http://dbug-automation.co.uk/debug.gif

Very handy while testing :-)  Code is 100% stable now on ST/F30/TT, very minor things to change and we're ready.

Average time to "uls" a title is.... about 10 minutes :-)  [Not counting 030 patching]

CJ wrote on 13.10.08 at 06:27:06:

Average time to "uls" a title is.... about 10 minutes :-)

10 mins for CJ means 1 hour for me :)

ULS is now out of the "test phase" and in actuall use on our next run of releases

Already working:

F1GP - HD FileSystem Installable *with HD save/load & working File Selector Box* (So don't bother Cacking up err GAGing up your drives)

DragonBreed
Moonshine Racers
Street Fighter II
Crackdown
Pro Powerboat Simulator
The Untouchables

All with quit to desktop and other neato features.

ULS3 - Accept no gac software!

After another 2 full days working on the ULSv3 code, all I can say is....

....anyone who thinks the state of Atari ST Hard Disk adaptions hasn't changed much in the last four years...... is a moron!

He is researching for readonly harddisk drivers to improve his work...guess that tells a lot :>

Well, a couple years back we considered FFLS, but quickly dismissed it as being potentially dangerous to the people's data. Now, if someone can claim that it can be made 100% safe with ALL hard disk drivers and ALL configurations, then I'll simply not take that for granted and will NOT use anything with that on my dev Falcon (which is the only Falcon I have set up atm)

FFLS has no WRITE mode, and for very good reason.  There is no way you can guarantee direct-to-disk writing to a file-system partition isn't going to obliterate the partition, while executing "driver" code under a game environment.  There are simple way too many variables involved.

Superiour knew it, and we know it.

ULS operates under a TOS shell, executing disk IO via the system's boot-driver, in a clean and known environment (Which is why you don't have to re-partition your drives or make dodgy RAW partitions). V3 vastly improves on previous versions as far as speed and memory use are concerned.

Out of our 10 or so "Test Phase" titles, only 1 needs more than 1Mb - And that game needs 1Mb to run anyway (from the original) so a little overhead for ULS can't be blamed for this!

As GGN said the other day, BRACE YOURSELVES, you're going to see some titles coming soon (In fact, several are ready now, we're just awaiting the cracktro for them) with previously impossible to implement features*, all thanks to the ULSv3 core :-)

*One, in particular, aimed directly at STOT participants :)

Wow - I'm looking forward to this :)

Rephrase that... I'm getting impatient for the onslaught of new cracks that'll follow the release of ULS3!   ;D

Well, Nobody in #DBug on IRC is awake, so I just had to tell *someone* - except, I can't until we release something.

Klaz... it *was* possible, not easy, put possible - and it's in the V3.0 initial release.

Oh, and it is SO COOL to see it in action. Heheheheh :)

CJ wrote on 19.10.08 at 08:07:16:

Klaz... it *was* possible, not easy, put possible - and it's in the V3.0 initial release. Oh, and it is SO COOL to see it in action. Heheheheh :)

Cool!   8-)

Well, I'm halfway through with this as well ... will need a few more days.
But it seems to be working fine here, too.  ;)

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;
;; Universal Loading System: v3.0
;; ------------------------------
;;
;; Started:    04/10/08
;; This build: 20/10/08 1:15pm (Adelaide)  *CODEFREEZE - Lets get some GAMES WORKING!! YEAH*
;;
;; (c) 2005-2008 D-Bug
;;
;; Concept and core code by Cyrano Jones / D-Bug
;; MFP and PMMU code by Defjam / Checkpoint
;; Additional code by GGN / D-Bug
;;
;; I would also like to thank Klapauzius for the field testing and additional input
;;
;; The RAMdisk is Dead! Long live ULS!
;; (And WHDLoad sucks ass!)
;;
;;
;;

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Will the ULS 2.0 fixed titles be re-released under 3.0 too?

Let's see a screen grab of the user frontend - you know, the intro that players will see when loading the game... Any changes? ;)

Funny you should say that, they were mostly the test subjects :)

*some of them will* - they all now run under V3 but several of them have serious Falcon issues that need addressing.

Oh, and talking of front ends I have to say that I really like the clean interface on Klaz's fixes - simple and informative.  But SHW's are still the best tho'!

wrote on 20.10.08 at 07:50:33:

Oh, and talking of front ends I have to say that I really like the clean interface on Klaz's fixes - simple and informative.  But SHW's are still the best tho'!

Darn it, I'm almost ready to post a screenshot!

But I think it wouldn't do it any justice at all!

Has to be better than both the system font it currently has, and the crap pile of pixels I threw in the bin last weekend because it was so ugleh :)

CJ wrote on 20.10.08 at 08:13:49:

Has to be better than both the system font it currently has, and the crap pile of pixels I threw in the bin last weekend because it was so ugleh :)

I really think that yours with some variation would be cool too :)

Variation? Where's the predictability in that?

When I was young, one waveform was enough, and we were happy to get that.

CJ wrote on 20.10.08 at 08:16:46:

Variation? Where's the predictability in that? When I was young, one waveform was enough, and we were happy to get that.

About time you created a second one then :P

Look, I only just changed the font. I can't handle all this sudden newness. It's too much!!

Ok, that's 1k spent, now you have about 3900 more for a 4mb system :)

wrote on 20.10.08 at 07:50:33:

Oh, and talking of front ends I have to say that I really like the clean interface on Klaz's fixes - simple and informative.  But SHW's are still the best tho'!

Thanks for that ;) I'm gonna update my interface at some point, but as CJ said, lets get some games out!

Shw

wrote on 20.10.08 at 07:50:33:

Oh, and talking of front ends I have to say that I really like the clean interface on Klaz's fixes - simple and informative.  But SHW's are still the best tho'!

My interface is the way it is because:

a) I like to save on space
b) my intro coding skills are close to nonexistent.  ;)

... and I like Shw's frontend too.  :)

Really looking forward to this guys and a proliferation of releases.cutting edge work in 2008.GREAT :)

Shw wrote on 20.10.08 at 08:30:38:

[hanks for that ;) I'm gonna update my interface at some point, but as CJ said, lets get some games out! Shw

But the big question is: Will you fix your forum avatar before you fix any games? Unless your avatar is a picture of a black box with a white cross in the corner hehehehe  ::)

Apologize if this was already mentioned elsewhere.  

Will ULS3 work with any HD driver (e.g. ICD, HD Driver, Atari's, etc)?

I am really excited about the ability to exit a game.   Would make it great for me to make a menu front end to select various games and launch them, and be able to come back to the menu when the game is exited.

Everything about ULS3 sounds awesome.  Looking forward to its release!  Keep up the great work guys.

belboz wrote on 21.10.08 at 17:58:19:

Will ULS3 work with any HD driver (e.g. ICD, HD Driver, Atari's, etc)?

Anything except ppera's crashware drivers should be fine ;)

Sounds great.  I use ICD on  my Mega STE and HDDRIVER on my TT and Falcon.  Although the Falcon seems to have a dead IDE drive in it (I can hear it clicking on powerup).

I may look into a CF->IDE setup for it.  Depending on how easy to find and cheap a hard drive is.


ggn wrote on 21.10.08 at 19:51:32:

Anything except ppera's crashware drivers should be fine ;)

Yes, as GGN said it should work with any drivers (available free memory and buffers permitting, of course)

However should anyone have any issues we can e-mail them a special "debugging build" of the loader so we can try and find out what is going wrong.

Testing is complete. The results were more than satisfactory....

As GGN said a while back....

BRACE YOURSELF!!!

Good... the suspense is killing me,could i make a request for prince of persia ,crazy cars 111 to be given uls treatment,2 of my all time favourites. Hope you dont mind me asking,i am aware this is not the wish  list thread but hey if you dont ask.I am getting used to running games and applications where possible from satandisk now,floppies are becoming a chore.Really appreciate what you are doing.thanks :)

CC3 is a bit complicated due to myself and Hot-Knife going through a communication crisis :)

This has nothing to do with ULS CC3 tho!

riddles, riddles, riddles

Shw

Hmm.... sounds like one of my wishes may come true :)