Jump to content
IGNORED

Desmond's Dungeon: Kill level or bug?


therealbountybob

Recommended Posts

In the HSC we're playing Creative Sparks' Desmond's Dungeon ... the game gets to level 11 and is missing a ladder (see this post) making it impossible to complete.

 

Anyone know if this is a kill level due to lack of RAM etc or a bug? Either way perhaps someone could fix it and at least make it loop around perhaps if there are no more levels coded ?

 

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can just change the characters on the screen to add a ladder... just tried it in level 1 and it works.

Please can you share how to do this?

Looks like it's bottom left of level 11 (see screenshots on HSC link above) but here's what's strange I then started up on level 11 from the menu and the level was possible. I wonder if there is a random screen design element at play?

 

Perhaps someone could make the starting level selectable from the off (rather than being the highest you have reached) - that way we could try out the higher levels?

 

Thanks ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BUMP!

 

can anyone help with this?

Or point me in the right direction to make the edits?

 

Some more info looks like the Alternative s/w re-release had starting level selectable up to level 8 details here:

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/194641-hsc9-round-3-desmonds-dungeon/page__view__findpost__p__2479208

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe there's also a Dutch version by Aackosoft but it probably isn't any different.

 

Attached the Aackosoft tape release (which AtariMania should already have ;) ). I don't have the tape versions of the other releases (AtariMania only has a .xex file), but this version uses 256 byte tape blocks instead of the standard 128 byte tape blocks. Strangely the AtariMania .xex is 19 KB while the game itself only needs 16KB. The .cas file is only 11KB including loading screen. So the .xex version has about 8KB of redundant data. I don't know which version you are using for the HSC, but maybe this .xex has introduced the bug.

 

Robert

post-119-0-66523900-1331210995_thumb.jpg

Desmond\'s Dungeon (AackoSoft - Creative Sparks - Thorn EMI).zip

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw that the Alternative Software version was posted in the other thread. It is at least different from the Aackosoft release in that the Aacksoft version has a loading screen and uses 256 byte blocks while the Alternative Software version is a normal boot tape without loading screen. I didn't compare the loaded data yet.

 

Robert

 

 

 

Edit:

In both the Aackosoft and Alternative version, you can initially select the starting level from 1 to 8 while the .xex version does not initially allow to change the starting level with the select key.

Edited by rdemming
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great response to the bump guys :thumbsup:

 

Perhaps someone can create an xex/atr of those .cas versions?

 

I remember the problem from an original tape years ago but thought it was a higher level (perhaps 13?)

 

atarionline.pl have a release(?) by English Software Co v4.xex which also allows start level 1-8. I'll check this out tonight.

 

Would still like the info on editing the levels and if somone could adjust the v4 above to allow start on any level (or 1-20) that would be much appreciated :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps someone can create an xex/atr of those .cas versions?

 

Not an .xex but I've created a "Multi Boot" disk out of the AackoSoft tape version of Desmond's Dungeon. But the loading screen was removed.

The disk also contains the Aackosoft tape versions of "Tank Commander" and "Submarine Commander" and the Aackosoft tape release of Hijack.

I will post the .cas files of those in later messages.

 

Robert

Games08.atr

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK looks like the (v4) XEX or Desmond's Dungeone from atarionline.pl is good (well level 11 completes) not played much further yet. Not sure if gameplay is the same. I have extended the HSC round for a couple extra days so we'll see how far people can get!

 

Details here. Interestingly text shows "English Software" and not "English Software Company" ?

post-19705-0-82677800-1331256968_thumb.png

 

(still would like to know how to edit the levels ;) (when someone has time)

 

You're welcome. Attached the Aackosoft tape version of Tank Commander for you to check out. I wasted many hours on this game :-)

Me too! Tank commander is a really good game (it's an arcade game folks not a war/strategy game!)

;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks to Robert for the additional material and kudos to people who have dumped their tapes!

 

Had never seen this edition of Desmond's Dungeon by English Software! I believe it's a leaked version. Chances are the author submitted the program and English Software either had no interest or didn't offer as much money as Thorn EMI!

 

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That unidentified version which won't let you choose your starting level is pretty odd. Wondering whether it's an early run or another leaked edition... Well, I was completely wrong about there only being one version...

 

Would anybody be able to dump both the Creative Sparks and Sparklers cassettes so we could have some sort of "final comparison chart"?

 

Does anyone have the English Software file unpacked?

 

Thanks,

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(still would like to know how to edit the levels ;) (when someone has time)

 

I just used Atari800Win+, used DLIST to find the where the screen was in memory, did some trial and error adding character codes based on what I saw there. It appears that the levels are compressed or encoded somehow though, so I wasn't able to modify the original level (not easily in the time I took to look at it.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...