Footballer of The Year WAV attempt v2 MIA

[firelord]

I'm posting here a zip with 2 different recording of Gremlins Footballer of the year. Greek Translation.
It's a recording from an original tape and (as far as I know) there aren't even any mention about it on the internet.

I'm running linux so my wav2tzx /tap etc programs are limited. I got as far a
If anyone manages to get a working emulator tap/tzx/z80 image working I can scan inlays and cover of the game to upload to the site.
Thanks in advance

The uploaded files are here : https://1fichier.com/?o8gx5xcqlux6t8771bd9

[Andre Leao]

You must align the azimuth and lower down the volume by half. Then export the file as 16 bit PCM and don´t forget to capture the sound in mono, not in stereo...

[firelord]

Thanks.
I can't align asimuth. It's not my tape deck.
I will try with half sound.
I record stereo and then save one channel.
I use audacity to record.

[Andre Leao]

Yes, capture the sound in one channel only. Lowering the volume, for what I´ve seen in the file, must be enough for a successful conversion.

[Mikie]

First you have to produce a WAV that successfully loads into an emulator/Spectrum.
Only then you can try to convert it to TZX.

[firelord]

I did some more recordings with various volume settings (Its a SONY CFD-S03CPL CD/Tape deck) with megabass disabled.

Recordings part2 : https://1fichier.com/?yn15z1nbhkoje9b35wog
{edit} And a 3rd part with recordings : https://1fichier.com/?6v981n3e371ld3hzrxnq {/edit}
I tried it and did not get any solid results. Near vol3_1 -Vol3_3 I got some better results.
Maybe someone else can do something better with those samples!


Note: vol3_1 means volume setting 3.1 (sony has sound volumes 1-1,1-2,1-3,2-1,2-2,...5-2,5-2)

[Ralf]

Did you try to use MakeTzx?

http://ramsoft.bbk.org.omegahg.com/maketzx.html


It has some filters and they turned out really useful for me in some cases.

Choose Butterworth and try to narrow frequency range a little bit. Experiment with values, maybe it will help

[firelord]

Did you try to use MakeTzx?

http://ramsoft.bbk.org.omegahg.com/maketzx.html


It has some filters and they turned out really useful for me in some cases.

Choose Butterworth and try to narrow frequency range a little bit. Experiment with values, maybe it will help

Yes I tried many combinations.
I played with the values but did not see much difference.
I'm posting here for the expers to have a look at the WAVs .
I have no idea what the TZX headers should look like and I have almost no experience with makeTZX. I don't know if a setting makes things better or worst.


Comment : I found out that running maketzxGUI it with wine in linux gives different results (worst) than running it from windows. The convertion (not the real-recording) shouldn't be different...

[Andre Leao]

Tonight I will check deeper. But 3.1 gives better results. I will try to manipulate the sound...

[firelord]

Tonight I will check deeper. But 3.1 gives better results. I will try to manipulate the sound...

Thanks!
Volumes 3_1 and 3_2 seemed to me better also.
I don't think there is anything else I can do with the recordings.

[Andre Leao]

Hum, games with turbo loader are not easy to convert. You´re almost there, but I guess you would need to align the azimuth just a littel bit. If not possible, try to clean the head with some isopropyl alchool, or even with your finger. It may turn the sound a little bit clearer, and that´s what is needed. Sound at 3.1 is your best bet.

[Ralf]

So it's not a ROM loader but some custom loader?

If so, MakeTzx probably won't make a tzx

It also depends if it's some known loader (like Speedlock) or something very custom, made only for this game.
Unfortunately existing tools don't deal well with unknown loaders and in such cases often a help of a human expert is needed.

I remember, in the past I got a lot of help with difficult recordings from the user [mention]lfaria[/mention]

[firelord]

Azimuth calibration will be almost imposible only head cleaning.
Is there an Audacity filter (or some other audio filter) that could improve chances?

[firelord]

Ok thanks all for the tips/help.

Here is the TZX of Footballer Of The Year Greek - Official Greek translation for GRemlin.

https://1fichier.com/?5sdbo36ol5lfhxdtjjej
The game plays OK. Can someone verify that the TZX is complete?

I have also inclided the WAV that worked.

The MakeTZX settings are :
Lock: Paul Owens
Filter : Bandpass Cheby 900-3100
Order 1

I'll scan & post inlay & tape cover as soon as I can.

[lfaria]

Hi, firelord!

Good that you found a different version of that game! Even the loading screen is different from the known Gremlin version (the publicity on the back reads "All Services Sound Ltd." instead of the "Avenger Tiger <2>" from the Gremlin release)

I'm glad you made it, congratulations!
Yes, your TZX seems to be complete (after all, it's just 4 normal small blocks plus a big fast-loading one).

Although I find it slower that the WAV (longer pauses and lower pitch on the fast-loading block, leading to a slower, and longer, loading).
Can somebody else confirm this (in side-by-side it's obvious)?
Maybe your tape player runs the tape a little bit too fast (and MakeTZX compensates for this by using the 1st pilot tone as reference? Although I don't think this function is included in MakeTZX...)
Eitherways, this can be fixed by a little editing of the values in TZX. It's just a matter of reading the correct values from the WAV.

[firelord]

Cover of tape and the photo of the tape.
I'll post the inlay/manual later

[Ralf]

It looks like a legal, licensed realease, not like those Italian cracks with changed game names.

Really surprising and unexepected find.

[firelord]

It looks like a legal, licensed realease, not like those Italian cracks with changed game names.

Really surprising and unexepected find.

Yes It was legal & Official. The company "All Services" got the right to distribute and translate the the game. I don't think the original Footballer Of The Year (english) was available for sale in Greece.

[kokkiklhs]

Wow, very nice and interesting discovery! Even though I don't like football related games, I will surely give it a try, just to see the (supposedly) greek menus, messages etc.
Thanks, firelord!!!
N.B. that I have uploaded an also rare version of Split Personalities/Splitting Images officially released in Greece by PIM Software, with a special extra puzzle pic of then-prime minister Andreas Papandreou
If you don't already know it, just go and get it!

[firelord]

N.B. that I have uploaded an also rare version of Split Personalities/Splitting Images officially released in Greece by PIM Software, with a special extra puzzle pic of then-prime minister Andreas Papandreou
If you don't already know it, just go and get it!

Thanks . I'll check it out.
Footballer was a very addictive game -and it still is! Extremely simple and easy to win.
Another Greek title I converted is here : viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6238
It was a translated type-in (as I learned yesterday) but it is still a very good dungeon crawler game -for it's time!

[firelord]

Is there anything I must to to put the game in the Database-or the admins will do it?

[lfaria]

I can do it, no worries, but can I retouch the timings (mainly pauses) before?

[firelord]

I can do it, no worries, but can I retouch the timings (mainly pauses) before?

Whatever you think it's better

[firelord]

Here is a photo of the Greek maual/inlay of the game:

[firelord]

Another scan of Front/Back of box.