MegaAGS 2022.02.22 Available

[tmznix]

Excellent work limi, and the rest of the team.
What are the new games that are added?

Cheers!

[limi]

For CD32 you would want to comment out the call for DF0: buffers as well as calls for the shared folder. That's pretty much it. It was a bit more involved with the build before this one.

Cool, we may be able to make those conditional. Thanks!

[limi]

What are the new games that are added?

Full changelog is here: https://github.com/Optiroc/AGSImager/commits/master

[retro]

This is a work-in-progress, and while there is no one “true aspect ratio” on Amiga CRT monitors — since they had adjustments for vertical and horizontal stretching — we have compared the MiSTer HDMI output to Commodore 1942 and 1084 CRT monitors, and have arrived at a 40:27 aspect ratio for all games that are not NTSC. The launcher will tell you what aspect ratio to use, but the majority use this new 40:27 setting. This is also the default if you follow the installation instructions in the ReadMe file and copy the config settings to your MiSTer. You can of course also add it manually.

Thanks for this!

Minimig was the one core I couldn't get to display right on my MiSTer, and this helped a ton!

[Grumpy-Old-Gamer]

Thanks for the great update

Been testing the past couple of days and been very impressed

I've not seen any issues with scanlines and filters like mentioned earlier in the thread either

[Fed]

Noob question... Should I copy the "config" folder or only it's content to /media/fat/games/Amiga ?

[LamerDeluxe]

Noob question... Should I copy the "config" folder or only it's content to /media/fat/games/Amiga ?

Copy the config contents to /media/fat/config

[Fed]

Noob question... Should I copy the "config" folder or only it's content to /media/fat/games/Amiga ?

Copy the config contents to /media/fat/config

Thanks !

[Solskogen]

Don't now if you take bugreports in this thread but I've noticed that if you let Lotus 2 run for a while (20min-ish) during the title screen it will crash:

Code: Select all

Function 'resload_DiskLoad' called with unacceptable arguments

[Aspie]

Great work, love the Mega AGS.

Just a quick question. Is DF0: disabled? I have a save disk with saves for Frontier Elite II, but when I run Frontier from the Mega AGS then try to load a save from floppy nothing shows up.

Thanks

[metalfacemark]

pretty cool, i like how they have seperated out the MT32 stuff!

[danytyler]

Great work.
Been testing today, and with a normal a500, a600 or a1200 setting, on crt tv, a lot of games in the build don't look right, the image is stretched vertically, like a forced ntsc.
The problem is that the option to force pal is not permanent, when restarting the core everything looks bad again.

[clarkkent]

I‘m really excited about the new update! But the game „Final Odyssey“ is still missing.

[limi]

Don't now if you take bugreports in this thread but I've noticed that if you let Lotus 2 run for a while (20min-ish) during the title screen it will crash:

Code: Select all

Function 'resload_DiskLoad' called with unacceptable arguments

This is probably a WHDLoad bug, can you reproduce on a real Amiga?

[limi]

Been testing today, and with a normal a500, a600 or a1200 setting, on crt tv, a lot of games in the build don't look right, the image is stretched vertically, like a forced ntsc.

We haven’t done anything that should affect CRTs via analog video out. Unless you are talking about being used to games that you ran in PAL that should really be in NTSC, like e.g. Defender of the Crown. There is one exception, we put shoot’em-ups in NTSC when they work in that format, since 60hz is smoother for gameplay there. But if you have a particular game that you think should be in PAL but is currently in NTSC, do let us know.

The problem is that the option to force pal is not permanent, when restarting the core everything looks bad again.

We cannot persist this setting, as you would be able to get into a state where you wouldn’t be able to switch it back to NTSC. If you are using the image with US CRTs that usually don’t support PAL, you would be in trouble. It has to be temporary.

[limi]

I‘m really excited about the new update! But the game „Final Odyssey“ is still missing.

There is no WHDLoad image for this game, as far as I am aware.

[Optiroc]

The problem is that the option to force pal is not permanent, when restarting the core everything looks bad again.

We cannot persist this setting, as you would be able to get into a state where you wouldn’t be able to switch it back to NTSC. If you are using the image with US CRTs that usually don’t support PAL, you would be in trouble. It has to be temporary.

If you absolutely want to persist the setting, you can run "echo "PAL" >ENVARC:whdlvmode" from CLI.

[allyourbasekris]

Just had a go of the new MegaAGS, fantastic work folks. I'm also really enjoying the mt32 games that have been added. Thanks Limi and Optiroc.

[bfbiii]

I‘m really excited about the new update! But the game „Final Odyssey“ is still missing.

There is no WHDLoad image for this game, as far as I am aware.

Final Odyssey is available in Aladin folder from EAB
"FinalOdysseyECSAGA-WHDL.lha"

Turran FTP search will name the full address

[limi]

Final Odyssey is available in Aladin folder from EAB

Cool, we might be able to add a script entry for it, then. I just couldn’t find it when searching on the WHDLoad site

[FoxbatStargazer]

I don't have this issue with anything else other than AGS. For some reason vertical cropping is not working correctly.

That is indeed interesting. I will take a look.

I did some more testing...

Sensible World of Soccer = bad scanlines*
Saint Dragon = good scanlines (I can see game actually cropping)
Woodys World x5 Pal60 = good scanlines (but game is too fast like this)
Woodys World forced 50hz = bad scanlines

Hope this helps!

*With Bad Scanlines I mean non properly distributed scanlines when using Video Processing -> Sony Trinitron or JVC. This happens generally when display is stretched, not integer scaled

You might have noticed this but Sensi and Woody's World forced 50hz are both 4x cut, while the other two are 5x.

You haven't stated what resolution you are using. At 1080p both 4x and 5x cut are always integer scaled, *if* you have set in the menu "video area by blank" (NOT +). At other resolutions this probably won't be true, so one or both may not be integer scaled when using "normal" scaling. Note that if you haven't ever set your resolution in Mister it will default to 720p which is going to behave pretty different. If your TV can handle 1080p, that's really more what the 4x/5x cuts in MegaAGS have been designed around so try that.

One issue with different scaling sizes (cuts) is that while the scanline positions will adjust with the content, the shadow mask part of the video presets (looks like "vertical" scanlines but not quite) is always the same for a given monitor resolution. You can also think of the mask as always being forced into integer scaling, in fact the same integer scaling regardless of content zoom. While I think the new horizontal scanlines usually look pretty good on their own even in non-integer scales, when you combine that with a shadow mask, it can create interference patterns.

Basically try forcing scaling to v-integer instead of normal, or else go into the video settings and try disabling the shadow mask (click on the shadow mask 1x and cycle through till its disabled). If either resolves your problem it comes down to interference from non-integer scanlines vs the mask.

[limi]

Thanks for pointing that out, I guess we should be very explicit about 1080p being required for the 5×/6× scale, will update the first post to list it as a requirement.

[LamerDeluxe]

I'm also really enjoying the mt32 games that have been added. Thanks Limi and Optiroc.

Good to hear that! I fixed those games to work with the MT-32, for the MegaAGS pack. A few of them already had a WHDLoad option for that.

I tried to get those games working with my Amiga in the nineties, when I had an actual MT-32, but never succeeded. I had been under the impression that there was no actual working support. So it was kind of a dream come true to finally get them to work.

[clarkkent]

I‘m really excited about the new update! But the game „Final Odyssey“ is still missing.

There is no WHDLoad image for this game, as far as I am aware.

Final Odyssey is available in Aladin folder from EAB
"FinalOdysseyECSAGA-WHDL.lha"

Turran FTP search will name the full address

The Aladin folder is a real goldmine - many things to consider to add to MegaAGS.
ftp://grandis.nu/~Uploads/Aladin

A request for controlling the interface: what about pressing the second firebutton (if available) to exit a menu instead of selecting the two points on the top?

[allyourbasekris]

I'm also really enjoying the mt32 games that have been added. Thanks Limi and Optiroc.

Good to hear that! I fixed those games to work with the MT-32, for the MegaAGS pack. A few of them already had a WHDLoad option for that.

I tried to get those games working with my Amiga in the nineties, when I had an actual MT-32, but never succeeded. I had been under the impression that there was no actual working support. So it was kind of a dream come true to finally get them to work.

My apologies for not thanking you too. Thanks for the hard work.

[LamerDeluxe]

I'm also really enjoying the mt32 games that have been added. Thanks Limi and Optiroc.

Good to hear that! I fixed those games to work with the MT-32, for the MegaAGS pack. A few of them already had a WHDLoad option for that.

I tried to get those games working with my Amiga in the nineties, when I had an actual MT-32, but never succeeded. I had been under the impression that there was no actual working support. So it was kind of a dream come true to finally get them to work.

My apologies for not thanking you too. Thanks for the hard work.

Thanks, no problem, you didn't know. I'm happy that thanks to MegaAGS it can be shared with everyone interested.

@Limi: Is there a way to add a list of your own favorites?

[limi]

A request for controlling the interface: what about pressing the second firebutton (if available) to exit a menu instead of selecting the two points on the top?

Yes, I have discussed this with StatMat as a potential future feature for AGS — since the CD32 controller has 4 buttons, and most people using MiSTer with 2-4 button controllers, it is possible. Current ideas are back navigation, a button that would show e.g. game reviews and/or control documentation or scans of the game manual. Stay tuned.

[limi]

Thanks, no problem, you didn't know. I'm happy that thanks to MegaAGS it can be shared with everyone interested.

Yes, I should have mentioned it in the original announcement, will rectify that by editing the post. It was late when I wrote it, so I simply forgot

@Limi: Is there a way to add a list of your own favorites?

Not at the moment! But yes, one of the 4 buttons could certainly be used for this, with keyboard shortcuts as fallback. Probably a bit of work to implement, and since the launcher is written in Amiga E, we’ll have to enlist the help of people that know that language.

[Solskogen]

Don't now if you take bugreports in this thread but I've noticed that if you let Lotus 2 run for a while (20min-ish) during the title screen it will crash:

Code: Select all

Function 'resload_DiskLoad' called with unacceptable arguments

This is probably a WHDLoad bug, can you reproduce on a real Amiga?

Don't have one, sorry. But I can try to emulate it on my Pi to see if it happens there as well.

[limi]

Don't have one, sorry. But I can try to emulate it on my Pi to see if it happens there as well.

Great! That should at least help narrow it down.