Search found 500 matches

by Garry
Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:06 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Powerstar (Atari)
Replies: 24
Views: 30484

Re: Powerstar (Atari)

I think I've got the vocabulary worked out. If bit 7 is set, it's the end of the word. Synonyms are stored side by side. If bit 6 is also set, then it's the last of the synonyms. When you clear these two bits, you get the normal character. The bulk of the characters are encoded. If they're outside ...
by Garry
Sun Nov 27, 2022 1:41 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Powerstar (Atari)
Replies: 24
Views: 30484

Re: Powerstar (Atari)

I had another look at the xex file and think I found where the vocabulary starts. It is heavily encoded/compressed such that it looks like gobbledegook. I'm impressed that you were able to decompress it at all. On the surface, it looks like if the high bit is set, it marks the end of a word. As an ...
by Garry
Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:00 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Powerstar (Atari)
Replies: 24
Views: 30484

Re: Powerstar (Atari)

The reviewer was me. I never did finish that game.

EDIT: Powerstar was originally issued on a cartridge. It has since been dumped to an xex file. I just had a look at the file in a hex editor and there are no recognisable strings, apart from the title. It is no doubt compressed. The compression is ...
by Garry
Tue Nov 22, 2022 1:38 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Microbee Adventures
Replies: 14
Views: 18777

Re: Microbee Adventures

Don't go out of your way especially for me. It's better that any lost games are preserved for the whole Microbee and adventure communities. My handle is "Warrigal" on the Microbee Technology site. I use the standalone version of Nanowasp.
by Garry
Tue Nov 22, 2022 1:24 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

I'm really glad that one was found. It's the Italian game 2030 Radio Killers . This is an illustrated adventure, but the graphics load really slowly (by design) with a background jingle and the background sound does not turn off after the jingle. This becomes very annoying very quickly. As it's ...
by Garry
Mon Nov 21, 2022 3:10 pm
Forum: Classics
Topic: Microbee Adventures
Replies: 14
Views: 18777

Re: Microbee Adventures

Any additions to the database would be greatly appreciated. Downloadable versions of new games, even more so.
by Garry
Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:22 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Microbee Adventures
Replies: 14
Views: 18777

Re: Microbee Adventures

I don't think it's a case of no one being interested, just busy with other things. I noted a few more Infocom ports recently, but all the commercial game ports are available on other platforms, so nothing new there. We're always interested in any new Microbee discoveries that were only made for that ...
by Garry
Sun Nov 20, 2022 6:06 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

Thanks, Alex. There were three typos, easily fixed:
Line 5490: Delete trailing colon
Line 6200: Delete trailing colon
Line 8070: T4 should be T$

Here is the bug-fixed version on an auto-booting disk image. I was able to play it to completion using your solution.
Geheim_van_Landusie.zip
by Garry
Wed Nov 16, 2022 1:36 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

Oh, that was a bit easier than the first one. I added a GRAPHICS 0 to line 20 to reset the graphics mode and clear the screen. Other than that, everything is as per your listing and I can play it through to the end using your solution. I haven't tested all the branches, though, so no guarantees that ...
by Garry
Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:51 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

Thanks, Alex. I'm at work now, so will take a look tonight.
by Garry
Tue Nov 15, 2022 1:53 pm
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles


You should really do something about your disks so they can be preserved, even the ones that appear faulty. A number of people could dump the programs for you.

I'll have to find them first. Do you have a contact in Sydney? If so, I could deliver them. Otherwise, I'd have to post them and I'd ...
by Garry
Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:08 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

Hi Alex,

There were a few typos in the listing for 'De Vloek van Nefre a Toth' as follows:
In line 1070, delete comma after C$.
In line 6070, OB(NO) should be O(NO).
In line 6100, change DUMMYT to DUMMY.
In line 6130, change semi-colon to colon.
The second line 6150 should be line 6170.

Once these ...
by Garry
Tue Nov 15, 2022 5:56 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

I'll try to keep the list updated. As games are found and preserved on Atarimania, I'll delete them from the list. For games that were advertised or promoted, but never released, I'll leave them on the list, but mark them in red.

All John's stuff is still online.

Thanks. I was using the wrong ...
by Garry
Sun Nov 13, 2022 10:41 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Missing Atari 8-bit titles
Replies: 77
Views: 177972

Re: Missing Atari 8-bit titles

Firstly, thanks for the info on 'Time Gate' and 'Adventure Maker'. I hope you can keep us updated whenever a new Atari adventure is discovered.

Seeing as we now have a thread on missing Atari 8-bit titles, here are some games to look for. I have divided these into three categories: (a) games in the ...
by Garry
Fri Oct 28, 2022 4:37 am
Forum: Classics
Topic: Adventure Master
Replies: 18
Views: 13781

Re: Adventure Master

Still no luck with the ftp://8bitfiles.net site (I've been trying twice a day), but I have found another Atari adventure written with Adventure Master. This one is called 'Star Trek Adventure'. How very original. It's obviously a Star Trek fan game and makes no attempt to hide that fact. It looks ...