I have a question about playing old games on OS4 for Phase5-cards.
I think there is no doubt that EUAE is too slow for it. But what about WHDLOAD? In theory, WHDLOAD should be able to access the Amiga custom chipset (AGA) and the 680x0 CPU. But will it work? It would be great if I could start old Amiga-games directly from OS4 without rebooting to Workbench 3.9!
I have read on Morphzone that some Polish dude managed to run some 68060 AGA demos from Morphos and they ran perfect and fast.
Can somebody, maybe a betatester, tell me if this is also possible in OS4? Maybe WHDLOAD can be adapted for OS4?
I have my doubts that this works, unless these games work while running tools like Enforcer in the background. AmigaOS 4.0 is much more picky when it comes to "random" memory access. For example, while a NULL pointer access on OS 3.x may go unnoticed (or, even more likely, crash on an entirely different place) this will cause a program to crash outright on AmigaOS 4.0
So, in general, I don't think you can say yes or no. It's would depend on both WHDLoad and the individual program.
Seriously, if you do want to contact me write me a mail. You're more likely to get a reply then.
Thanks for your reply. Let's hope that someone will work around the caveats and get it to work. Maybe in the future, when OS4 is more available, especially on the Classic platforms, someone from the WHDLOAD-team will work on it and get it to run on OS4.
I prefer the old games instead of the new SDL-games and it would be very cool if I could run them directly from the OS4 desktop. Fingers crossed.
One of our beta testers tried some WHDLoad game and it failed. It seems that WHDLoad does a few very strange things which might not work on OS 4, but I don't have any clue about it so I cannot really comment on the likelihood of it ever working.
Seriously, if you do want to contact me write me a mail. You're more likely to get a reply then.
OK, i maybe alrealy outdated on the info here, but i think one of the core devs of OS4 mentioned that the 68k cpu will be completely switched off when running OS4.
You may have to wait for a comment by the core devs, to get an official statement, though
Wepl wrote: The current WHDLoad cannot work under AOS4 because it wont work inside 68k emulation. It takes over the operating system...
That need not necessarily rule it out. The emulator is mostly independent of the OS (at least the interpreted one), it's basically just a tight loop.
It really mostly depends on what it is doing...
Quote:
Technically it should be possible because the hardware is present (CSPPC/BlizzardPPC only).
The question is if AOS4 offers a way to use the 68k cpu. As long as I have no AOS4 I cannot do any investigations. We will see what the future brings.
There is no way that you can actually use the 68k anymore. The boot loader patches a rom routine that puts the CPU into a HALT so it doesn't use memory cycles.
Seriously, if you do want to contact me write me a mail. You're more likely to get a reply then.
There is no way that you can actually use the 68k anymore. The boot loader patches a rom routine that puts the CPU into a HALT so it doesn't use memory cycles.
In that case there will be no WHDLoad for AOS4. A full emulation using UAE must be used instead.
UAE whit interpreted emulation probably be tiny bit slow on classic system
On the other hand if is possible to use memory virtualization feature under OS4 to fake the memory map of classic system, then maybe UAE can run on top OS4 JIT emulation, just imagine the speed benefit, if you have stock 68020 CPU at 12 mhz, whit OS4 JIT most likely get 680X0 whit 50+ Mhz under emulation even on slow PowerPC 604, 200 Mhz PowerUP card.
(NutsAboutAmiga)
Basilisk II for AmigaOS4 AmigaInputAnywhere Excalibur and other tools and apps.
Or perhaps we can convince Hyperion to create a tool that can emulate BOTH the AGA chipset and a 68k CPU for WHDLoad installed games. And under "Icon Info" WHDLoad just has to be replaced with this tool. It may be difficult - but not impossible - to create.
Yes I know it may sound insane, but that could also be a possible solution to WHDLoad installed games under AOS 4.
I am a registered user of WHDLoad too. So I would also be happy if some other solution than using UAE can be maded.
AGA chipset and a 68k CPU for WHDLoad installed games
Now you?re taking what E-UAE does.
A Classic Amiga does not need to emulate Chipsets, but it will require some smart MMU mappings maybe.
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And under "Icon Info" WHDLoad just has to be replaced with this tool. It may be difficult - but not impossible - to create.
I all ready wrote a tool like that?
My program is called WHDLoad just like the old 68k program, the only difference is instead of emulating anything, it writes a start-up script for the game in question and boot up AmigaDOS under E-UAE and then executes the game startup script and 68k version of WHDLoad.
Edited by LiveForIt on 2007/9/4 17:21:37
(NutsAboutAmiga)
Basilisk II for AmigaOS4 AmigaInputAnywhere Excalibur and other tools and apps.
LiveForIt wrote: UAE whit interpreted emulation probably be tiny bit slow on classic system
Yes. I would recommend a dual boot system with AOS3.x to run WHDLoad.
Quote:
On the other hand if is possible to use memory virtualization feature under OS4 to fake the memory map of classic system, then maybe UAE can run on top OS4 JIT emulation, just imagine the speed benefit, if you have stock 68020 CPU at 12 mhz, whit OS4 JIT most likely get 680X0 whit 50+ Mhz under emulation even on slow PowerPC 604, 200 Mhz PowerUP card.
This would be something to improve UAE. Not appropriate for WHDLoad because it also needs the cia/custom chips.
My program is called WHDLoad just like the old 68k program, the only difference is instead of emulating anything, it writes a start-up script for the game in question and boot up AmigaDOS under E-UAE and then executes the game startup script and 68k version of WHDLoad.
I'm glad to hear it. So it seem there is no problems at all. BTW: Where can I download this version of WHDLoad ?
I hope there is some instructions in how to use this version of WHDLoad aswell.
My program is called WHDLoad just like the old 68k program, the only difference is instead of emulating anything, it writes a start-up script for the game in question and boot up AmigaDOS under E-UAE and then executes the game startup script and 68k version of WHDLoad.
I'm glad to hear it. So it seem there is no problems at all. BTW: Where can I download this version of WHDLoad ?
I hope there is some instructions in how to use this version of WHDLoad aswell.
you find it on os4depot.net, ask me if you have problems.
I think this line are missing in startup-sequence:
makedir ram:t assign t: ram:t
Edited by LiveForIt on 2008/2/15 18:37:06
(NutsAboutAmiga)
Basilisk II for AmigaOS4 AmigaInputAnywhere Excalibur and other tools and apps.