MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

you981
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MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by you981 »

I want to play Wingman, a cassette game.
When I read the VHD file and select this game from SofaRun, "Syntax error in 20" is displayed and I cannot start it.

I tried this game on blueMSX
・ Works with MSX-MSX2Plus
-It is necessary to press the Shift key at startup to start and turn off Disk BASIC.
・ Rewind the cassette
The condition was necessary. Under that condition, start with CLOAD + RUN.

When I run CLOAD with SofaRun, it freezes.

Is there a way to turn off Disk BASIC?
Also, what kind of settings will make it possible to play cassette games that require CLOAD + RUN, such as Wingman?


How can I save or load the game?
I understand how to use GameMaster2 in Konami games, but I don't understand cassette games.
It would be easy if the core supports state save / load. .. ..


I have been playing with MSX for the first time in a long time since I was in elementary school. I want to revive the fun of the past. Please cooperate.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by NinjaWarrior »

You can use the new MSX 1 core:

viewtopic.php?p=41471

https://github.com/tdlabac/MSX1_MiSTer

which is nestor.sys/sofarun free and includes cassette and rom loader directly using OSD.
you981
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by you981 »

Thank you for the information!
Immediately I tried it. I like this core because it is very easy to operate.

The game has started!
But there is a problem.
Wingman is a Japanese game, but it has garbled characters. It may be useless if it is not a Japanese BIOS.

Since this core really reproduces the actual machine, the loading of the cassette is as long as the actual machine. I want to get rid of loading time.

Is there a way to solve the above two problems?
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wark91
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by wark91 »

Maybe first point can be address when the bios will be swappable.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by NinjaWarrior »

you981 wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:39 pm Thank you for the information!
Immediately I tried it. I like this core because it is very easy to operate.

The game has started!
But there is a problem.
Wingman is a Japanese game, but it has garbled characters. It may be useless if it is not a Japanese BIOS.

Since this core really reproduces the actual machine, the loading of the cassette is as long as the actual machine. I want to get rid of loading time.

Is there a way to solve the above two problems?
This is a PAL european machine implementation, so not showing kanjis/kana is the normal behaviour. Regarding cassette loading, real speed it is also the normal operation of the computer. From a preservation point of view, this is the way the core should work, and there is no problem in that, it won't show kanjis (no kanji.rom) and the fast cassette loading may be (or may be not) implemented by the core author in future. However, if you want to try that japanese cassette title, you may want to load it using OpenMSX, or try to load using OCM core with tools like LoadCAS.

Can you please attach the Wingman cassette file you have so I can test it for you? Maybe I can find a way for you to play it.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by you981 »

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12KS9Wv ... lqws9/view
You can get the vhd file from the link above. There is "Wing Man (1985) (Enix) (JP) (Tape 1 of 2 Side A) [CLOAD + RUN] .cas" in this.

I have confirmed that blueMSX can be done without any problem by the following method.
-BIOS: MSX1 ~ 2 +
-Press SHIFT at startup (turn off Disk BASIC)
・ Rewind the cassette
・ CLOAD + RUN

I hope that this core can use Japanese BIOS and support high-speed loading.

Or, I'd like to know how to do the above operation using SofaRun on the standard core.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by pgimeno »

To properly support a Japanese MSX, the core also needs to support NTSC. Swapping the BIOS is not enough.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by NinjaWarrior »

you981 wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 6:01 pm I hope that this core can use Japanese BIOS and support high-speed loading.
Not likely to happen, as the original machine implemented (Philips VG-8020) does not have these features.
you981 wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 6:01 pm Or, I'd like to know how to do the above operation using SofaRun on the standard core.
I checked your VHD file and game, and first, the SofaRun version is old (3.2), try to update it to the latest one (8.0) here: https://www.louthrax.net/mgr/sofarun.html

Second, the cassette loader hangs I feel due to a memory mapper incompatibility. If updating SofaRun don't work, then you will have to stick with the new MSX core with no kanjis, PAL vdp and regular tape loading, I am afraid. Cassette/rom load using MSX tools may be not reliable even on real MSX machines due to memory mapping incompatibilities.

That's the problem with OCM core and the reason we need a core that preserves machines as it should, like the new MSX 1 core being developed by Molekula. I think we will have a MSX japanese machine in the future also preserved, once the actual MSX 1 core is polished and finished.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by you981 »

Thank you for the urgent test.

I know that this core is for saving the actual machine, so I think that it will not support Japanese. Therefore, I hope that the completion of this core will create another core of the actual Japanese machine. As an option, it would be nice to have a fast tape load.

I have already used SofaRun Ver8.0 by replacing the contents of the SRUN folder of this VHD file.

I thought the load hangs because I can't turn off Disk BASIC.

SofaRun allows fast loading, so I wish I could start this game, but I'm sorry if there is no way.

I look forward to the evolution of the core.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by NinjaWarrior »

you981 wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 6:41 pm
I know that this core is for saving the actual machine, so I think that it will not support Japanese. Therefore, I hope that the completion of this core will create another core of the actual Japanese machine. As an option, it would be nice to have a fast tape load.
Would be nice indeed to have a proper core of a japanese MSX machine, let's hope that Molekula continue the development of the MSX core adding more machines in the future, would be awesome!
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by you981 »

I have successfully launched Wingman! !! OCM core.

I was very stupid. I intended to replace SofaRun with the latest version, but that was a different image. Just replace it with the latest version and select cas to start it.
However, there are still two issues. This game is divided into four parts. I don't know how to replace the cassette. Also, I don't know how to save.
I'll set up another thread on this subject.

Thanks to everyone for the process so far, I am grateful that I was able to start it. I am also grateful that I, a beginner, was able to study about MSX.
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Re: MSX Core How to launch some cassette games?

Unread post by NinjaWarrior »

Glad you had it working! I don't know how can you handle multi-load cassettes and saving on OCM / Sofarun, if it is even possible.
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