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Now works on real hardware
http://www.dynamic-designs.us/d-dforum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=450		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Garrett [ Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Now works on real hardware
Thought Bongo' et al would be interested in this patch that fixes hardware compatibility.

http://ompldr.org/vY3B4dw/gulliverboy_dma_fix.zip
Author:  mziab [ Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
I'm actually the author of that patch and was just about to write here, but it seems you've beaten me to the punch :)

Anyway, what the patch does is insert vblank checks before all VRAM writes and reads in the dialogue VWF, as well as fix the corruption visible in the splash screen by initializing the necessary registers. Consequently, the translation should play as intended on newer emulators and real hardware. I've thrown in a minor tilemap fix for Gulliver's name in the status screen for good measure. Mind you, this hasn't been extensively tested, but in my limited testing everything seemed to be running fine. I really hope Bongo doesn't mind me tinkering with the game.
Author:  Red Soul [ Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
I'm quite sure that he (as well as all of us)
is quite thankful for you taking the time to make our
patch more widespreadly accessible than it was before.
Patches working on real hardware is a very important
milestone, as there are users that would rather play
games using their copiers in stead of emulators.
Author:  Wildbill [ Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
mziab wrote:
I'm actually the author of that patch and was just about to write here, but it seems you've beaten me to the punch :)

Anyway, what the patch does is insert vblank checks before all VRAM writes and reads in the dialogue VWF, as well as fix the corruption visible in the splash screen by initializing the necessary registers. Consequently, the translation should play as intended on newer emulators and real hardware. I've thrown in a minor tilemap fix for Gulliver's name in the status screen for good measure. Mind you, this hasn't been extensively tested, but in my limited testing everything seemed to be running fine. I really hope Bongo doesn't mind me tinkering with the game.
I'm wondering if you would mind (assuming Bongo` is of like mind), if we incorporated all enhancements into one integrated patch? Naturally, you would get credit for your work. Bongo` is so overloaded, we have been sort of unofficially looking for assembly and other hacking support to help Bongo` with D-D's ambitious workload these days.
Author:  Bongo` [ Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
mziab wrote:
I'm actually the author of that patch and was just about to write here, but it seems you've beaten me to the punch :)

Anyway, what the patch does is insert vblank checks before all VRAM writes and reads in the dialogue VWF, as well as fix the corruption visible in the splash screen by initializing the necessary registers. Consequently, the translation should play as intended on newer emulators and real hardware. I've thrown in a minor tilemap fix for Gulliver's name in the status screen for good measure. Mind you, this hasn't been extensively tested, but in my limited testing everything seemed to be running fine. I really hope Bongo doesn't mind me tinkering with the game.


This patch was suppose to be the forgotten love child. :) I really needed to redo EVERYTHING
in this game including the VWF routine. It was done in pure Hex!!! Basically done in a hex editor and manually inserted! :( Don't believe me? I'll happily give you the file used. :)

Anyway, it's fine that you did the fixes. This was quite the early piece and needed
some help. I wish I could say the same for Doraemon RPG on the NES. :(
Author:  mziab [ Fri Feb 10, 2012 7:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
WildBill: Sure, feel free to incorporate those fixes in a future patch if you wish. I'd be glad to contribute.

Bongo: Seriously? Wow, talk about hardcore :) I can't imagine coding anything more complex with just a hexeditor. Guess the toolbase we know and love wasn't around back then, eh?

On a related note, it seems there are TWO versions of the v0.99 patch in circulation. The first one, dated May 24th, 2001, is the one available in your download section, as well as the old Stealth website. And that's the version I based my fix off. RHDN, however, hosts a version from May 26th, 2001, which contains a handful of changes, including the tilemap fix for Gulliver's name I also did. You might want to update your local copy.

Anyway, my fixes work on top of both versions. The newer one has some (now redundant) code for clearing out VRAM, though. Since it causes some invalid VRAM writes, I should probably nix it and release another version of the fix. Alternatively, I could rewrite it, so it doesn't transfer out of vblank. Any thoughts on that?
Author:  KingMike [ Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
Bongo` wrote:
I wish I could say the same for Doraemon RPG on the NES. :(

I tried to play Doraemon RPG.
Got to the second world and I went "OH ****!" after the sudden difficulty spike. :P

Cool to see Gulliver Boy getting fixed. I'd like to try playing it again.
Author:  mziab [ Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
I've updated my fix, so it applies over the newer patch. You can download it here. I can also upload the code, if that's more convenient for Bongo.
Author:  Wildbill [ Sat Mar 03, 2012 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Now works on real hardware
mziab wrote:
I've updated my fix, so it applies over the newer patch. You can download it here. I can also upload the code, if that's more convenient for Bongo.
Thanks for the reminder. We need to get to this and get it done!
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