C64 Mountain Valley

[Strident]

It's working for me here... Vice 3.2... out of the box set-up, as far as I know as I don't know enough about C64 to change anything.

mermaid2.PNG (75.03 KiB) Viewed 7533 times

[Strident]

Snapshot work?

[Alastair]

Garry, assuming you are using VICE under Settings > Drive settings make sure that there is a tick next to True drive emulation. Just be prepared for a bit of a wait as the game loads.

[Garry]

This C64 emulator stuff is really weird. I was originally using the x64.exe executable for VICE version 2.4. That didn't work. Then I downloaded the latest VICE version 3.6.1 (which I don't like). I used the x64sc.exe executable, as there is no x64.exe executable. That didn't work.

I tried Gareth's snapshot with version 2.4. That didn't work because of incompatible versions. I tried it with version 3.6.1 and it said the snapshot was for the x64.exe emulator, but there is no x64.exe emulator provided with 3.6.1. However, that gave me an idea.

I went back to trying the g64 file with the x64sc.exe executable for VICE version 2.4 and that works. Hooray! I have never used x64sc.exe before and I don't even know what it is. Thanks for the help guys.

Incidentally, I'm still using Windows 7, but I can't see why that would make a difference. It works with every other disk image that I've ever tried.

[Alastair]

Garry, to quote from the manual https://vice-emu.sourceforge.io/vice_2.html#SEC6

As of version 2.3, two C64 emulators are provided: `x64' (fast) and `x64sc' (accurate). As of version 3.4 `x64' will no more get built by default and is not contained in the default binary packages.

The fast C64 emulator, called `x64', features a fairly complete emulation of the VIC-II video chip: sprites, all registers and all video modes are fully emulated. The emulation has been fully cycle-accurate since version 0.13.0.

The accurate C64 emulator, called `x64sc', features a cycle-based and pixel-accurate VIC-II emulation. This requires a much faster machine than the old `x64'.

Windows binaries can be found at https://sourceforge.net/projects/vice-e ... s/windows/. It seems that the last non SDL or GTK versions are the 32-bit WinVICE-3.2-x86.7z and the 64-bit WinVICE-3.1-x64.7z, so if you want to try more recent versions of VICE than 2.4 but retain the old menus there are versions available.

As to the problem with the G64 file, the C64 has a notoriously slow disc drive so there is a setting in VICE to switch off "true drive emulation" this speeds up the emulation with most D64 files but does not work with G64 files. Hence my above advice to switch on "true drive emulation", evidently you currently have it switched on with x64sc.exe but not with x64.exe.

[Garry]

With WinVICE version 2.4, I can't find any "true drive emulation" setting, so maybe it's on by default in the x64sc.exe version, but not the x64.exe version. It's still a mystery why WinVICE version 3.6.1 x64sc.exe has trouble with the g64 disk image, even though "true drive emulation" is on.

[Baggins69]

Hi everyone,

It's been a number of years since I originally set up on tribute site to Mountain Valley Software and I'm sure it's been helpful for many who have an interest in these great Australian games.

I have recently updated my tribute site with everything I have on Mountain Valley Software and it is now available at https://alphaworks.com.au/mvs/

I have also taken the TRS-80 source for The Secret of Flagstone Manor and converted this to the Commodore 64 and it is available for download under the Flagstone entry under games.

If you have any questions please reach out.

Kind regards,
Scott Julian

[Alex]

Nice site. Pity you don't have the spectravideo games.

[Alastair]

What has happened to Marcus's site (brilliantbehaviour.com.au)?

[marcus]

Hello Alastair,
I'm still here but my site is no longer.
It was only ever placed temporarily in that location & when my business hosting service was not required, the site was orphaned.
I dont think I'll try too hard to republish it now as Scott's Alphaworks archive, with its enduring presence, direct URL, recent updates and fantastic facelift now hosts pretty much all of the images and content I prepared for my site.

While I'm posting, here is some trivia:
The original working title for "The Curse of Flagstone Manor" was actually "The Curse of Milbury Hall".
The Unfinished game crypt would have been named "The Crypt of Count Conescu"

[Baggins69]

Nice site. Pity you don't have the spectravideo games.

Long story Alex. I owned all three original M & M games in complete packaging but never owned a Sprectravideo 328 so in 2014 I gave them to a retro collector in Brisbane (Australia) as he had a couple of Sprectravideo computers. He was going to make digital copies of all three games and email them to me but after 12 years nothing has arrived and I've long lost track of him

I've got a couple of leads for two of the game which I hope to make available as some point.

[Baggins69]

Hello Alastair,
I'm still here but my site is no longer.
It was only ever placed temporarily in that location & when my business hosting service was not required, the site was orphaned.
I dont think I'll try too hard to republish it now as Scott's Alphaworks archive, with its enduring presence, direct URL, recent updates and fantastic facelift now hosts pretty much all of the images and content I prepared for my site.

While I'm posting, here is some trivia:
The original working title for "The Curse of Flagstone Manor" was actually "The Curse of Milbury Hall".
The Unfinished game crypt would have been named "The Crypt of Count Conescu"

Hi Marcus,

Glad you like the updated site, been meaning to do it for years.
Thank you for the trivia, I'll add that in.

I assume you live in Australia, most likely Victoria so if you're up to having a conversation via email or teams, phone (anything) about these games, Brian the company etc.. I would love to get your story and creatively add that to the site.

I have a passion for Text Adventures, especially these early Australian games.

Thank you for sharing such good information

Regards,
Scott

[Alastair]

Marcus, thanks for the reply. A pity the site is no longer but the important thing is that what was available on your site is available elsewhere.

Now I just need to update a few links in the archive.