Some bugs in MIST core

Question

Some bugs in MIST core

orvosg opened this issue 7 years ago · comments

orvosg commented 7 years ago

Hi!

Very nice reimplementation!

But found some bugs:

Certain games simply don't run (i.e. Ladder).
In the menu the highlighted area disappears below the 'Autostart' funcion, but works (there's an invisible 'Reset' item). Someone mentioned earlier (perhaps Sorgelig) that only 7 rows fit to one page of the menu.
Couldn't use any of the games with joystick (tried all the joy and kb. settings combinations, tested USB gamepads and retro DB9 devices as well).
Some games use strange keysets to control the game, but knowing that the original machine had ABCDEF keyboard layout instead of the standard QWERTY, that's not a surprise.

Keep up the important work, I really like these Eastern European computers!

boert · Answer 1 · Thu Jan 25 2018 07:44:42 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Thank's for testing!

Some games need more than 16k of RAM (e.g. ladder, kings_valley, pilot, ping-pong, super_dame, voice_dice).
I'm working on the 64k version, but first I need a 100% working DDR2-RAM controller (in VHDL). The internal FPGA block RAM is to small.
After adding some config options, the reset function disappered, yes. Only seven options are shown. Thank's for pointing that out. You can also use the right button on MiST, to reset the Z1013. Which option should I drop?
A joystick was nearly unobtainable to that time and very rare in east germany. So only a few programmers add joystick support to their games. The second problem: the Z1013 has no official joystick support. At least three variants for connecting a joystick to the user port exists (more details here). The programs which support joystick are often marked with '+J', '+prJ' or '(J)'. Btw, did you use the most recent core from january 2018? You can test the hardware with joystick_demo.
Some games use shift keys S1...S4, which are mapped to F1...F4, but I also found games which didn't react on any key (e.g. C.FUSSGAENGER.z80).

orvosg · Answer 2 · Thu Jan 25 2018 13:00:03 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi! You're welcome, I really enjoy these rare and (outside the home country) near unknown machines! Some of my favourite cores on MiST are Sorgelig's ex-Soviet machines (especially the Vector-06C and Elektronika BK0011M), and of course the Hungarian school computers. They are not on Github, but on other dedicated homepage, see details there: http://joco.homeserver.hu/fpga/ . The author wrote a short development diary in case of all 3 machines, (HT1080Z, Primo & Videoton TVC), perhaps a useful reading (he had troubles with small amount of memory as well, and described how he generated a compatible VGA signal despite the PAL hardware). Unfortuantely my TV is rather picky in aspect of non-standard VGA signals, I use PAL cores in scandoubler_disable=1 options with minimig VGA-to-SCART cable (nice option for lucky us who live in Europe). Answers: 1. OK, fine explanation. 2. I think to use the rightmost button to reset the actual core as is an orthodox way (this works even now), but if you can move the 'Reset' option to the second page of the menu (where the core change and the input testing items are) should be fine also (as I remember there are less than seven options - now I don't have access to my mist, can test only sunday morning). 3. I tested the games found in different repositories from the link of the Wiki page Robotron Z1013: http://z1013.mrboot.de/software-database/db/index.html . They were inside the 'joy' map and the name contains a (j), +j, +joy or + joystick character chain, I suppose these are the joystick versions. Didn't try all of them, but none worked which I tested (i.e. Galaktika, Galaxis, Vampir, Jumping Jack...) I upload the files as a ZIP archive as attachment. Tried the latest core. Thanks for the demo, will test it! Thanks for your work, and wish you persistence to improve this unique core! Gábor 2018-01-25 0:44 GMT+01:00 boert <notifications@github.com>:

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Thank's for testing! 1. Some games need more than 16k of RAM (e.g. ladder, kings_valley, pilot, ping-pong, super_dame, voice_dice). I'm working on the 64k version, but first I need a 100% working DDR2-RAM controller (in VHDL). The internal FPGA block RAM is to small. 2. After adding some config options, the reset function disappered, yes. Only seven options are shown. Thank's for pointing that out. You can also use the right button on MiST, to reset the Z1013. Which option should I drop? 3. A joystick was nearly unobtainable to that time and very rare in east germany. So only a few programmers add joystick support to their games. The second problem: the Z1013 has no official joystick support. At least three variants for connecting a joystick to the user port exists (more details here <https://hc-ddr.hucki.net/wiki/doku.php/z1013:joystick>). The programs which support joystick are often marked with '+J', '+prJ' or '(J)'. Btw, did you use the most recent core from january 2018? You can test the hardware with joystick_demo <http://z1013.mrboot.de/software-database/db/bfb5dc224824015ebe221433dc4b2bdf-joystick_demo/index.html> . 4. Some games use shift keys S1...S4, which are mapped to F1...F4, but I also found games which didn't react on any key (e.g. C.FUSSGAENGER.z80). — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AiGVKB0-aXwLzYDRVlKWwucyjwBNY7mtks5tN8BrgaJpZM4RquKd> .

orvosg · Answer 3 · Sun Jan 28 2018 14:09:06 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi!

Tested the joystick_demo, and both USB and DB9 controller worked fine with it. Found a game (hase+wolf+joy) which works as well.

But most of games are still uncontrollable with stick or gamepad...

boert · Answer 4 · Thu Feb 01 2018 05:54:18 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Sorry, can't find your attached file.
If the jostick_demo is working then you joystick hardware is fine :-)
There are often diffrent program versions for keyboard and joystick.

Here is a list of tested files.
You need to set the correct mode in OSD menu.

programs working with joystick (practic 1/88):
ALADIN+J.z80
AUTO+J.z80
C.SUPERSKI_m.PIO.z80
HINDERNISLAUF+J.z80
encounter+prJ.z80
fighter+prJ.z80
galaktika+prJ.z80
galaxis+prJ.z80
ghost_hut+j.z80
jumping_jack+prJ.z80
laby_prJ.z80
mauer+prJ.z80
mazog+j.z80
vampir+prJ.z80
wall+prJ.z80
programs working with joystick (ju+te 6/87):
Labirinto.z80
aladin.z80
galactica.z80
labyrinth.z80

orvosg · Answer 5 · Thu Feb 01 2018 12:56:12 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi! Thanks for the answer and the exhaustive list! Tried to attach the files via google drive, but it seems that did not work. Here is a mega link: https://mega.nz/#!U1FHmJDR!rfK2p5jIy7qjWB4NHKt0QCHwEZTItA-ZNT8jse429V8 Tried some games with practic.88 settings, Galaktika and Galaxis worked, but Jumping Jack didn't. From ju+te.87 I own only Aladdin, but this did not work despite to changing the necessary joy mode in the settings menu. Sorry that I can not test all the games, I'm always in a hurry, now time to bring children to school/kindergarten. Despite the lack of time I hope that my feedbacks help in the development of the core. Cheers: Gábor 2018-01-31 22:54 GMT+01:00 boert <notifications@github.com>:

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Sorry, can't find your attached file. If the jostick_demo is working then you joystick hardware is fine :-) There are often diffrent program versions for keyboard and joystick. Here is a list of tested files. You need to set the correct mode in OSD menu. - programs working with joystick (practic 1/88): ALADIN+J.z80 AUTO+J.z80 C.SUPERSKI_m.PIO.z80 HINDERNISLAUF+J.z80 encounter+prJ.z80 fighter+prJ.z80 galaktika+prJ.z80 galaxis+prJ.z80 ghost_hut+j.z80 jumping_jack+prJ.z80 laby_prJ.z80 mauer+prJ.z80 mazog+j.z80 vampir+prJ.z80 wall+prJ.z80 - programs working with joystick (ju+te 6/87): Labirinto.z80 aladin.z80 galactica.z80 labyrinth.z80 — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AiGVKByrNgW6OSIm2fyVj0TmhilHEV4nks5tQOEKgaJpZM4RquKd> .

boert · Answer 6 · Fri Feb 02 2018 06:06:09 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

I checked the games of your zip file in the emulator at the first step:
All but one did access the user port 00h (where the joystick ist connected),
ghost_hut+joyst.z80 crash directly, it seems broken.

Second step, try everything on MIST, use practic 1/88 setting (default), right DB9 jacket:

aladin(j).z80             works, select "Spielhebel" (=Joystick)
auto+joystick.z80         works
auto_laby(900)+j.z80      works
encounter+joy.z80         very boring & long intro, pong like
fighter(j).z80            works, but use cursor keys in menu
galaktika+joy.z80         works
galaxis(j).z80            works
graverobber(j).z80        works
hase+wolf+joy.z80         difficult to play, Hase is to slow
heartrunner+joy.z80       works
hindernislauf+jo.z80      enter tree numbers on start (10, 01, 01)
jumping_jack+joy.z80      works, wait for a gap, use fire to jump up
mauer+joystick.z80        slow
mazog_dt_+joyst.z80       works great
minefild(J).z80           minesweeper, press fire+direction to move
new_york+joyst.z80        works, go to top left on first game
reaktor(j).z80            works
super_ski+joyst.z80       works
tetris(j).z80             slow reaction on stick
vampir+joystick.z80       fire+up on destination end the game, is this the goal?
wall_1_2_(joy).z80        unplayable, strange direction mapping

following games did not work (yet) on MIST:

ghost_hut+joyst.z80       crash
ladder_joy.z80            to big for 16k
miami+joy.z80             crash after start screen

You can report here, if you still have trouble, maybe we have different joystick behaviour.

orvosg · Answer 7 · Fri Feb 02 2018 12:20:47 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi! Thanks for the exhaustive testing! As I see, most of games work, I still did not try all of them. Tested previously some of them random, and perhaps I was just unlucky or impatient (some of them has long intro or gap, or you must use keyboard during the first steps, or they are simply too slow). Perhaps just tried the wrong port (used USB gamepad and one of the DB9 connectors, don't remember which one, but tried to change it sometimes randomly). Thank you again, and hope there will be improvements (i.e. handling of bigger memory). Gábor 2018-02-01 23:06 GMT+01:00 boert <notifications@github.com>:

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I checked the games of your zip file in the emulator at the first step: All but one did access the user port 00h (where the joystick ist connected), ghost_hut+joyst.z80 crash directly, it seems broken. Second step, try everything on MIST, use practic 1/88 setting (default), right DB9 jacket: aladin(j).z80 works, select "Spielhebel" (=Joystick) auto+joystick.z80 works auto_laby(900)+j.z80 works encounter+joy.z80 very boring & long intro, pong like fighter(j).z80 works, but use cursor keys in menu galaktika+joy.z80 works galaxis(j).z80 works graverobber(j).z80 works hase+wolf+joy.z80 difficult to play, Hase is to slow heartrunner+joy.z80 works hindernislauf+jo.z80 enter tree numbers on start (10, 01, 01) jumping_jack+joy.z80 works, wait for a gap, use fire to jump up mauer+joystick.z80 slow mazog_dt_+joyst.z80 works great minefild(J).z80 minesweeper, press fire+direction to move new_york+joyst.z80 works, go to top left on first game reaktor(j).z80 works super_ski+joyst.z80 works tetris(j).z80 slow reaction on stick vampir+joystick.z80 fire+up on destination end the game, is this the goal? wall_1_2_(joy).z80 unplayable, strange direction mapping following games did not work (yet) on MIST: ghost_hut+joyst.z80 crash ladder_joy.z80 to big for 16k miami+joy.z80 crash after start screen You can report here, if you still have trouble, maybe we have different joystick behaviour. — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AiGVKK9impH3S2mYp82TwGFifbqRWfW6ks5tQjVSgaJpZM4RquKd> .

boert · Answer 8 · Fri Mar 09 2018 14:49:30 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

You can find a 64k version of Z1013 in the Z1013.64_devel branch of this repo or a compiled core.rbf in the official repo now.
Even with this version not all programs are working: Some expect a specific version of BASIC (there exists approximatly 30 different BASIC variants...), others depend on a special monitor (=BIOS) or keyboard variant...

Have fun!

orvosg · Answer 9 · Fri Mar 09 2018 21:07:50 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi! Meanwhile Gehstock made public a modified version of the original 16kb core: https://github.com/Gehstock/Mist_FPGA/tree/master/Robotron%20-%20Z1013_MiST Thanks for your work, will try the new core soon! Have a nice weekend: Gábor 2018-03-09 7:49 GMT+01:00 boert <notifications@github.com>:

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You can find a 64k version of Z1013 in the Z1013.64_devel branch of this repo or a compiled core.rbf in the official repo now. Even with this version not all programs are working: Some expect a specific version of BASIC (there exists approximatly 30 different BASIC variants...), others depend on a special monitor (=BIOS) or keyboard variant... Have fun! — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AiGVKOKgkjUaJBZd2Kcf5q4fIYkTgW_Wks5tciYAgaJpZM4RquKd> .