ADFFS 2.41 beta

Discuss ADFFS development and download test releases
Vanfanel
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:01 am

Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by Vanfanel »

Magic Pockets works again :)
I've detected another regression with today's module: Pac Mania now fails with a data transfer error.
Appart from that, 2067BC shows HEAVY flickering in-game, to the point it's unplayable, and sometimes it hangs on a screen with a floppy disk with the LOADING message.
Two games that are "almost there" are GODS (as you said) and James Pond II, along with Cannon Fodder :P
JonAbbott
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Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by JonAbbott »

Vanfanel wrote:Pac Mania now fails with a data transfer error.
I'll look into it
Vanfanel wrote:2067BC shows HEAVY flickering in-game, to the point it's unplayable
Interesting you should say that as I was expecting it to flicker but was surprised to see it didn't on my Pi.
Vanfanel wrote:sometimes it hangs on a screen with a floppy disk with the LOADING message.
Is that when you try to start the first level, or further into the game?
Vanfanel wrote:Two games that are "almost there" are GODS (as you said) and James Pond II, along with Cannon Fodder
I've not tested James pond II as it requires 26bit module support. Cannon Fodder, Chuck Rock, Gods, Heimdall and Oh, No! More Lemmings, I believe the issue with them is codelet re-entrancy due to interrupts occurring in codelets that are then called by the interrupt routine. I've been investigating ways to solve that particular issue today but haven't come up with a solution I'm happy with yet.

Once I've solved that, the next issues to resolve are:

1. Codelet reuse when code is self modified (which should fix Battle Chess)
2. Sound buffering to fix the mismatch between the buffer size the game wants and the fixed size on the Pi

I don't plan on looking at 26bit modules or WIMP support for a while yet, I want to iron the other issues out first.
JonAbbott
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Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by JonAbbott »

Vanfanel wrote:Pac Mania now fails with a data transfer error.
The issue is in the Instantiate code for Voice Generator 1. It calls Sound_Configure to get the OS's log table address and then fails to exit properly. What I don't understand is that Voice Generators 2-4 are identical to 1 and they work okay.

EDIT: The SoE is:

Code: Select all

706E4 SWI Sound_InstallVoice (CPU is in User) - this triggers a call to the Instantiate entry point:
6FF10 STMDB R13!, {R0-R4}
...
6FF28 SWI Sound_Configure
...
6FF34 LDMIA R13!, {R0-R4, PC}
706E8 <--- CPU is now in SVC, it should be in User
If I NOP the SWI @ 6FF28 the CPU remains in User, so it's either an issue with Sound_Configure or nested SWI's
JonAbbott
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Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by JonAbbott »

The issue with Pac-mania is fixed in the latest dev build.

Sound_InstallVoice calls the Instantiate entry of the Voice Generator its installing, that was in turn calling Sound_Configure - both SWI's are hypervised and the hypervisor doesn't support SWI re-entrancy. It was a simple matter of changing Sound_InstallVoice to have it's own private state so the hypervisor can be re-entered.

With this issue resolved, MiG-29 gets into the training, you can taxi down the runway although there's no sound and it will hang at a random point - probably sound related.
Vanfanel
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Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by Vanfanel »


Is that when you try to start the first level, or further into the game?
2067BC hangs sometimes when starting the first level.

Pac-mania works again. Yay!
I'll re-test all other games ASAP to look for regressions.
JonAbbott
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Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by JonAbbott »

Vanfanel wrote:2067BC hangs sometimes when starting the first level.

Pac-mania works again. Yay!
I'll re-test all other games ASAP to look for regressions.
I need to wrap up development and release 2.42 by the end of next week. I'll be doing a few months work to fund another year of development, so will need to put things on hold until I get back. I may do the odd bit of development at weekends, but don't expect I'll get much done due to the limited amount of time I'll have.

I've still not seen Steve's replacement blitter, so that will be on hold as well unfortunately. However I am still planning on speaking at ROUGOL in June, although it will largely depend on being released for the day so I can get to London in time.
Vanfanel
Posts: 576
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Re: ADFFS 2.41 beta

Post by Vanfanel »

I have no money to travel to London (or any other place) but I'd love to see your speak. I hope someone records it on video and uploads it! :)
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