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Author Topic: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.  (Read 16630 times)

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Hungry Horace

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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2012, 01:00:34 PM »

- Create standard BootHD suitable for WHDload games and others (AMOS / Amiga)
- Create standard for reading default WHDLoad CUSTOM set-ups for recognised .slaves
- Recognise WHDload keyfile where available
- Create Macro to produce general configs for each via standard format (VBA), allow customisations from master list (Excel) or individual file (.FS-UAE / TXT)
- Obtain all images for Covers, Titles and Screenshots for all listed entries, from HOL. (VBA)
- Allow addition of games missing from whdownload.com via djcresswell.com page in same-format (e.g. PD games, non-WHD equivalents etc)

To Do:

- Create standard for changing WHDLoad CUSTOM set-ups for recognised .slaves on game-load
- Collate a complete list of WHDload games (Excel / VBA) from www.whdownload.com
- Allow all non-[EN] entries in master list by fixing unknown characters
- Update Master List for all entries control-types and player numbers (Excel / VBA)
- Source additional games (PD, Non-WHD etc) for listing on djcresswell.com games list


- Automate Packaging  Amiga Online in suitable formats.
--- Populate those games without Covers using U.A / Amiga Online logo
« Last Edit: November 09, 2012, 01:32:13 PM by Hungry Horace »
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #16 on: November 13, 2012, 07:33:29 PM »

- Create standard for changing WHDLoad CUSTOM set-ups for recognised .slaves on game-load
- Collate a complete list of WHDload games (Excel / VBA) from www.whdownload.com


- Allow all non-[EN] entries in master list by fixing unknown characters (Excel / VBA)
- Update Master List for all entries control-types and player numbers (Excel / VBA) [ongoing]
- Create default WHD config settings for Amiga-side Database, e.g. those where BUTTONWAIT should be set, or a default CD32 Pad setting used (TXT / Amiga) [ongoing]
- Create Custom Tooltype WHD options for Amiga-side Database  (TXT / Amiga) [ongoing]
- Source additional games (PD, Non-WHD etc) for listing on djcresswell.com games list (General / on-Request) [ongoing]

- Automate Packaging  Amiga Online in suitable formats. (Excel / VBA)
--- Populate those games without Covers using U.A / Amiga Online logo  (Excel / VBA)
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2012, 12:39:28 PM »

Quote
- Automate Packaging  Amiga Online in suitable formats. (Excel / VBA)
--- Populate those games without Covers using U.A / Amiga Online logo  (Excel / VBA)

technically, this is done, but my testing of the database functions of FS-UAE means there are some changes / fixes to the FS-UAE launcher coming in the next version, that should make this work even better....

In the mean time, i need to fine tune some setups for my extra self-hosted games, and finally fix those non-english game names!!
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #18 on: November 17, 2012, 05:15:38 PM »

Great work. 8)

This weeks "You Da Man" is Hungry Horace.

Hungry Horace "You Da Man"   ;)
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2012, 08:48:54 PM »

- Allow all non-[EN] entries in master list by fixing unknown characters (Excel / VBA)


All of the remaining tasks are "on-going" and free for user-submission.

- Update Master List for all entries control-types and player numbers (Excel / VBA)
- Create Custom Tooltype WHD options for Amiga-side Database  (TXT / Amiga)
- Create default WHD config settings for Amiga-side Database, e.g. those where BUTTONWAIT should be set, or a default CD32 Pad setting used (TXT / Amiga)
- Source additional games (PD, Non-WHD etc) for listing on djcresswell.com games list (General / on-Request)

All of the first three work via .txt file inputs.



- Update Master List for all entries control-types and player numbers

The host-side database, containing control-types and player-number data for use in the configs is submitted in the following format: (as suggested by MadAngus)

Code: [Select]
<startentry>
HOL=3230  /// used to find the game in any lists.
GAMENAME=Alien Breed  /// for reference only
PLAYERS=2
PORT0=joy
PORT1=joy
PORT2=none
PORT3=none
<endentry>
<startentry>
HOL=3223  /// used to find the game in any lists.
GAMENAME=Akira  /// for reference only
PLAYERS=2
PORT0=joy
PORT1=joy
PORT2=cd32
PORT3=none
<endentry>

Accepted info. is as follows;
HOL=####   - must be whole number
PLAYERS=#### must be whole number
PORT0=xxxxx   must equal, joy, cd32, mouse or none  (none is only required if you wish to disable the port)
PORT1=xxxxx   as above
PORT2=xxxxx   as above
PORT3=xxxxx   as above
ZORRO=###  whole number , the number of megabytes (1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,512) of extra memory required.  This will enable A1200/020 to be used
ECS = TRUE/FALSE   is set to TRUE this will use an A600 config (with 2 meg chip, 4 meg fastram) - note this will overwrite any ZORRO options.

The default Amiga machine is A1200 + 4 meg fast, unless specifed via the above.


- Create default WHD config settings for Amiga-side Database, e.g. those where BUTTONWAIT should be set, or a default CD32 Pad setting used (TXT / Amiga)

WHDload default settings are contain on the Amiga-side database, and are contained within a folder equal to the WHDload slave name (without the extension).

An example of the setting for lotus 2 ...  contained in folder Lotus2/ as WHDsettings or WHDsettings.txt

Code: [Select]
CUSTOM1=3
CUSTOM2=1

CUSTOM1-5, CUSTOM, BUTTONWAIT and QUITKEY= are all accepted (although QUITKEY should be redundant for this kind of system)


- Create Custom Tooltype WHD options for Amiga-side Database  (TXT / Amiga)

Contained in the same folder, named after the game slave name (without the extension) is a text file that defines the WHDload CUSTOM= options, which cna then be selected via the menu.

So far, you can set any options to switch a single bit on/off on any CUSTOM setting.
You can also set a value between 0 and a selected MAX value on any CUSTOM setting.

An example of the setting for Midnight Resistance  ...  contained in folder MidnightResistance/ as CustomiserSettings or CustomiserSettings.txt

Code: [Select]
CUSTOM1;bit;0;Double-Brightness Mode
CUSTOM1;bit;1;Enable CD32 Controls
CUSTOM1;bit;2;Swap CD32 Blue/Green

CUSTOM2;bit;0;Infinite Lives
CUSTOM2;bit;1;Infinite Credits
CUSTOM2;bit;2;Infinite Ammo
CUSTOM2;bit;3;Infinite Money

CUSTOM3;bit;0;Permanent Supercharge
CUSTOM3;bit;1;Permanent Barrier

CUSTOM4;value;5;First Weapon
CUSTOM5;value;3;Second Weapon

each row must contain 4 parameters, and three semi-colons to divide them.

Item 1 contains the CUSTOM setting to be change
Item 2 contains either 'value' or 'bit' to define the type of setting to be changed.
Item 3 is the parameter setting - either a bit to be switched, or the MAX value.
Item 4 is the description of the option, as will be displayed in the Amiga Online Boot Menu.

see the attached picture to see the above settings in action.


- Source additional games (PD, Non-WHD etc) for listing on djcresswell.com games list (General / on-Request)

Any game can be loaded with the Amiga Online Boot program. It must simply contain a file called "script" to act as a CLI script to run the game from it's own directory. The Boot program will perform a "CD" command to execute the CLI script directly from the game's directory. 

The game will then need to be self-contained within a .ZIP file, and if uploaded to this forum, can be added to the online database of downloadable games.
« Last Edit: November 23, 2012, 01:10:19 PM by Hungry Horace »
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2012, 10:48:04 PM »

ok, here is the latest Beta of Pack 5 - configuration files only.

Gonna have to go back and re-look at the packs containing images, as they might rather large!! ... like 77 meg with covers only(!!)

http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/HostedProjects/AmigaOnline/Amiga%20Online%20Pack%205%20%28Configurations%20Only%29.zip

Just run FS-UAE Launcher latest development version from:
http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/download-devel

... then scan your roms folder and the unpacked Amiga Online folder. The games should then be "click and play"

TIPS:

- hold down a fire button whilst the Amiga Online booter is loading to see if it has customisable options (test it with midnight resistance!)
- put your WHDload key file into WHDLOAD/S/  in your "standard" FS_UAE folder (my documents etc)
-  add a blank "portable.ini" file to your fs-uae directory, if you want it to keep it's files within it's own folder (i.e. running from a USB-stick etc)


Massive thanks go to Frode Solheim for listening to my feedback and making changes to FS-uae to suit what i'm trying to achieve here.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2012, 10:51:18 PM by Hungry Horace »
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #21 on: November 21, 2012, 12:53:01 PM »

i have added some more options in the Excel Database, documented above.

Quote
ZORRO=###  whole number , the number of megabytes (1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,512) of extra memory required.  This will enable A1200/020 to be used
ECS = TRUE/FALSE   is set to TRUE this will use an A600 config (with 2 meg chip, 4 meg fastram) - note this will overwrite any ZORRO options.


The default Amiga machine isnow  A1200 + 4 meg fast, unless otherwise specified.
If Zorro memory is added, the machine will be set to A1200/020 mode
If ECS is ste to 'true' an A600 setup will be used with 2 meg chip and 4 meg fastram.



edit:  in my database i have manually selected all games marked "AGA" or "CD32" to be "FALSE" on ECS mode.....  I am not sure if i should therefore mark everything that remains as "TRUE" .... This might mean that i need feedback from people in order to correct broken games! (i.e. that require more memory etc)



« Last Edit: November 23, 2012, 01:07:47 PM by Hungry Horace »
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #22 on: November 22, 2012, 01:15:50 PM »

changed it again!!


The default Amiga machine is now  A600 2 meg chip + 4 meg fast, unless otherwise specified.
If ECS is set to 'true' an A600 setup will be forced with 2 meg chip and 4 meg fastram.
If ECS is set to 'false' an A1200 setup will be used, with 8 meg of fast ram
If Zorro memory is added, the machine will be set to A1200/020 mode, with 8 meg of fast ram and the specified extra zorro ram

all games marked AGA or CD32 in the database are currently set to 'false' on ECS mode.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2012, 01:20:23 PM by Hungry Horace »
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2012, 01:19:09 PM »

Just adding this here as a reminder to myself - a few games which are not on whdownload.com that i will need to add:

020 - Gravity Force II - Gravity Power - Turbo Raketti - Turbo Raketti 2 (AGA).zip
021 - Wipe Out.zip
043 - Richard Ling's Dogfight - Chopper Attack.zip
049 - Croak! - Croak 2.zip
091 - Super Foul Egg (AGA).zip
100 - Big Business.zip
003 - SWOS Amiga Online Edition.zip
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2012, 11:01:13 PM »

I am having trouble reaching a releaseable state at the moment, because of
a- not enough time to expend on this!
b- difficulty automating ZIP file creation with specific sub-folder content

hopefully i will get there though!
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #25 on: December 11, 2012, 11:11:06 AM »

nailed it!

Finally have macros that create various forms on Pack 5....

including / excluding extra images, multiplayer only (to be excluded for now) , English only etc......

The only problem is how long it takes for the Macro to filter through the data and create the packs!  I guess this is why i've automated the process ;)

I aim to have at least 4 variations of the pack uploaded by the weekend :)
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #26 on: December 11, 2012, 11:45:55 AM »

Coming along nicely, keep up the good work. 8)
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #27 on: December 12, 2012, 08:55:46 AM »

Coming along nicely, keep up the good work. 8)


hit a snag... the pack creation is painfully slow, so i think i might re-write it!
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #28 on: January 05, 2013, 12:09:23 AM »

Finally i have completed a set of packs for download :)

Please see the release News thread for more info.
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Re: Amiga Online Pack 5 Development.
« Reply #29 on: February 19, 2013, 07:09:48 PM »

FrodeSolheim has suggested a way i might be able to access FS-UAE GUIS's in built WHDLoad support, which should resolve some issues with locating keyfiles etc, and the kickstart roms sometimes needed on the Amiga side of things to run certain game (i.e. DEVS/Kickstarts/)

i will be testing it out soon and update on it's success!
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