Four new posts since my last update. In order, they are :

1. Nintendo Power - When they Got it Right and When they Got it Wrong

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/n … t-it-right.html

A bit off-topic, but the subject deals with video games and a classic video game magazine. Formatting text and images in blogger can really take the piss sometimes.

2. Classic DOS Pinball Games, Mode X and What they can Teach Us about Aspect Ratios

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/c … mode-x-and.html

When to stretch and when not to stretch

3. Oddball EGA and VGA Resolutions, When the Standard Resolutions Aren't Used

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/o … tions-when.html

A follow-up to the previous post, demonstrating some weird and wacky VGA non-standards.

4. The Lost Tandy and PCjr. Game Versions

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/t … e-versions.html

Any confirmable additions to this list would be greatly appreciated.

Great Hierophant wrote:

3. Oddball EGA and VGA Resolutions, When the Standard Resolutions Aren't Used

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/o … tions-when.html

A follow-up to the previous post, demonstrating some weird and wacky VGA non-standards.

You need to add in some <br/> tags or otherwise force line feeds in spots for this article. There's lots of spots where a new section is squeezed into the margin beside the final image of the last section.

Great Hierophant: It is an excellent blog, I am every now and then checking a few articles out. And what about updating some of your older articles, like the one called "IBM PCjr. Upgrades"(from March 2014) with pictures ? Other than that. I think your articles are smashing great 😀

It's a long time since I follow your insights, really interesting material: just the maniacal way I like!

In addition to lots of posts about consoles, I have four new posts since my last update that are directly on topic to this forum :

1. Three Flight Simulator Joysticks for DOS
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/10/t … ks-for-dos.html

Not so much of a collection, but these three sticks can do justice to any DOS game, and I explain how they work with configurations other than the standard 2-axis, 4-button joystick options.

2. Directional Difficulties - The Early Keyboards and Cursor Keys
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/10/d … ties-early.html

Or why you have to turn the Num Lock on in Tandy 1000 games.

3. 4.77MHz 8088, You're Needed!
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/10/4 … ure-needed.html

Most of the time, you can play a game with a slightly faster processor, but you may miss some subtle effects

4. Youtube No Longer Sucks for Retrogaming Videos
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/11/y … etrogaming.html

Youtube now supports 50 and 60 fps, but there is a trick to it...

more tandy infos and stuff or xt/at stuff would be nice 😀 (ega-hires gfx)
there are no pictures for enhanced EGA stuff to find (800x600@16 colors)

how do I convert gfx to EGA oder TDY and keep the palette as much as possible.
how can I manage to use rasters instead of real colors because of the small amount
of available colors by tandy or EGA.

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showt … p?42791-EGA-Art
https://www.flickr.com/photos/94839221@N05/se … 57644292508348/

dr.zeissler wrote:

more tandy infos and stuff or xt/at stuff would be nice :) (ega-hires gfx) there are no pictures for enhanced EGA stuff to find […]
Show full quote

more tandy infos and stuff or xt/at stuff would be nice 😀 (ega-hires gfx)
there are no pictures for enhanced EGA stuff to find (800x600@16 colors)

how do I convert gfx to EGA oder TDY and keep the palette as much as possible.
how can I manage to use rasters instead of real colors because of the small amount
of available colors by tandy or EGA.

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showt … p?42791-EGA-Art
https://www.flickr.com/photos/94839221@N05/se … 57644292508348/

Why are your flickr photos in the jpg format? png would be lossless and smaller as well.

800x600x16 is not a standard EGA or even a VGA resolution and would only be supported with a special monitor. At that point, its simpler to use SVGA.

You are right, 800x600 are not standard EGA 😀 https://books.google.de/books?id=NZrPkWywRXgC … k%20ega&f=false

I don't know why the Pics are converted to jpeg as they were uploaded/synced from iPhoto-Bid to Flicker. The originals are in GIF-Format.

You may think that only a handful of games used a 160x200 mode, but you would be surprised. Here is a list of fifty games that […]
Show full quote

You may think that only a handful of games used a 160x200 mode, but you would be surprised. Here is a list of fifty games that primarily use a 160x200 16-color mode for their graphics when run on a PCjr. or a Tandy 1000:
...
Boulder Dash
Boulder Dash II: Rockford's Revenge
F-15 Strike Eagle
Pitstop II
Winter Games
World Games

If this is true, my Versions are not Tandy-Versions or I did not set the corrects flags to force the Game to
Tandy mode. They look like 4color CGA to me. Abandonware-Webshrine is needed for the Tandy Versions 😀

Doc

For the Boulderdash games, if you want Tandy/PCjr. support, use the Super Boulderdash booter and the fix from NewRisingSun. There appear to be two versions of Pitstop II floating about, the Retrograde Station Hard Drive rip will work with a PCjr if you select option 1 at the display type screen. There are CGA and EGA disk images of F-15 Falcon, you need the EGA version for 160x200 in 16 color with a Tandy.

As far as Summer Games II, World Games and Winter Games, I have no idea where they came from, they certainly do not support 16 color graphics on any PC compatible. I wanted a nice, even number, but I guess I'm down to 47. I am not terribly displeased considering what 47 has been known for in the past.

Excellent blog. Do you make any money off of it? It would be nice if you could somehow.

ryoder wrote:

Excellent blog. Do you make any money off of it? It would be nice if you could somehow.

For all the time I spend on it, I wish!

ryoder wrote:

Excellent blog. Do you make any money off of it? It would be nice if you could somehow.

I agree. There's so much useful info on your blog. Thanks for all your insights and hard work. I especially love all the information you have on your blog about tandy computers. I use it as a reference all the time when I need to be reminded of the differences between all the systems and all their quirks.

Tandy WebShrine needed 😀

Do you have a review of CGA-Emulators to display CGA-Games on a Hercules-Card?

dr.zeissler wrote:

Do you have a review of CGA-Emulators to display CGA-Games on a Hercules-Card?

I just used SimCGA to plug a hole for Loom, which was an oddity among the 16-color SCUMM games because it did not have a native Hercules driver. It was written by Chuck(G) of the Vintage Computer Forums fame and it worked for me.

I am not stuck with an IBM PC 5150 with a monochrome display, but I can imagine others may be and would appreciate some guidance on programs like these. I do not really know if some are substantially better than others.

Thx! I found another CGA emulator for Hercules

I did not test "SimCGA", my favorite is "EMU", it works really good. But if the game changes back to Textmode (80) then this Emulator has issues. (The Text can not be read)

It has been a long time since I last announced new blog entries. I do not feel the need to toot my own horn every time I post something. Let me point out a few relevant entries that I would hope that other people may find informative :

Alley Cat - Epitome of a Timeless Early PC Classic
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/12/a … s-early-pc.html

This game is well worth playing and technically interesting, I try to explain its charms. I am especially proud of this article because I finally mastered the ability to set two images side by side in blogger!

IBM PC Floppy Disks - A Deeper Look at Disk Formats and Copy Protection
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/11/i … ok-at-disk.html

All you ever wanted to know about the IBM PC low level disk format and all I know about copy protected images

Pool of Radiance 2 Part Appreciation Posts :
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/11/g … iance-gold.html
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/12/c … ssful-pool.html

I played through (almost all) the game for this and tried to keep from consciously plagarizing crpgaddict's epic series while trying to contribute some insight of my own.

The Journey of the "PCjr./Tandy Sound Chip"
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/10/t … sound-chip.html

A classic illustration of "coming full circle", I wrote this in part to revive a post from Quest Studios' forum.

Advantages of the 160x200 16-color Tandy/PCjr. Resolution
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/10/a … 0-16-color.html

This un-PC like resolution deserved a look of its own.

Getting Started in System Shock
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/10/g … stem-shock.html

This game is a bit intimidating for the newcomer, but it deserves to be played. I try to help out a bit in trying to get it working and keeping the frustration level at bay. Also enjoy the animated GIF I made!

New IBM CGA to Old IBM CGA Mod
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/08/n … bm-cga-mod.html

People appreciated this for some reason, 10 people +1 the post according to Google, but it won't tell me who.

Yamaha's TG100/OPL4 Connection
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/y … connection.html

My first guest blog entry, expertly researched and engagingly written by my friend Cloudschatze.

The First Sound Card
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/t … sound-card.html

Or why the Ad Lib is more than that which came before the Sound Blaster.

Sound Card Replicas - Attack of the Hardware Clones
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/05/s … d-replicas.html

Trying to keep track of an important modern trend

IBM Character Fonts
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/04/i … cter-fonts.html

Almost everything you wanted to know about the text shown by IBM's graphics adapters for the PC, this blog entry would not have been possible without NewRisingSun's assistance.

My Complete IBM Important Video Card Collection : The Bedrock of DOS Graphics
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/m … video-card.html

I don't like to boast, but the significance of these cards cannot be understated.

Digital OPL2 and OPL3 Recording
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/02/d … -recording.html

An overview of the pros and cons of each known device that can give an accurate digital rendition of FM
Synthesis.

The IBM Music Feature Card - Overpriced, Underperforming, Yet Insanely Desirable
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/02/t … overpriced.html

My complete overview of this no-longer obscure sound card

The Wringer - Breaking PC DOS Game Copy Protection
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/12/t … -game-copy.html

Sooner or later, it is inescapable that you will need to crack a game, so here is some basics.

Windows 9x and CD Images
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2015/02/w … -cd-images.html

Unlock infinite storage through network drives, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to philcomputerlab for this one!

Great effort and keep it up!

Some really fascinating and hard-to-find info here, thanks.