Config files to use with various Intellivision titles

[pimpmaul69]

ok so even checkers didnt display pieces without the mematter didnt check backgammon before adding memmatter

 

edit: nm i didnt know how to start checkers. idiot here.

Edited August 9, 2015 by pimpmaul69

[pimpmaul69]

even my rom version was messed up. shows i never played this game before. now to play around with ??reversi?? i wanna make a rom variant with that

[jbellanca]

EDIT: Aha... wait a minute.

 

I have TWO dumps of Triple Challenge, one of which has extra crap in it (tripchal.bin) and one of which is "clean" (tripchlb.bin). The dump with extra crap in it is 45058 bytes, while the cleaned up dump is only 32768 bytes. The clean dump uses config #9. The crappy dump uses the config above.

 

Hmmm, guess I'll have to try to track down that 32768 byte dump somewhere... I've got the 45058 one stashed around in about 8 different places, but not the "good" one. Thanks for looking into this!

[+thegoldenband]

Super-interesting that there's still code for Reversi in the Triple Challenge ROM, even if it's only a menu option. They were originally going to include Reversi but cut it at the last minute, according to the BSR pages.

[pimpmaul69]

 

Hmmm, guess I'll have to try to track down that 32768 byte dump somewhere... I've got the 45058 one stashed around in about 8 different places, but not the "good" one. Thanks for looking into this!

I have both the clean and dirty versions. i actually had both of them i also added third playable version but with reversi on the menu screen cause i like rom variants

 

Edited August 9, 2015 by pimpmaul69

[pimpmaul69]

Super-interesting that there's still code for Reversi in the Triple Challenge ROM, even if it's only a menu option. They were originally going to include Reversi but cut it at the last minute, according to the BSR pages.

so....what is needed to add the game? is it possible like go for the gold?

[intvnut]

 

Hmmm, guess I'll have to try to track down that 32768 byte dump somewhere... I've got the 45058 one stashed around in about 8 different places, but not the "good" one. Thanks for looking into this!

 

I may have made the 'clean' one myself. Basically, all the stuff at $Cxxx and $Dxxx is crap that can be tossed. The only valid ROM segments are $5xxx, $6xxx, $9xxx and $Axxx. If you're handy editing binary files, it's not hard to make a clean version. :-)

 

 

Super-interesting that there's still code for Reversi in the Triple Challenge ROM, even if it's only a menu option. They were originally going to include Reversi but cut it at the last minute, according to the BSR pages.

 

It looks like there's a presence detect here:

.

        MVII    #$B000, R1                      ; 9E8A   02B9 0000 00B0
        MVI@    R1,     R1                      ; 9E8D   0289
        COMR    R1                              ; 9E8E   0019
        RLC     R1,     1                       ; 9E8F   0051
        CLRR    R1                              ; 9E90   01C9
        RLC     R1,     1                       ; 9E91   0051
        MVO     R1,     G_0160                  ; 9E92   0241 0160

.

that then controls whether Reversi is selectable from the menu:

.

        MVI     G_0160, R0                      ; 9EE3   0280 0160
        TSTR    R0                              ; 9EE5   0080
        BEQ     L_9EFA                          ; 9EE6   0204 0012

        MVII    #$0007, R3                      ; 9EE8   02BB 0007
        MVII    #$027A, R4                      ; 9EEA   02BC 027A

        JSR     R5,     X_PRINT_R5              ; 9EEC   0004 0118 007B
        STRING  "4. Reversi"                    ; 9EEF
        DECLE   $0000                           ; 9EF9   0000
L_9EFA:

.

This detects whether there's viable ROM at $B000, and if there is, then it'll enable the Reversi menu option. To add Reversi to the ROM image, you'd need to adapt the existing Reversi ROM to run at $Bxxx instead of $5xxx. This is somewhat more difficult to get correct than the Go For The Gold hack, as GFTG used paged ROMs, and didn't shift the addresses that each game resided at.

[intvnut]

 

This detects whether there's viable ROM at $B000, and if there is, then it'll enable the Reversi menu option. To add Reversi to the ROM image, you'd need to adapt the existing Reversi ROM to run at $Bxxx instead of $5xxx. This is somewhat more difficult to get correct than the Go For The Gold hack, as GFTG used paged ROMs, and didn't shift the addresses that each game resided at.

 

I happened to think after I posted that, that you might also be able to make it work with the original Reversi ROM at $5xxx by:

• Marking $5000 - $5FFF of Triple Challenge as residing in PAGE 0
• Appending the Reversi .BIN image and putting it in $5000 - $5FFF PAGE 1
• Writing an appropriate 'trampoline' routine at $Bxxx that flips in Reversi and jumps to it.

The trampoline just needs a ROM header at $B000 (similar to the one you usually have at $5000), and in its 'start' code, it needs to:

• Disable interrupts
• Flip in $5000 PAGE 1. (Write $5A51 to $5FFF.)
• Reset the stack to $2F1
• Write $5014 to $2F0
• Jump to $1041

It's a little more work than GFTG, but a lot less work than relocating the code from $5xxx to $Bxxx.

[pimpmaul69]

 

I happened to think after I posted that, that you might also be able to make it work with the original Reversi ROM at $5xxx by:

• Marking $5000 - $5FFF of Triple Challenge as residing in PAGE 0
• Appending the Reversi .BIN image and putting it in $5000 - $5FFF PAGE 1
• Writing an appropriate 'trampoline' routine at $Bxxx that flips in Reversi and jumps to it.

The trampoline just needs a ROM header at $B000 (similar to the one you usually have at $5000), and in its 'start' code, it needs to:

• Disable interrupts
• Flip in $5000 PAGE 1. (Write $5A51 to $5FFF.)
• Reset the stack to $2F1
• Write $5014 to $2F0
• Jump to $1041

It's a little more work than GFTG, but a lot less work than relocating the code from $5xxx to $Bxxx.

in the time you posted this you could have made quadruple challenge a reality. would be cool to have though. Edited August 10, 2015 by pimpmaul69

[jbellanca]

Thanks so much - I now have a fully complete Ultimate Flashback now that Triple Challenge is working, so appreciate all the info. As long as we're on this topic, I have a question on one of the Demo carts, #5853 (1982-3). If you let it play, it goes through some demos and gets to basketball... then, it flashes through a bunch of title screens in rapid succession. Do you all think it just isn't finished so is incomplete, or does it need a config file to map it properly?

[pimpmaul69]

Thanks so much - I now have a fully complete Ultimate Flashback now that Triple Challenge is working, so appreciate all the info. As long as we're on this topic, I have a question on one of the Demo carts, #5853 (1982-3). If you let it play, it goes through some demos and gets to basketball... then, it flashes through a bunch of title screens in rapid succession. Do you all think it just isn't finished so is incomplete, or does it need a config file to map it properly?

is that a tv demo? I have several tv demos but not a 5853. Edited August 10, 2015 by pimpmaul69

[mr_me]

I was having trouble with World Series Baseball and the "1.cfg" file. It plays but eventually has sound problems. The attached cfg file (mappings from Nostalgia) seems to work better.

World Series Major League Baseball (1983) (Mattel) !.zip

[intvnut]

I was having trouble with World Series Baseball and the "1.cfg" file. It plays but eventually has sound problems. The attached cfg file (mappings from Nostalgia) seems to work better.

 

It appears you're using a different WSMLB BIN image than what comes on Intellivision Lives!. (Or was it on Rocks!... I forget.) That image was incomplete, but worked OK in their emulator, because they use WAV samples rather than implementing the Intellivoice directly.

 

I don't think I've seen the [ecsbank] syntax before. I can add it to jzIntv. In the meantime, the following config will work for that version of the BIN:

.

[mapping]
$0000 - $1FFF = $5000
$2000 - $2FFF = $D000
$3000 - $3FFF = $E000 PAGE 0
$4000 - $4FFF = $F000 PAGE 0
$5000 - $5FFF = $F000 PAGE 1

.

EDIT: Actually, I was wrong. My parser does accept the [ecsbank] section. I had totally forgotten about it!

 

Nevermind...

 

That means both jzIntv and LTO Flash! also understand it already and this isn't something I'll have to teach it.

Edited February 16, 2016 by intvnut

[mr_me]

Ok. thanks. And a question about the version of "King of the Mountain" that comes on the Intellivision Lives CD. I think that version has a known bug that keeps you from advancing to the next level after completing a mountain, or starting the game on a mountain other than one or six. But I thought I'd ask if it's something that can be addressed with a cfg file?

 

 

(and the ECS and Intellivoice games came on the Intellivision Rocks CD)

[intvnut]

Ok. thanks. And a question about the version of "King of the Mountain" that comes on the Intellivision Lives CD. I think that version has a known bug that keeps you from advancing to the next level after completing a mountain, or starting the game on a mountain other than one or six. But I thought I'd ask if it's something that can be addressed with a cfg file?

 

I doubt it. I'm not the right person to ask, though.

[pimpmaul69]

Ok. thanks. And a question about the version of "King of the Mountain" that comes on the Intellivision Lives CD. I think that version has a known bug that keeps you from advancing to the next level after completing a mountain, or starting the game on a mountain other than one or six. But I thought I'd ask if it's something that can be addressed with a cfg file?

 

 

(and the ECS and Intellivoice games came on the Intellivision Rocks CD)

you can buy the completed rom here

http://www.intellivision.us/intvgames/orderroms.php

[mr_me]

you can buy the completed rom here

http://www.intellivision.us/intvgames/orderroms.php

Thanks. I'm curious if they added any mountains to the game, or made the existing ones accessible. just me but I'm a little uncomfortable paying someone money for someone else's property. I understand there is little or no money being made there.

[pimpmaul69]

Thanks. I'm curious if they added any mountains to the game, or made the existing ones accessible. just me but I'm a little uncomfortable paying someone money for someone else's property. I understand there is little or no money being made there.

there was a lot more added to actually complete the game from the 2 levels that mattel had made. The game was far from complete. He actually made it a great game.

[Games For Your Intellivision]

Thanks. I'm curious if they added any mountains to the game, or made the existing ones accessible. just me but I'm a little uncomfortable paying someone money for someone else's property. I understand there is little or no money being made there.

 

From what I understand, no levels were added, just the bug fixed that stopped the progression. Sound effects were also added.

[mr_me]

Here's my set of cfg files for the original games. These use the filenames from the GoodTools standard so rename them as needed. The other released games should be supported by the default memory map in jzIntv.

int_cfg_32.zip

[SavedByZero]

Has anyone gotten Jetsons: Ways with words to work? The memory map files fixed *most* of my issues with certain Intellivision games, but not that one (file 0, right? Renamed to the game file name, with cfg as the extension?)

[mr_me]

Jzintv doesn't need cfg files for that memory map.  It does need the ecs rom file and ecs turned on for The Jetsons.

[+bhall408]

Coming late to the party...

 

I've been making use of bin2rom (thanks jz!) but my preference is to use a unique extension for each platform, and I'd like to use .INT for that.

 

OpenEmu on Mac supports .INT, but if I rename a .ROM to .INT, it won't work on OpenEmu (but OpenEmu is fine if it has .ROM as the extension)

 

SO...

 

Is .INT another file format that includes meta-data (like .ROM is), or is .INT expected to be the same as a .BIN file just a different extension for data-only dumps?

 

[intvnut]

7 hours ago, bhall408 said:

Coming late to the party...

 

I've been making use of bin2rom (thanks jz!) but my preference is to use a unique extension for each platform, and I'd like to use .INT for that.

 

OpenEmu on Mac supports .INT, but if I rename a .ROM to .INT, it won't work on OpenEmu (but OpenEmu is fine if it has .ROM as the extension)

 

SO...

 

Is .INT another file format that includes meta-data (like .ROM is), or is .INT expected to be the same as a .BIN file just a different extension for data-only dumps?

 

 

In my experience, .INT files are usually (but not always!) equivalent to .BIN files.

 

[+bhall408]

OK, so an emulator could "support" renamed ROM to INT files, but that would be via defensive programming (ie, detecting it has ROM standard meta-dataand not BIN), not because that is the standard.

 

(OpenEmu, as an example, is rejecting renamed ROM to INT files, but it doesn't *have* to...)

 

Similarly, you could heuristically determine a ROM file belongs to an Intellivision core by testing for the ROM meta-data at the tail end of the file. You might get a false positive, but the likelihood would be low.