ADFFS future feature testing

[JonAbbott]

Now that we're finally out of beta, I'm going to start turning on features that are currently disabled for the next release. In order, we need to test builds with the following features turned on:

• PLL VSync (every game needs testing)
• Localized APCS-R CLib (APCS-R based games need testing)
• Unprivileged IRQ entry (every game needs testing)

PLL VSync
This was developed quite some time ago, to get around the issue of counting VSync and to provide games with a more accurate 50Hz VSync. It was disabled shortly after being developed, because it broke SWIV and possibly other games that have tight requirements around the order of VSync and TickerV IRQ's.

It turns out however that SWIV is having issues at 50Hz, regardless of the way VSync is generated, but I felt it wiser to leave this off for the first non-beta release so it could be tested in isolation.


Localized APCS-R Clib
This removes the requirement for C lib calls to be translated to APCS-32. APCS-A is already implemented in this way.


Unprivileged IRQ entry
IRQ's are the only code entries that currently run elevated under ADFFS, all other code runs as USER to ensure the Hypervisor is running at a higher privilege level.


Known game issues that need investigating
Alerion - fire sounds are incorrect (fixed with updated obey.zip)
Blaston (Eterna) - sometimes crashes on a black screen whilst loading (fixed with updated Modules)
Blitz - crashing whilst loading with PLL VSync (fixed with updated obey.zip)
BlowPipe - can't exit shop (fixed with updated floppy images, updated Modules and RISCOS 5.23 27-10-16)
Boogie Buggie - hangs after swapping to disc 3 (fixed with updated Modules and obey.zip)
Command Ship - hangs loading (fixed with updated obey.zip)
The Crystal Maze - can't swap floppies outside of JIT (fixed with updated Modules)
The Exotic Adventures of Sylvia Layne - sometimes fails to notice disc changes (fixed with updated Modules)
The Exotic Adventures of Sylvia Layne - Samples play back at the wrong speed (fixed with updated DTT Module)
Grievous Bodily 'ARM - scrolling issue (fixed with updated Modules and obey.zip)
PowerBand (all versions) - "Too many vector claims" (fixed with updated Modules)
Pysanki - music isn't correct (fixed with updated obey.zip)
Pysanki - music stutters (fixed with updated obey.zip)
Quark - randomly crashes after swapping discs and pressing ESC to continue (fixed with updated Modules)
Saloon Cars Deluxe - illegal instructions when driving (fixed with updated obey.zip)
Sensible Soccer - palette issue (fixed with updated Modules and obey.zip)
Sporting Triangles - too fast (fixed with updated obey.zip)
StarTrader - needs slowing down and key debounce (fixed with updated obey.zip)
SWIV - hangs when VSync is 50hz (fixed with updated obey.zip)
SWIV - pressing a function key on the title screen locks the machine (fixed with updated obey.zip)
Top Banana - jittery (fixed with updated obey.zip)

Asylum - runs at half framerate
Birds of War - crashes swapping disks
Blaston (Uffenkamp Computer Systeme) - menu needs slowing down
Bubble Impact - flickers and doesn't shut down the JIT when exiting via it's exit option
Caverns - ship/score flicker
Empire Soccer '94 - randomly crashes
Enter the Realm - screen borders aren't correct
Enthar Seven - doesn't show the intro text on the Pi, and has issues if the OS boot sequence runs on RO3.x
Kaptain Konflict - randomly no sprites
Logic Mania: Tilt - Font palette is incorrect
MiG-29 Fulcrum - randomly crashing (tested on Pi2)
The Olympics - graphics corruption as it scrolls vertically
PowerBand (all versions) - frame rate slows after playing for a few minutes
Rockfall - crashes if left on the demo loop
Small - SpiralVibe Module crashes
Stunt Racer 2000 - needs VSync waits in the menu transitions
Super Snail - randomly crashes (on Pi2, okay on Pi3)
Thundermonk - fire/character are plotted at the wrong time
Manchester United - title page needs a VSync delay
Wonderland - randomly hangs
World Class Leaderboard - needs slowing down


Localized APCS-R issues
Alone in the Dark - Crashes: Uncaught trap - Internal error, undefined instruction at &2027459C (fixed with updated Modules)
Empire Soccer '94 - Crashes after title screen (fixed with updated Modules)
Populous - Hangs when clicking on START GAME (fixed with updated Modules)

[JonAbbott]

A build of 2.60 is on the dev site, which enables PLL VSync. We need to test every known working game and see what it breaks.

There's also an updated TrackerMod Module, which needs to go into the !ADFFS.trackers directory. Whilst recording YouTube videos this morning, I noticed some odd errors when quitting games using TrackerMod. On further investigation, it was down to a long running bug in TrackerMod that I'd failed to spot when I was updating it for the 2.59 release.

[Vanfanel]

@Jon: I will resume my testing now. Is a Pi2 viable as a testing machine or should I still use a Pi1?

[JonAbbott]

Any Pi will do, just be aware of the five games that don't work on ARMv7 (see the 2.59 testing notes)

[hubersn]

You're moving too fast for me...I currently face hardware problems with my A3000, maybe caused by the replacement PSU (the original PSU blew up a few weeks ago). If I can't get it stable again, I will try to resurrect the A310 instead.

[JonAbbott]

You're moving too fast for me...I currently face hardware problems with my A3000

You can't halt progress! You can stop worrying though, this testing is only applicable to GPU based machines (Iyonix and newer.)

[Vanfanel]

@Jon: Every game I try seems to be hanging on me after some frames, in a matter of seconds. Music or audio keeps playing but image freezes.
I am on a 50Hz setup as you know. Testing on Pi1.

[JonAbbott]

Ahh, I'll recheck the code. I thought I'd removed all the 50Hz code, but could have missed something.

[JonAbbott]

Try the latest version.

[Vanfanel]

@Jon: Most games seem to work with latest version.
Tested and working OK:

-2067 BC
-Arcedium
-Arcturus
-Arc Pinball
-Agressor
-Air Supremacy
-Axis
-Ballarena
-BattleChess
-Bambuzzle
-Big Bang
-Blood Sport
-Blood Lust
-BlowPipe
-Bubble Fair
-Bug Hunter in Space
-Burn'Out
-Cannon Fodder
-Carnage Inc.
-Cataclysm
-Caverns
-Cobalt Seed
-Confusion
-Corruption
-Chaos Spheres
-Chequered flag
-Chocks Away
-Chopper Force
-Chuck Rock
-Cyber Ape
-Dark Wood
-Deeva
-DeadLine
-Diggers
-Drifter
-Drop Ship
-Dungeon, The
-E-Type
-Enter the Realm
-Empire Soccer
-Fireball II
-Fire & Ice
-Fine Racer
-FlashBack
-Freddy's Folly
-Galactic Dan
-Gribby's Day Out
-Grevious Bodily Arm (With know scrollin issues)
-Groundhog
-Gods
-Heimdall
-HeroQuest
-Holed Out!
-Hostages
-Hoverbod
-Ibix the Viking
-Inertia
-Inferno
-James Pond
-James Pond II: Robocod+
-Jet Fighter
-Jinxter
-Kaptain Konflict
-Lemmings
-Lemmings 2: The Tribes
-Lotus 2
-Mad Professor Mariarty
-Maddingly Hall
-Magnetoids
-Magic Pockets
-Memory Magic
-Merp
-Mig-29 Fulcrum
-Minotaur
-Mirror Image
-Missile Control
-Nebulus
-Nevryon
-No Excuses
-Last Ninja
-Orion
-Oh No More Lemmings
-Overload
-Pacmania
-Pandora's Box
-Paradroid 2000
-PipeMania
-Poizone
-Populous
-Powerband
-Quazer
-Revolver
-Red Shift
-Rekall
-Revelation
-Rick Dangerous
-Rise in Crime
-Rockfall
-Rotor
-Simon The Sorcerer
-Silver Ball
-Slappit
-Speedball 2
-Spobbleboid
-Spobbleboid Fantasy
-Starch
-Stranded
-Stunt Racer 2000
-Super Snail
-Tactic
-Talisman
-Technodream
-The Pawn
-The Guild of Thieves
-The Legend of the Lost Temple
-ThunderMonk
-Top Banana
-Tower of Babel
-White Magic
-Wolfenstein 3D
-Wonderland
-Xenon2
-Zarch
-Zelanities: The Onslaugh
-Zodiac Aries: Square Route

These I have found to fail so far:

-Blast On: Black screen upon launch. (Works on 2.59) (fixed with updated Modules)
-Command Ship: hangs on mission select screen. Sometimes it hangs earlier on the "Please Wait" banner. (FAILS on 2.59 TOO) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
-Quark: Crashes after swapping discs and pressing ESC to continue (FAILS on 2.59 TOO) (fixed with updated Modules)
-Alone in the Dark: Hangs with error before protection, while passing the credits book pages. (Works on 2.59) (fixed with updated Modules?)
-Blitz!: Crashes loading (works on 2.59) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
-SWIV: Hangs after seconds on the title screen. (FAILS on 2.59 TOO) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
-Dune II: Hangs with a blue screen with debug info while trying to skip the intro. (FAILS on 2.59 TOO)
-Elite: Internal error: no stack for trap handler: Internal error: undefined instruction at &FC011334, pc = FC011330: registers at 00065B1C. (FAILS on 2.59 TOO)

Games that don't quit cleanly via CTRL+SHIFT+F12:
- Aggressor (Desktop corrupt after quit) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
- Blood Sport (Desktop corrupt after quit) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
- Confusion (Corrupt title screen) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
- HeroQuest (running James Pond after running HeroQuest hangs James Pond on a black screen. So there's something HeroQuest doesn't clean on exit...) (fixed with updated Modules)
- Magnetoids (Doesn't show the "press space or mouse key to continue" prompt) (fixed with updated obey.zip)
- Oh No More Lemmings (Hangs on exit) (fixed with updated Modules)
- Technodream (Hangs on exit) (fixed with updated Modules)
- Repton 3 / Repton 3 Four Game Compilation - crash the machine shortly after pressing CTRL+SHIFT+F12 (fixed with updated Modules)
- Rick Dangerous (seems to exit cleanly, but leaves the mouse cursor in a state that it moves by itself) (Unable to reproduce)
- All games hang when pressing CTRL-SHIFT-F12 in 26bit RISCOS (fixed with updated Modules)

Localized APCS-R issues:
-Alone in the Dark: Crashes: Uncaught trap - Internal error, undefined instruction at &2027459C (fixed with updated Modules)
-DUNE2: Crash on blue screen (Unable to reproduce)
-Empire Soccer 94: Crashes after title screen (fixed with updated Modules)
-Populous: Hangs when clicking on START GAME (fixed with updated Modules)