Gunstar Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Has anyone successfully loaded PANG onto a real Atari? If so, what's your set up and how do you load it (DOS, APE/AspeQT/RespeQT, other loader)? I've only been able to load it through an emulator (Altirra-all I have right now for emulation). It says in the text it's a 256K (192K extended memory) game, but I've had no success attempting to load it on a real 256K Atari. I thought maybe it was mis-labeled and requires 320K (256K extended), but the file is only 192K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanny Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Where can I get PANG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryleffaovell Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Where can I get PANG? Have a look at https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=68501 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Both Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Not sure if it was your version, but I was successfully loading and playing it the other day. I have a PAL XL with an ultimate ram expansion. I'm shure I choosed the 1088k setup. If I remember that thread after work, I'll test the min. requirements for you. Stefan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 (edited) Works on my 320K XE, and an 800XL with TF-HH 512KB memory - at least until it crashes a little time into gameplay because it's an NTSC machine... there are two different 256KB banking schemes, Compy-shop, and Rambo/Petersen. the 512K upgrade has the banks of both of these, making it maybe most compatible. And 1088K too... I had to boot the XEX version directly from RespeQt on SIO2PC - i could not get it to load from MyDos, or SpartaDOS X Edited April 18, 2018 by Nezgar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vyper68 Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 I just tried the ATR version on my 800XLF Via a SIO2USB using RespeQT and it works OK. Took me a while as i don't know my way around MyDOS that well. Loaded it did some kind of hardware check before loading. CPU, VBXE, Stereo & RAM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 (edited) So far, the replies seem it definitely works on a real Atari, but all that have replied also have machines with more than 256K. I'm looking forward to Stephen results for minimum (256K?) requirements.. i thought the only difference between Compyshop and Rambo upgrades was the first has the Antic compatible and the other isn't, I suppose it could be only XE memory compatible. it would be only the second game to use separate Antic banking, along with T.L. Cars (which has a Rambo compatible version now too). It should be added to this list if true: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/276860-programs-that-require-sep-antic-access/ I have an .xex version and ATR version. Neither load properly on my Rambo 256K, it starts, and the screen scrolls up with the PANG title in Atascii with the control instructions, and after a while, this screen goes corrupt with random Atascii symbols and then just stops and hangs there. On Altirra this doesn't happen and it loads properly. Edited April 18, 2018 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 I just tried the ATR version on my 800XLF Via a SIO2USB using RespeQT and it works OK. Took me a while as i don't know my way around MyDOS that well. Loaded it did some kind of hardware check before loading. CPU, VBXE, Stereo & RAM. yes, it does the hardware check with available banks at the beginning for me, and if it's not compatible it should stop loading there, but it accepts my configuration and starts loading... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vyper68 Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 The lowest i can set my 1MB Ultimate Expansion is as`a`320K RAMBO setup and it run's the ATR as well as when i used the 520 & 1088 settings, there is just less banks shown and it loads a lot quicker as well ( bit obvious that bit i guess ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 (edited) The lowest i can set my 1MB Ultimate Expansion is as`a`320K RAMBO setup and it run's the ATR as well as when i used the 520 & 1088 settings, there is just less banks shown and it loads a lot quicker as well ( bit obvious that bit i guess ). On Altirra the closest setting I can get to my set up is 320K Rambo, there is no 256K option, which is why I've been of the mind that it does require more than the 256K (192K) extended memory that it calls for. But since I noticed the file was only 192K I started this topic hoping someone has been successful getting it to load on a 256K machine, because then I'd look elsewhere for my issue rather than assuming lack of extended memory. But so far in this thread, all signs are still pointing to PANG requiring at least 320K (256K EXTENDED) which means the text/instructions for PANG are wrong about memory requirements. pang.txt Edited April 18, 2018 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Interesting question. I cannot answer because I have an Ultimate 1MB too. Fandal's website says "requires 320XE" but it would be strange Pang authors are wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vyper68 Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Well i tried Atari800 to see if that had a 256K option. It only has 192K or 320K and so i cannot help much except to say 192K is not enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CharlieChaplin Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Well, Pang definitely does NOT require sep. Antic access. It works on 320k Rambo, 320k Compyshop, 576k Rambo, 576k Rambo+Compyshop, 576k Compyshop, 1088k Rambo and 1088k Compyshop. Alas, I cannot test if Pang works on 256k machines (64k base + 192k XRAM). But errm, I am loading the game from a bootloader and have not tested yet if it works under DOS nor if it works with NTSC. I almost never test if something works with 192k (64k+128k) or 256k (64k+192k) RAM. Fandal also does not test for these old/strange RAM extensions, only for 128k RAM (64+64), 320k RAM (64+256) and 1088k RAM (64 + 1024)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Both Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Same here, lowest possible is 320k Setup. Runs fine. (pal). Stefan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CharlieChaplin Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 This is the version I am using, it comes with a bootloader (either Picoboot by HiasSoft or Autoboot-Loader by Keith Ledbetter) on a 180k disk-image. On the real Atari I am loading it on a PAL 800XL with 512k SRAM extension by tf_hh and a Speedy 1050 drive... PANG.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 (edited) Well. since it does work on real Atari's, my conclusion, since I DO have 256K ram which may be old, but hardly strange (192K total I do find strange, never even heard of such an upgrade) and I can't get it to load, then I must assume the programmers made an error in their text file and PANG does indeed require 320K just like Bomb Jack and Yie Ar Kung Fu. So we have 3 320K games on our Atari's now and I was right in my first assumption that it requires 320K. Thanks for the help guys! No big deal, it just means I have to use my 512K SysCheck 2.2 card through my PBI for Pang and the other two 320K games. Edited April 18, 2018 by Gunstar 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted September 26, 2018 Author Share Posted September 26, 2018 (edited) This is the version I am using, it comes with a bootloader (either Picoboot by HiasSoft or Autoboot-Loader by Keith Ledbetter) on a 180k disk-image. On the real Atari I am loading it on a PAL 800XL with 512k SRAM extension by tf_hh and a Speedy 1050 drive... Sorry for the late reply, but your disk image works fine for me. I finally got around to trying it out. Not on my 256K (64+192) internal Rambo upgrade, though I intend to test that next, but I'm using the external 512K sram of the SysCheck 2 board through my new PBI on my 1200XL and it works great with it. I am not sure why the .XEX's of Pang! I have work on the emulator, but not on a real Atari, as I tried them again first, with my 512K external memory. So them not working on my 256K Atari may have nothing to do with needing more than 256K, which it states is all that is needed in the game's text file, though it was always unclear if that meant total or extended memory anyway. What ever happens, it's all good for me anyway with the external memory! Cheers! Edited September 26, 2018 by Gunstar 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted September 26, 2018 Author Share Posted September 26, 2018 I can now confirm for sure that PANG! does require at least 320K (64+256) and will NOT work on a 256K (64+192K) Atari. Definitely the same as Yi Are Kung Fu and Bomb Jack. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) I just don't know on this one, Pang was suppose to work on both NTSC and PAL.... it was suppose to work on memory extensions of 192 or greater but it was never said if that meant 128 + 192 or if it meant 64 + 192... all along saying XL XE so your thoughts it should be 64+192= 256 sounded perfectly reasonable. as usual NTSC was an after thought - there were free cycles to use all frames, but the normal writing code run to the end of pal length made that rough to change. so a work around to shut off music sound to keep things moving was implemented. TRY again with music OFF, maybe no crash then, works better ? wonder what the official all fixed for everyone versions are? only one version on pouet so maybe that's all there is now... hopefully tebe can help to make sense of it all I suspect if it works in 192 extended it would have to load from tiny boot loader or special loader maybe side or u1m etc loader... maybe xbios we certainly could use some understanding- who knows maybe if possible makes ntsc better too... is tough to know. Edited September 27, 2018 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) okay did some digging version 4.5 is latest version in theory.. changes mentions this - PANIC mode at the beginning is characterized by a greater number of bonuses (heart, shield), then there are fewer bonuses- after passing the 9th level of the PANIC mode, we will see a screen with congratulations- added datamatrix, you can save high_score results on XXL-a page- possibility of suspecting the best results, HELP key (then you have to choose TOUR, PANIC)- handling the joystick moves "diagonally", now the character's movement will not be blocked- the ability to turn off music while playing is for those with NTSC- game checked under Rapidus, everything works except the title image, where raster changes are used- various other bug fixes, tested for TDC resistance There is ATR and XEX... says 256K and stereo... etc... Edited September 27, 2018 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 okay using AVG cart, I loaded up on 320 XE NTSC... The XEX works just fine if you turn off music.. there are plenty of blank lines all around in in between energy and time at top and game field as well as between play field and score stage at the bottom These could be trimmed out and give NTSC better chance to run with music without disruption... I only have 192k total in one mode and 320k in the other... I didn't want to install a 128k piggy back chip bank to do 192k extended when I could do 256k straight up using toggle to select 128k extended and 256k extended... I should have banked the old 64k on the first bank and had 192k extended (256k total) and 384k total... oh well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) pang atr hates the black box even with it set to d1 as floppy no high speed all other ports off Pang XEX happy as can be though when used with AVG cart and BB.... you need to get the 4.5 version it seems. Pang v4.5 (2016-12-15)(TeBe - Vidol - Ooz -R ocky - stRing)(PL)(en)Req 256kstereo.xex NTSC users press o and p to turn on off music... keep music off to enjoy game.... still think trimming out all blank lines could help NTSC though provided nothing is happening embedded in them..of course they can be moved to the top or bottom if that were the case perhaps.... of course now I am playing the game- so I'll forget what I am doing by the time I am done having fun popping stuff to pieces! Edited September 27, 2018 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) Note: the Pang XEX requires a SIDE/U1MB loader fix, which is pending release. The executable makes use of locations in the $3x range normally considered reserved for handler use. Thanks to mytek for pointing that one out a few weeks ago. Edited September 27, 2018 by flashjazzcat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 interesting because the avg cart loader does pang no problem... I will try the side loader on the avg just to see what happens... (prolly a bad thing to do but hey why not) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 interesting because the avg cart loader does pang no problem... I will try the side loader on the avg just to see what happens... (prolly a bad thing to do but hey why not) The issue is easy to explain, since the SIDE/U1MB XEX loader uses the same region of ZP RAM for working variables as the PBI BIOS: namely a selection of locations in the $3x area. In particular, the loader stores the 32-bit LBA address of the current sector at $38-3C, and relies on this value not being overwritten between the loading of binary executable segments (i.e. INIT segments must not disturb it). This region of ZP RAM is supposedly reserved for drivers and PBI handlers and the like (you'll see many devices, such as IDE Plus employing the same region for a similar purpose), although several key locations are deliberately avoided by the U1MB PBI BIOS since they are also used by some disk-based SpartaDOS versions. Now, the loader expecting $38-3C not to be disturbed between segments was never a problem before in the three years since the loader was first released, but since PANG changes that, I moved the 32-bit LBA address out of ZP entirely. This is of course at the cost of the XEX loader itself being a little larger and MEMLO consequently becoming raised by a dozen bytes or so, but there's not much to be done about that if people need to launch the single bit of software which causes this particular issue. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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