What about creating game compilations?

Want to talks about games you like, would like to see developed on the Oric, it's here.
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Chema
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What about creating game compilations?

Post by Chema »

Hi all.

Quite often, somebody appears asking for a collection of *good* games on disks to play either in emulators or with their Cumana Reborn. Also, with the new Erebus system, people ask for collections of games to add to their SD cards.

So maybe we could consider creating the defence-force selection of Greatest Hits(vol. 1). Of course, some games need patching, and we already discussed that in https://forum.defence-force.org/viewtop ... =20&t=2118.

I was tempted to create a poll for this, but users cannot add new entries to these polls (as they do in Facebook), so maybe we can start with a list we can update in this firs post. Once we have a decent number of games, we could vote for the 15-20 (though I don't think 20 would fit on a single disk) that could fit in this volume 1 compilation. I would center on games that load from tape, as disk based games already come in... yeah, disks.

What do you think? Anyone making a first list to start with?
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Dbug
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by Dbug »

I actually wanted to do something like that, with my own proper compilation of Xenon, Zorgon, Xenon 3, Probe 3, etc... using FloppyBuilder so the files could be loaded compressed... and the part on which I failed was to actually properly initialize a BASIC rom loaded from disk into Overlay memory.
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xahmol
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by xahmol »

Super idea.
Convenient starter packs are great to get you going on recieving a brand new storage device.
(For inspiration, see for example this thread for the TI-99/4a computer that proved to be invaluable to get up to a good start on that machine. TFW8B compiled a starter SD card image for all the machines they sell SD mass storage devices for, worked great for me for both my Commodore 128 and ZX Spectrum 128).
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ibisum
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by ibisum »

I've always just told folks to check out the top 100 list on Oric.org, and kind of rely on that becoming more active so that - as new titles become available - we, the community, vote things up and keep the charts in motion.

That, and the Gamebase collection, usually keeps newcomers happy for a while.

Apropos compilations, I'd love to have an "onboard the Oric" .DSK with all the cool tools, for the case where you wanna do editing/assembly/programming with nothing but the Oric itself... slowly I'm getting a collection of things together, I could probably sum it up some time soon ..
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xahmol
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by xahmol »

ibisum wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 3:36 pm Apropos compilations, I'd love to have an "onboard the Oric" .DSK with all the cool tools, for the case where you wanna do editing/assembly/programming with nothing but the Oric itself... slowly I'm getting a collection of things together, I could probably sum it up some time soon ..
Second that! By the way, a similar package for PC development for Oric (next to OSDK of course) might also be handy, especially if it also includes PDFs of relevant manuals.
Really had to search this forum thoroughly for things like Oric Character Editor, the Twilighte tools like CD2 and the SEDORIC manuals...... and hard to search for something you do not know exists.

And yes, of course the Oric.org Top 100 is now where I basically found most of my Oric images.....
Might be a good alternative if there would also be a nice way to filter on Erebus working images or DSK images only for example. Or did I miss that filter option somewhere?
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iss
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by iss »

Good idea!
Actually we ([raxiss]) planed to make such thing like "Annual release" of all our games so far (some of them have little updates, added support of IJK-joystick, more levels, etc.) but this doesn't exclude to participate in a more common project. 8)
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by xahmol »

Oh, by the way: if somebody would create an equivalent of Assembly 64 for the Oric.org database that would be the ultimate dream of course.
See http://assembly64.retrohack.se/assembly/

Assembly64 basically downloads and locally indexes simply ever disk image ever made for the C64/128 using a.o CSDb (Commodore Scene Database) as source and enables to store that on an USB stick or SD card.
If you have an Ultimate device for your Commodore, you can even directly launch from PC to original hardware via ethernet. Works super, just select Mount and run from the GUI on your PC and game starts on your real C64.....
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Chema
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by Chema »

C'mon people, your list of choices for a compilation disk...

Yes some may need patching, but that would come later.

Zorgons, Defence-Force, manic miner, the Hobbit, ratsplat, stromlord, impossible mission...

Sure you'll have your own list of gems...
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by xahmol »

Would add a demo section with at least all the Defence-Force.org demos (nothing better to show your newly acquired retro hardware off by running a demo).
Would certainly add the good old Welcome to Oric Atmos demo as well.

In the games section, of course again the Defence-Force.org images, but then the games (Blake 7, Space 1999, etc)
Last edited by xahmol on Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by ibisum »

The games in my favourite folder: Krillys, Defence Force, Pulsoids, Magnetix, Space:1999, IM, Oricium, 1337, S.A.G.A., The Hellion, Secret De Tombeau, Fire Flash, Blakes 7, Africa, Honey Kong, Styx, Hopper, Hunchback, Scuba Dive, Stormlord, Chopper, Galactosmash, Damsel In Distress.
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by jbperin »

It reminds me of this initiative that helped me a lot to discover hit games on Oric :

https://forum.defence-force.org/viewtop ... =20&t=2112

Perhaps it can help
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Chema
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by Chema »

I think that the collection should contain only tape games - as I said disk programs have their own disk. I think some Twilighte titles need disk, such as Magnetix. Not sure for Zip&Zap, but quite sure for pulsoids.

My compilation:
Damsel in distress (there is a cracked version, not sure why, but multipart?)
defence-force
harrier attack
impossible mission
manic miner (question: Patched version with graphic glitches?)
notanotherboulderdshclone
Oricium
o-thrust (Is this one in oric.org?)
ratsplat
scube dive
skool daze
stormlord
styx
the hobbit
ultima-zone (only atmos version exists? link to oric-1 version in oric.org is dead)
the ultra (atmos and oric 1 versions)
Zorgons Revenge

That adds up to 550Kb, so there is room for some more you already mentioned.

Also there have been some recent productions that should probably be here too (raxiss for instance), so don't be shy to suggest them if they are tape based!

Two questions:
Damsel in distress, my copy and with Oricutron, makes a high pitch noise all the time, in addition to the music. Any idea?
When considering including Manic Miner, the uncracked version (hoping it does not contain the graphic glitches) I remembered that some games have instructions and cover art. I am always complaining that people have and share the dsk and tap of my games without them, so I think we should also include this material somehow. What do you think?

And yeah! A disk with demos would rock, but again they are mostly disk-based.
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rax
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by rax »

This is a very good idea :). If we are talking about TAP files here are my suggestions from my childhood (are not ranked in order of importance):

Defence Force
The ultra
Zorgons Revenge
ratsplat
scube dive
harrier attack
Super Jeep
CHESS II
AIGLE D'OR, L'
ORICAL BACKGAMMON
XENON 1
INVADERS
DOGGY
GHOST GOBBLER
FRELON
ULTIMA ZONE
MR WIMPY
DRACULA'S REVENGE
KARATE
REVERSE
TETRIS
HOPPER
ELEKTRO STORM
SNAKE
M.A.R.C


I think a lot of the new games should be at the top of the list, like:

stormlord
Oricium
impossible mission
notanotherboulderdshclone
SKOOL DAZE
o-thrust
4K KONG
1337
ZIPNZAP


Some time ago I made a my collection with these games to remember my young years :).
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by kenneth »

I would add
Zebbie (ijk joystick compatible)
Psychiatric (nice graphics)
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Re: What about creating game compilations?

Post by Dbug »

Chema wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:11 pm That adds up to 550Kb, so there is room for some more you already mentioned.
Need to remember that some people have single sided 3" drives, some have double sided 3" drives (360k), and some have 3.5" drives (720k)...

Ideally the compilation would be script based, so it should be possible to have list of input files and disk parameters, and have the possibility to spawn over multiple disk, a bit like when creating archives that can spawn over multiple CD's :)
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