2 MIA games - looking for advice how to preserve

[DaveRobbo]

Hi, New to the forum. I have a couple of old games and looking for a bit of advice on easiest way to preserve these.

I have a Spectrum +2 with working tape player and plus d disks. Currently have the games as snapshot files on an old plus d disc system.

I'm looking for advice on easiest way to get them from there to files on PC for use in emulator?

Games are https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... it_Machine
and possibly https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... er_Manager

I'm not 100% sure the second game is actually Soccer Manager. So my 2nd game might actually be an unlisted MIA game.

Reason I have these........I was actually the author of both of these games, as a young lad and recently found my old spectrum and tapes/disks etc when clearing out parents house.

The games are nothing special at all. They are a mix of basic and machine code. I was wondering how bad they were going to be when I loaded them up and was pleasantly surprised they are playable at least

Thanks in advance for any advice as to best way to preserve.

[DaveRobbo]

Have been doing a bit of reading and think I just about know what I need to do now.

One question I have. I don't currently have a tape player other than the one connected to my +2.

Is it possible to connect the spectrums sound output direct to a pc and then "save" files from my spectrum and record the sound straight to my PC, meaning I wouldn't need to use a tape player at all?

[TMD2003]

Is it possible to connect the spectrums sound output direct to a pc and then "save" files from my spectrum and record the sound straight to my PC, meaning I wouldn't need to use a tape player at all?

A mono 3.5 mm jack plug in the SOUND socket (a stereo plug won't work) should do the trick, as long as you've got some way of connecting that to the stereo input on the PC. Failing that, one of those tape-to-[insert device here] adapters in the Datacorder might work.

[R-Tape]

Yep you'd need a mono - stereo jack (one ring at the mono end, two at the stereo) to go from speccy to PC. I had mine made, but I see you can get them online. Most emulators can then open a .WAV file (ZX-Spin for example). Getting the volume high enough can be tricky in my experience.

People often send the tape to [mention]Gilby[/mention] if they're struggling. That'll take longer though.

Hope we can sort it - it'd be good to see these and add them to the archive.

[DaveRobbo]

Thanks all. Have got the sound hooked up and managed to get a wav file written with the required files. Now to see if I can convert it to tzx format

[wallyweek]

I have a Spectrum +2 with working tape player and plus d disks. Currently have the games as snapshot files on an old plus d disc system.
I'm looking for advice on easiest way to get them from there to files on PC for use in emulator?

It would be great if you could preserve your disks as well, but it's rather difficult unless you have an old PC with a disk drive or a Gotek to connect as drive 2 to the PlusD.

[DaveRobbo]

Managed to get the first game wav file into a tzx file finally.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6uc6wbua9fz7h ... e.tzx?dl=0

It's this game:-

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... it_Machine

It was Vincent Vity / Vinsoft as per the listing, but was actually published as Gladius Software as you can see on the logos in game.

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/list?label_id=15155

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/list?label_id=5395

Hopefully be a bit quicker with the next game now that I know what I'm doing

[DaveRobbo]

I have a Spectrum +2 with working tape player and plus d disks. Currently have the games as snapshot files on an old plus d disc system.
I'm looking for advice on easiest way to get them from there to files on PC for use in emulator?

It would be great if you could preserve your disks as well, but it's rather difficult unless you have an old PC with a disk drive or a Gotek to connect as drive 2 to the PlusD.

Have checked the old PC and only has CD and DVD unfortunately. Will see if I can get access to an old PC from a mate perhaps tho...

[MarkRJones1970]

I tried your Fruit Machine game. Once started it asks if you have a 128k machine. I'd started Spectaculator in 128 mode, but when you start the game it crashes and resets. I tried a Sinclair 128, +2 and +2a. Crashes on all 3. Loaded it in 48k and it works.

[DaveRobbo]

Hiya. Thanks for feedback. Yes I think there is an issue with the 128K version ( I blame poor programming ). There is some 128K music (which is supposed to kick in when you press start), but seems to struggle to work and mostly causes a crash on the emulators. I did get it to work on ZxSpin using SE Basic Rom option but not sure even that works properly on the TZX I posted. Tbh, prob best just clicking "no" the music is annoying and repetitive anyway.

[DaveRobbo]

This is the second game I had locally. Should be a bit of fun for any fans of 1980's scottish football

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dasx4pry86ikg ... e.tzx?dl=0

Think this is a pre-release version - still digging through discs to see what else I can find so might have a later version of this game still to come.

Initially I thought it was this game in the listings

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... er_Manager

but given the different title, I'm not so sure anymore. I've a feeling this is a different game, and possibly just an unreleased homebrew rather than the missing Vinsoft title I initially thought it was. Also possible it was rebranded for release by Vinsoft since I know for previous Fruit Machine game, it was called Fruite (which I have a copy of also) then rebranded as Fruit Machine with the Gladius Software logos etc for release.