Boulder Dash - converted games from Atari to BDCFF

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:20 pm

Hello!

I was always wondering if it is possible to convert to BDCFF original games from Atari. As I have seen, most of the BDCFF games originate from C64. Recently I've been inspired by Subotai's topic (:arrow: Link), where he presents his tool which is able to read c64 raw cave data directly from memory dump. I thought - why not to create dump on Atari and give it a try. No wonder it didn't work with Subotai's tool. I've decided then to give it another shot and I've inspected this dump in the hex editor. As the very first look looked promising, I took up the gauntlet. Then I've spent whole last evening and most of today's afternoon and here it is - one of my favourite BD's from Atari converted to BDCFF.

This particular caveset was created by some guys who introduced themselves as MapaSoft. All we know is that they were from Krakow (Poland) and it was released in 1986. I believe (but don't know for sure) it utilizes BD1 engine, since I don't see any signs of BD2 or other objects or features.

Here is the download link

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2721411/BDCFF/ ... oft%29.zip

I've packed it with regular zip. Inside is one file, which I've tested it with GDash and my own BD Clone against original version under Atari emulator. It looks and works fine.

I'll try to figure out if other BD releases for Atari can be also converted. But firstly I have to invent some kind of more-or-less automatic converter. To be honest - doing the conversion the way I did - is long and tirening. Most of the work had been done in hex and text editors with significant support of tool written by Peter Broadribb (decodecaves.c). All in all, digging byte by byte with bare hands isn't something I'd like to do with hundreds of available BD's from Atari

Anyway feel free to test this BD game by MapaSoft. I'm almost sure that most of you haven't ever seen this caveset.

Best, Peter

EDIT: I've corrected BDCFF file. Now the colors are the same as in Atari version.

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:19 pm

Hello again!

I've spent some more time working with Atari memory dumps. Yes. It is absolutely possible to convert these games to BDCFF. Currently I am able to convert (almost) every Atari game which using BD1 engine.

I have also managed to create little tool, which partially automates conversion. It isn't perfect, some dumps need to be little edited by hand. But all in all it is quite helpful. Of course - output BDCFF file needs some hand work, however, within reason.

I'll continue to convert any Atari game I have and I'll put it here. Arno if you like, feel free to put them in some better place

Today I bring to you five converted BD's created by Artur Losinski (Iron Soft). As usual - it is a standard zip file with GDash ready BDCFF files.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2721411/BDCFF/ ... oft%29.zip

Have a good fun!

Best, Peter.

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:00 pm

Hi!

Today I bring you next BD converted by me from Atari. It is so-called "Super Boulder Dash 1". This caveset was created in 1987 by guys calling themselves Chaos Software and, I must admit, it is hard.

It had also few nice features. One of them was altered tune at the title screen. On the level 1 it sounded exactly as in original BD, but for each level from 2 up to 5 it was different. For levels 2 and 3 it was more distorted with extra notes, and for 4 and 5 the notes were shifted up by few tones. When I was a child, I loved watching the title screen, listening to the music and changing the level

It is a shame that I couldn't convert this feature to BDCFF...

Anyway - it is first BD I wasn't able to convert exactly as it was in Atari. The third intermission uses two Rockfords - and in original game, the second Rockford was born at the same time as the main Rockford (after pre-rockford sequence). It seems that GDash doesn't support such feature and the second guy is being born before the main one and therefore it makes this cave unsolvable. There's nothing I can do about it, I think

The all other caves are solvable.

Here is the link

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2721411/BDCFF/ ... are%29.zip

Enjoy!

Best, Peter

LogicDeLuxe · Post by **LogicDeLuxe** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:44 pm

piter wrote:The third intermission uses two Rockfords - and in original game, the second Rockford was born at the same time as the main Rockford (after pre-rockford sequence). It seems that GDash doesn't support such feature and the second guy is being born before the main one and therefore it makes this cave unsolvable. There's nothing I can do about it, I think

Can you also upload the original game?

If they are supposed to be born at the same time, then just change the Prerockford to an Inbox. If I remember correctly, in contrast to later engines, BD1 doesn't execute the entire birth sequence until the start signal at all. This is rarely noticed of course, since you usually don't place Prerockfords in a cave.

And I guess, the Magicwall shouldn't convert the Amoeba, right? This feature doesn't exist on Atari at all, afaIk.

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:29 pm

LogicDeLuxe wrote:
piter wrote:The third intermission uses two Rockfords - and in original game, the second Rockford was born at the same time as the main Rockford (after pre-rockford sequence). It seems that GDash doesn't support such feature and the second guy is being born before the main one and therefore it makes this cave unsolvable. There's nothing I can do about it, I think
Can you also upload the original game?

Sure. Here it is.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2721411/BDCFF/ ... iginal.zip

I've also attached the savegame from this BD - with this problematic intermission. It was made in Atari800Win Plus emulator, version 4.1 (I can also upload it if needed).

LogicDeLuxe wrote:If they are supposed to be born at the same time, then just change the Prerockford to an Inbox. If I remember correctly, in contrast to later engines, BD1 doesn't execute the entire birth sequence until the start signal at all. This is rarely noticed of course, since you usually don't place Prerockfords in a cave.

And I guess, the Magicwall shouldn't convert the Amoeba, right? This feature doesn't exist on Atari at all, afaIk.

I must confess that I don't know BD1 engine as well as you, but I've never noticed such behavior of amoeba in original Atari games. On the other hand - GDash has this "bug" even if cave is set to AtariBD1 Engine....

LogicDeLuxe · Post by **LogicDeLuxe** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:55 pm

piter wrote:I must confess that I don't know BD1 engine as well as you, but I've never noticed such behavior of amoeba in original Atari games. On the other hand - GDash has this "bug" even if cave is set to AtariBD1 Engine....

That is the engine setting for the timing only, not the element behavior. Go to the settings, click the "Magic Wall" tab and uncheck "Stops amoeba".
(You probably want to do this with a text editor and replace the settings for all Atari caves in one go.)
Of course, you only need to do this in caves which contain both, Amoeba and Magic Walls.

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 2:01 pm

LogicDeLuxe wrote:That is the engine setting for the timing only, not the element behavior (...)

Allright. Now I get it. Thanks!

Meanwhile I'd like to share with you the next converted BD from Atari. It is "Super Boulder Dash" created by unknown author. It was the first BD I have ever played in my life... it could be 1987 or something. Moreover, for years I thought it was the first BD at all...

I have no idea why it was called Super Boulder Dash. This name isn't mentioned anywhere in the original Atari game, but since my childhood, I recognize it under this name. Moreover, you can find it in the Internet and the name also is Super BD. So.. something must be in it

Here is download link (zip file)

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2721411/BDCFF/ ... r_Dash.zip

Regarding this caveset. Most of it is the same as in original Boulder Dash 1. Only the caves from A to F and second intermission were completely changed.

Best, Peter.

actomo · Post by **actomo** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:57 pm

Hi Piter, just the person 'd like to talk too, I'm also an Atarian & I have many Boulderdash files that I'd like to see on this site, especially in the 'cave map' section. The files ain't all by me, they are the Bandit Boulderdash files of which have been created by many different people, me personally have about 15-20 of my games under this name, the other half of my files I do not have at the moment, but I intend to get hold of them, somehow, sometime...! Anyway, look forward to your reply.

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:48 pm

Hi actomo!
I understand you'd like to have some caves converted to BDCFF format, right? I need some further details

In what format are the files you have? I'd prefer files which can be handled by Atari emulator (like A800Win). If so, I might be able to convert them.

However, regarding Bandit Boulderdash series, these caves are included with GDash BD clone by Czirkos Zoltan. They are in GDash own format, but can be converted to BDCFF via in-game editor.

Best, Piter

actomo · Post by **actomo** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:01 pm

Hiya Piter, yes the BANDIT Boulderdash's will run on atari800win, you can find them on one of the many Atari game archives, there are I believe about 52 of them, all created from different people of which were converted to BANDIT file in order to share for everyone to play.

Piter · Post by **Piter** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:26 pm

As I have said - Bandit Boulder Dash files are included with GDash and can be converted to BDCFF by anybody by using included editor therefore I see no point in extracting data from Atari memory dumps manually.

actomo · Post by **actomo** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:54 pm