Acorn Archimedes

[slingshot]

I wanted to test the new core with the November firmware update, but I get a green screen now. And having a closer look it appears the white colour is missing. Does anyone else have this?

IMG_2265.JPG

Try to change to another video mode (!Configure app).

[desUBIKado]

Hello, some time ago somebody posted a link for downloading Xenon 2 for Archimedes, which is not available on the Internet and I lost the disks. Do you have any working link?

Here's a link, have fun!
https://mega.nz/#!QRcGRIyY!Fx6rzdiR6xE0 ... eVRMyhlbOg

Thanks very much!

Just a question about this core, have you been able to run Wolfenstein 3D? When I put the 3rd disk I always get an error.

Hi, try with these disks: https://mega.nz/#!mtAHAIDa!-cEnfICmK-SA ... 44rGdk4i8w

Three days ago, in Spanish Telegram group for MiST & Mistica FPGA16, Santi, a member of the group, could make an image of the third of his original disks.

[desUBIKado]

I have verified that the Cataclysm game does not work in the last core archimedes_191102, it gives "Unable to move memory" error, however it does work in the previous version archimedes_190308.

[slingshot]

I have verified that the Cataclysm game does not work in the last core archimedes_191102, it gives "Unable to move memory" error, however it does work in the previous version archimedes_190308.

Tried it without the IDE discs (without the CMOS file)? Or without hubersn's !Boot directory?

[hubersn]

I have verified that the Cataclysm game does not work in the last core archimedes_191102, it gives "Unable to move memory" error, however it does work in the previous version archimedes_190308.

"Unable to move memory" sounds more like a RISC OS error than a core problem. The new core comes with additional modules loaded, so the RISC OS situation is different than with old cores. And there is now a different CMOS - so the memory configuration (system sprite area, module area etc.) can be different, too

Games are known for their problems with different startup situations, especially the old ones. Cataclysm is RISC OS 2 vintage IIRC. Have you tried to start without extension modules, without CMOS, with plain RISC OS 3?

hubersn

[hubersn]

I have verified that the Cataclysm game does not work in the last core archimedes_191102, it gives "Unable to move memory" error, however it does work in the previous version archimedes_190308.

I found out that there are two Cataclysm versions - the original (1991 vintage) and a modern Risc PC/StrongARM compatible version (1998). Which one is yours?

Have fun
hubersn

[slingshot]

Ehh, it starts with normal VGA (not super VGA) display mode.

[desUBIKado]

Thanks slingshot and hubersn for your quick answer.

I tried without hubersn's !Boot directory (with other hard disk) and the error kept appearing

My version of the game Cataclysm is the original (1991 vintage).

With the new core it has only worked for me to delete and create the ARCHIE.CFG file again, so that the SVAIDE.RAM file was not selected then. That way the hard drive doesn't start anymore and I can play the game Cataclysm,

I have not been able to make the solution proposed by slingshot with the new core (starts with normal VGA (not super VGA) display mode).

I am a complete newbie with this machine, but the new core with hard drive support has made me fall in love with it. I have already read in 3 days the RISC OS 3 User Guide manual.

There are other things that do not work for me, such as the second hard disk with the name archie2.hdf. Is it a core problem or is it something I have to do to make it work?

And getting the joysticks to work in the future would be great.

[slingshot]

There are other things that do not work for me, such as the second hard disk with the name archie2.hdf. Is it a core problem or is it something I have to do to make it work?

You need *Configure IDEFSDiscs 2 - and a CMOS file with that value

And getting the joysticks to work in the future would be great.

A3010 joystick interface is implemented (surely works in SWIW for example).

[desUBIKado]

You need *Configure IDEFSDiscs 2 - and a CMOS file with that value

OK. I can edit SVGAIDE.RAM file with a Hex Editor, but what value and position of 256 bytes I will must use?

A3010 joystick interface is implemented (surely works in SWIW for example).

I'm going to try it

[desUBIKado]

I've checked joystick works with SWIW and Nebulus , awesome!

I understand that it is the serial joystick and not the RTFM. How many trigger buttons does it support?

[vebxenon]

Here's a link, have fun!
https://mega.nz/#!QRcGRIyY!Fx6rzdiR6xE0 ... eVRMyhlbOg

Thanks very much!

Just a question about this core, have you been able to run Wolfenstein 3D? When I put the 3rd disk I always get an error.

Hi, try with these disks: https://mega.nz/#!mtAHAIDa!-cEnfICmK-SA ... 44rGdk4i8w

Three days ago, in Spanish Telegram group for MiST & Mistica FPGA16, Santi, a member of the group, could make an image of the third of his original disks.

Thanks!

[slingshot]

OK. I can edit SVGAIDE.RAM file with a Hex Editor, but what value and position of 256 bytes I will must use?

It's better to make the change in Arculator, and use the CMOS file it writes out.

[hubersn]

I understand that it is the serial joystick and not the RTFM.

I haven't tested it, but it is documented as "Acorn" joystick interface (i.e. A3010 type), so neither TSP nor RTFM.

How many trigger buttons does it support?

Two I think. But I am not aware of games that supported more than one.

Some more infos. Until the A3010 appeared, there was no common Joystick standard for RISC OS. When the A3010 appeared, a proper Acorn-approved SWI interface was provided, and most 3rd party interfaces got a module that provided compatibility with the new Acorn Joystick standard. The API supports up to 8 buttons, but the A3010 hardware only supported 2 buttons IIRC.

See here for details of the SWIs: https://www.riscosopen.org/wiki/documen ... k_Read%200

Before then, it was "TSP" aka "The Serial Port" Joystick interface (the "Serial Port" part refers to the distributing company - it was actually connected to the parallel port - two joysticks, one fire button), RTFM and LogikJoy (connected to the Econet slot, 2 joysticks, 2 fire buttons IIRC), ACE JoyConnect (podule, up to 4 joysticks, up to 3 fire buttons) and IOC Gamer's Upgrade (connected to IIC bus - 4 joysticks, up to 2 fire buttons IIRC). And I am sure that I missed a few more, there was an analogue joystick interface whose name escapes me at the moment. There was also a "built for youself" interface for two joysticks for the parallel port by Ian Haylock.

Games started with "no joystick support at all", and the first joystick interfaces came with emulation modules that allowed to simulate keypresses by the Joystick. Then, games started to read directly from the hardware - typically, RTFM and/or TSP are supported. Then, the A3010 appeared and it was "Acorn Joystick interface" all the way.

TL;DR: It's a mess.

Hope this helps
hubersn

[hubersn]

OK. I can edit SVGAIDE.RAM file with a Hex Editor, but what value and position of 256 bytes I will must use?

You can find the CMOS content definition here: http://www.riscos.com/support/developer ... html#40894
Or here: https://www.riscosopen.org/wiki/documen ... 20Settings

Useful is the "Unplugged" stuff, so you can prevent modules from being active (some games might need that), and the "Boot" stuff (default filing system, default drive, boot or not boot). And of course the screen stuff (default screen modes, which monitor type).

It's fun figuring out the CMOS checksum calculation...

HTH
hubersn

[slingshot]

It's fun figuring out the CMOS checksum calculation...

Just take care about the 64byte offset shift in the hardware, and the IDEFS stuff is probably documented nowhere.

[desUBIKado]

OK. I can edit SVGAIDE.RAM file with a Hex Editor, but what value and position of 256 bytes I will must use?

It's better to make the change in Arculator, and use the CMOS file it writes out.

I could not operate the second hard drive.

This image is my Mistica with SVGAIDE.RAM

SVGAIDE.RAM-MiST.jpg

I have a hard disk archie1.hdf as IDE:4. In "Configuration >> Hard disc drives" don't appear any disc, but archie1.hdf works!

This image is my Mistica with CMOS.RAM (CMOS.BIN from Arculator)

CMOS.BIN-Arculator.jpg

archie2.hdf (IDE:5) don't appear, but appear two new hard disc (:5 and :4), and when I click on any of them an error message can be seen.

[slingshot]

I have a hard disk archie1.hdf as IDE:4. In "Configuration >> Hard disc drives" don't appear any disc, but archie1.hdf works!

I think I don't write any usage tips anymore
You have to use *Configure IDEFSDisks for the Risc Developments Podule, the Configure App is for the 82c711. I've uploaded the podule's manual to mist-binaries:
https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-bina ... tem_UG.pdf

Also the utility disk with the HD formatter (ADF inside the zip):
https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-bina ... DevIDE.zip

[DrOG]

Thank you for all your hard work and detailed 'readme'!

[desUBIKado]

I have a hard disk archie1.hdf as IDE:4. In "Configuration >> Hard disc drives" don't appear any disc, but archie1.hdf works!

I think I don't write any usage tips anymore
You have to use *Configure IDEFSDisks for the Risc Developments Podule, the Configure App is for the 82c711. I've uploaded the podule's manual to mist-binaries:
https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-bina ... tem_UG.pdf

Also the utility disk with the HD formatter (ADF inside the zip):
https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-bina ... DevIDE.zip

Thank you very much Slingshot for your patience. I was using version 0.99 of the Arculator emulator, and that is why it was not possible to obtain the correct CMOS.BIN file in order to have two operational hard drives. With version 2.00 I have achieved it without problems.

[Higgy]

The Archimedes is certainly a computer that you have to get your head around!
Me (and others) would be very grateful if once a working .hdf full of games and cool stuff plus the corresponding CMOS and Risc version files are made could they be zipped and uploaded somewhere please.
Cheers

[slingshot]

Use hubersn's HDF. Other stuff can be installed from floppy images.

[hubersn]

The Archimedes is certainly a computer that you have to get your head around!
Me (and others) would be very grateful if once a working .hdf full of games and cool stuff plus the corresponding CMOS and Risc version files are made could they be zipped and uploaded somewhere please.

I am slowly working towards a universal image for MIST and emulators. Licencing issues are a minefield however, and testing if that stuff really works on MIST is also taking quite some time.

Have fun
hubersn

[DrOG]

Thanks for your effort!

[desUBIKado]

I share these files for the CMOS RAM option

Archimedes CMOS.png

Archimedes CMOS.RAM.zip

They are for use with a hard drive or two like the one shared by hubersn here.

• MULTIDE.RAM: Monitor type Multiscan and one disc (archie1.hdf)
• MULTIDE2.RAM: Monitor type Multiscan and two discs (archie1.hdf & archie2.hdf)
• SVGAIDE.RAM: Monitor type Super VGA and one disc (archie1.hdf)
• SVGAIDE2.RAM: Monitor type Super VGA and two discs (archie1.hdf & archie2.hdf)