configure the machine to have one CD drive, but then you load !CDFaker and double-click on an ISO image file (type &DF6). The next time you click on the CD icon on the iconbar, your ISO will be mounted and you can look at in the Filer like a normal CD!

[edit: Actually, huh. I tried updating to the newest release of !CDFaker and I see an error about it needing the SharedSound module. Is this even available for RISC OS 3.11?]

[sirbod]

Actually, huh. I tried updating to the newest release of !CDFaker and I see an error about it needing the SharedSound module.

Without hijacking this thread, I'll just note that I didn't test CDFaker under RO3.11 when I added CD-Audio support as I didn't think it was a valid option. I do recall thinking at the time, is it possible to backport CD support to RO3.1x?

When I have time, I'll test and can make any changes required (which probably means disabling CD-Audio) and can offer a download for RO3.1x machines with all the required Modules and CMOS tweaks to get CDFaker working.

[sa_scott]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. About Spheres of Chaos - I think I read somewhere recently (possibly this forum) that the version on one of the cover disks was the "definitive" version. Presumably it's the one on the Acorn User April 97 disk that SarahWalker mentioned. Does anyone know why it is the definitive version? Bug fixes, optimisations, other enhancements?

Also, I found another one - Starch on an Archimedes World cover disc (CD), but they don't say which year / month:

http://www.cjemicros.co.uk/micros/indiv ... -STARCH-SH

How would one go about using such a CD with Arculator and / or real hardware that doesn't have a CD drive?

It's worth noting that author Iain Mcleod created a Windows version at the official website for the game - https://www.spheresofchaos.com. From there, you can get the 'latest' Acorn version, which is probably the same as the one on that cover disk?

[IanJeffray]

Windows version at the official website for the game - https://www.spheresofchaos.com.

Close - it's http://www.spheresofchaos.com/ - note http, not https - entirely different page!

[sa_scott]

Windows version at the official website for the game - https://www.spheresofchaos.com.

Close - it's http://www.spheresofchaos.com/ - note http, not https - entirely different page!

Thanks for the headsup - I was at work, and couldn't verify for fear of being blocked!

[wmd]

Note that this does "horrible things" to the machine in order to run.

This sounds ominous. What does it do to the machine?

Yucky reconfiguration. This was quite common for early Archimedes software - very anti-social behaviour!

I think I just had a taste of this. I couldn't get the JFD of Ballarena working, so I tried my original disk (never used on a RISC OS 3 machine before) and as well as also not working, it reset all my CMOS settings.

[sirbod]

I think I just had a taste of this. I couldn't get the JFD of Ballarena working, so I tried my original disk (never used on a RISC OS 3 machine before) and as well as also not working, it reset all my CMOS settings.

There's a reason for the warning at the bottom of the ADFFS download page:

NOTE: You must use "Boot floppy" to run supported games. If you don't, you could end up with a machine that isn't bootable, as some games alter the CMOS. Provided "Boot floppy" is used, ADFFS will prevent games from altering both the CMOS and unplugging modules
DO NOT try to run a game by launching it's Icon - it will almost certainly damage your machine

[IanJeffray]

it will almost certainly damage your machine

That's a wee bit strong. May also be healthy to add a "need to DEL-power-on if this happens" note to that warning.

[MatthewThompson]

Archimedes World had quite a few. From memory the titles from Alien Images (same company who produced Starch) were on cover discs - Aliped, Alien Invasion were definitely on there.

Mr Doo was also given away on a cover disc. There's definitely some more titles - can't remember them off hand - have to dig out my Archimedes World CD-ROM from the loft and have a look what is on there - it is all the cover discs they released.

[wmd]

Actually, huh. I tried updating to the newest release of !CDFaker and I see an error about it needing the SharedSound module.

Without hijacking this thread, I'll just note that I didn't test CDFaker under RO3.11 when I added CD-Audio support as I didn't think it was a valid option. I do recall thinking at the time, is it possible to backport CD support to RO3.1x?

When I have time, I'll test and can make any changes required (which probably means disabling CD-Audio) and can offer a download for RO3.1x machines with all the required Modules and CMOS tweaks to get CDFaker working.

I tried CDFaker104 on RISC OS 3.11 in Arculator. I installed SharedSound and CDFS v2.2 but after double clicking on an ISO then clicking on the CD icon on the iconbar I just get a "CD-ROM drive empty" error.

[qUE]

Acorn User August 1995 had the full version of Archimedes Elite on it, and the following month featured an interview with one of the authors. That was a pretty good deal!

Mark

It was Elite gold to, there is several mods included on the disc like fluffy dice and stickers in the window, iirc.

[wmd]

Also, I found another one - Starch on an Archimedes World cover disc (CD), but they don't say which year / month:

http://www.cjemicros.co.uk/micros/indiv ... -STARCH-SH

That would be the February 1994 issue.

Starch isn't on the Archimedes World Feb '94 disk. The adf at arcarc.nl doesn't work on my A5000 so am looking for the Archimedes World release. Does anyone know which disk it's on?

*edit: seems arcarc.nl only has 1 of 2 disks for Feb '94. I'm guessing Starch is on the missing disk...*

[Sophira]

arcarc.nl actually lists Starch separately! That's the exact disc image of the floppy that AW distributed, I believe.

Starch was a pain to run even at the time. The ADF on arcarc.nl *does* work, but it messes with your CMOS settings (so make sure to back them up with the save option in !Configure, just in case) and it boots from floppy.

After taking a copy of your CMOS settings (seriously, back them up, it doesn't take long and it *will* mess with your settings), open the Filer window and double-click on the !Boot file (not the !Starch app). It will reboot your machine and boot the game from floppy.

[edit: Important note: !ADFFS's "Boot Floppy" option doesn't seem to work for me with Starch, and it'll still mess with your CMOS settings that way, so please be careful.]

[wmd]

The adf on arcarc.nl doesn't work on my A5000, but it did work on my A3020 (both RISC OS 3.1). As you say, it doesn't boot using the ADFFS Boot floppy option. When I double click on !Boot it gives the error "No run action specified for this file type". Double clicking on the !Starch icon gives the error "Line too long". It turns out I still had a copy of this game - a copy from the original I think using an Amiga hardware copier, done in the 90s by a friend. Was getting disk errors, so gave the disk and the drive a clean and it seems to read OK now. However, when I try to image it using ADFFS (latest version) it starts the process, then before it completes I get the error "Internal error: address exception at &03870A50".

[wmd]

Just to add to the above, I did a verify of my disk, and it has no errors.

[wmd]

OK, the disk I have may have been hacked, as it copies to DOM hard drive and runs from there without issues. After a power off / power on it doesn't seem to have messed with any BIOS settings, although I don't have uniboot, my IDE and DOM drives are still showing on the icon bar, which are usually missing when I try loading something like Ballarena from floppy (original). My disk copy doesn't have a !Boot, and the application title is not !Starch as per the arcarc.nl copy, instead it is !STARCH.

[sirbod]

!ADFFS's "Boot Floppy" option doesn't seem to work for me with Starch, and it'll still mess with your CMOS settings

"Boot Floppy" on an ADF will just emulate SHIFT-Break. The Boot scripts are only used when booting JFD images. To use the scripts on HD installs and ADF, replace the game's !Run contents with *ADFBootFloppy Fxxx. In the case of Starch:

Code: Select all

ADFBootFloppy F1034701

The scripts are however written for the original game releases, so might not work if the game isn't original.

Alternatively, you can re-imaging an ADF as a JFD - but again, that's meant for original game floppies so will fail if the ADF is not a sector-for-sector exact image of the original.

[MatthewThompson]

Also, I found another one - Starch on an Archimedes World cover disc (CD), but they don't say which year / month:

http://www.cjemicros.co.uk/micros/indiv ... -STARCH-SH

That would be the February 1994 issue.

Starch isn't on the Archimedes World Feb '94 disk. The adf at arcarc.nl doesn't work on my A5000 so am looking for the Archimedes World release. Does anyone know which disk it's on?

*edit: seems arcarc.nl only has 1 of 2 disks for Feb '94. I'm guessing Starch is on the missing disk...*

Correct - there were 2 cover discs with this issue of Archimedes World and Starch had it's own disc in addition to the regular cover disc. It's a great game too.