WHDload type program for ST's?

[+remowilliams]

I mentioned this briefly in another thread - but has anyone ever seen a WHDLoad type program for the ST/TT/Falcon series?

 

WHDLoad is an Amiga program that allows floppy based software to be installed and run directly from a HD. It also (through people writting "slaves" for different games) has the ability to allow games that would normally be incompatible (due to OS, memory and chipset differences) across a huge range of Amigas. It is the best damn thing since sliced bread.

 

I've never seen or heard of any comparable type of software for the STs

[krupkaj]

I saw WHDload in action. It is nice software. I think it is possible to write simillar application for ST using for example MSA images. Unfortunately no one exists till now

[ijor]

As this was hinted in atari-forum, there is work currently being done in something similar. I don't have much details, except that the authors explicitely mentioned one big difference with WHDLOAD ... it will be completely free.

[Gunstar]

that would definately be cool, I had whdload when I had the A2000/030 myself. It would most definately be cool to have something similiar on the ST's. Many of the ST programs that are on the hacker menue disks have been turned into desktop executable files though, that you can just drag and drop to your harddrive (just make sure you grab all associated files and have them in the same directory).

Edited October 21, 2005 by Gunstar

[+remowilliams]

As this was hinted in atari-forum, there is work currently being done in something similar. I don't have much details, except that the authors explicitely mentioned one big difference with WHDLOAD ... it will be completely free.

951737[/snapback]

That's good to hear, though I won't get my hopes up to high. Free or not doesn't bother me, I pay for what is worth it - WHDload was definitely worth it, and I'd pay for an equivalent Atari program in a second

 

Many of the ST programs that are on the hacker menue disks have been turned into desktop executable files though, that you can just drag and drop to your harddrive (just make sure you grab all associated files and have them in the same directory).

951773[/snapback]

That is a good point, but that doesn't cover many, many titles. And what I'd really like is something that ran on say the Falcon - much like I can run A500 titles that are incompatible with my '030 CD32 or A1200.

[ijor]

That is a good point, but that doesn't cover many, many titles.  And what I'd really like is something that ran on say the Falcon - much like I can run A500 titles that are incompatible with my '030 CD32 or A1200.

 

I wouldn't have too much hopes on this. I think the main goal is to be able to run the games from the hardisk or ramdisk. And not Falcon compatibility.

 

Falcon compatibility would probably require much more work than WHDLOAD. In general Amiga games are more compatible across the different models than ST ones. I'm not sure what was exactly the reason. But it probably was because the bigger Amiga models were much more popular than the Falcon. Actually, by the time the Falcon hit the market, not many more ST games were released. The TT was earlier, but nobody cared about gaming for the TT.

[jens]

That is a good point, but that doesn't cover many, many titles.  And what I'd really like is something that ran on say the Falcon - much like I can run A500 titles that are incompatible with my '030 CD32 or A1200.

I wouldn't have too much hopes on this. I think the main goal is to be able to run the games from the hardisk or ramdisk. And not Falcon compatibility.

I think with 'Backward' one can already use TOS 1.0 on a Falcon.

[muguk]

Well, you'll be glad to hear that it's out! OK, it's not quite WHDLoad but it's (in theory) a tool for anyone with a bit of 68000 knowledge to patch an existing filed version of a DMA loader to read the files it needs off a h/drive partition instead of requiring a disk (or an image for emulators).

 

The full release is on DBUG 186 and it can be found here: http://www.mikemee.plus.com/DBUG186.

 

I've also uploaded the disk images you'll need for the 10 games which are in this first release.

 

As for Falcon compatibility .. if someone can do some testing and let us know here or on the Atari Forum, then please do so. Feedback is appreciated - especially by the coders.

[krupkaj]

It is very interesting, I will try it on the weekend.

[+remowilliams]

Very cool I'll try them out and post the results.

[Zeptari1]

Well, you'll be glad to hear that it's out!  OK, it's not quite WHDLoad but it's (in theory) a tool for anyone with a bit of 68000 knowledge to patch an existing filed version of a DMA loader to read the files it needs off a h/drive partition instead of requiring a disk (or an image for emulators).

 

The full release is on DBUG 186 and it can be found here:  http://www.mikemee.plus.com/DBUG186.

 

I've also uploaded the disk images you'll need for the 10 games which are in this first release.

 

As for Falcon compatibility .. if someone can do some testing and let us know here or on the Atari Forum, then please do so.  Feedback is appreciated - especially by the coders.

957747[/snapback]

 

 

 

Broken link? Is this project dead already?

[+DarkLord]

Well, you'll be glad to hear that it's out!  OK, it's not quite WHDLoad but it's (in theory) a tool for anyone with a bit of 68000 knowledge to patch an existing filed version of a DMA loader to read the files it needs off a h/drive partition instead of requiring a disk (or an image for emulators).

 

The full release is on DBUG 186 and it can be found here:  http://www.mikemee.plus.com/DBUG186.

 

I've also uploaded the disk images you'll need for the 10 games which are in this first release.

 

As for Falcon compatibility .. if someone can do some testing and let us know here or on the Atari Forum, then please do so.  Feedback is appreciated - especially by the coders.

957747[/snapback]

 

 

Ditto here - got a "file not found" error. :-(

 

Broken link? Is this project dead already?

985701[/snapback]

[+remowilliams]

Broken link? Is this project dead already?

985701[/snapback]

Well doesn't that figure. I got STacy all fixed up and ready to go, I remember to try this out and the links are dead!

 

I hope it wasn't dropped. The ST soooooooo needs a WHDload, or similar.

 

I usually (gasp) wind up gaming on my Amiga over the ST because WHDload makes life that much better.

[krupkaj]

for DBug colection go to http://dbug.atari.org

 

BTW You can find more information about D-BUG Universal Loading System at http://www.atari-forum.com/

I have not tried the system yet, but I want to do it during Christmass.

[muguk]

The project isn't dead - it's just that there's not a great deal of "old skool" ST hackers out there who want to spend the time getting the old games working off h/drives.

 

The link (for me!) still works too: http://www.mikemee.plus.com/DBUG186/

 

The DBUG 186 disk image is still there as are the disk images with the game you will need?

[+remowilliams]

for DBug colection go to http://dbug.atari.org

 

BTW You can find more information about D-BUG Universal Loading System at http://www.atari-forum.com/

I have not tried the system yet, but I want to do it during Christmass.

985891[/snapback]

Cool. I should definitely have some time during the break to try this out.

 

And thank god that they didn't take the "Amiga Moral Highground"* and insist that you use original disks only with such a utility.

 

 

* - as in "Do you want to steal the bread out of the hungry mouths of the developers children? That's what you'll be doing by running that copy of that 20 year old forgotten and out of print game!!!" "You're killing the ST!! It'll never be a commercial success now, and it's your fault!"

Edited December 20, 2005 by remowilliams

[Showaddywaddy]

I'm toying with the idea of releasing each of the ULS hard drive versions as a standalone ZIP file. In the mean time more work is progressing on new ULS titles

 

Showaddywaddy of D-Bug