PC98 Core

[Alkadian]

Thank You Puu-san

I have missed this update!

@puu thank you for your very much appreciated work!

@wark91,

Would you mind sharing the .d88 of Rusty? I have tried to convert the .hdi version with virtual floppy image converter but the .d88 I have got doesn't boot at all.

Thanks!

[wark91]

@alkadian, what is the software you use to convert floppies of Rusty ? Is vfic ? Is the floppies converted working on the PC 98 emulator ?
Do you have just black screen or a message ?
Thanks,

[mapf]

Would you mind sharing the .d88 of Rusty? I have tried to convert the .hdi version with virtual floppy image converter but the .d88 I have got doesn't boot at all.

Most archives targeted at emulation will contain hard disk images, and I have not found a way to use these with the PC98 core.

I found floppy disk images for many titles in the "Neo Kobe - NEC PC-9801 (2017-11-17)" collection on archive.org. You will need a disk image tool to convert to .d88 files. I use the "Virtual Floppy Image Converter" from https://www.vector.co.jp/soft/win95/util/se151106.html

I managed to boot Rusty from the floppies from the "Neo Kobe" archive and can enjoy the introduction with music, but cannot start the game. The title screen reacts to no input by joystick, mouse or keyboard. I need to learn more about PC-98 using an emulator, I guess.

[wark91]

Me I used the one from Mame and the same tool to convert my floppies.
I tested my D88 on Mame and it is working.
I can used my game controller and go in game.

[Alkadian]

@alkadian, what is the software you use to convert floppies of Rusty ? Is vfic ? Is the floppies converted working on the PC 98 emulator ?
Do you have just black screen or a message ?
Thanks,

@wark91,
Thanks for coming back to me.
Yes I am using vfic ver 0.73.
I haven't actually checked it with a PC 98 emulator.
I only get a blank screen with no messages at all.
Thanks!

[Alkadian]

Would you mind sharing the .d88 of Rusty? I have tried to convert the .hdi version with virtual floppy image converter but the .d88 I have got doesn't boot at all.

Most archives targeted at emulation will contain hard disk images, and I have not found a way to use these with the PC98 core.

I found floppy disk images for many titles in the "Neo Kobe - NEC PC-9801 (2017-11-17)" collection on archive.org. You will need a disk image tool to convert to .d88 files. I use the "Virtual Floppy Image Converter" from https://www.vector.co.jp/soft/win95/util/se151106.html

I managed to boot Rusty from the floppies from the "Neo Kobe" archive and can enjoy the introduction with music, but cannot start the game. The title screen reacts to no input by joystick, mouse or keyboard. I need to learn more about PC-98 using an emulator, I guess.

@mapf,
Thanks for your help as well!
Yes I have used the same software as mentioned in my previous post in response to wark91.
In fact I have used the same "Neo Kobe" archive. I will try it again just in case the file got somehow corrupted.
I am so jealous you guys got it working
Well, time to start from scratch then and will report back here..hopefully with good news!

[Alkadian]

Me I used the one from Mame and the same tool to convert my floppies.
I tested my D88 on Mame and it is working.
I can used my game controller and go in game.

Good point, I haven'y thought about mame at all! I will try that as well! Thanks!

[wark91]

Ok.
You just load the first floppy or did you reset ?
The reset doesn't seem to work correctly.
The only way I have found to work every-time after tested the floppies on emulator is :
- Restart the Mister
- Start the core Zet98
- Load the first floppy

[Alkadian]

Ok.
You just load the first floppy or did you reset ?
The reset doesn't seem to work correctly.
The only way I have found to work every-time after tested the floppies on emulator is :
- Restart the Mister
- Start the core Zet98
- Load the first floppy

So I have converted again the .hdi file to .d88 with vfic.
I have followed your steps, without resetting. But again no luck, just a blank screen.

Just to clarify, shall I convert the 5 .hdm files instead?

[mapf]

I converted the .hdm files to .d88. When inserting the "system" and "introduction" disks, it boots and shows the intro.

Update: Tried again and this time the joystick input works. I can follow the disk change requests and the game starts.

[wark91]

In Mame, it is 5 foppies used FDI format (not HDI or HDM). Sorry I didn't try other set.
Also do you have a bip when the core launch ?

[pgimeno]

Since I can't run that disk tool, I made a converter from FDI to D88 in Python, based on my previous DIM to D88 converter. Usage is:

python fdi2d88.py <input file> <output file>

[Alkadian]

Ok.
You just load the first floppy or did you reset ?
The reset doesn't seem to work correctly.
The only way I have found to work every-time after tested the floppies on emulator is :
- Restart the Mister
- Start the core Zet98
- Load the first floppy

@wark91,

Many thanks for your help, I got it working at the end!

[Alkadian]

I converted the .hdm files to .d88. When inserting the "system" and "introduction" disks, it boots and shows the intro.

Update: Tried again and this time the joystick input works. I can follow the disk change requests and the game starts.

I was not aware of the right order of the system/introduction disks.

Maybe it is just me, but in order to get the controller to work I have to re-configure the controls, save the settings and re boot the core. After that I can use my controller.

I have also found these controls settings specifically for Rusty, not sure if they work though:

Code: Select all

[How to play]
4/6 : move left/right
8 : climb
2 : crouch
8+4/8+6 : run left/right
x : attack
z : jump
(while running) z : running jump(long jump)
8+x : attack upper
2+z : small jump
z+x : use special weapon(if you have any special weapon)
ESC : pause

Main-menu says :
"Begin Game"
"Continue Game"
"Option-menu"

Option-menu says :
don't touch this line
"Music select" (<- 4/6 to select music and x to play music)
"Return to the top menu"

Menu when you got game-over says :
"Continue this stage with no save"
"Save this stage and return to the main-menu"
"return to the main-menu without saving"

Thanks!

[Alkadian]

Since I can't run that disk tool, I made a converter from FDI to D88 in Python, based on my previous DIM to D88 converter. Usage is:

python fdi2d88.py <input file> <output file>

Cool, thanks for that. I will test it as well.

[vanfanel]

Hi!

I am strating with this core and while D88 games work fine, I have found this collection of english games in HDI format:
http://www.pc98.org/main.html

,,,and the core seems to use HDF instead of HDI.
Do you know how to convert HDI to HDF?

[pgimeno]

I can only see FDI files there. Did you mean FDI? Or can you point me to any HDI file?

[Cohge]

Since I can't run that disk tool, I made a converter from FDI to D88 in Python, based on my previous DIM to D88 converter. Usage is:

python fdi2d88.py <input file> <output file>

Thank you, this is very helpful!

Would be possible to use something similar to converter the .fdd from TOSEC sets "NEC_PC_9801_TOSEC_2012_04_23" ?

[vanfanel]

I can only see FDI files there. Did you mean FDI? Or can you point me to any HDI file?

Yes, for example Rusty english-translated is in HDI:
http://www.pc98.org/images/rustye.zip

[pgimeno]

Yes, for example Rusty english-translated is in HDI:

Thanks. Now I need to figure out the format of an HDF file. Any idea where can I find one?

[mapf]

I only know .hdf from Amiga emulators. You could try this tool: https://lallafa.de/blog/amiga-projects/ ... s/xdftool/

[mapf]

Also, there is disk explorer for accessing those images: https://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA01393 ... dex_e.html

[wark91]

The state of this core is the hard disks (HDF) are not supported for the moment.

[pgimeno]

Would be possible to use something similar to converter the .fdd from TOSEC sets "NEC_PC_9801_TOSEC_2012_04_23" ?

I haven't found any info on the .FDD layout, but since I have that TOSEC collection, I may try to reverse engineer the file format. Meanwhile, you can use the Mame 0.208 set, which is in .FDI format.

[shira]

Here you can find some info and code about the .FDD format.

http://fullmotionvideo.free.fr/phpBB3/v ... 3&start=15)
https://github.com/joncampbell123/dosbo ... .cpp#L1439