sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu (Scott Sutherland) (07/07/90)
The following is a partial list of software tests on the A3000. I have Kickstart 36.141 and WB 36.68. This list is all games. I tested the games FIRST from a warm boot off of WB 2.X. If it did not work, where possible I ran NOFASTMEM before invoking the program. For disks which were AmigaDos compatible, I did this by first loading WB 2.0, then running NOFASTMEM, opening a CLI window and either typing the commands found in the startup-sequence by hand or executing the startup-sequence (I often tried ALL of these variations hoping to get a response). Then I turned off the machine and cold booted WB 1.3.2 and proceeded to re-try ALL software which did NOT run under 2.X, both without and with running NOFASTMEM where warranted and/or possible. Below I list the Title, Publisher, Results under KS 2.X (w/ and w/out NOFASTMEM), Results under KS 1.3.2 (w/ and w/out NOFASTMEM), and a description of what kind of problems I encountered, including Error numbers and Task numbers where relevant. Note: Almost all the Software failure errors were the same, of the form 8000 0004 for WB 2.X and 00000004 for WB 1.3.2, indicating a CPU trap of some sort, but the Task #'s were different. Title: Publisher: Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Description of Problem: **** Entries marked with a ??? means that I could NOT perform this test. For example, I could NOT run NOFASTMEM before any program on a NON AmigaDos formatted disk. Here goes: Title:Alternate Reality: The City Publisher: DataSoft Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Yes Description of Problem: w/out NFM, Starts to load, screen turns black, locked out of system. w/ NFM Get Error #: 8000 0004 Task #: 00027CD8 _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Shadow Of The Beast Publisher: Psygnosis Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // ?? Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // ?? Description of Problem: Boots OK. Get a vertical bar ~1 cm wide on the screen JUST before the game begins. Game begins OK, but if you move in either direction, as soon as something would normally appear (first obstacle to face), the screen gets some garbage on it and the system locks up. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: War In Middle Earth Publisher: Melbourne House Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES* Description of Problem: With 2.X, you get a window with screwed up color with the word "AmigaDos" in the title bar. In this window is the message "Active Screen Is Not the WorkBench Screen", a 1> prompt, but no response. With 1.3.2, the game loads fine and plays fine with one exception. If you click on the icon which allows you to look at the "map", when the map loads, dozens of large white squares randomly move over the map screen, temporarily obscuring what is beneath. This DOES NOT affect game operation at all, but is extremely annoying. Running NOFASTMEM has No affect on this. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Emerald Mine Publisher: KingSoft Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // ?? Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES Description of Problem: With 2.X, get Error 8000 000B Task: 07F02144 _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Alien Fires 2199 A.D. Publisher: Jaguare Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // ?? Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Yes* Description of Problem: With 2.X, the message comes up "Cannot find AFGO (the main program, which is found with the dir command). I typed AFGO by hand and the game started to boot normally but then it locks up. With 1.3.2, it works, but I get a message "Cannot Close WorkBench", which, when "Cancelled", allows normal operation of the game. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Thexder Publisher: Sierra Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Yes Description of Problem: With 2.X, it starts to load normally, then there is a screen which comes up saying "Please Put Original Disk in Drive 0. Click Top Left Corner Box When Ready" This IS normal, and usually, after clicking the top left corner, another message comes up stating "Please put User disk (or something like this) in drive 0". Clicking on this screen loads the game. However, in 2.X, clicking the top left corner of the FIRST screen gets the FIRST screen back. It does NOT seem to be able to identify the Original Disk. This is NOT true using 1.3.2. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Powerdrome Publisher: Electronic Arts Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES Description of Problem: With 2.X, the boot begins, a WB screen with weird color combinations appears. You click on the Powerdrome icon and get a window with a game icon. Double clicking on this starts booting the program, then the computer freezes up with the df0: drive light remaining ON. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Dungeon Master Publisher: FTL Games Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Yes Description of Problem: With 2.X, get Software Failure 8044 403 Task #: 07F244D8 _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Hacker II Publisher: Activision Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Not tested Description of Problem: None Apparent. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Tass Times in Tone Town Publisher: Activision Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES* // YES Description of Problem: With 2.X, get a Stack Overflow Error 01000005 Task: 000175D8 With 1.3.2, both w/ and w/out NFM, None of the introductory graphics appear. In order to SEE the mouse pointer used in the game, NOFASTMEM MUST BE RUN. ____________________________________________________________________ Title: Blood Money Publisher: Psygnosis Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES* Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES* Description of Problem: For BOTH 2.X and 1.3.2, the screens where you are making choices as to 1/2 player, etc. which have the "flipping tiles" have graphic "garbage" all over the tiles. This does NOT affect game play and the graphics DURING the game are NOT affected. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: BAAL Publisher: Psygnosis Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Yes Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Not tested Description of Problem: No problems noted. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Dragon's Lair Publisher: Ready Soft Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // ?? Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // ?? Description of Problem: With 2.X, get nothing but a locked machine. With 1.3.2, you get the ReadySoft screen with a thin vertical line of garbage on it. Then the machine locks up with the df0: light on. Rebooting results in a GURU 80000003 Task: 07F02E00 _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Defender of the Crown Publisher: CinemaWare Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES* // YES* Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES Description of Problem: With 2.X, the game loads and plays fine. However, some of the graphics are improperly organized. The graphic which shows how much Gold you have and are taking in overlaps severely with the head image of your player. This makes it impossible to read the data. Running NFM has NO affect. Using 1.3.2 clears up the problem COMPLETELY. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Deja Vu Publisher: MindScape Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Not Tested Description of Problem: None evident. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Sinbad Publisher: CinemaWare Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Description of Problem: With 2.X, get Software Failure 8000 0004 Task: 07F10438. With 1.3.2, get GURU 00000004.0001B738 _____________________________________________________________________ Title: Shanghai Publisher: Activision Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: Not Tested Description of Problem: Cannot run from WorkBench Icon (get message "Cannot Open Gene.Font". Okay if you boot with it in df0:. _____________________________________________________________________ Title: The Bard's Tale I Publisher: Electronic Arts Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Description of Problem: Never boots and I get a strange message something like "No K directive". _____________________________________________________________________ Title: The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight Publisher: Electronic Arts Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO // NO Description of Problem: For both 2.X and 1.3.2, the game loads perfectly. However, when I try to load a party member or a whole party, I get a software failure. For 2.X, the error is 8000 0003, Task: 07F10438 _____________________________________________________________________ Title: SideWinder Publisher: Arcadia Works w/ KS 2.X without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: YES // YES Works w/ KS 1.3.2 without NOFASTMEM // with NOFASTMEM: NO Description of Problem: This is bizarre. It works with 2.X but NOT with 1.3.2!!! With 1.3.2, it does load and run, but ALL the graphics are screwed up. Cannon guns are sometimes 4 inches away from their turrets!! And things which are NOT there explode. It is funny, but definitely a problem. _____________________________________________________________________ Well, that's it for NOW. I am continuing to test ALL my software. I am almost finished with the games and will then get to the graphics, sound, animation, and utility programs. Then I will file an update. This file is being posted for general interest and send to bugs@cbmvax.commodore.com, as suggested by John Lockhart of CBM. Later... Scott Sutherland sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu BTW, if there is anything that I am NOT putting in my descriptions that you think would be helpful, please email such suggestions to me.
Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall) (07/08/90)
> >Scott Sutherland >sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu > >BTW, if there is anything that I am NOT putting in my descriptions >that you think would be helpful, please email such suggestions >to me. Since Email from portal is a pain, and I'm not all that familiar with the A3000, shouldn't you try using SETCPU with NOCACHE options. It sounds as though some of the problems you are having could be solved that way. It would also be nice to know whether or not the FASTROM option for SETCPU works. Reportedly there is also a version of NOFASTRAM that sits around on the CoolReset vector and will therefor run with non-AmigaDOS floppies. Presumably, this could be enhanced to support some of the other SETCPU options. -kls