Is Green Beret incompatible with +2a?

[Bolton80]

I can't get Green Beret to load with any version of the TAP available on the web (loading via car cassette converter in the tape deck). Always crashes on the title screen.

Tried also loading it via DIVMMC Future with the same results, using all available TAP and SCL files.

I've even loaded it successfully on Spectaculator emulator (in +2a mode) and saved z80 snapshots, but even they crash immediately on real hardware.

Has anyone got a working copy of this?

Most other games working fine so don't think it's my +2a that is the problem.

[Arcachnar]

There are certain games for the 48k that are incompatible with the +2A because of the rom differences while others do work.

You got the TAP from the web, right? What if you use the TZX version instead of TAP? That is because sometimes there can be something wrong with the recording and such. If you know what I mean.

[Bolton80]

Thing is... how do I load a TZX on to real hardware?

[Arcachnar]

There is TZXplay where it should be possible to play tzx files on real hardware:

Link: https://github.com/shred/tzxtools

Not sure if it is actually compatible with the +2A, though. Anyone else have some more experience in using this tool?

PS: my apologies if I am unclear or my answer is not helpful.

[Ast A. Moore]

Well, I, Ball will work in 48 BASIC mode. Green Beret will work in 128 or 48 mode.
(I’m talking about the original TZX versions; not sure about the TAP versions, though.)

[Alessandro]

@Bolton80 : No, I played it myself on my +2A several times so I can tell you for certain that it isn't. Also see my answer on the other thread: https://www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk/for ... 24#p101624

The TAP file of Green Beret with timestamp 21.04.2007 will load fine with a DivMMC. Tried and tested.

Lastly, there are various procedures to play TZX files on real hardware. I employ the one shown in this video, but I know there are other means, like smartphone applications which seem to be useful most of the time (don't know about turbo/custom loaders, though).

[Ivanzx]

I have and still do, play with Green Beret in my +2A without an issue

[Bolton80]

I've found the problem. The game flat out refused to load when my DIVMMC FUTURE was connected. Even when I took out the SD Card so it is supposed to function just as a joystick interface. I think I have the same problem with I, Ball.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this problem, and if there's a way around it (rather than pulling the DIVMMC FUTURE out of the Spectrum each time I want to play it).

[Pobulous]

If using a DivMMC device, it starts the Spectrum in USR 0 mode, not true 48K mode - could that be the issue.
The difference is that the 128K memory paging features are still available.

Could that be the cause of the incompatibility?

OUT 32765, 48 apparently locks the paging - worth trying running that before loading the TAP files.

[Bolton80]

Ah. OK. So how do I do that please?
I've tried entering OUT 32765, 48 in the default 48k basic mode the Spectrum starts in with DIVMMC connected. That gave me a 0 OK, 0:1 but made no difference when I tried to load a game after that.

When I enter .128 to return to the normal +2a start screen and go to +3 Basic, I enter the OUT 32765, 48. It turns the screen black and then freezes. What am I doing wrong?

[Pobulous]

Yeah, it would need to be run from the 48K prompt - in theory it should produce the same result as choosing 48 BASIC from the menu.
I didn't realise the normal start screen worked with DivMMC devices - I thought they started in USR 0 mode (Looks like 48K mode, but isn't).

It was just a thought that it might help.

[Alessandro]

When I enter .128 to return to the normal +2a start screen and go to +3 Basic, I enter the OUT 32765, 48. It turns the screen black and then freezes. What am I doing wrong?

You are disabling memory paging, which interferes with the particular memory bank management of the +2A/+3, which is different from that of the 128/+2. However if you enter the same command under 48 BASIC or USR 0 mode, which enables 48 BASIC while keeping memory paging enabled, it won't happen because you are enabling an almost "true" 48K mode ("almost" because ROM 3 is not 100% identical to the original 48K's ROM). This passage is indispensable if you wish to load Ultimate games because they won't work with paging enabled.

I didn't realise the normal start screen worked with DivMMC devices - I thought they started in USR 0 mode (Looks like 48K mode, but isn't).

They start in USR 0 mode in fact.

[goodboy]

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this problem, and if there's a way around it (rather than pulling the DIVMMC FUTURE out of the Spectrum each time I want to play it).

how can we help not know what version of the game you are downloading ?
where is the link to the game ?

[Bolton80]

Sorry. I've tried everything TAP and scl I can find on the web. Including this one:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/pub/sin ... et.tap.zip

If anyone can find a workaround fir this, I'd appreciate it.

[Alessandro]

Did you try the MicroHobby Selección 31 version? In case you did not, I converted it into TAP format for you.

https://www.alessandrogrussu.it/zx/Gree ... ion31).zip

[Bolton80]

Thank you for taking the time to create that TAP. But it crashes on selecting a control method like the others. I've emailed TFW8B. If it's a limitation of the hardware, then that's fine, but I want clarification that I don't have a faulty unit.

[goodboy]

a really strange situation, i checked "GreenBeret" on a homemade device with spectrum+2A and it loads/works.
do you have the latest version of esxdos (ROMimage and software from the same archive) ?

[Alessandro]

Which device is that @goodboy ?

It looks like a DivMMC with two card slots.

[goodboy]

It`s clone of Italian http://aticatac.altervista.org/portale/?q=node/15

[Bolton80]

My SD card came preloaded from TFW8B with the latest version (0.8.9).

I'm a bit concerned because sometimes when particular versions of Green Beret crash they actually cause the machine to freeze completely to the point that I have to pull the power cable out to get it to reset again.

As I say, if I load a TAP via a cassette adaptor in the Datacorder with the DIVMMC Future attached, it will crash, but if I remove the Future, it will load fine.

I've emailed TFW8B to ask them to check whether this is a limitation of their hardware, or whether my Future is faulty. I doubt it's faulty though, as I've managed to get 100s of other games to work flawlessly, with the exceptions being I,Ball, Green Beret, and Cabal.

I wonder whether it's worth trying a Z80 of Green Beret, created on a +2a in 48k mode (not by using an emulator)? Could anyone please create one for me to try please? I've got to the stage of trying anything I can think of!

[goodboy]

problem game correct work after loading in 48k basic ?
what will happen if you download the problem game from the adapter (divmmc disabled) after usr 0 in basic128 ?

[Alessandro]

It`s clone of Italian http://aticatac.altervista.org/portale/?q=node/15

Ah, I was sure I had seen something similar before in fact It is a derivative of Mario Prato's first DivMMC then.

I wonder whether it's worth trying a Z80 of Green Beret, created on a +2a in 48k mode (not by using an emulator)? Could anyone please create one for me to try please? I've got to the stage of trying anything I can think of!

Z80 files are created by emulators. Tomorrow I shall dig out my +2A, create a snapshot through my DivMMC EnJoy and share it here for you. Where would you like it to be created exactly? i.e. when loading ends, at the controls selection screen etc.?

[Bolton80]

Hi Alessandro. OK, a snapshot from when the game has just completed loading would be good please.

[Alessandro]

Hi @Bolton80, here is the snapshot, try it and tell me if it runs on your system.

I tested it after performing a hard reset, so I can tell you for sure that it is working, at least for me

https://www.alessandrogrussu.it/zx/Gree ... NA(2A).zip

[Bolton80]

Hi @Bolton80, here is the snapshot, try it and tell me if it runs on your system.

I tested it after performing a hard reset, so I can tell you for sure that it is working, at least for me

https://www.alessandrogrussu.it/zx/Gree ... NA(2A).zip

Thanks for this. Unfortunately it crashes immediately like all the others. Must be an issue with the DIVMMC Future.

Still waiting for TFW8B to respond and confirm my unit isn't faulty.