A work-in-progress port of PoP for the Atari XL/XE by Rensoup

[David]

Indie Retro News recently announced a work-in-progress port of PoP for the Atari XL/XE, made by Rensoup.

More info and downloads:
https://popuw.com/atari.html (bottom of page)
Video and download: https://www.indieretronews.com/2019/12/ ... aming.html
Download in the AtariAge forum: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/29891 ... nt-4401437

To try it, you need an Atari 800 emulator, like Atari800Win or Altirra.
Then do the following:
* Download the system ROMs (for example from here) and configure them in the emulator.
* Set machine type to XE/XL.
* Set RAM to at least 128 kB.
* Autoboot the downloaded pop191130.atr file.

Notes:
* This version has only level 1.
* The graphics were copied from the BBC Master port.
* You can control the prince using either the joystick (you need to configure it in the emulator), or the keyboard.
* The keyboard controls are: Y: up, G: left, H: down, J: right, space: jump, shift: repeat last move. I can't find a way to make a safe step...

[Norbert]

My experience:

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt install atari800
$ mkdir ataripop
$ cd ataripop
$ wget -O pop191130.zip https://atariage.com/forums/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=682154
$ wget http://atariarea.krap.pl/PLus/files/xf25.zip
$ unzip pop191130.zip
$ unzip xf25.zip
$ atari800 -xlxe_rom ATARIXL.ROM
Alt+y
RAM size: 128 KB
Esc
Alt+r
Select pop191130.atr
Does not work.

[David]

(Note: I don't have Linux installed currently, so I can't test the Linux version of atari800.)

Alt+r
Select pop191130.atr

Did you try to use this file in the ROM image window? (That's what Alt+R opens in Atari800Win.)
That won't work.
Use File -> Autoboot image (Alt+B), and select the file there.

It takes a while until the game starts, and during that the screen stays black.
You should turn on Full speed until the game starts. (Atari -> Options -> Full speed)

[David]

Some new versions were released since my lost post:
https://atariage.com/forums/topic/29891 ... or-the-a8/

I tried the pop20200514 version.
The way to start it is the same as in my first post.
This version starts with a menu where you can set, among other things, the color of the prince's vest.
Press Enter or the fire button to start the game.

I could get to level 4, but there the game crashed ("CIM encountered") once I left the room which has both a guard and a chomper.


It seems the chompers are so shiny in this version that the floor is reflected in them, but only in the dungeon.

dungeon_chompers_are_reflective.png (5.25 KiB) Viewed 7202 times

palace_chompers_are_not.png (3.39 KiB) Viewed 7202 times

[yourantumayel69]

dungeon_chompers_are_reflective.png

palace_chompers_are_not.png

Good graphic.
I will made VDUNGEON.DAT and VPALACE.DAT like Atari

[David]

The final version has been released.

PoPUW: https://popuw.com/atari.html#footer
Indie Retro News: https://www.indieretronews.com/2021/10/ ... ulous.html
AtariAge: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/29891 ... or-the-a8/

I wonder what is the "Mystery bonus" mentioned in the readme.
Or the "Mouse picture".

EDIT: The mouse picture appears in the intro of the 2021-06-10 and the 2021-06-19 versions.

[Amethyst]

Just completed playing the final version using Atari800MacX 6.0.0, using the numpad mapped to the joystick. I didn't manage to get through the gate after picking up the life extender potion in level 7 so only had 9 hitpoints by the end of the game.

My observations so far (I concentrated on things that are different to the DOS version):

- let me say this first: it's pleasantly fast and controls work perfectly. It slows down whenever more than one object is moving on the screen though.

- the action button is used for picking up potions or the sword, clinging onto a ledge, performing safe steps and striking with the sword.

- I love the dungeon graphics!

- the kid's vest is purple in dungeon levels and blue in palace levels. This can be changed using the menu.

- the last hitpoint flashes only once, then stays "lit" permanently. If the kid enters another room with just one hitpoint left, it flashes again once or twice before staying "lit" permanently again until leaving the room.

- there's no flashing star to indicate the kid or an adversary has been hit but the screen flashes red once if the kid gets hit.

- I can't find a way to skip the very nice cutscenes (apart from speeding up the emulator to insane levels).

- loading times between levels are long and an animated mouse is shown to pass the time. This sort of robs the shock moment of falling out of Level 6 of its pace. It can be fixed by disabling "Limit to Normal Speed" ([F7] in Atari800MacX) but must be enabled again for playing as disabling it makes the game run unplayably fast.


- in e.g. the room below the room with the first guard in Level 2, it's possible to grab a lower ledge after letting go of a higher ledge by holding the "right" key (I don't remember if this actually works in the DOS version).


- on Level 3, I hit the skeleton twice in a row to push him (is it a he?) onto the loose tile, making the tile fall but leaving him standing in mid-air.

- the first guard in Level 5 to the right of the starting screen has 5 hitpoints instead of 4.
UPDATE: It may be this bug - when I enter the room a second time, he has 4 hitpoints.

- the penultimate guard in Level 5 has 4 hitpoints instead of 5 (same as on the Apple II I believe).


- the fat guard in Level 6 has 6 hitpoints instead of 5.
UPDATE: It may be this bug.

- Level 7 uniquely features grey dungeons and matching partially grey guard clothing.

- drinking the floating potion in Level 7 does not play any music but makes the screen flash once and inverts the colours of the hitpoints (and only these).

- Level 8 and 9 feature blue dungeons and matching partially blue guard clothing.


- drinking the invert screen potion in Level 9 does not invert the screen but makes the kid turn blue and swaps the left and right keys (and only these), so pressing left makes him go right and vice versa.

- the last guard in Level 11 has 6 hitpoints instead of 5.
UPDATE: It may be this bug.

- during the fight with the shadow in Level 12b: if the shadow hits the kid, both lose a hitpoint (like in the SNES version).


- Level 13 uniquely features a pink palace environment and permanently displays how much time was left when Jaffar died.

- when the kid runs to the princess and gets a big hug, the mouse doesn't appear.


- The word "Jaffar" is missing from the first sentence in the epilogue.

[David]

- in e.g. the room below the room with the first guard in Level 2, it's possible to grab a lower ledge after letting go of a higher ledge by holding the "right" key (I don't remember if this actually works in the DOS version).

You don't even need to hold "right".
Just let the prince release the ledge by himself, instead of releasing it by yourself.

It is possible in DOS PoP, it's Trick 29.

It's also possible in SNES PoP: https://popuw.com/snes.html -- scroll down to "Was this intended?".

[Amethyst]

- in e.g. the room below the room with the first guard in Level 2, it's possible to grab a lower ledge after letting go of a higher ledge by holding the "right" key (I don't remember if this actually works in the DOS version).

You don't even need to hold "right".
Just let the prince release the ledge by himself, instead of releasing it by yourself.
It is possible in DOS PoP, it's Trick 29.
It's also possible in SNES PoP: https://popuw.com/snes.html -- scroll down to "Was this intended?".

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[Amethyst]

I just realised that Shauing uploaded a speedrun/walkthrough a month ago



Another walkthrough: