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oziphantom
Registered: Oct 2014
Posts: 478 |
SD2IEC fastloader
Does anybody know of a system that fast loads, or a disassembly of a fast loader that SD2IEC supports? |
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MagerValp
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 1055 |
Sure, at least Dreamload, ULoad M3, and eload. |
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cadaver
Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 1153 |
Or license the Sam's Journey loader now that it's supported, if a 2-bit ATN-loader is OK for you :)
(not sure if it can be made to run a different game without changing the drivecode such that the checksum no longer matches) |
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Knight Rider
Registered: Mar 2005
Posts: 114 |
Fileload V2.1.2
It is not a fastloader for sd2iec, but is a fastloader for many drives and supports sd2iec. |
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cadaver
Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 1153 |
Is Fileload so that it detects a non-fastloader supported drive (SD2IEC, IDE64..) and installs a Kernal fallback? In that case it might not be what OP requires, as music / IRQs cannot run reliably. |
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oziphantom
Registered: Oct 2014
Posts: 478 |
indeed, I want fastload, preferably screen on and only SD2IEC, in that I would strip out all the other drive versions.
In that the SD2IEC is fast, well a LOT faster than a physical drive, so while I was going to be "cart only", the ability for me to put all the files into 1 directory on the SD2IEC means I don't have to deal with "Insert disk 3 side A"....."Insert disk 2 side B" ... game runs for a bit.. "Insert disk 1 side B" etc I can just pull any file as I please. Since there is no seek time plus a fastloader the pause while the SD2IEC pulls in data might not be "unlivable" for the cheap people/people who won't remove a 1541IIu/need a TC for VGA output from their machine ;)
Sam's loader, interesting idea, I will need to ask Chester about it. |
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Claus_2015
Registered: Oct 2012
Posts: 53 |
eload is the way to go for an sd2iec-only, smallest possible fastloader. You only need to send the string "eload" as drive code and off you go.
It is built into the sd2iec kernal (https://csdb.dk/release/?id=159050, source code is part of the zip), but as it is a kernal it is not superduper readable unfortunately. All relevant routines have "eload" in their name afair. |
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Krill
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2839 |
Quoting oziphantomindeed, I want fastload, preferably screen on and only SD2IEC, in that I would strip out all the other drive versions. Is that for a planned release of yours or just to play around for yourself?
Just asking because i think supporting SD2IEC and only that is quite a terrible idea.
Using the suggested "eload" after detecting SD2IEC but regular fastload for regular realdrives, otoh, would be pretty neat.
Claus_2015: Is eload capable of IRQ-loading? :) Because if so, could simply use that for my loader and scratch the old "add support to SD2IEC firmware" from my to-do list. |
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cadaver
Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 1153 |
Claus_2015: thanks for the hint, eload is .. interesting :) Practically you setup loading first with the stock routines, then upload the short "drivecode" and resume with a fast protocol.
It's a 2bit timed protocol, so you can't have sprites and IRQs will be delayed while it waits for badline clearance, but screen can be on, so would be OK for typical games. |
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oziphantom
Registered: Oct 2014
Posts: 478 |
This will be for a release. The game is "Cart only" basically. However there are people who have what I call "Welded devices" attached to their machines, and they are welded in. Since the game is Gmod2, it won't work on anything but hardware or VICE. For the Mini one can just make it a Ocean 512K cart and pop up a screen that says "take snapshot now to save". So that is those bases covered(Hardware + Emulator + Mini) This however still leaves the welded and the people who can't afford a cart edition in the lurch. To which I take that sd2iec are somewhat ubiquitous these days particularly with the more casual user, 1541uII is for the hardcore user. But I feel that
1541IIu+ hundreds (probably has reach over a 1000 though)
sd2iec thousands
and then most 1541II users probably started with a sd2iec and then realized it didn't give them enough of what they want and then upgraded. So with this I might be able to make a "good enough" experience that uses the SD2IEC. If it was to be done on a 1541 physical disk you have the following cases..
Bit of game...
Please insert Disk 3 Side A
...seek
...load
Please insert Disk 2 Side B
...seek
...load
Bit more game...
Please insert Disk 1 Side A
If the game gets a 128 native version, then what would give me an extra "80K" over a C64 version, and given a 1571 doubled sided disk it would drop the disk flipping down to half, and I could load with burst.. but lots of work very little gain.
SD2IEC I can put all the files in a flat directory so I can just grab any file I want at any point, with a fast loader it shouldn't take too long, to fetch a bitmap portrait here, some dialog text there, battle animation here, level script there etc It will still pause and stutter a bit, but might be "livable"
If not the "can't afford a cart" people will be in the lurch and I could use the REU capabilities of the 1541UII and TC to make up for the lack of cart. |
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oziphantom
Registered: Oct 2014
Posts: 478 |
Quoting cadaverClaus_2015: thanks for the hint, eload is .. interesting :) Practically you setup loading first with the stock routines, then upload the short "drivecode" and resume with a fast protocol.
It's a 2bit timed protocol, so you can't have sprites and IRQs will be delayed while it waits for badline clearance, but screen can be on, so would be OK for typical games.
Typical games have sprites on the screen though. If I have sprites I could probably turn them off while loading, but I feel my game is unique in this aspect.
However eload does look interesting thanks for the link. |
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