Autor
| Illusion City - What I never
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DemonSeed
msx master
Mensajes: 1062 |  Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 17:48 |
What's actually "Turbo R" about this game, apart from the MIDI support and the more than 64K RAM required (in Japan)?
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Latok
msx master
Mensajes: 1735 | Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 19:30 |
Wow, you're right! Maybe nothing! One should go and try to make an MSX2 version  |
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DemonSeed
msx master
Mensajes: 1062 | Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 19:39 |
Well, that may well be possible. 
Could it be that Microcabin's motives for making the game "Turbo R only" were merely based on required RAM space?
Seems like a rather crude solution. |
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Latok
msx master
Mensajes: 1735 | Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 19:49 |
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DemonSeed
msx master
Mensajes: 1062 | Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 19:56 |
Quote:
| * Why Turbo-R? (by Adriano C. R. da Cunha)
Analyzing parts of Illusion City's code this question can be answered quite simply: "because it isn't very well programmed" (notice the quotes).
Probably, Microcabin coded Illusion City not in assembly Z80, assembly R800, C, Pascal, BASIC or any other "standard" programming language, but in its own script language. Later, this script was automatically compiled to - at least - MSX and PC-98 (as per the manual). The machine-dependant routines were coded then for each hardware. It's easy to notice that this solution created inefficient code that only a more powerful hardware could compensate (in the same way Micro$oft does with Windows). Another strong argument for this theory is that the game doesn't use, as far as it can be noticed, specific R800 opcodes.
* Which plus functionalities the MSX Turbo-R version has? (by Adriano C. R. da Cunha)
None, confirming the theory that the game "is not very well programmed", thus slow and in need of a faster CPU that only Turbo-R machines had. Illusion City doesn't use, as far as it can be noticed, any VDP V9958 (used in MSX2+/TR machines) command, but only VDP V9938 (used in MSX2 machines) commands.
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OMG, I can't believe it! 
Well, once more, a mystery flies out of the window. |
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turbor
msx freak
Mensajes: 181 | Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 21:58 |
Does anybody knows who is going to translate the final two disks?
The project seems to have died before it was finished. There was a time that I hoped that maybe Bazix was doing something about it behind the screens, but since it has been very very very silent since....  |
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Rikusu
msx professional
Mensajes: 966 | Publicado: Febrero 10 2008, 22:09 |
We have been talking with Adriano about the Illusion City translation and he was willing to co-operate with us to finish and release the English version, but the person who translated the texts so far eventually didn't agree. As you might know, I have translated quite a few games myself, but doing work somebody else already has done isn't the most entertaining way of spending time :S. Now, Adriano has (at least for the moment) stopped his MSX activities, so I'm afraid this partial translation is as good as it gets for now.
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Yukio
msx professional
Mensajes: 828 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 00:36 |
Quote:
| What's actually "Turbo R" about this game, apart from the MIDI support and the more than 64K RAM required (in Japan)?
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Maybe, The 7 Mhz part of the game software ...
Does anyone know if this game use PCM or 2+ hardware scroll?
Even the "translated" version should need a 7Mhz computer.
And would need even more memory (512 KB RAM instead of the 'old 256 KB RAM') ...
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Yukio
msx professional
Mensajes: 828 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 00:46 |
There was a interview asking those question on the MSX-FAN magazine ...
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ro
msx guru
Mensajes: 2353 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 11:55 |
So, Rikusu, the translproject was halted?
Damn, it's one of the few games I never finished (cuz of the language barrier?). It's a swell game. Tho programming might not be hi-end, it's a great game which runs like water; it's that fluid.
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Rikusu
msx professional
Mensajes: 966 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 12:31 |
I'm afraid it's halted, ro. And I don't know whether or not Adriano will be willing to finish it some day.
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Fudeba
msx lover
Mensajes: 74 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 13:21 |
Quote:
| I'm afraid it's halted, ro. And I don't know whether or not Adriano will be willing to finish it some day.
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Maybe some years from now. At best.
And I somewhat support his decision. In Brazil we have some bad m***** f****** users that are really annoying for developers (like selling the software you gave for free and calling you names because you do not want your software to be sold).
All in all, I am just surprised he has not put the website down (since he had already sold most of his MSX equipment).
When something stops being nice and becomes a burden, then its time to move on.
That was the case. |
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ro
msx guru
Mensajes: 2353 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 13:34 |
man, that shit MUST get translated. It's a jewel, but clouded with japanese dust |
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manuel
msx guru
Mensajes: 3637 | Publicado: Febrero 11 2008, 14:07 |
Fudeba - what a sad story... Everyone I know always was very interested and supportive on Adriano's work. I hope he could change his mind a bit and look at all the positive reactions he got from the people I just mentioned.
Just forget about the few bastards... they always exist and always (try to) ruin it for everyone. I know it's not easy, but ignoring them brings a lot of fun back |
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Fireblade
msx friend
Mensajes: 5 | Publicado: Noviembre 25 2008, 17:20 |
For the people that are still hoping for a complete translation (incl. myself), I now received a response to my e-mail dating January 17th of this year
Quote:
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Illusion City translation is stalled until I decide what to do about it, and I'm not in a hurry for such decision. In fact, currently I don't have the time to dedicate to such time consuming task.
The correct information is: translation is ready, the coding is almost ready but needs polishing.
I'm sorry, but I'll not release my sources to anyone.
Regards,
Adriano
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Just thought I'd share this info. I offered to finish the translation (if able to find the right enthousiasts) and give Adriano all the credits, but he declined (which is very understandable, but I just figured it couldn't hurt to ask)  |
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