Aim Software 8-bit games not in the database

[finesse]

Hi,
I have some box photos of about a dozen AIM Software Atari 400/800 games which do not appear to be in the database currently. How do I go about getting these added?
I also have the tapes for 2 of them - I managed to make some CAS files with WAV2CAS and they do not give any checksum error, but I cannot seem to load them in any emulator either. How can I verify if the CAS images are good or not? I tried Atari800Win Plus 4.0 beta 6 'Autoboot Image' and it makes a beep, then I press space, and either nothing happens or it says 'BOOT ERROR' and pops up a window saying the Atari Computer has crashed (as if).

Also tried on Altirra but that crashes the whole program. I am using Windows 7, maybe none of these programs work properly yet with Win7?

Thanks

[Mr.Bacardi]

Hi Finesse,
it seems AtariFrog is little busy with other things currently :(Usually it's enough to send it to him and it will be online sooner or later
Regarding the CAS files: If the hex file contains no bad checksum it should run! Beside playing with "fast SIO" on/off and "Basic" on/off it sometimes helps to turn off all disk drives in emulator...

Cheers,
- Mr.B. -

[Kr0tki]

You can also try my hack of Atari800, with improved emulation of cassettes: http:/a8cas.sourceforge.net/

Also, if a tape contains non-standard records, the WAV2CAS program might convert the WAV file incorrectly and still not give any checksum errors. If your CAS file does not load in the hacked Atari800, try creating a new CAS file using my a8cas-convert program (available at the above address).

[finesse]

Hi,
I tried your hacked emulator and the .cas still crashes the emulated Atari it says. I tried your WAV2CAS and it prints a bunch of :

Attempting to recognise data block... succeeded: bit_length=0.001613
Adjusted bit_1_0_diff = 0.000124
End of data block at byte 132, found IRG=0.927137
new block...

and eventually prints:

Attempting to recognise data block... failed

which I guess is bad. I can send you the WAV if you let me know your e-mail, maybe you could have a go at it?

[finesse]

And here's the images of the stuff for whoever adds it to the database:

http://www.mocagh.org/loadpage.php?getg ... ledarkness
http://www.mocagh.org/loadpage.php?getgame=vengeance

You have my permission to steal my photos.

[atarimania]

Hi,

Thanks for your support

Franck

[Kr0tki]

Hi,
I tried your hacked emulator and the .cas still crashes the emulated Atari it says.

Not good. Are you sure that the "SIO patch for fast disk access" was turned off? (although it's a BASIC program, it should work with the patch anyway) Did you load the game properly, with the Basic CLOAD command? Using "Run Atari Program" doesn't work for BASIC tapes.

I'd like to check that CAS file out.

I tried your WAV2CAS and it prints a bunch of :

Attempting to recognise data block... succeeded: bit_length=0.001613
Adjusted bit_1_0_diff = 0.000124
End of data block at byte 132, found IRG=0.927137
new block...

and eventually prints:

Attempting to recognise data block... failed

which I guess is bad.

Not necessarily. If there is a bit of silence after the last block in the wave file, the program tries to interpret that silence as a block of data, and, obviously, fails to do so.
Try sending the CAS files to me (the WAV file won't be needed at this moment) - my address is on the website. You can also attach the files to a forum post.

[finesse]

Hi,

Ok I got them both working using CLOAD. I had to re-record the WAV too. Makes a horrible racket while it is loading though! Altirra seems to load the CAS files just file with CLOAD as well. And they seem like a pretty crappy games, no wonder no one's got it Anyways the CAS are attached here - please use the Temple of Darkness file in td.zip, the first one is a bad dump.

And to whoever is adding these to the database, I have photos of the back of the box (enough info to make a database entry anyways) from 9 more in this series but they are about 3MB each so let me know where is a good place to put them.

[Kr0tki]

Ok I got Vengeance to work using CLOAD. Makes a horrible racket while it is loading though!

You mean using my emulator hack? Volume of tape sound is adjustable in the Tape Management menu.

Temlpe of Darkness on the other hand gives an ERROR 143 AT LINE XXXX after a few seconds which I looked up and seems to be some sort of checksum error. Does that mean I should dump the WAV again?

No need to do that. Format of BASIC files is defined in such way that it is rather easy to fix the program (ie. "guess" its original form) when such checksum errors occur. In this case it was a single bad byte in block 3. I've managed to fix it; here's the working version.

The game seems to be crappy, bug-ridden piece of shit anyway. Maybe it was better when it was not dumped

[finesse]

Yes I meant your hacked emulator makes horrible noise. Why on earth would I want to listen to the tape sound while it is loading?
Anyways as I said I got ti working now too, thanks though.
And agreed, both games are incredibly shitty, I can't believe I just paid what I did to get them

[Kr0tki]

Ha, I haven't noticed that you had edited your answer in the meantime.

Yes I meant your hacked emulator makes horrible noise. Why on earth would I want to listen to the tape sound while it is loading?

That's because on my XCA12 tape recorder, I could actually hear the tapes' sound when they loaded. So I've replicated that in the emulator. For a while I thought that all tape recorders are like that, but now it seems that it's not really true.

So I'd like to ask: if you load a program from tape on a real Atari, is the tape's sound completely inaudible, partially audible, or what?

[Atari Frog]

Really, really appreciate the help, we'll be uploading the games and pictures later today or tomorrow!

Apart from remowilliams' fantastic scans, activity has been slow in the 8-bit section lately but I'll try to catch up as I should have more free time.

A big "thank you" to the people who sent stuff!

Howard, are you able to copy disks and make ATR files as well? We'd also be very interested in the K-Tek tape Conspiracy that you have, would you be able to dump it for us?

--
Atari Frog
http://www.atarimania.com

[finesse]

Glad to help. I have other games you need to such as Quest for Power, Golden Voyage, Olin in Emerald, Lapis Philosophorum, Wizard's Gold, Ultima I, Gnome Ranger, Ingrid's Back, Questron US Gold and Dungeon Campaign. To name just a few You can see just the Atari 400/800 games with this link:

http://www.mocagh.org/loadpage.php?quer ... +400%2F800

so if you see anything else you know is missing let me know. I have no idea how to image Atari disks, and I do not have an Atari computer. If you tell me what equipment I need though, or if you know someone in my area (Montreal) who could help... I am definitely all for preserving these games digitally before bit rot sets in.

I also have cover and back box scans for almost a dozen of these AIM software games so please write me at the e-mail indicated on my web site and I can send them to you.

P.S. please credit me as 'mocagh' rather than 'finesse', sorry for the confusion.
PPS cover artist for both games is Beirne Lowry (this fellow I would guess: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1823771/)
Date on the artists signature is 1982 for Vengeance, 1983 for Temple of Darkness so could use that as a best guess for year of release...
And if anyone over there is interested in buying or trading these two games let me know, as they are not really suitable for my museum now that I have seen what they are.