Amberstar

[ldaneels]

Hi,
I have been trying to get the game to run forever. Here are a few facts:
- the German version works perfectly. unfortunately, I don't speak German
- The English version is the install version. Fine I say, I can deal with a simple install...
- I have 3 different version, one is the official from the Thalion webshrine. I have tried all of them.

So I follow these steps:
- start moron
- create 3 blank disks (double sided 720k)
- start amberstar disk 1
- click on install.PRG
- create the character, blahblahblah...
- I install the game on drive A
- I follow the instructions on screen & end up with a set of 3 disks with the complete Amberstar install
- I start up the newly created disk A & click on Amberstr.PRG. I pass the different screens & insert disk C (the newly created one) as prompted. Then I insert disk B (the newly created one) as prompted & it gives me an error message.
- To make sure I did it correctly, I try with the German version & I can get it to run doing the same thing.

So did anyone get an English version to run ? If so, can anyone point to a working set (mine is from the Thalion Webshrine, so it should be 100%).
Any help is more than greatly appreciated,

Loic

 

[MrT]

try the PC version

try google if you can not find it

MrT

 

[A600]

Years ago I finished the PC version but it sucks compared to the Amiga version.

 

[MrT]

Ihave to agree with you there A600.

This game along with the various versions of Championship Manager has probably cost me most of my life than anything else

oh yes and elite

and the dizzy games

and Black Crypt on the Migge (is this available on ST) starts to drool in anticipation

and AmberMoon

and Galaxians

and ............................... the list goes on

MrT

 

[ldaneels]

Well, I have already played it on the PC & amiga.
But doing so pretty much defeats the concept of playing it on a handheld...

 

[MrT]

Ahh you've already played it..................

I just suggested the PC version (although the Migge version is tonnes better) so that you did not miss out on experiencing in my view the very best ever game on any system ever bar none.

I am almost holding out on an Amiga EMU to play this game alone. I could try and get the ST version working but as you are having trouble I'll probably wait still.

Dungeon Master will have to do for now.

If you have not tried Amberstar yet (not you ldaneels) then plaese do, for it's time it was (and still is IMHO) a superb RPG game

Better than Baldurs Gate et al if not graphically and fight sequence etc but as a pure game it can not be beat

MrT

(honest)

 

[Tobriand]

Isn't it on a dbug set already? And Dbug are usually english ones and if the games are installers they usually say so... so try there. I think its around 69 or 169 or 97... not sure; Haven't tried it yet, on account of forgetting to download the first disk...

 

[ldaneels]

Ok, one problem solved thanks to the Thalion Webshrine webmaster (incredibly helpful & quick to reply., by the way)
Be sure to check his website (http://cus.org.uk/~alexh/games/games.html), there is a goldmine of info. Plus Thalion was (sadly it is no more) one of the most creative companies. Very interesting reading...
If anyone is interested in a working disk B, either PM me or email me. Trust me, you don't want to deal with the aggravation of installing the game (especially considering it will consistently create a corrupt disk B). I have been spending a full day installing, swaping disks, experimenting with different files, transfering files from one version to the other... But now I can finally play this gem.
Now if only I could get the Chaos strikes back to install correctly, I would be in Heaven.

Loic

 

[ldaneels]

Forget I said anything...
I just tried it on the GP32 (I ran all my tests on moron) & I cannot acces the directory (it doesn't even show anything in drive A). Since the German version was working correctly, I assumed that my install would work also on GP32 (yes, I tried to combine the German disk A with the English disk B & C). I also checked both disk B & C under CaSTaway & they are working fine... Under moron I can see the folder fine on disk A & load the game, but in the GP32, I can't see a thing. I assume this is a bug in CaSTaway.
So close...

Loic

 

[Tobriand]

Well... I've managed to get it to run - if not playably - from the D-Bug release (097a/b/c) which isn't an install one so just plug in the disk and play.

Unfortunately a couple of seconds after a load, the mouse cursor vanishes...
But the game is certainly running - does the title screen, goes to menu etc. Just can't get any further on account of there being no mouse (possibly re-positioned such that its not only off screen, but so far off that no part of its motion is on? hmm)

 

[ldaneels]

Finally, thanks to the great support from the Thalion Webshrine webmaster I got the game running fully (yes, this time I tried it on the GP32).
Also, thanks to Skeezix's outstanding work & bugfixes, you can now insert disks in drive B without having the emu crashing.
Remember to leave disk B in drive A & disk C in drive B & there is no more disk swapping. Excellent if I may say so...
Bliss is now portable. I think I am one of the only person who cares, but this definitely makes me happy.
Now if only I could find a working copy of Ultima 6 (I still have about a 1000 disks to test, so I am not too worried about finding one), the four best RPGs (with Dungeon Master & Catpive) will be working 100%
I also made Archipelagos working (every single disk I found on the internet was Kaput). Life is sweet. Just have to find out what is wrong with Sentinel& I will be all set.
Now I can skip sleeping once again.

Loic

 

[Bonks]

What disks did you use idaneels? still the same as the ones you sent me? im excited about this one also

 

[ldaneels]

No, that is an entirely new set. Unfortunately, you have to play with a rather average character (still better than nothing)
I asked the M Holland how he made the disks, so I might be able to make my own characters soon.
Check your email, Bonks, there is a surprise for you...

 

[Bonks]

you wont BELIEVE what i just did.... thats me off work till Monday, and i left my flaming USB cable there :angry: :unsure:

now of all times

someone send lend me there USB cable for an hour will ya!!

roll on Monday

 

[ldaneels]

Life is rough, no doubt

 

[A600]

Unfortunately, you have to play with a rather average character (still better than nothing)
I asked the M Holland how he made the disks, so I might be able to make my own characters soon.

You can create your own character with the install disks and then copy the files CHARDATA.AMB and PARTYDAT.SAV from the disk C created to your working disk C.

 

[Bonks]

ldaneels, finally got to play it, runs so well, thanks a lot for sending me the images!!

one thing tho, i went into a door which comes up the usual screen to unlock it or exit and what have u, but the mouse isnt there so cant proced... have you seen this?

 

[ldaneels]

Hmm, I have not had this problem.
Not that it would help in your case, but you can press space when the mouse disappears to continue (like when it first asks to change disks). Only works when you have only one option, though...
I assume this will be fixed eventually in CaSTaway as I have noticed that the mouse disappears sometimes in some games (Populous 2 for example)
As for getting a better character, weird I didn't even think of that ? I will do that right away ! Thanks for the tip.

Loic

 

[D C]

Can any 1 clue me up on the getting this gem working, can't find a disk set that will have a go.

Idaneels, any Ideas m8?

Cheers

DC

 

[A600]

Don't bother. The game is unplayable because mouse cursor dissapears on some game menus