The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi all,
I was going to play The Curious Case... this afternoon, but then I got distracted. The database format is quite well documented in the GilSoft manual, so I had a go at writing a Java tool to read in the database, and re-write the messages, locations and objects tables with a arbitrary text justification. The only tricky bit was figuring out the GilSoft text compression scheme.
Here's it running in Atomulator justified to 32 columns wide: It's even possible to combine it with a SoftVDU driver, and get lower case: I've also separated the interpreter from the database file, so it should be very easy to port any other Quill adventures to the Atom.
Anyone got any requests or recommendations for the next one to do?
Stuart, one useful output of this is a word document containing all the messages, locations and objects, on which you can run Word's spelling and grammar checkers. Would you like me to send you this?
Dave
I was going to play The Curious Case... this afternoon, but then I got distracted. The database format is quite well documented in the GilSoft manual, so I had a go at writing a Java tool to read in the database, and re-write the messages, locations and objects tables with a arbitrary text justification. The only tricky bit was figuring out the GilSoft text compression scheme.
Here's it running in Atomulator justified to 32 columns wide: It's even possible to combine it with a SoftVDU driver, and get lower case: I've also separated the interpreter from the database file, so it should be very easy to port any other Quill adventures to the Atom.
Anyone got any requests or recommendations for the next one to do?
Stuart, one useful output of this is a word document containing all the messages, locations and objects, on which you can run Word's spelling and grammar checkers. Would you like me to send you this?
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Dave,hoglet wrote:Anyone got any requests or recommendations for the next one to do?
did you try VDU40x24?
Greetings
Kees
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Kees,
I didn't, because I didn't have a copy to hand, and its also not in the archive.
I'll give it a try if you could post a copy, but it might look a bit squished. It would need to avoid memory locations #2800 - #6300.
Dave
I didn't, because I didn't have a copy to hand, and its also not in the archive.
I'll give it a try if you could post a copy, but it might look a bit squished. It would need to avoid memory locations #2800 - #6300.
Dave
- richardtoohey
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Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Would be quicker than waiting for people like me to try and finish the game!hoglet wrote:Stuart, one useful output of this is a word document containing all the messages, locations and objects, on which you can run Word's spelling and grammar checkers. Would you like me to send you this?
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
hoglet wrote:Stuart, one useful output of this is a word document containing all the messages, locations and objects, on which you can run Word's spelling and grammar checkers. Would you like me to send you this?
That would be most excellent Dave, thank you!
Stuart
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Sent.aerworuld wrote: That would be most excellent Dave, thank you!
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Stuart,
One thing In noticed was that the Quill interpreter makes OSWORD A=1 calls that read the system clock. I assume this is to permit you to write puzzles that have limited think time. I haven't yet implemented this.
Is this a feature The Curious Case... makes use of?
Dave
One thing In noticed was that the Quill interpreter makes OSWORD A=1 calls that read the system clock. I assume this is to permit you to write puzzles that have limited think time. I haven't yet implemented this.
Is this a feature The Curious Case... makes use of?
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
hoglet wrote:Sent.aerworuld wrote: That would be most excellent Dave, thank you!
Dave
Cheers Dave. Received with thanks! Im on a late one at work tonight so I will have a play with that tomorrow; should save a lot of work
With regard to the OSWORD calls I did have one instance where something is destroyed if not collected in a certain times but I can't remember if I used that facility or somehow linked to player movement/turns. I do remember reading something about it in the manual though..
Sorry I can't be more specific now, I can check tomorrow when I'm back to the puter?
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hmmm, seems like I have some bugs in the Atom version
Dave
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Bug found and destroyed. When line wrapping to 32 chars, some of the locations were ending up at more than 255 characters. Instead of using several forced space chars ('@') to pad each line lines, I switched to using a single forced newline ('>') char, and this fixed the problem.hoglet wrote:Hmmm, seems like I have some bugs in the Atom version
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Dave,
The font is good readable in my opinion.
I have an (almost) working source of VDU20x24. There are a few CTRL-keys to execute some functions, do you want me to remove these to have a bare VDU40x24?
Greetings
Kees
The font is good readable in my opinion.
I have an (almost) working source of VDU20x24. There are a few CTRL-keys to execute some functions, do you want me to remove these to have a bare VDU40x24?
Greetings
Kees
- Attachments
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- vdu2440.PNG (2.89 KiB) Viewed 6367 times
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Kees,
Do what ever is easiest.
I'm keen to give this a try
Dave
Do what ever is easiest.
I'm keen to give this a try
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Dave,
I have attached the source code of VDU40x24. Printing the font works ok but not all functions are working.
- CTRL-1 -> prints input buffer (doesn't work)
- CTRL-2 -> switch between VDU32/40 without CLS (doesn't work)
- CTRL-3 -> switch to VDU32
- CTRL-4 -> switch to VDU40
- CTRL-6 -> print characters with bit7=1 inverted (doesn't work)
- COPY-key -> copy screen character into inputbufffer (doesn't work)
I have to check other versions because I think this one was used for a game.
The original source is somewhere in my disk archive but my original disk doesn't work
Greetings
Kees
I have attached the source code of VDU40x24. Printing the font works ok but not all functions are working.
- CTRL-1 -> prints input buffer (doesn't work)
- CTRL-2 -> switch between VDU32/40 without CLS (doesn't work)
- CTRL-3 -> switch to VDU32
- CTRL-4 -> switch to VDU40
- CTRL-6 -> print characters with bit7=1 inverted (doesn't work)
- COPY-key -> copy screen character into inputbufffer (doesn't work)
I have to check other versions because I think this one was used for a game.
The original source is somewhere in my disk archive but my original disk doesn't work
Greetings
Kees
- Attachments
-
- vdu2440.zip
- (5.57 KiB) Downloaded 156 times
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Kees,
Is there any chance you could compile me a version that loads to 0800. I don't have the right tool chain setup to compiles the sources.
Dave
Is there any chance you could compile me a version that loads to 0800. I don't have the right tool chain setup to compiles the sources.
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
No probemo.
Greetings
Kees
Greetings
Kees
- Attachments
-
- vdu2440-0800.zip
- (1.58 KiB) Downloaded 151 times
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hmm,
Looks like there is probably a page zero conflict with the Quill interpreter (uses 19-6F), as the spaces and punctuation are coming out underlined: I'll have a dig around tomorrow.
Dave
Looks like there is probably a page zero conflict with the Quill interpreter (uses 19-6F), as the spaces and punctuation are coming out underlined: I'll have a dig around tomorrow.
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Stuart,
Not sure how I managed it, but I just completed the adventure and managed to get a score of 155 out of a possible 150. Not sure if this is a bug or a feature, like the volume going to 11.
It's a really excellent, atmospheric game!
Dave
Not sure how I managed it, but I just completed the adventure and managed to get a score of 155 out of a possible 150. Not sure if this is a bug or a feature, like the volume going to 11.
It's a really excellent, atmospheric game!
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Thank you Dave, it's kind of you to say that! I had a lot of fun putting it together and I'm glad folks are getting some enjoyment from playing it!hoglet wrote:Hi Stuart,
Not sure how I managed it, but I just completed the adventure and managed to get a score of 155 out of a possible 150. Not sure if this is a bug or a feature, like the volume going to 11.
It's a really excellent, atmospheric game!
Dave
That's impressive with the score; not quite sure how you did that either.. I wish I could say I meant it that way but I think it might be a bug. I'll have a little look int that
Stuart
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
I worked out how I managed to 155/150. Every time you visit Bennett's Body on the Steep Slope, you get an additional 5 points.aerworuld wrote:That's impressive with the score; not quite sure how you did that either.. I wish I could say I meant it that way but I think it might be a bug. I'll have a little look int that
Maybe you need to make the body vanish once you have seen it.
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
I suspected that might be the case as pretty much everything else can only be used once. I've sorted it now but it pushed me over the edge for space in the db so I've trimmed down a location description somewhere else to fithoglet wrote:I worked out how I managed to 155/150. Every time you visit Bennett's Body on the Steep Slope, you get an additional 5 points.aerworuld wrote:That's impressive with the score; not quite sure how you did that either.. I wish I could say I meant it that way but I think it might be a bug. I'll have a little look int that
Maybe you need to make the body vanish once you have seen it.
Dave
Thanks for the heads up!
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Hi Stuart,
Is beta3 still the most current version?
Dave
Is beta3 still the most current version?
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Yeparooneyhoglet wrote:Hi Stuart,
Is beta3 still the most current version?
Dave
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
When TCCOTMV comes out of beta it would be nice to get a few more reviews... had some interest on twitter but was wondering if any peeps here had any ideas?
Btw, I've followed Nic Outterside (Pendragon, EU) on twitter but he has a locked account and I havent been accepted yet... how cool would it be if he would consider a review for old times sake lol
Stuart
Btw, I've followed Nic Outterside (Pendragon, EU) on twitter but he has a locked account and I havent been accepted yet... how cool would it be if he would consider a review for old times sake lol
Stuart
- richardtoohey
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Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
RetroGamer magazine do reviews of new old software ... but not sure how you'd get into that.
http://www.retrogamer.net/
Dunno if they are more interested in graphical games.
Good luck.
http://www.retrogamer.net/
Dunno if they are more interested in graphical games.
Good luck.
Re: The Curious Case of The Missing Victorian
Thank you Richard I wonder if the cassette version comes off they might consider it!richardtoohey wrote:RetroGamer magazine do reviews of new old software ... but not sure how you'd get into that.
http://www.retrogamer.net/
Dunno if they are more interested in graphical games.
Good luck.