Issue with Prince of Persia on STE?

[oracle_jedi]

Hey gang,

 

I downloaded a couple of versions of Prince of Persia from the atari.8bitchip.info site.

 

Some nice additions added and for STEs and Falcons some alternative music options.

 

But none of these versions seem to recognize the healing potion, which makes them almost impossible to complete, unless you engage trainer mode.

 

I downloaded another version from another site but it won't run on the STE (TOS 1.62). Is there a version that is STE/TOS 1.62 compatible that has the protection stripped but still recognizes the healing potions in the game?

[ggn]

Assuming you have a hard drive, how about this version? It was fixed to support all known TOS versions and it was tested ok.

[oracle_jedi]

Thanks ggn, I tried that and after the intro screen, I get a blank white screen and nothing more.

 

My STE is a U.S. spec, and I also tried adding the 50/60Hz switcher program to the AUTO folder, and I have no accessories loaded. But still no dice.

 

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Hey gang,

 

I downloaded a couple of versions of Prince of Persia from the atari.8bitchip.info site.

 

Some nice additions added and for STEs and Falcons some alternative music options.

 

But none of these versions seem to recognize the healing potion, which makes them almost impossible to complete, unless you engage trainer mode.

 

I downloaded another version from another site but it won't run on the STE (TOS 1.62). Is there a version that is STE/TOS 1.62 compatible that has the protection stripped but still recognizes the healing potions in the game?

I don't know how healing exactly works. I finished it couple times with trainer. It is based on some crack, what I disassembled many years ago. May be that it makes potions inactive too. In meantime dump of original is arrived, so I may be able to compare it and fix.

[ggn]

Thanks ggn, I tried that and after the intro screen, I get a blank white screen and nothing more.

 

My STE is a U.S. spec, and I also tried adding the 50/60Hz switcher program to the AUTO folder, and I have no accessories loaded. But still no dice.

 

Weird results. At the moment the only things that come to my mind are a) RAM problems - maybe your RAM modules are dodgy and corrupt code or data, b) loading problems - something is corrupting things when loading data off disk.

 

We can eliminate a by using a RAM tester. I suggest you try Christian Zietz' one here. Let it run for a while so we can be sure.

 

For b, you'll have to provide a bit more info about your machine. How are you loading things? Floppy? Real hard drive? Ultrasatan? Cosmosex? Gigafile? Something else? What hard driver are you using? It can also be a case of bad FDC DMA - do you have the chip info handy? Read this page for more info on this.

 

If we rule both these out we'll work from there, but please check these out first.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I downloaded another version from another site but it won't run on the STE (TOS 1.62). Is there a version that is STE/TOS 1.62 compatible that has the protection stripped but still recognizes the healing potions in the game?

To add: game's code is not good for higher TOS versions. I needed to add diverse patches to fix it (not saving lower CPU registers before Trap #1 calls ++) . So, it is not protection what makes it not work on STE.

But as said, protection removal may be the cause of non-working potions. Please describe effects of potions during normal gameplay.

[simonsunnyboy]

Red potions heal, blue potions take live energy.

[oracle_jedi]

Like simonsunnyboy said - red potions restore 2 units of health, blue potions take it away. There are also some larger bottles that add 3 units of health, and the game will allow up to a maximum of four units of health.

 

At least that is what I have observed from playing it on the Amiga where I can get to Level 6 without using trainer mode.

[oracle_jedi]

Weird results. At the moment the only things that come to my mind are a) RAM problems - maybe your RAM modules are dodgy and corrupt code or data, b) loading problems - something is corrupting things when loading data off disk.

 

We can eliminate a by using a RAM tester. I suggest you try Christian Zietz' one here. Let it run for a while so we can be sure.

 

For b, you'll have to provide a bit more info about your machine. How are you loading things? Floppy? Real hard drive? Ultrasatan? Cosmosex? Gigafile? Something else? What hard driver are you using? It can also be a case of bad FDC DMA - do you have the chip info handy? Read this page for more info on this.

 

If we rule both these out we'll work from there, but please check these out first.

 

Hey ggn,

 

Tried the memory tester and all tests passed without error.

 

I am using an Satan Disk device to load the files. Most games and apps are working but I am running into problems here and there - mostly I am putting this down to the TOS or the 60Hz refresh - and I am slowly making my way through games I have downloaded to see what works and what doesn't.

 

Is there a software method to downgrade to a lower TOS level? Sort of like Relokick on the Amiga?

 

Thanks for the help on this.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I fixed potion error. Now read and blue works as is described, and in room with many potions may get any to open exit door. It was just not proper crack.

Get it here: http://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/princofps.html

For now only DMA audio v. is updated.

Quoting oracle_jedi: "Is there a software method to downgrade to a lower TOS level? Sort of like Relokick on the Amiga?"

Yes. One of them is used in this Prince of Persia adapt too. It runs under TOS 1.04 located in high RAM. Files D15RF.FIC

and D15RH.FIC are TOS 1.04 core for 68030 and 68000 .Without AES, what is not needed for most of games.

Other way is: http://atari.8bitchip.info/tosload.htm

[+DarkLord]

Thanks for the hard work on this!

[doctor_shred]

My original copy Prince of Persia plays fine on my STE with TOS 1.62. It must be something to do with the crack. The Hit Squad commercial release featured different music if you were running 512K or 1024K. I don't remember there being any specific STE changes though.

[oracle_jedi]

Tested the updated 2MB version patched by ParanoidLittleMan - looks great! thanks

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I looked Hit Squad release. It is same as original Domark. Only that files are packed. So, same, not well coded executable file, what works not under TOS 2.06.

It needed serious patching to make it better. Probably worst part is sample playback - it just slows down gameplay too much. + sound quality is not as good as should be with sample rate of 7.8 KHz.