Release Ultima 7 (exult)

[Pickle]

Ive refreshed the exult pnd for playing ultima 7 and seperent isle.
Its based on the latest git and uses SDL2. I built it with codeblocks and left everything default.

So this means it looks for data under <appdata>/share/exult now instead of the root.
PND Link

Music and SFX are found below. Extract contents to <appdata>/share/exult
Music SFX Link

Note: the intro video is causing a segfault, for now just hit escape before it runs.
Note 2: exult does work with the gog releases.

Sourceforge Download Page for Exult

More detailed step by step guide:
Ok here my experience setting up without an appdata/exult folder. So i renamed my old one and setup everything from scratch.

1. Run the pnd to get the appdata folder created. You should get the screen from exult saying no data exists. Hit a key and your back to the desktop.
2. Eject the SD card with the pnd and appdata
3. Download your gog installers and install according to to your OS. Im using linux so i ended up using wine (innoextract didnt work right)
4. Copy the game data from U7+Forge to appdata/exult/share/exult/blackgate. I copied basically all the upper case files plus STATIC and GAMEDAT
5. Repeat the process above for serpent isle to appdata/exult/share/exult/serpentisle
6. Download the all in one music pack (find on the exult download page. Extract to appdata/share/exult (you should have a music folder now)
7. Put the SD-Card back in the pandora and load exult again. You should hear music and see the two games at the top of the screen.
8. Go into sound and enable digital music if you like

One thing I could do is create the share folders to help new users out.
Try this process and see if it works out.

 

[Michoko]

Thank you!

 

[ElPoco]

Nice, I've finished both U7 and Serpent Isle on my Pandora with the earlier version of your pnd

 

[Pickle]

good to hear, myself I only finished U7. Started serpent isle but didnt get back to it.

 

[gunrock]

Thanks for this @Pickle. Just went off and bought the Ultima Collection from Ebay.

 

[Pickle]

@gunrock well i hope it didnt cost that much. You can get all the ultima dirt cheap on gog.com. They also go on sale pretty often.

 

[levi]

If you fix this typo (or at least clarify exactly what you meant) it may help

Note 2: exult does work with the gog releases if the old dos data.

 

[Pickle]

Thanks, I think my brain shutoff when i wrote that I think i was trying to say it will work with just the old dos files from the gog releases.

 

[gunrock]

@gunrock well i hope it didnt cost that much. You can get all the ultima dirt cheap on gog.com. They also go on sale pretty often.

Well, when I looked on GOG it was around 40 DKK which is about 5 GBP (I still convert everything back to quid) and the sealed, Ultima Collection was 30 USD. I prefer physical, plus it has all the other Ultima's on it, if I ever fancy playing IV, etc.

However, in the Spring sale I see its now less than 10 DKK, which is just over 1 GBP and Im starting to get buyer's remorse!

 

[Pickle]

well you can get both and keep your hard copy sealed

edit: by the way ultima IV should still be free on gog.

 

[gunrock]

Thanks @Pickle, I have done as uou suggested, seemed a pretty good idea, but I won't keep the Ultima Collection sealed, I'll probably sell it. I didn't want for collecting, I just prefer physical as I can always pass it on at a loss (or occasionally a profit).

 

[Arkay Firestar]

So this means it looks for data under <appdata>/share/exult now instead of the root.

Pickle, I’m so sorry, I’ve tried every possible way to place the GOG data files, I still get the error that data wasn’t found. Is it not in the .exult hidden folders? They auto generate, like the CFG, and have a sub folder in each game folder, called gamedat?

 

[Pickle]

i will post some more specific details where the data files are

 

[DrasticNerd]

i will post some more specific details where the data files are

help me pickle! I have the GOG release and every time I try to run Exult, it states it cant find the data files. Where do I put them? I followed the instructions by creating a blackgate folder under exult and it doesn't work. Also tried the folder in the hidden .exult subfolder. What do I do now?

 

[DrasticNerd]

UPDATE: So after reading the included instructions (which are out of date), the details provided by @Pickle earlier in this thread AND after extracting the PND and studying the paths, I copied the GOG files into 5 different locations on my SD card (Why 5? I wanted to see if I could get it working first then use trial and error to gradually eliminate the locations that weren't needed), at long last I could play it on my Pandora.

I kick myself that I didn't keep careful notes when deleting the copies not needed. I can still run my game, yes, but I don't have any spoken voice. Because if I had speech on my Pandora install earlier *, I certainly don't now (Started new game to confirm) Which would appear to indicate that one of the "unnecessary" install locations on my SD card is being read by the PND for the speech - and this is not the same location that the PND reads the rest of the game data from! Which wouldn't surprise me if this did prove to be the case seeing as how unclear the locations are for this port!

I tried downloading the additional Exult files for digital audio etc. but still no speech in my current set up.

* (I'm sure I had speech in the game previously on my Pandora. Unless I'm confusing my memory with the GOG version installed on PC?)
[doublepost=1566904906,1566904684][/doublepost]

Pickle, I’m so sorry, I’ve tried every possible way to place the GOG data files, I still get the error that data wasn’t found. Is it not in the .exult hidden folders? They auto generate, like the CFG, and have a sub folder in each game folder, called gamedat?

@Arkay Firestar - Have you solved it yet? Let me know if not and I can at least dig out a location I found that will, at least, let you play the game on your Pandora.

I cant get speech working anymore though. (See above for details)

 

[Arkay Firestar]

UPDATE: So after reading the included instructions (which are out of date), the details provided by @Pickle earlier in this thread AND after extracting the PND and studying the paths, I copied the GOG files into 5 different locations on my SD card (Why 5? I wanted to see if I could get it working first then use trial and error to gradually eliminate the locations that weren't needed), at long last I could play it on my Pandora.

I kick myself that I didn't keep careful notes when deleting the copies not needed. I can still run my game, yes, but I don't have any spoken voice. Because if I had speech on my Pandora install earlier *, I certainly don't now (Started new game to confirm) Which would appear to indicate that one of the "unnecessary" install locations on my SD card is being read by the PND for the speech - and this is not the same location that the PND reads the rest of the game data from! Which wouldn't surprise me if this did prove to be the case seeing as how unclear the locations are for this port!

I tried downloading the additional Exult files for digital audio etc. but still no speech in my current set up.

* (I'm sure I had speech in the game previously on my Pandora. Unless I'm confusing my memory with the GOG version installed on PC?)
[doublepost=1566904906,1566904684][/doublepost]
@Arkay Firestar - Have you solved it yet? Let me know if not and I can at least dig out a location I found that will, at least, let you play the game on your Pandora.

I cant get speech working anymore though. (See above for details)

I never did solve this, unfortunately. I just tried again today

 

[Pickle]

@Arkay Firestar
Did you get it to work at all, or just this speech problem?

@DrasticNerd
All i remember is there might be speech at the intro/outro. Do you think there was more or is that what your attempting to get working?

Im trying to compile the latest git. Once i have a build I will try the pnd out. I will try running it from a fresh install so maybe we can solve a proper way to install the data.

 

[Arkay Firestar]

@Arkay Firestar
Did you get it to work at all, or just this speech problem?

@DrasticNerd
All i remember is there might be speech at the intro/outro. Do you think there was more or is that what your attempting to get working?

Im trying to compile the latest git. Once i have a build I will try the pnd out. I will try running it from a fresh install so maybe we can solve a proper way to install the data.

I still can’t figure out where or how to drop the files so it’ll see them. I’ve tried both my GOG version and also my oooold CD ultima collection, installing them on my PC using dosbox then dragging the files over.

 

[Pickle]

I still can’t figure out where or how to drop the files so it’ll see them. I’ve tried both my GOG version and also my oooold CD ultima collection, installing them on my PC using dosbox then dragging the files over.

So the updated is running with my current setup for both u7 and serpent isle. I heard the speech in the intro video when the red bad guy starts.

My data files are under appdata/share/exult/blackgate or serpentisle or silverseed (i nothing in this folder).
The other folders appear to contain the raw install data files.
I have a appdata/share/exult/music folder when ogg files. I think these are from the exult page.
There are 4 flx in appdata/share, these are from the music pack

there is an hidden folder .exult in appdata/exult but i think this is either data from the pnd or autogenerated data from the app.
there is an exult.cfg in appdata/exult this should be from the pnd.

When i get some more time today ill download my gog installers and go through a fresh appdata setup. But maybe the info above gives you some hints right away.

Edit:
I put a guide on first post. I have a mistake with the above text missing a exult where the appdata path should be appdata/share/exult/blackgate. I went ahead and corrected them.

 

[gunrock]

I can confirm that GOG U7 does work with Pickle's release. Except for step 6, the music folder, which should be in appdata/exult/share/exult. i.e the same level in the directory hierarchy as blackgate and serpentisle directories.

Also, apart from enabling the digital music option, you should disable the midi music, as after a couple of minutes, the midi fails and leaves a stuck note playing, like a selfish muso in a jazz band, preventing the other players from getting their solo for all eternity!

Another tip, don't enable the full screen "fast mouse" option, unless you are actually using an external mouse, because you can't then use the pandora touch screen to control the game.

Lastly, If you are old, like me, bring yer reading glasses.

Ps- thanks Pickle for the work in porting this.