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henrikstengaard / hstwb-installer

A set of scripts to automate installation of Amiga OS, Kickstart roms and packages to new or existing Amiga HDF files
https://hstwb.firstrealize.com
MIT License
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AGS2 cannot be started from Amiga Boot Selector on NTSC system #59

Open HVR88 opened 1 year ago

HVR88 commented 1 year ago

Reference to AGS2 github issue: https://github.com/MagerValp/ArcadeGameSelector/issues/19

Issue:

AGS2 will crash out unable to open the display on an NTSC system when started from Amiga Boot Selector as part of an hstWB install. No customization has been done besides choosing options in the hstWB install process.

AGS2 will work properly on the same NTSC system when launched with the exact same script file and settings from Workbench.

The only difference between the two launching methods is that there seems to be more Startup Sequence content when booting into full Workbench rather than Amiga Boot Selector.

Tested platforms:

Amiga OS 3.2.1 Amiga OS 3.1

Base hstWB and BetterWB

Tested on WinUAE with same use setup files created by hstWB, simply turning on "NTSC" check-box in the chipset window causes this.

Also tested on real NTSC Amiga 2000 with PiStorm in place of stock CPU.

HVR88 commented 1 year ago

The issue happens if AGS is launched before the system has loaded its monitor drivers. AGS by default switches to PAL mode. On an NTSC system this will produce the error.

Unless a change happens in AGS, the fix to apply in hstWB is to move the Boot Selector execute below the LoadMonDrvs in the startup sequence.

henrikstengaard commented 1 year ago

This is not exactly a HstWB Installer issue, but more an issue with eg. EAB WHDLoad Games AGA Menu Package for HstWB Installer at https://github.com/henrikstengaard/eab-whdload-games-aga-menu-package, which installs AGS22 configured to PAL by default. According to a thread at EAB http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=1530885 it should be possible to fix by editing AGS2.conf (eg. DH1:Menus/AGS2Games/AGS2.conf) and change mode = $29000 to mode = $19000.

Next release could feature a PAL/NTSC selection when installing the menu packages.

HVR88 commented 1 year ago

The above is not really the problem since there is no mode definition by default (it's commented out). The default of AGS when there is no mode defined is to start in PAL, however this causes the error if the PAL monitor definition has not been loaded by the system. I expect that a similar issue will occur if AGS is set to start in NTSC and the NTSC definition hasn't been loaded.

Given that this appears to be an issue in AGS itself, the two possible solutions are as you suggested, ask during installation for the default, or move the monitor device loading in the startup sequence above the Boot Selector execution line. I suggest moving the lines to be 100% sure.