Dcastaways Two Player Support

I was wondering how to get two players working. Especially on Spy Vs. Spy.

I set the game up correctly but all I can get is one joypad working. Or I get one joypad and the keyboard hardly working for movement.

What I'm going for is two play joypad support. So if there is a faq somewhere I missed or a good way to utilise the two player support please submit.

I figured I edit my post here and add some more questions.

Does Dcastaways also use the database info (a.k.a.) shortcuts to each game inbedded in the automation cd's.

Where is good documentation on the Atari ST found so I can get a clue on how to use this emulation to its fullest.

I've set up a complete 512 automation cd compilation of Dcastaways that is selfboot and good fun, but as thoughs in the know have seen only reading the compilation list or on th pc emu using the database shortcuts can you actually read what cd has what game. Is there a good way of setting up this emulator to its fullest. I.e. reading the games and running them with two player support.

I'd be interest Chui on how you maximized your emulation disc for the dreamcast. The emulator itself is a beautifully crafted piece of work. The problem is, I have all the pieces without an instruction manual. DOH!

No responses... HUH! INTERESTING!!!

Well here's where I'm at with this emulator...

I've added the gamebase archive to a disc and the emulator works much better with the named zip files for two players. I've been able to get spy vs spy two players working among others.

Overall the emulation is great. Text games suck and larger file games like U6 don't seem to work.

The emulator uses one meg of emulation memory, I was wondering if it could be boosted to 4 megs of emulation memory, but propably imposible do to memory limitation of the Dreamcast.

My reasoning for larger emulation memory is... I would think games like TMNT would run smoother and faster utilizing a larger portion of emulation memory. Just a random thought, most likely slow the total emulation down, once again do to the limitations of the Dreamcast's memory.

I've gotton some games to save, like Hillsfar. So I was wondering if the save games very in size or are stationary.

Sure would be nice for a more complete faq on the subject.

Oh well, I'm not going to complain. The emulation is very good an a lot of fun to play these older games.

is a dreamcast emu out?

Yes this is the Dreamcast version of the Atari ST emulator. It works very well. Majority of the games I've played work at full speed. TMNT seemed slow. Big games like U6 don't seem to work. There are some games that have graphical errors, but it is a minority of them. I.e. Bards tale, and one I tried worked well, but graphic pallet was pastel and not true colour. I have a keyboard so starting and running some of the games is a lot easier then trying to use the virtual keyboard and joystick.

If you make a disc. There are two main archives of discs available. One archive is form a group call automation, and this is a group of games in one file type of thing with a menu. These games are harder to get two player support working for some reason. I refer to my spy vs. spy info. The second group is from Gamebase archive. Which are single games compressed in zip form. Dcastaways emulator supports zip files so this is great. These Gamebase games work better for two players for some reason. Most likely do to automations menu system probably interfers with the emulation of the game. It's just a guess, I'm shure Chui could figure it out, but it's not a big deal.

Anyways I recomend giving this emulator a shot.

I wish chui would chime in with more reference information for this emulator then what he has posted on his web site. I've been making things up as I go to get the best emulation I can.

It would be neat to have a different version (I like the current one alot) that is like Nester DC SE with the option for screenshots, boxscans and manuals. Just to be able to read text files would be nice.

Also most of the text games are unreadable. I.E. the Zork series and Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy...etc.

I recomend playing speedball, it's just classic gaming...

So I found a nice readme file tucked away in the windows binary of Dcastaways that helps alot. Would of been nice to see the same file in the Dcastaways zip file for the dreamcast.

Anyways, I'm running win98se and a required MGWZ.DLL file for the windows Dcastaway program was not found. So I happily jump onto the internet to download the file and walla... The only website I can find the file one wants to charge me money to get it... That's not going to happen. So is there a free download for this file. This is so I can run the windows version of Dcastaways.

The mkcache database thing looks promising, especially for the automation titles. So I'm not quite shure on how I interperate this file. Do I include a directory on my Dreamcast Disc for MKCache or do I leave the database created by MKCache.exe where 1ST_Read.bin is located. Most likely I use the existing data base that comes in the Windows version of Dcastaways. Once again, if this was for the dreamcast version, it would be nice to include this file in the dreamcast zip file for Dcastaways.

As for the boot buisness. For any one that's interested in using this program. In the read me it tells you the emulator is not a selfboot and to use a boot disc, etc. Well, there is the relatively new boot programs that work real well, or do what I do and create your own ip.bin file manually. It works real well and is easy to do.

This MKCache buisness is confusing. The readme says I'll get a file called stcache.txt, but I get a file called stcache3.txt. No biggie, I can just rename the file. The big problem I have is, I use multiple directories. So in my way of thinking the MKCache database file must remain in the directory for whence it came upon. Not in the main section where 1st_read.bin is located. Assuming this MkCache is made and does work for the dreamcast version of the emulator. Well I realize it's not just a regular text file either. So what is stgames23.txt file used for that is located in the MKCache directory of the windows binary edition of Dcastaways. HUH!

Alright, so I went with both stcache3.txt and stcache.txt for each subdirectory and the main directoy. Does this work great or what. Anyways, this solved my problems with reading the automation cd stuff and it speeds up the emulators loading times quite abit. Again documentation and the file would have been nicely included in the dreamcast zip for dcastaways.

Well for those of you who would like to use the emulator, I'll include a faq of what I learned.

1. Download both the windows and dreamcast version of dcastaways.
2. Make a directory to place all the dreamcast files including the games in this directory. I.E. C:\ATARIST
3. My directory looks like this.
a) ATARIST - Main Directory - Includes 1st_Read.bin and ip.bin and ROM. (IP.BIN was made using an existing ip.bin file and dx-ip4win08b to edit the ip.bin file to read 1ST_READ.BIN. This puts the selfboot in boot for the cd.) (The ROM is the renamed TOS image I used to run the emulator.) I also included the STGAMES23.TXT file from the windows version in the main directory. I do not know if this does anything or not, but what the heck.
b) A_ROM_ONE, A_ROM_TWO, A_ROM_THREE...ETC... is my naming sceme I used for the rom directories. I stayed under the 128 roms per directory.
4. I used tha MKCACHE.EXE in each directory creating the stcache3.txt file. I then made an equivlant copy and called it stcache.txt for each stcache3.txt file I made for each directory. I do not know which one is effective, but one or booth work.

5. I use the program Selfboot to make my images. I find it is fast, simple and error free. What I do is click on Selfboot.exe. It brings up the program and in the window option I click to make a *.cdi file. I point the program to my directory AtariST and then I click the button for CDI IMAGE. I do not use Nero images.

6. I burn the image.cdi located in the Selfboot directory using the 3.5version of discjuggler. All is good the the cd works great.

7. When I burn I use mode 1, 2352 offset 0 & cdrom for my selections in discjuggler.

Well I've done some tests...

MKCache.exe make this file "stcache3.txt". Which is definitly the one to use and not "stcache.txt" Which is stated in the instruction of the windows binary version. I recommend using this program do to it's clear importance to emulation speed for loading roms. Unless your the patient type and can wait for load screens.

I've use both TOS v1.04.img and TOS v2.06.img and have found no significant difference in emulation. Although it was stated in a forum that graphic errors occur on emulation and to use TOS v1.0.img to avoid these errors. I believe this to be a false statement. The instructions for dcastaway says to use TOS v1.04.img. So it's entirely up to the user. Just be shure to rename the file to "ROM" for the emulator to work.

Well that's it for now... Games like amberstar that need to be installed I can not figure out for any emulator. So if anyone knows how to get that or any other games in the install to disc before playing catagory. Please post a commentary or show a web site for info.

That's that...

It's a surprise to me that there is not more buzz for this emulator...

its been about for a while, there was a lot of buzz when it first came out ;)

I suppose there was a lot of "BUZZ". I only found two threads on Dcastaways. Mine and one on a beta release one with the last entry on 2004. HUH!

Anyways, I mentioned this "BUZZ", because it was and still is hard to find good info on Dcastaways and Atari ST emulation in general.

I'm not trying to knock it, so to speak, but to me this is just as a classic as NES .

Well at least I hope the info I wrote will help others enjoy Dcastaways.

By the way I sort of almost made it all the way through the installation process on Amberstar. Now that's an accomplishment.

Hey, thanks for writing up this info. Should I run into any problems, maybe I ask you. I once burned an older version of Castaway, but lost the disc, and saving wasn't implemented there yet, so I didn't play much around with that. Mostly just Magic pockets. Once I got all the games I want (I don't download compilations) I'll make a new disc with the new version.

I am really excited to check out this new version of
dcastaway with vmu save and the MKcache to view the games before I load up those automation disks. Great update!!

Thanks 72da9 for your info on how to use the mkcache and set up dcastaway. I'll be using that walkthrough.
cheers everyone who helps out
dweller

For general info on the Atari St, emulation and menues, I suggest www.atarilegend.com. Check out the database and the forum.