Born Dead #0E 19 декабря 1999

Креатив

Spite of the day - How to (!) Do disc versions for ZX Spectrum.

                         Topical


(C) UnBEL! EVER ^ XTM

Let's look at it can still be found a thing as a release
disk version of the game, for example, old and all had long
known, but lost before a picture or an original
128K music, or additional levels. It would seem, well, what
then such a complex, tyap-boo-boo and you're done! However, if 
you want to make this deal, as they say, the top five, you'll 
need read nizhenapisannoe - as if my vision is correct,

actual release.

For example, reimburse two disc version of the game FLYING 
SHARK (by GRAFTGOLD'87). So much in this game, I think, all in 
due time played:) So, compare two disc version of this 
masterpiece: 

Disk version ..... AMD
Size .............. 118 sectors
Release Date ......... 06.02.98
Availability cheat'ov .... infinite life
Availability intro ....... is, as the game itself

                     can work from 48K

Disk version ..... Eternity Industry
Size .............. 139 sectors
Release Date ......... 12.02.99
Availability cheat'ov .... infinite life / bombs
Availability intro ....... is, as the game itself

                     can work from 48K

I consider these two versions, because they are approximately
odogo level - do not want to go down to the beginning of the 
90th, when not what code block pack, trainer, and not all could

insert. Although, if you go in this direction, there was 
another, just awful ispoganennaya version FLYING SHARK, made

SILICON BRAINS and claiming for 128k.

So, what caused two different teams to the difference in one 
year issue to the masses on the disk version of the game? 
Factor release in This and many other cases the same, in playful

Hacker gets his hands more or less complete version of his 
favorite game.


So what do these various releases on the merits? Let's begin ...

In both cases, there is important - Front picture
which was previously hardly met in the cassette / disk
versions. However, if AMD'shniki simply left unchanged
The original screen, then EI is processed picture wicked softiny
called Screen Optimizer. Thus, a number of buggy
analogues in the first version of the image will be visible 
characteristic "Border" familiarity, whereas in Kovrov 
F_SHARK'e can really enjoy the picture in full. However,

remains another problem: time display of a picture. It
equals the loading time + time of unpacking and insufficient
for a complete perception of the splash image.

Trainer'y available in both versions, but the EI, but life can 
be to include more and infinite bombs! It might seem cool, but 
only for first sight ... Flying Shark - game sufficiently well

balanced, and even a novice, in principle, not difficult to 
reach the third level. Well, with the eternal life you are just 
doomed to the passing game. But the endless bomb ... hmm, why 
then all game necessary? If every 10 seconds, you can blow up

smart-bomb and destroy, thus all the enemies?? Clearly
It can be seen that this type of trainer'a in the game totally 
out of place, so it enables us to pass it within a few minutes: 
( 

That, apparently, two versions of one game each in their own
good, but even if all their advantages together, the ideal
"Release" and not be able to ... "So what should look like
perfect release? "- you ask me. And here's how:

1) Intro. It is desirable that it is either non-existent or
was really interesting. Intro should not dramatically increase
size of the game. Especially, intro should not eg 128K only,
if the game itself 48/128k. Since the intro is most often done 
for messages about themselves and choice trainer'ov, in the case

absence intro se, choice cheat mode can
implement through retention one or several shortcuts while
downloading a game. And explanatory text about yourself, the 
author of this steep disk version and the same button to turn 
cheat'ov can write to the unused portion of the basic loader'a, 
where it will find inquisitive strangers bytes lovers enjoying 
Best View, or any Disk Doctor'om.


By the way, if you still have the game or any other
product is large and ferocious intro, should have one
a small detail - the possibility to skip this whole "foreplay."
Before unpacking and launching intro check - not clicked whether
user any knopochku eg SPACE ... Why give
person to check your masterpiece intro'stroeniya??
There are two main reasons: firstly, the process of unpacking 
and decrunching'a intro is often quite long, but sometimes you 
need just a quick download and no time to wait. However, the 
most the main thing - it's second. And secondly it is possible 
the following - program or a game on this particular computer 
will work without problems, but the intro, bolted at the 
beginning, due to some technical features just hang! Of course, 
you can provide all of these "technical features" (full

Addressing port records the slow memory bus glyuchaschaya
data etc. ..) but easier write intro way you
it's convenient (albeit with a wicked "turning" a Pentagon 
only!), when providing this opportunity to pass all this anger 
in the its infancy ...


2) Trainers. Certainly, bad be same steep as Max
Iwamoto, for example, in the same HUDSON HAWK, but also a 
measure to know not bad. Trainer'ov should be as much as you! 
But when this into play must be wondering playing even if all

proposed user cheat'y included. It is appropriate
remember Rodionova and it has become a classic release of the 
game R-TYPE the so-called invisible mode. When activating this 
mode in the game does not have to play - just sit and watch that

done. By the way, if you or friends you people are able to pass
specific program without any trainer'ov, then they're not
Need! Programmers were simply freaks, which made impassable
games, and were normal people ...

3) Title Screen. If not, then you probably do quite
not the full version of the game as more or less full
program had a title screen in one or another kind. Here is the
important - that people managed to see the picture, unless of 
course it's worth it. Therefore provides no special

keys, or make deliberate pause after boot, but still
better than both.

The second problem savers are the very same strip at the 
junction different attributes, which are formed on the screen a 
number of machines (in including the Pentagon) with a properly 
implemented schemes formation of the screen. So, most of these 
strips can be easily get rid of, and simultaneously cause the 
picture to a common denominator in sense of black and white of 
her vision. The fact that the artists paint as they are comes 
into my head, for which they in principle can not be blame: 
"The picture looks in color? So everything is OK," said they .. 
However, it should look at this masterpiece in b / w ... there 
familiarity inverted, there is not - just what a chaos! 

So, there is such a powerful softina - Screen Optimizer by
PSW / Dream Team'94. Georgia her screen and choose para Auto
Optimize (two to three times). After this procedure, visually 
(in color) image will not change, but pixel'nom level occur

global change (!). Treated in this way a picture
dorisovyvat easier, you can print to the printer in b / w, it
will look better in color - will disappear in the majority
"Lines" at the junction of familiarity, well, and finally to 99%
SO treated better picture is packed! It should only be
guard against all kinds of signs, closed the attributes of one
colors - they erased because opinion SO, if their not visible 
then Nehram them generally on picture hang.


I would urged "pass" on picture Screen
Optimizer'om not only in preparing the title screen capable of
diskofitsiruemoy game, but actually by the artist, after
finishing work on his masterpiece. Incidentally, these same 
"strip" at the junction of familiarity with the issue head 
konverchennuyu with PC graphics, because ZXC manages several 
proinvertirovat familiarity, even in If converting ordinary 
2color pictures. 

4) Dimensions. Nowadays somehow unserious renounce
packaging programs. However, even when using compressors
should exercise more brains and wit. Use a
extractor, aim to pack a large block of memory
instead of two to four small, in general, know how to save on
everything! Personally, I always like to see a file with a 
complete game, without unnecessary frills and occupies less 
than 100 sectors. 

5) loader. If the game does not have podgruzok, read / write
Deferred sosotoyaniya or table records, using
anything other than # 3d13, seems blasphemous! However, even if
you out of the game to load the next block bodrenko,
try to still strive for a standard entry point
TR-DOS. Be aware of the existence of "Screw", machines with
"Hell-knows-how" implementing the controller Beta-Disk'a or
any of various unhealthy / hacker version of TR-DOS'a ...

6) Restore. Basically, if you decided something unreleased, we
probably already stocked fully working version, which
in theory, does not require that at the dawn release was aptly
called restoring'om. Although even genuine, branded version
not without its bugs are often branded as that, wherever 
possible certainly desirable po_fix_it (see Great CodeMasters

Collection by Titus). This also should include correction of 
the survey Kempston Joystick'a and switching the pages of 
memory. And then else better to do, "the rules" to all later

working ...

7) Fix. Pile of toys has Border Fx, Multicolor or simply
accurate fix redraw the screen at a certain type of timing
burzhuinskogo Spectrum. Curbstones effects we often not
notice, multicolor mistaken for a flash attribute (such as
need), and "tearing" scroll the screen refer to the conscience 
neumevshih burzhuinov write games. But if you turn your hands 
(!) Delay then the border and multicolor stand on their seats, 
let alone "tearing" Screen (by the way he and FLYING SHARK'e 
present) rules in 90% cases with sex-kick. " Even if you can 
not bring the game to as "ecstatic" at least pretend that you

tried:)

"'s Ambitious," "shimmering," "glyuchaschee" image - a 99%
cases of wine timing'a our clones. After all, the more we 
PENTAGON'e just see the game quite the way she looked "out 
there" in "Them." That's why you should pay attention to the 
regeneration of screen and in which case fix'it her under 
PENTAGON, but not "rigidly" and allowing the user to choose the 
original version or po_fix_ennuyu regeneration of the screen. 
(See, for example, made by me version ACTION FORCE).


By the way, the problem of incorrect screen redraw occurs
almost every game (if you run them both at the domestic
clones in general, and on PENTAGON'ah in particular), although 
fatal she becomes much rarer (eg DOC THE DESTROER generally

it was impossible to play - the hero was not visible:) I 
recently decided to my favorite unreleased SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, 
the more that I found version with the title screen. Just 
wanted to get to work, as glancing at gaming screen concluded: 
"glyuchit, moreover severely. "it was decided za_fix_it, but 
because in my hands was not. tzx, and gnilovaty. z80 .... In 
short, I find more high quality version - be sure za_fix'yu:)


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Hope you note this brief conspectus beginner
"Relizera and will beget only
quality disc version!