meauxdal wrote: ↑Mon Mar 10, 2025 1:36 pmWhy not just use the available unstable build with those changes?
https://github.com/MiSTer-unstable-nigh ... 135829.rbf
Future Macintosh plans on the horizon:
Put out a new MacPack
Create .mgl files for single-game configurations with pre-mapped gamepad
Put out a new ShapeShifter image for Amiga
yep, but 7 months right now, I would really like to see it released for other users which are just using update all and missing these great enhacenements.
That's a good point. The current unstable build has been stable and reliable for me, no regressions noted. I'll be sure to bundle the latest available .rbf in the next MacPack to ensure folks are getting the latest fixes.
Wonder what the best way to get someone pinged so we can get a current release might be... I see an issue (yours, presumably, jordi?) from November 2024 on the MiSTer-devel MacPlus github ("Release?") but I suspect it may have gone unseen.
meauxdal wrote: ↑Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:04 pmThat's a good point. The current unstable build has been stable and reliable for me, no regressions noted. I'll be sure to bundle the latest available .rbf in the next MacPack to ensure folks are getting the latest fixes.
Wonder what the best way to get someone pinged so we can get a current release might be... I see an issue (yours, presumably, jordi?) from November 2024 on the MiSTer-devel MacPlus github ("Release?") but I suspect it may have gone unseen.
yes, it's my 'issue' 
New release should be coming soon per Sorg: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/MacPlus ... 2711277826
Thanks jordi.
After reading this topic I've made MGLs for booting VHDs included in the MacPack. MGL filenames in the ZIP file are self explanatory (most of them).
Since default MacPack VHD is named boot.vhd and is booted automatically (if present in the games/MACPUS directory) when MacPack.rbf is started, I've added MacPlus_NoMedia.mgl to start the core without any attached VHD or floppy (comes handy when one want to boot game directly from the floppy disk).
If you guys think these MGLs are handy, feel free to include them in the next MacPack release. Thanks for making both MacPlus core and MacPack.
Filed a bug report for the .vhd corruption issue. Confirmed it still happens on the new core.
A reminder - don't use the SE ROM with the 68010 or 68020 CPU instruction sets, it will corrupt your .vhd the first time you reboot the system.
Do you guys know how to make this core look good on HDMI using a Video Processing profile with scanlines on 1080p displays?
The problem is that the Macintosh was 512x342, which doesn't scale well to 1920x1080 screens like mine.
I tried forcing a custom integer scaling resolution for the core in MiSTer.ini, like this:
Code: Select all
[MacPlus]
video_mode=1536,1026,60
...and I can confirm the resolution is actually used as reported by my monitor, but scanlines don't show at all.
This is just an aside, but I don't think Macs had scanlines as pronounced as normal 15kHz displays. They would be more like PC monitors, and these are very subtle on 14-15" displays.
I can't perceive scanlines at all on a Macintosh Plus/SE/etc monitor. They are subtle to the point of being invisible. I never use scanlines for Macintosh Plus output, personally.
I tested it last night and I don't think scanlines work on this core. I don't know the details, but by observation it behaves similarly to interlaced signals in e.g. the PSX core, where scanlines don't apply.
Got a pretty big collection (180 individual files so far, plus 2 giant archives that likely have some relevant programs and games) of stuff I'm hoarding to add to the next MacPack. Lots of text adventures and new apps. Some new versions of existing games.
Curious if anyone has a preference regarding whether or not specific game types should be sorted together. Current paradigm is everything even vaguely like a game goes into its corresponding year folder.
The four most relevant examples here are:
HyperCard games - I've already got the non-game stacks in their own folder, but I could potentially try to sort all the HC games together
Text adventures - many of these are in TADS, MaxZIP, or Z-machine formats, which are somewhat platform-agnostic. Some of these games are already in the Infocom+ folder as the Lost Treasures of Infocom box already included some additional Z-machine, etc. stories; maybe I should try to sort all of the other non-retail text adventures together there too?
World Builder games - there are tons of these scattered through the year folders. Maybe putting all of these together would help de-clutter things a bit? World Builder was probably the lowest-barrier-to-entry method of making a Mac game, so some of these are perhaps a bit poorer in quality than average.
Desk Accessories - many games were released in this format, which allowed primitive multi-tasking before Apple introduced the Multifinder. Mostly small and simple, but some are surprisingly complex
I kind of like them all being in the mix together, but maybe it'd be preferable to have separate folders for some/all of these categories. I'm still undecided. Let me know if you have strong feelings either way.
Edit: a seemingly good way to do this is to continue with the current organization scheme but add a code (e.g. HC for HyperCard and DA for Desk Accessory, both already in use in the pack for some titles) at the end of the folder name to designate games of each type. That way you'd see at a glance if what you're looking at is a HyperCard stack, etc.
I have used both methods in the past - tags and/or separate dirs for "special" games. I think as long as they are in respective by-year (or alphabetical) directories, then whichever you choose will be fine.
Another option is one I use for some utilities and applications, which is making use of System 7 (and later)'s Alias feature. Downsides are it doesn't work in System 6 or earlier and that if I needed to move to a larger disk for whatever reason, all the aliases will break... but otherwise it seems ideal. I can keep my existing organization and still provide direct access to each of these game types.
Yes, I do like some sorting by categories
In my personal Apple II curation I've created a separate folder for Arcade ports (and very directly inspired variants) just because they are so many and are a bit less interesting to me than Apple II originals.
I stil play them but it's a deliberate decision to explore the Apple II Arcade. I'd say the same goes for some Mac games e.g. HyperCard or World builder.
