Adventure Construction Set Problems

[McDeath]

The problems I am having with all the varieties of dsk images here is

 

DUPLICATE AN ADVENTURE

MAKE AN ADVENTURE

 

What I am trying to do is just create some blank sets namely:

Lands of Adventuria

Spy/Mystery Set

 

I seem to have the

Fantasy (Escape From Reality)

Rivers of Light

Science Fiction (Quick Death)

 

Problem is I can make new quick adventures. Every time it asks for me to put in a blank disk then hit enter (easy to do on the Apple //e Emulator) I get this:

TROUBLE WITH DISK.

PLEASE CHECK DISK AND DRIVE DOOR.

PRESS SPACE TO CONTINUE.

 

I assume its not reading a blank disk correctly. Rather annoying. If anyone wants to check this just download a copy from one of the various sites and check. Suggestions?

 

All I really want is one copy of spy and LOA but being able todo it myself would be keen.

[Aunty Entity]

Problem is I can make new quick adventures. Every time it asks for me to put in a blank disk then hit enter (easy to do on the Apple //e Emulator) I get this:

TROUBLE WITH DISK.

PLEASE CHECK DISK AND DRIVE DOOR.

PRESS SPACE TO CONTINUE.

 

 

Erm have you tried a different emulator?

 

Looking around there seems to be issues with this thing and floppies on a variety of platforms. How many floppies does your version have? I've found a set of 6..

Edited October 24, 2018 by Aunty Entity

[Aunty Entity]

Also of note is that it asks for an ACS data disk, not a blank, making me think its pre formatted, with something other than DOS3.3 so popping a blank image in doesn't work.

[McDeath]

Some sites have the bland named acs 1-6 and some say cracked with item description. The LOAturned our tone Rivers of light. I assume ciderpress can create a formatted disk through Apple win. Some sites stated blank disk or formatted but no dice. The peeps on google apple groups said errors on the disks.

 

So theres a fellow on jolt country bbs who can transfer your physical Apple II disks to .dsk. All I can hope is someone cares to do this and make physical adventure copies of LOA, ROL, fantasy, sci-fi, and spy/mystery.

 

Then there would be working copies for emulation.

 

I dont have an Apple sadly or I would pony up.

[R.Cade]

I went through the process to create adventure disks with AppleWin with no problem. I used a blank DOS 3.3 image created with CiderPress since AppleWin didn't seem to have a way to create one.

 

I told it to make a Rivers of Light Adventure disk. This causes it to basically copy from the data disk back side (called disk 4 in most collections) to a new disk. You just swap the disks several times to complete the procedure and then play it. Just like the manual says...

[McDeath]

I went through the process to create adventure disks with AppleWin with no problem. I used a blank DOS 3.3 image created with CiderPress since AppleWin didn't seem to have a way to create one.

 

I told it to make a Rivers of Light Adventure disk. This causes it to basically copy from the data disk back side (called disk 4 in most collections) to a new disk. You just swap the disks several times to complete the procedure and then play it. Just like the manual says...

Which site did you get your ACS from?

 

I will try this (need to learn I guess); unless you want to create me a full set of disks?

 

....blink... blink... blink.... pwetty pwease.....

[R.Cade]

Yeah, no. The manual explains how to fish, I verified there are fish there. You have to get your own fish.

The disks I used are from Asimov.

Edited October 26, 2018 by R.Cade

[McDeath]

KEWL! Ill fish up the disks from ASIMOV and write about the success. (Positive thinking!)

 

That reminds me that I need to rename those disks instead of 1-6 (not sure what 5 & 6 are).

[McDeath]

Must be each version of the ACS I dug up from the net. You google and Ive probably dug it up. My applewin works fine. I made several blank disks via ciderpress.

 

Sadly, the ACS cannot create an Adventure. No friggin dice.

 

All I wanted to make is a fresh disk of each set but all these ACS must be corrupt.

 

As soon as it asks for a blank (which I put in) and hit return:

 

TROUBLE WITH DISK

PLEASE CHECK DISK AND DRIVE DOOR

PRESS SPACE TO CONTINUE.

 

I even tried copies of adventure disks like say ROL and it warns me theres an adventure. I say its fine to overwrite. Same error.

 

From my end impossible. Either the few emulators offline and online, and java emulators are screwed up or its just the ACS.

[The Usotsuki]

I'm guessing bad cracks which were never fully tested.

[McDeath]

I have a new set being uploaded by a chap tomorrow. Ill check them out then. Im just rather surprised in the cataloging of games that freshly made adventure disks for each genre + ROL + LOA wasnt created and tested. Its a niche group for sure and say 8 years ago I wouldnt be thinking Id attempt Apple emulation.

 

The online java machine is pretty fantastic and Im liking applewin and ciderpress. They are pretty fun to get into and try to learn.

 

Eventually I may try Mac emulation and maybe iPad if there is one.

[R.Cade]

I don't understand where you are going wrong with your process. I just did it again, no problem. Rivers of Light disk just created with AppleWin onto a blank DOS 3.3 image created with CiderPress using the ACS images on Asimov. I don't even think it matters that it is CiderPress- it formats any disk you put in there. The cracks are fine...

 

I know this is not helpful to you, other than assuring you the disk images are fine.

test.zip

Edited October 27, 2018 by R.Cade

[McDeath]

Youre loading up ACS and creating new adventures through the ACS MENU?

 

I cant figure out where Im going wrong but I get squat. More interested in landsof Adventuria, spy/fantasy, and a fresh generic fantasy disk created tbh.

 

I have no idea if the science fiction was played but apparently it has gone through LETS ACS FINISH YOUR ADVENTURE once. Same can be said of the fantasy module as well.

[R.Cade]

Youre loading up ACS and creating new adventures through the ACS MENU?

 

I cant figure out where Im going wrong but I get squat. More interested in landsof Adventuria, spy/fantasy, and a fresh generic fantasy disk created tbh.

 

I have no idea if the science fiction was played but apparently it has gone through LETS ACS FINISH YOUR ADVENTURE once. Same can be said of the fantasy module as well.

 

Yes, "M" for make an Adventure disk.

[McDeath]

Well, I have no idea why Im failing at this. It seems like it should work but time and time again that error no matter what emulator or acs program disks used or formatted blanks.

 

Computer simulation gods must hate me and mock my failures. Oh apple2 in the garden of MacEden. Thine serpent of sin blocks me from paradise.

[McDeath]

So I tried one last time from some fresh disks from jolt country.

 

Again nada same error.

 

Another oddity is I cant switch disks on ULTIMA 3 to the player disk. Just hangs. Now I can make working disks for Sword of Kadash.

 

And it looks like all version of the 3 adventures for acs made have been modified so they are NOT authentic masters.

 

I still need fresh made authentic master disks of:

LAND OF ADVENTURIA

RIVERS OF LIGHT

FANTASY SET

SCIENCE FICTION SET

SPY/MYSTERY SET

 

I again ask if someone can upload freshly made master .dsk of these then please do. Otherwise, I guess they are lost except to actual machine owners of appleII for however long they continue to work.

[majestyx]

There is something screwy with both the Cracked and uncracked version in the zip file on Asimov here: ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/images/games/adventure/adventure.construction.set-complete.zip

 

Using a combination of the cracked and uncracked versions, I was able to make disks of Land of Aventuria, Spy & Mystery Builder Set, and Fantasy Builder Set, since those are the ones you originally requested. I've attached them here. Let me know if these work for you.

Disks.zip

Edited October 31, 2018 by majestyx

[McDeath]

Thanks for the help. Another guy from another site sent me a fresh cracked side 1 of acs main program disk. It seems to be the bad one usually. I was able to make full sets brand new for Apple emulation. Ill check yours out but we have them now.

 

My current problem is getting my fresh Dos sets on 3.5 to a hard drive. I exhausted all my physical resources as I only have a few computers.

 

First I was uncertain I could make the disks. I pulled out an ancient Toshiba laptop I kept and it didnt work. I/o error. The drive was stripped clean. So, I pulled out an old win98 boot disk and that enabled me to get to dos prompt. From there I was able to format fresh diskettes and make new adventures of each set.

 

The USB port didnt work and windows never started because of failed drive. So next step.

 

I hoped library had some 3.5 drives on their computers. NO!

 

I realized I had one more very ancient win95/98 desktop pc. It had 2 USB ports. Windows worked but I have no small thumb drives it can recognize or the driver disks.

 

I purchased some usb 3.5 modern portable drives. They might arrive next week. Maybe Ill figure out how to change virtual drives in d-fed by then.

 

At least I now have apple2, c64, and Amiga fresh adventure disks. Man, pretty annoying and odd no archived made disks.

 

When I am done there sure as hell will be. Im going to try to be as thorough as I can in this. Once I have solid fresh adventures for all platforms Ill release them to the cloud. As I add content and eventually work my way to ACKS I will expand the zipor make other zips.

[McDeath]

Hopefully Tuesday I upload a basic zip. Those usb floppy drives are AWESOME! I might look to see if there is a 5.25. Usb floppy drive.

[McDeath]

Ok heres a few things cobbled together for ease.

ACS compilation v1.0

 

And just for fun:

Stuart Smith's Other Games

[McDeath]

I need to properly thank everyone who helped and I think I included a txt thanks in there. For Apple II I MEGA THANKS qkumba on the google groupsfor appleII.

[neglectoru]

Thanks for putting this together! It is fascinating stuff.

 

Do you have a sense how much is shared between the Apple II and C-64 versions? I got the sense that the engine might be similar, and now I can compare.

 

Stuart Smith's lead platform, I think, might have been the Atari 800, for which (I think) the first of his adventure games were released. I wonder if the Apple II or C-64 versions were the original for ACS

[McDeath]

So far there are a lot of differences. And we will just compare these two platforms since they are the most similar.

 

Sound is far better on c64.

The artwork was always a bit annoying. Technically they are 16x16 pixel sprites I guess but while drawing you draw 2wide x 1high. Thats an odd way to draw and difficult to make something. The old CRT monitors and TVs also do some bleeding on the display so you better be an artist with patience.

 

The commodoree art size thus in the game is thus an odd paint brush for 8 strokes wide but 16 stokes tall. Ah, the appleII is even more odd. It always bleeds a bit and the actual strokes it allows is 7wide by 16tall. You get 1 less stroke entirely. That technically makes its pixels 14x16. How it manages to come together is beyond me but it works and you will notice the bleeding even in the emulator on any setting.

 

Fun note: usually you get only 4 colors to choose at a time but each can be of any of 8 possibilities (black, white, yellow, red, green, purple, blue, cyan). Apple might be different.

Here is the FUN thing to know: boot up the Rivers of light and construct edit it. Go to graphics and notice you have a base of 6 COLORS TO CHOOSE FROM!

 

Hi ho ho! It would take some time but if you were to reconstruct the fantasy, sci-if, and spy/mystery from scratch then Id just erase everything but graphics from the ROL on appleII. If you have recorded all the monsters/things/terrain/graphics from the other sets then its just a matter of constructing them. I think itd be well worth the effort to try and I may do that since 6 is better than 4. Sadly, c64 ROL only uses 4 colors.

I give an edge of gfx to c64 but that little appleII cheat is nice. I wonder if any of the entries in the 80s realized that.

 

The tilesets:

AppleII had pretty complete tilesets and only a few graphics in the 3 main construction genres was duplicated. Im not sure why youd need 2 darth Vader images or thieves but its a waste and any constructor will replace them. All in all most spaces are filled up with only a few BLACK EMPTY images for you to tailor.

 

The c64 is another matter. Not only do you get duplicates but you have far more BLACK EMPTY spaces. Fantasy is missing oh 4-5 and sci-fi is worse. The most LAZINESS is the spy/mystery. OMFG! Not only do the images look lazy compared to apple but you are missing about 1/2 the creatures and there are duplicates as well. Terrible.

 

Tilesets go to AppleII. (Art is comparable but both could use work)

 

Using the emulators I found the Apple win was way faster than ccs64 or winvice. Hell, it was faster than Amiga winaue and almost as fast as dosbox.

APPLE WIN here for speed.

 

I couldnt get 2 drive emulation to work for acs on winvice64. Maybe Im an idiot in this department.

 

Everything else looks pretty good. I will note that if you erase everything like things and monsters then let acs complete the adventure it will create all the creatures in the friendly category with no name and odd stats including non existent weapons. Its basically an error. I did this to see what it would create. It generally only creates treasures for things and Im recording exactly what. Im also recording random region names and room names. Theres some nifty ones and I suspect each theme has different ones. Itll be good to compile the list for fast fun room naming.

 

There is a winvice error I ran into on LOA via a long message portal between regions posted here:

https://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=69571&start=0

 

Im not sure but maybe the landing spot is on the time machine and causing an internal loop error. I need to check ccs64. I hope its not just a general error for long message portals between regions as that limits an already limited construction set. Ill check play an adventure as well. I will construct an adventure and check as well.

 

Its all very time consuming. I need to make a zip of only the adf, dsk, d64 etc images. It was a little harsh to pile on baber64 as he spent quite a bit of time on his adventures and is a true enthusiast to ACS. Ive only checked his tilesets since graphics and sound of ACS resonates with me. He used and modified the fantasy theme set. Hes got some good tiles as well.

 

I need to post some blown up images of all the tiles for all platforms. Im in no hurry and I want to do it as correctly as possible for my limited skill set.

 

Cheers

[McDeath]

I originally found baber64s medialink files by accident while going through my dos and AppleII crisis. Then I found his melon64 thread: melon.64 ACS: Chan's Ambition (2018)

 

I also encourage people to look at the jolt country bbs

 

Thats where I had my own stuff, via posters there, aid in d64 images of my acs stuff and my Pas stuff.

 

 

Ive mentioned other interests like the ataris own construction kit

ACS v1.0

adventure creator

adventure creation kit

 

Theres the dos ACK and Azalta as well. Azalta has the issue no one has the adventure writer to construct adventures or it hasnt been uploaded. The developer from the 90s might have it but so far we are left with only the adventure the cult of the raven or whatever its called.

[McDeath]

On the one way portal I mentioned in LOA; its a bug of sorts.

 

So if you create a one way portal and it has its own activated long message you get the error or freeze during construction phase if you examine it

 

In play the one way portal with long message works flawlessly; just dont examine it during construction or it WILL CRASH and FREEZE the emulator.