Boulderdash conversion

[HerzAusGold]

Hi,
I now convert nearly all D64-Files for BoulderDash from TOSEC.
I upload the new version of RNDTEST with some loader's for original BoulderDash games with "level" format (means where "level" can changed)
e.g.:
- ArnoDash21 (packed by DeluxePacker)
- AtlantisDash25 (fixed cave 8 )
- AtlantisDash26 (fixed cave 16 )
- BilderDash (not packed - is 1:1 OTO)
- BoulderChange (BD64 packed format)
- BoulderDashRocky (BD64 packed format)
- BoulderDash (BD64 packed format)
- BoulderDash01 (BD64 packed format)
- BoulderDash02 (another shorter BD64 packed format, WLC2)
- aso.

In summary there are about 48.800 levels available.
In directory BoulderDashTosec:
CAV Files: 30287
INT Files: 6753
WLC Files: 10312
OTO Files: 1181
DLP Files: 294
-----------------------
summary 48827

Many levels are playable, but many level's are not playable - because there is no real BoulderDash-Engine.
OTO levels have many new elements which not exists in RnD. So they are not playable.
But can take as an example for new levels.
Unknown elements can be configured in bdcff.conf (example included)

Here: http://www.arthurdent.de

Have you already played one of the BD games? Or all caves?

Now it's up to you Holger to write a Boulderdash engine.

Reader for the .RAW dump will be uploaded soon.

[Holger]

Have you already played one of the BD games? Or all caves?

Not all , but some of them indeed seem to be playable, although levels using the amoeba sometimes are unplayable, as it grows too fast.

Now it's up to you Holger to write a Boulderdash engine.

Yes, and as mentioned, I'm currently working on it (integrating the GDash engine into R'n'D, which seems to be the best open source BD engine that's currently available). I can already play the BD levels included with it (it also comes with a BDCFF loader), and it even plays the few replays (tapes in R'n'D slang) that are included with some of the levels without errors.

But it still needs a lot of fine-tuning before it can be released. But I'm optimistic that R'n'D will finally get the native BD engine this year that I promised decades ago.

[HerzAusGold]

Not all , but some of them indeed seem to be playable, although levels using the amoeba sometimes are unplayable, as it grows too fast.

Amoeba growing speed:
Do you have an example for me? Filename or GameName? Level?
Then I can check them.

WLC levels have one parameter, which is used for "magic wall time" and "amoeba delay before growing"
WL2 levels can have two parameters. Maybe the amoeba parameter is corrupt.

[Holger]

Amoeba growing speed:
Do you have an example for me? Filename or GameName? Level?
Then I can check them.

This one:

btw. BDCFF -> this levelset is original BD01 with 20*5 levels.

For example, see level 8, which has an amoeba with speed 75, which is incredibly fast.

In comparison, I use the value "4" in the corresponding level (which is level 7 there) of the R'n'D classic BD1 level set "classic_boulderdash". But I cannot remember anymore if I have adjusted this manually or not. The problem is that R'n'D's amoeba and BD's amoeba have a different interpretation of what a value of X for "amoeba speed" exactly is. :-/

However, the upcoming native BD engine will behave correctly here, and will have the exact same amoeba speed as in the original C64 game.

WLC levels have one parameter, which is used for "magic wall time" and "amoeba delay before growing"

Yes, the classic game uses one value for both game elements.

WL2 levels can have two parameters. Maybe the amoeba parameter is corrupt.

No, I think the problem is indeed the R'n'D game engine here. :-/

[HerzAusGold]

No, I think the problem is indeed the R'n'D game engine here. :-/

Yes you are right. In original BD there is no parameter for the amoeba speed! (this is hardcoded).

It's a delay, e.g:
parameter at offset 0001: 0x14 -> Magic wall/amoeba slow growth for: 20 seconds (any value between 0x00..0xFF is possible)

That means, in the first 20 seconds amoeba slow grow, then faster.

[Holger]

Yes, exactly. The upcoming native BD engine will handle this correctly.

[HerzAusGold]

Hi,
upload version 4.3.8.1 with source code again.
New Loaders for .WL2 (original C64 file format (e.g. BD02) with more Commands to draw the levels)
Like before, but now with additional parameter (colorbg1, colorbg2, colorfg) and two parameters:
one is the extra amoeba delay, with is separated from magic wall time in the WL2 files.

And upload all BD-Reader with source in one solution.