Dig Dug 1983 (5200) XL/XE Version Running Correctly On Real Hardware?

[+MrFish]

The 'XEX' version on Kheffington's disk set seems to work fine via SIO2PC, at least I can't detect any audio issue compared to the ROM version.

 

The color on top seems to be a holdover from whatever color register 2 was set to just before invoking the game.

 

That's one of the first versions I tried, which uses the same XEX I also have on hand, I've come to realise. One of the voices for the music is missing, when you actually start playing the game. It sounds fine on the intro music, but after that not so.

[Edit: It's the same voice that also makes the sound when the enemies are being pumped up. Nothing heard there...]

 

The upper part of the display looks fine. The upper part was only black instead of blue when loading the same XEX from the my SIDE I.

 

As I mentioned too, it's not just this machine, because I was attempting to run it on others formerly, with the same issues (XE's for instance).

Edited July 13, 2015 by MrFish

[a8isa1]

 

That's one of the first versions I tried, which uses the same XEX I also have on hand, I've come to realise. One of the voices for the music is missing, when you actually start playing the game. It sounds fine on the intro music, but after that not so. The upper part of the display looks fine.

 

The upper part was only black instead of blue when loading the same XEX from the my SIDE I. As I mentioned too, it's not just this machine, because I was attempting to run it on others formerly, with the same issues (XE's for instance).

You can reproduce what I found like this if you have a recent SDX.

 

Type POKE $2C6,<any value 0-255> ; This will change color register 2

 

then type X DIGDUG (or whatever name you used).

 

DIG DUG will start up and you will see that the sky is the same color as what you set. The game must be relying on the OS default blue to be there.

 

p.s. I hope one of the assembler gurus can fix the issues. Sorry I didn't play the game long enough to hear the problem.

Edited July 13, 2015 by a8isa1

[+MrFish]

You can reproduce what I found like this if you have a recent SDX.

 

Type POKE $2C6,<any value 0-255> ; This will change color register 2

 

then type X DIGDUG (or whatever name you used).

 

DIG DUG will start up and you will see that the sky is the same color as what you set. The game must be relying on the OS default blue to be there.

 

OK, that makes some sense then, because it plays fine from the SIDE cart -- aside from the color problem -- and the SIDE sets the color of the background to black for its text display.

[+MrFish]

I'm guessing the problem on disk is just the loader/DOS then. Homesoft is using some kind of menu/loader, and Keffington uses MyPico. I was also using MyPico before trying his disks (thinking maybe he was using a different executable).

Edited July 13, 2015 by MrFish

[+MrFish]

You can reproduce what I found like this if you have a recent SDX.

 

Type POKE $2C6,<any value 0-255> ; This will change color register 2

 

then type X DIGDUG (or whatever name you used).

 

DIG DUG will start up and you will see that the sky is the same color as what you set. The game must be relying on the OS default blue to be there.

 

Alright, I just tested this out myself, and it's as you say. Of course loading from SDX produces a similar sound bug, but at least it points to the problem when loading it from the SIDE I, which is pretty minor. I appreciate you taking the time to look at it.

Edited July 13, 2015 by MrFish

[a8isa1]

 

Alright, I just tested this out myself, and it's as you say. Of course loading from SDX produces a similar sound bug, but at least it points to the problem when loading it from the SIDE I, which is pretty minor. I appreciate you taking the time to look at it.

I don't know how to fix the sound problem. Sorry.

 

Presetting the color was easy. The patched file seems to work with the SIDE Loader (though I seem to have misplaced the latest version).

dig_dug_1983_color_fix.zip

[+MrFish]

Presetting the color was easy. The patched file seems to work with the SIDE Loader (though I seem to have misplaced the latest version).

 

"Easy" but none the less awesome, as nobody had fixed the problem before. Thanks a lot, we now have a 100% working version of Dig Dug for real hardware using SIDE.

[a8isa1]

 

"Easy" but none the less awesome, as nobody had fixed the problem before. Thanks a lot, we now have a 100% working version of Dig Dug for real hardware using SIDE.

I must have made a typo on my first attempt of this. Anyway, I tried resetting POKEY before the game code starts, at the same place I preset color register 2. Maybe I'll get lucky with sound.

 

I never did detect the sound problem in the original file. I'm apparently not good enough at the game to reach that point. I'll have to leave the testing to you, MrFish. Good luck.

 

-SteveS

[+MrFish]

I must have made a typo on my first attempt of this. Anyway, I tried resetting POKEY before the game code starts, at the same place I preset color register 2. Maybe I'll get lucky with sound.

 

I never did detect the sound problem in the original file. I'm apparently not good enough at the game to reach that point. I'll have to leave the testing to you, MrFish. Good luck.

 

OK, so it sounds like you're saying the fixed file you sent might work loading from DOS, etc. I tried running it from MyPicoDOS, SpartaDOS X, and a Homesoft's bootdisk. They all basically have the same results as before (i.e.: one sound voice not being present).

 

No special skills required to reach the point of hearing it (or not hearing it, as the case is with the missing voice/channel). It's just anytime after the intro. Here's an example audio file, recorded after running from MyPicoDOS:

dig dug.wav

 

That was done using Altirra, which is basically the same result as on real hardware.

Edited July 16, 2015 by MrFish

[a8isa1]

 

OK, so it sounds like you're saying the fixed file you sent might work loading from DOS, etc. I tried running it from MyPicoDOS, SpartaDOS X, and a Homesoft's bootdisk. They all basically have the same results as before (i.e.: one sound voice not being present).

 

No special skills required to reach the point of hearing it (or not hearing it, as the case is with the missing voice/channel). It's just anytime after the intro. Here's an example audio file, recorded after running from MyPicoDOS:

dig dug.wav

 

That was done using Altirra, which is basically the same result as on real hardware.

Very Strange. That is not what I hear.

 

I hear this:

dig_dug_83_Altirra.wav

 

It doesn't matter if I use the original XEX, one of the files I patched, or the ROM image.

 

I've tried Altirra (via linux & wine), Atari800, and on my real 800XL

 

I've used various loading methods, MyPicoDOS, SIDE Loader, Fenders 3 sector boot, PicoBoot, SDX, MyDOS, DOS 2.5.

 

On my 800XL I've used an SIO2PC with AspeQt and SIO2BSD software. I've also used my SDrive.

 

I don't have a means to use a 16K cartridge image. I had a homebrewed SRAM cartridge but it became unstable a couple of years ago.

 

All combinations yield the same in game sounds.

 

-SteveS

[+MrFish]

Very Strange. That is not what I hear.

 

I hear this:

dig_dug_83_Altirra.wav

 

It doesn't matter if I use the original XEX, one of the files I patched, or the ROM image.

 

I've tried Altirra (via linux & wine), Atari800, and on my real 800XL

 

I've used various loading methods, MyPicoDOS, SIDE Loader, Fenders 3 sector boot, PicoBoot, SDX, MyDOS, DOS 2.5.

 

On my 800XL I've used an SIO2PC with AspeQt and SIO2BSD software. I've also used my SDrive.

 

I don't have a means to use a 16K cartridge image. I had a homebrewed SRAM cartridge but it became unstable a couple of years ago.

 

All combinations yield the same in game sounds.

 

According to that sound file you're not even moving in the game. You have to at least be moving your character to get the other sound.

Edited July 16, 2015 by MrFish

[a8isa1]

 

According to that sound file you're not even moving in the game. You have to at least be moving your character to get the other sound.

Sorry. I just grabbed a quick audio sample without thinking.

 

Here's what I hear from the XEX on Kheffington's disks.

dig_dug_xex.wav

 

This is sampled from the cartridge.

dig_dug_cartridge.wav

 

I seem to be oblivous to the difference.

Edited July 16, 2015 by a8isa1

[+MrFish]

Sorry. I just grabbed a quick audio sample without thinking.

 

Here's what I hear from the XEX on Kheffington's disks.

dig_dug_xex.wav

 

This is sampled from the cartridge.

dig_dug_cartridge.wav

 

I seem to be oblivous to the difference.

 

OK, yes, your first file here is identical to the one I posted, which is missing a voice.

 

I guess being that I'm a musician I assume people can easily hear what I'm hearing. There is definitely a big difference between the two. The simplest way to tell is by using your pump. There is no pump sound when playing an XEX version loaded from disk. The cart version of course has this sound.

[a8isa1]

LOL

 

I forgot to enclose my second patched file. No wonder why my description sounded unspecific.

 

Please try the new file.

dig_dug_83_patch2.zip

 

This is a sound clip:

dig_dug_83_patch2.wav

Edited July 16, 2015 by a8isa1

[+MrFish]

Great, it runs on MyPicoDOS, SpartaDOS X, and DOS 2.5 (all quickly tested). Still has the same problem using HomeSoft's loader, but I never use that anyway. A job well done. Thanks again!

Edited July 16, 2015 by MrFish