What joystick are you using on this picture? looks like it will be usable for a left handed retard like me
Its a Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro. A few of the gameport Sidewinders are ambidextrous, you shouldn't have any problems with it.
Just tried with cache enabled and it doesn't seem too fast... so far. We'll see how I go.
If you are squeamish, don't prod the beach rubble.
Hey man if you happen to have a camcorder it would be awesome if you could record some Retro Wing Commander action!
Amigaz so far is the only one with a vintage 386 Wing Commander video on YouTube. Australia represent 🤣
Unfortunately I don't 🙁 Only got an iphone and its quality isn't exactly stellar....
If you are squeamish, don't prod the beach rubble.
wrote:Unfortunately I don't 🙁 Only got an iphone and its quality isn't exactly stellar....
That's fine mate! Or a digital camera (they all have camcorder functionality)...
My video from ages ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD3eul8dDIE
It's a Pentium 3 with L1 Cache disabled.
wrote:What joystick are you using on this picture? looks like it will be usable for a left handed retard like me
Its a Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro. A few of the gameport Sidewinders are ambidextrous, you shouldn't have any problems with it.
Just tried with cache enabled and it doesn't seem too fast... so far. We'll see how I go.
ahh...gonna get one of those, thanks 😀
Compare the speed to a 386DX 25-33mhz system with cache which is the sweet spot for this game
My retro computer stuff: https://lychee.jjserver.net/#16136303902327
wrote:Hey man if you happen to have a camcorder it would be awesome if you could record some Retro Wing Commander action!
Amigaz so far is the only one with a vintage 386 Wing Commander video on YouTube. Australia represent 🤣
hehe, I should really make some more vid's....it's a shame I have done so few 🙁
Regarding speed issues with WC 1....the game runs at "warp speed" on my Compaq 386DX 20mhz which is upgraded with a cyrix 386->486 cpu upgrade running at 40mhz...I never thought the speed increase in WC would be that great 😜 when the CPU has a tiny L1 cache
My retro computer stuff: https://lychee.jjserver.net/#16136303902327
Hmmm well with cache enabled the 'origin FX' intro sequence is noticably faster and gameplay is probably slightly too fast too. Its certainly not lightning speed like I saw on the 486 though.
With cache disabled I am getting big slowdowns in certain parts. Just played the Gimle mission where you defend the Exeter and it was really chugging along at a few points there. I think I will try with cache enabled and increase the wait states and see what happens.
wrote:hehe, I should really make some more vid's....it's a shame I have done so few
Yea man, we need more vintage gaming footage!
wrote:Hmmm well with cache enabled the 'origin FX' intro sequence is noticably faster and gameplay is probably slightly too fast too
Maybe you just have lightning speed joystick reflexes 🤣
I also thought that 3dbench of 15 is usually a bit too fast for Wing Commander. However that only applies to "slowed down" projects. It might be different on a real 386...
Origin recommended a 386 with 16 MHz 😵
Well I just played through Rebel Assault yesterday, that game will teach you how to use a joystick like a pro in no time 🤣
I remember it was a fiendishly hard game when I was a kid, and having replayed it on the 386 I think I know why. There's an option in the config to pick the frame rate. It normally autodetects the right seting for you but you can change it if you like. I believe the game will try to keep this framerate constantly no matter what. I noticed when there was several targets on screen at once, (particularly during later missions like the TIE fighter assaults at Hoth and the death star approach) the video never stuttered or slowed down, however the joystick slowed down and became less responsive, often not firing when the button was pressed, the crosshair's movement slowing down etc.
This game frustrated the hell out of me when I was a kid and now I think I know why. The game engine simply prioritizes silky smooth graphics at the expense of the controls.
This is to say nothing of the dick moves that lucasarts put in the game. The probe droid mission on hoth had you choose a path to go through the cave, one wrong move and you went back to the start. You basically had to guess the way through. The storm trooper level had you choose paths as well, but the path changed randomly each game and one of them lead to instant death, with no indicator as to which one it was. Then on the death star approach level you had to shoot 3 ties that were tailing your captain, if you didn't get them in time your captain died and you had to restart the level - but it didn't clear any damage you'd sustained during the level. You'd usually die pretty soon after this anyway.
Basically stupid dick moves plus frustrating controls made me realise why I hated this game 🤣
A faster CD drive might help?
But yea that game was hart. Well they couldn't make it too easy, otherwise it would be like watching a short movie 🤣
It's the "Dragon's Lair" of Star Wars...
Yeah it probably is the CD drive, I had a 2x speed 'back in the day' which would probably explain why I had similar issues. I don't think there were any faster drives than the CDU-33A on Sony's 34pin interface though was there?
I think I played it on Dosbox a couple of years ago and breezed through it because it was silky smooth the whole time.
It's a pretty crappy game to be honest, the only thing really going for it is the star wars label. Still, I remember a friend and myself taking turns trying to get through it, the game blew our minds at the time 🤣
If you are squeamish, don't prod the beach rubble.
I actually have a copy lying around somewhere. A former boss gave it to me 🤣
All I remember is that it wouldn't work on a single speed drive. Or not very well at least.
The 7th Guest would work on a single speed drive, just slow. But this game needed a double speed drive I believe (but not 100% sure).
I remember back then, when I had a 386/40 with 4MB RAM, I had bought a 10 games collection, which included the game "Megarace". It was a bit slow, and the videos didn't play so well. I had a 2x cd-rom drive. I go to a local computer store that a friend of mine owned, and tell him that, and buy a 6x cd-rom. Then it would play a little better, but still wasn't ok. I go back to the store and he tells me that, the cpu is limiting the performance. And he gives me fro free a used 486dx/40 motherboard! He tells me try this, and it should be better. And after I installed, it would play ok! 😀
wrote:Yea man, we need more vintage gaming footage!
I was thinking of making a couple vids, one of the IBM AM2 ISA card, if it works!
wrote:I was thinking of making a couple vids, one of the IBM AM2 ISA card, if it works!
Do it! 🤣
My oscis have arrived. Look at the box it was shipped in! 😳 It's the long one. The other huge box contains just 2 sound cards. The oscis can be seen in the 2nd photo. They are 2x 50 and 2x 66 MHz. My 386 board has not arrived yet, but it's on its way...
Packing overkill. Just a little 🤣
Well, at least he wasn't send any bricks...😜
I found another 386DX/40 motherboard, which has a chipset labeled MX. Does anybody know if that's good or not? The only issue I came across, is that it has only one bank of simms, so you can place just 4 of them. On the other hand, it's the newest m/b of that type I've ever seen. It's tiny(it's barely longer than the isa slots) and it has a date code that says june 1995. It has onboard cache, but there are no socketed chips, and I really can't tell where is it.... By setting the two jumbers that officially says you can choose between 40 or 33MHz, I've managed to run it also at 25 and 16(!)MHz. And the strange thing is that the turbo makes it slower, without changing the actual speed. At 16MHz, with cache turned off, and turbo off, it is slightly slower than the VIC-20/12! I have a pic for you to see what it looks like :
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
It has onboard cache, but there are no socketed chips, and I really can't tell where is it....
I believe some (maybe all?) of those Macronix chipsets have a small integrated cache. IIRC it's only something like 8K, but it's better than nothing.
I've always found those "mini" 386 boards interesting, but that's the first time I've seen one that uses a 386DX... most of 'em that size are based around the 386SX/486SLC.
