Release Albion

[Klumpen]

Oh, I didn't know that.

Thanks again for this great package, M-HT!

My German version runs as great on my desktop (Mint) as it does on the OpenPandora.

Albion is such a great game.

 

[M-HT]

This is no engine recreation, but a static recompilation / binary translation of the orginal x86 dos binary.

This is correct, ...

So a Windows version would probably require almost the same amount of work again.

... but this is not. When developing it I had a Windows version before I had a Linux version (and that was 6 months before I had the ARM version).But I switched to Linux a long time ago, so I don't know if it's still working.

Hello folks, is there a desktop Windows version of this game engine recreation somewhere too?

No there isn't, but if someone requests it I could try compiling it.

 

[Klumpen]

This is no engine recreation, but a static recompilation / binary translation of the orginal x86 dos binary.

This is correct, ...

So a Windows version would probably require almost the same amount of work again.

... but this is not. When developing it I had a Windows version before I had a Linux version (and that was 6 months before I had the ARM version).
But I switched to Linux a long time ago, so I don't know if it's still working.

Hello folks, is there a desktop Windows version of this game engine recreation somewhere too?

No there isn't, but if someone requests it I could try compiling it.

This would be great for giving this game a comeback.

 

[M-HT]

Hello folks, is there a desktop Windows version of this game engine recreation somewhere too?

No there isn't, but if someone requests it I could try compiling it.

 This would be great for giving this game a comeback.

It wouldn't, unless someone (GOG.com, ...) started selling the game.

 

[_jr_]

Is it known who has the rights to Albion these days? Did they transfer to Ubisoft and are still there?

 

[thatgui]

... but this is not. When developing it I had a Windows version before I had a Linux version (and that was 6 months before I had the ARM version).

But I switched to Linux a long time ago, so I don't know if it's still working.

Thanks for correcting me. I guess I need to be more into not writing things if I have no clue about it

Is it known who has the rights to Albion these days? Did they transfer to Ubisoft and are still there?

Are there brand names that did not transfer to Ubisoft when they took over BlueByte ?

 

[Klumpen]

Hello folks, is there a desktop Windows version of this game engine recreation somewhere too?

No there isn't, but if someone requests it I could try compiling it.

 
This would be great for giving this game a comeback.

It wouldn't, unless someone (GOG.com, ...) started selling the game.

At least the most popular abandonware site is hosting it and this is better than letting this gem be forgotten.

I wonder why it isn't sold, GoG sells other Bluebyte games as well and also stuff from Ubisoft, either there is another party involved like there is most likely in Schleichfahrt/Archimedean Dynasty or GoG doesn't have interest in it, I still don't quite understand their criteria in many cases anyway.

 

[M-HT]

Here is a version for Windows, in case anyone is interested.

Unpack it into the directory where Albion is installed - read the Readme for more information (use Albion.cmd to run the game).

 

[PowerGod]

I'll take it with pleasure Thanks

Could this have incompatibilities with save games made with the Linux version ?

Sometimes I have to boot on Windows and can be useful to have the possibility to continue my game.

 

[M-HT]

Could this have incompatibilities with save games made with the Linux version ?

The save games are the same in all versions (DOS, GP2X, Pandora, Linux, Windows).

 

[IllidanS4]

Thanks a lot, man, for the port. I hope it will help this game to start being sold.

Video showing the 3D:



I've found one bug, when you activate the cheats and press Alt+F12, it just shows some debug screen instead of turning the cheat mode on.

 

[M-HT]

You should use bassmidi (with a soundfont) or wildmidi (with gus patches) for music instead of sdl_mixer. It sounds better (with good soundfont/gus patches anyway), but you can also hear background sound/music effects (played using music driver), which are not played when using sdl_mixer.

 

[IllidanS4]

Sdl_mixer sounds more like in DOSBox, and I am used to that. However, I didn't notice background sounds aren't played. Is there a way to fix this? I just want standard Windows General MIDI. Is it also possible to include OPL2 emulation?

 

[PowerGod]

There's also a soundfont set with general midi instruments

 

[M-HT]

Sdl_mixer sounds more like in DOSBox, and I am used to that. However, I didn't notice background sounds aren't played. Is there a way to fix this?

Currently only by using wildmidi or bassmidi for music. (And it's unlikely to change.)

I just want standard Windows General MIDI.

You can try solutions from this page to get a similar sounding soundfont (usable by bassmidi).

Is it also possible to include OPL2 emulation?

In theory it should be possible, but quite difficult. (Unlikely to be implemented.)There is a OPL3 soundfont which sounds similar.

 

[IllidanS4]

Okay, thanks. Could you please check the cheat keys? Alt+F11 acts like Alt+F4 and Alt+F12 acts like Alt+F5, I guess there is a problem in the key mapping. Also, Alt+F4 captures screenshot in the ILBM format, but even with the enhanced 3D, the screenshot is still low-resolution. Could this be fixed? Thanks.

 

[M-HT]

Okay, thanks. Could you please check the cheat keys? Alt+F11 acts like Alt+F4 and Alt+F12 acts like Alt+F5, I guess there is a problem in the key mapping. Also, Alt+F4 captures screenshot in the ILBM format, but even with the enhanced 3D, the screenshot is still low-resolution. Could this be fixed? Thanks.

I fixed the keys and I added a configuration option to select screenshot format - by default it's set to original resolution and format.Download it from the same place as before.

 

[WizardStan]

So I just started playing this again (third time starting, maybe I'll finish it this time) and I had to interrupt my gameplay, so I paused and suspended the Pandora, but when I brought it back everything was way too fast. I suspect this is entirely on a bug in the Pandora's wakeup code changing CPU speeds or something and nothing that M-HT can fix, this is really just a record and warning to others: always save your game and exit properly, don't suspend the Pandora or it could mess up at a bad time.

 

[M-HT]

Or maybe the game noticed how much time has passed and tried to make up for the lost time.

I'll have to take a look at it.

Even if I can fix it, the recommended action is to exit the game before suspending.

 

[Klumpen]

Somebody made a video to show off the enhanced 3D with the desktop version of the port in 720p:

Edit: Nevermind, see above.

Update notification didn't work for me in this thread.