Little bugs in the database 2

This is the place to request ZXDB corrections (add missing data or fix incorrect information)

Moderators: druellan, pavero

Post Reply
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Alessandro wrote: Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:53 pm Mighty Final Fight has been updated to version 1.2. Downloads
[mention]R-Tape[/mention] this one is for you ;)
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Manic Pietro (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=34687) is not marked as multicolor (fixed).

✓ Reviewed
Ralf
Rick Dangerous
Posts: 2279
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:59 am
Location: Poland

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Ralf »

Raw Battle:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=34453

is inspired by "Soylent Green" movie:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/?r ... f_=nv_sr_1

The Soylent is mentioned in the game intro:
Image

✓ reviewed
User avatar
StooB
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1073
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:03 am
Contact:

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by StooB »

Acro Jet
originally published by US Gold, not Microprose
(source: US Gold logo on back of cover, US Gold adverts, reviews saying US Gold)

Silent Service
also originally published by US Gold
(source: mort's scans on the Internet Archive - "manufactured under licence from Microprose by US Gold" and the inside of the inlay which is full of adverts for other US Gold games)

This is for the original releases in the double jewel cases - Microprose later re-released both titles in card boxes.

✓ reviewed
Ralf
Rick Dangerous
Posts: 2279
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:59 am
Location: Poland

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Ralf »

Przedsiebiorstwo Zagraniczne:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=23906

The title is wrong. "Przedsiebiorstwo Zagraniczne" means "foreign company" and is a part of publisher name which is
"Przedsiebiorstwo Zagraniczne 'Polmer" - "Foreign Company 'Polmer' ":

Image

So what's the title? Actually I would say it's a compilation which name appears on the loading screen. It's called "Programy Uzytkowe Zestaw U-02" - "Utility programs. Collection U-02":
Image

And there are 3 programs in the compilation:

- Assembler Z80
- Disassembler Z80
- Monitor Z80

Image

✓ reviewed
User avatar
8BitAG
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1486
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2017 9:25 pm
Contact:

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by 8BitAG »

Excalibur: Sword of Kings
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=6272

was NOT produced with the PAWs.

✓ reviewed
8-bit Text Adventure Gamer - games - research.
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Cristian Gonzalez's Bomberman screenshot looks bad due to the multicolor. I took new MLT ones: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pl0j36ak71nkq ... n.zip?dl=0

/cc [mention]R-Tape[/mention]

✓ reviewed
User avatar
R-Tape
Site Admin
Posts: 6353
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:46 am

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by R-Tape »

druellan wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 12:24 pm Cristian Gonzalez's Bomberman screenshot looks bad due to the multicolor. I took new MLT ones: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pl0j36ak71nkq ... n.zip?dl=0

/cc @R-Tape
No need thanks Dru. The .mlt is already there, but the presence of the run.scr takes priority. All we need to do is delete the running .scr and the .mlt will [mention]R-Tape[/mention]
✓ Reviewed
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

R-Tape wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 5:43 pm No need thanks Dru. The .mlt is already there, but the presence of the run.scr takes priority. All we need to do is delete the running .scr and the .mlt will display
👌

✓ Reviewed
User avatar
Einar Saukas
Bugaboo
Posts: 3070
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Einar Saukas »

StooB wrote: Mon Apr 22, 2019 6:50 pm Acro Jet
originally published by US Gold, not Microprose
(source: US Gold logo on back of cover, US Gold adverts, reviews saying US Gold)

Silent Service
also originally published by US Gold
(source: mort's scans on the Internet Archive - "manufactured under licence from Microprose by US Gold" and the inside of the inlay which is full of adverts for other US Gold games)

This is for the original releases in the double jewel cases - Microprose later re-released both titles in card boxes.
Are you sure they were not originally co-published by Microprose and US Gold together?

Or perhaps published by Microprose first, US Gold later?
✓ Reviewed
User avatar
StooB
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1073
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:03 am
Contact:

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by StooB »

Einar Saukas wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:27 pm Are you sure they were not originally co-published by Microprose and US Gold together?

Or perhaps published by Microprose first, US Gold later?
No, this is before Microprose set up their own UK operations in Tetbury. The US Gold business model was to publish US software in Europe - that's why it was called US Gold.

It's not co-published any more than Bruce Lee was co-published with Datasoft or Winter Games was co-published with Epyx.
✓ Reviewed
User avatar
Einar Saukas
Bugaboo
Posts: 3070
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Einar Saukas »

StooB wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:58 pm
Einar Saukas wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:27 pm Are you sure they were not originally co-published by Microprose and US Gold together?

Or perhaps published by Microprose first, US Gold later?
No, this is before Microprose set up their own UK operations in Tetbury. The US Gold business model was to publish US software in Europe - that's why it was called US Gold.

It's not co-published any more than Bruce Lee was co-published with Datasoft or Winter Games was co-published with Epyx.
OK, thanks for the confirmation!

I'm making these changes now, they will appear in the next ZXDB update.
✓ Reviewed
User avatar
Einar Saukas
Bugaboo
Posts: 3070
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Einar Saukas »

Einar Saukas wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:18 pm
StooB wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:58 pm No, this is before Microprose set up their own UK operations in Tetbury. The US Gold business model was to publish US software in Europe - that's why it was called US Gold.

It's not co-published any more than Bruce Lee was co-published with Datasoft or Winter Games was co-published with Epyx.
OK, thanks for the confirmation!

I'm making these changes now, they will appear in the next ZXDB update.
Do you know if the original date and price, currently assigned to Microprose in both cases, actually refer to US Gold original release or Microprose re-release?
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Reyes y Castillos (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=4134) is not an "Arcade Game: Action" (fixed).
Also, both TAPs are from a cracked version from Uruguay, that has some modifications on the texts. There is not original version preserved for this game.

[mention]R-Tape[/mention] not sure if worth change the country of both TAPs to Uruguay, since it was a local (pirated) release.

Image
✓ reviewed
User avatar
StooB
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1073
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:03 am
Contact:

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by StooB »

Einar Saukas wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:01 pm Do you know if the original date and price, currently assigned to Microprose in both cases, actually refer to US Gold original release or Microprose re-release?
Fortunately all the versions were advertised individually:
US Gold's Silent Service
Microprose's Silent Service
US Gold's Acro Jet
Microprose's Acro Jet

- all prices are £9.95. Both US Gold ads were published in 1986 and both Microprose ads are from 1987.

Although they're not shown on this site, the barcodes are:
Silent Service US Gold: 5 013442 534335
Acro Jet US Gold: 5 013442 530559
Silent Service Microprose: 5 015352 094039
Acro Jet Microprose: 5 015352 094053
✓ Reviewed
User avatar
Einar Saukas
Bugaboo
Posts: 3070
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Einar Saukas »

Thanks again!!!
User avatar
Frankie
Manic Miner
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2019 8:09 am

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Frankie »

I need to make some corrections to this input, which is one that I uploaded:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=34763

Andromeda is not Also known as Willibald.

Andromeda and Willibald are two different games both included on that TZX I made, one game on each side.

Willibald was already in the database, but the version in the TZX I uploaded seems to be a newer and improved versions. So the version already online was probably first release, where it might have been released on its own.

But Andromeda and Willibald IS NOT the same game :D
✓ reviewed
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Brutal Worms (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=17110) is 4 players SIMULTANEOUS not alternating (Fixed!)
✓ reviewed
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Frankie wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:40 am Willibald was already in the database, but the version in the TZX I uploaded seems to be a newer and improved versions. So the version already online was probably first release, where it might have been released on its own.
This is an interesting case, I can see in the TZX that no only Andromeda is the second game on the tape, but also both Willibald and Andromeda are recorded twice on the same side. The side B looks identical to the side A:

Image

Image

[mention]R-Tape[/mention] perhaps we can create a Z80 of Andromeda and add a comment about the state of the TZX file?
User avatar
Einar Saukas
Bugaboo
Posts: 3070
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Einar Saukas »

druellan wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 8:24 pm@R-Tape perhaps we can create a Z80 of Andromeda and add a comment about the state of the TZX file?
Please don't!

A snapshot (such as Z80) is a terrible format to preserve programs. We should avoid it whenever possible, except only as last resort, when an actual tape preservation cannot be obtained.

In a snapshot, you are basically cutting out the program initialization. Sometimes it's obvious what you be missing (such as losing the loading screen). Other times, problems can be more subtle. For instance, a game that generates scenarios with random elements, usually choose a random seed right at the beginning. If you load it from a tape image, it will generate a different scenario every time. But if you load it from a Z80 snapshot, the random seed was probably already chosen, so it will probably always generate exactly the same scenario.

Snapshots made sense a couple decades ago, when emulators couldn't handle custom loaders, or they took too long to load programs from tape. Nowadays, snapshots still make sense to save a game you are playing for instance, but not for software preservation.
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Einar Saukas wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 2:43 am Nowadays, snapshots still make sense to save a game you are playing for instance, but not for software preservation.
Hi! Well, that was pretty much my intention. Since we need to "extract" the game from the TZX if we want a less confusing image of it, a snap is pretty much screaming "this is not a preservation image", but I totally agree if you want to exterminate the format from the DB. We can leave things alone or create a quick TAP.
User avatar
Einar Saukas
Bugaboo
Posts: 3070
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Einar Saukas »

druellan wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:01 am
Einar Saukas wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 2:43 am Nowadays, snapshots still make sense to save a game you are playing for instance, but not for software preservation.
Hi! Well, that was pretty much my intention. Since we need to "extract" the game from the TZX if we want a less confusing image of it, a snap is pretty much screaming "this is not a preservation image", but I totally agree if you want to exterminate the format from the DB. We can leave things alone or create a quick TAP.
I think it would be better to create a TZX of this program. This way, nothing will be lost.

You can edit the TZX from the compilation, to delete all other programs, then save the remaining TZX under a different name. I suggest something like "PROGRAM_NAME(COMPILATION_NAME).tzx.zip" so we know exactly from which compilation it was extracted.
Ralf
Rick Dangerous
Posts: 2279
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:59 am
Location: Poland

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by Ralf »

Please check the game called Genus, and precisely the .tzx file:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=2012

https://archive.org/download/World_of_S ... us.tzx.zip

The tape image contains not only Genus but also some presentation/utility called Speechdemo. And another game called Guppi from the same author is on the B side.

Maybe we should make a new database entry for Speechdemo? Or mark the tape as compilation? Or maybe leave it as it is ;) I dunno.

✓ reviewed
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Frankie wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:40 am Andromeda and Willibald are two different games both included on that TZX I made, one game on each side.
Hi, just to double check: the TZX on Andromeda was compiled by you or it is an image from an official compilation?
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Little bugs in the database 2

Post by druellan »

Ralf wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 9:03 pm The tape image contains not only Genus but also some presentation/utility called Speechdemo. And another game called Guppi from the same author is on the B side.
Confirmed! Guppy seems to be this one: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=2187 but we only have a TAP image.
But I'm not sure we can call this a compilation, seems that the game was self-distributed and the author just wanted to add some extras:

Image

We can just note everything on the comments.
✓ Reviewed
Post Reply