Regarding Pirates, the hard drive conversion seems to work fine, but the booter currently will go to a black screen right after you select the input.

The older version (1998 date stamp) of the Pirates! booter from Retrograde Station works OK in SVN, but the newer version (2006 date stamp) crashes. The newer version was supposedly given an improved crack by Demonlord (owner of RS). Newly added crack code is placed 4 kB below the top of memory as reported by BIOS, which causes a run-in with the Tandy graphics memory region, leading to a crash, because the memory size for the Tandy machine type was increased to help certain other games in locating the graphics memory. Only Demonlord knows what systems were initially tested with his crack work, but it probably would have worked on DOSBox of 2006. Would be interesting to know if a real Tandy system was tested.

ripsaw8080 wrote:

The older version (1998 date stamp) of the Pirates! booter from Retrograde Station works OK in SVN, but the newer version (2006 date stamp) crashes. The newer version was supposedly given an improved crack by Demonlord (owner of RS). Newly added crack code is placed 4 kB below the top of memory as reported by BIOS, which causes a run-in with the Tandy graphics memory region, leading to a crash, because the memory size for the Tandy machine type was increased to help certain other games in locating the graphics memory. Only Demonlord knows what systems were initially tested with his crack work, but it probably would have worked on DOSBox of 2006. Would be interesting to know if a real Tandy system was tested.

I was using the 1998 version. If it was tested, it was probably tested only in Tand-Em. Other Retrograde Station booters/hard drive conversions have been known to be broken when it comes to Tandy & PCjr. functionality (Seven Cities of Gold, Super Boulderdash).

The 1998 "version" works fine here in current SVN source with default settings except machine=tandy. No hang after switching to 16-color graphics.

I found that Microprose officially made a DOS conversion for the game, but seemingly only released it on their compilation CDs. It works perfectly in DOSBox SVN with the Tandy machine. Whether it would work in a Tandy 1000 SX as the 1987 instruction manual specifically claimed is an open question.

It is not documented how the color select register and Tandy palette play together. My implementation was only a guess. It would reqire a test program (I could write) and someone who is willing to record the results on a real Tandy. It would be quite an amount of values.

Other problem: I can't get Pirates (DOS executable PIR.EXE) proceed to the problematic screen anymore. After defeating the captain and the explanation where the closest harbours are I get a slightly garbled screen where a portrait should be. Is there a trick?

h-a-l-9000 wrote:

It is not documented how the color select register and Tandy palette play together. My implementation was only a guess. It would reqire a test program (I could write) and someone who is willing to record the results on a real Tandy. It would be quite an amount of values.

Other problem: I can't get Pirates (DOS executable PIR.EXE) proceed to the problematic screen anymore. After defeating the captain and the explanation where the closest harbours are I get a slightly garbled screen where a portrait should be. Is there a trick?

Demonlord's hard disk conversion also crashed for me, Microprose's did not.

Write the program, I'm sure someone here has a Tandy and will test it.

On the screenshots by Great Hierophant there are also differences with cyan and bright blue (planet, letters, EA logo). Is this also incorrect? Currently it shows as cyan.

Attaching a fix. The test program seems not to be needed after all. Also includes the JR Frogger2 fix.

h-a-l-9000 wrote:

Attaching a fix. The test program seems not to be needed after all. Also includes the JR Frogger2 fix.

Looks good

Committed in r3832.