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PC-98

Discuss any other databases that use the GameBase Frontend, whether in pre development, development or publically released.

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Seiya
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Re: PC-98

Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:21 am

i found another solution. As PC 98 is a PC, with start.bat and this commands:

imgmount 2 game.hdi -t hdd
imgmount d game.ccd(or img) -t Cdrom
boot -l c

i will see it it load. This morning i thouth it working, but after checking better, no. Dosbox-X load but it block during mouting cd-rom.

maybe working i will find final solution, but it's very hard. Manually working good, so there will be a solution for gamebase.
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Re: PC-98

Wed Mar 29, 2023 10:50 am

it works for me, been using it for 3 years.

here is anex86 readme about CD translated into English.

[usage].

(1). Place anecdxnt.e86 in the same directory as anex86.exe.
(2). Copy mscdex.exe/cdx.sys to .fdi or .hdi of Anex86.
(3). Double-click anex86.exe to start Anex86.
(4). Open [Config]-[CDX] tab.
(5). Specify the drive.
The drive is the CD-ROM of the PC running Anex86.
    Specify the CD-ROM drive for MS-DOS in Anex86 with MSCDEX.
(6). Change CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT of MS-DOS in Anex86.
Example of CONFIG.SYS (The /D option is required. It cannot be omitted.)
LASTDRIVE=Z
DEVICE=CDX.SYS /D:CD_101

Example of AUTOEXEC.BAT
MSCDEX /D:CD_101 /L:Q
(7). [Press "Start" to boot MS-DOS in Anex86.

--
config.sys /d parameter for neccdd.sys

For Neko Project I

DEVICE=A:\NECCDD.SYS /D:CD_101
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Re: PC-98

Wed Mar 29, 2023 6:25 pm

however cd-rom games are too much and only in japanese..so impossible to play. Nice to have a database with this type of games, but to many GB. i will add some CD games, maybe the more known

this is my scripts to load cd-rom games. As i cannot mount file from c:\gbgame\0\ something for sure is wrong:

Code: Select all

Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||clk_mult||6)
Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||nousemmx||true)
Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||FDfolder||%gamepath%\0)
Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||HDfolder||%gamepath%\0)
Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||ExMemory||4)

If GameType CONTAINS(HDI)
	Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||HDD1FILE||%gamepathfile%)
Else
	Add_CLP( %gamepathfile%)
End If

If GameType CONTAINS(HDM||FDD||FDI||D88)
	Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||FDD1FILE||%gamepathfile%)
Else
	Add_CLP( %gamepathfile%)
End If

If GameType CONTAINS(CCD||IMG)
	Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||CD3_FILE||%gamepathfile%)
Else
	Add_CLP( %gamepathfile%)
End If


If NumGameFiles > 1
	Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||FD2NAME0||%gamepathfile(1)%)


End If
If Key_exmem CONTAINS(*)
	Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||ExMemory||%exmem_value%)
End If

If Key_clock CONTAINS(*)
	Set_CFG_Value(%emupath%\np21.ini||clk_mult||%clock_value%)
End If



Run_Emulator()

i saw that NEC FMTowns use a sytem like PC98. Boot Disc and CD-ROM. Gamebase use Run_Emulator_Send_Keys to mount boot disc and Daemon Tool to mount iso.
i don't now how exact work neko project II (there is no console), but could be a solution for that games that need Bootdisc and HDI or Boot Disc, HD and CD.
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Re: PC-98

Thu Mar 30, 2023 11:44 am

i made some test with the script, but at the end i mount CD-ROM manually and it works
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.mad.
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Re: PC-98

Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:16 pm

Seiya wrote: however cd-rom games are too much and only in japanese..so impossible to play.
Most of the games have too much Japanese text for English reading players, not just CD.
But CD also has audio in Japanese as well. :D

there are two HD options, as it is a PC.

you can have Primary (master) and Slave.
master containing Dos/Windows/OS which auto boots without need of floppy.

Slave - storage /data files

most games have the need for only 1 HD drive.
but some may also require a boot/user disk (floppy) for loading.

depending how config.sys autoexec.bat paths are setup. It might require game as HD1 or HD2 (never both).

NekoProject21w
https://simk98.github.io/np21w/

this emulator has option for running virtual CD images (.CCD)
so tools like deamons is not needed.
open IDE settings from the Window menu.
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Re: PC-98

Thu Mar 30, 2023 1:06 pm

with this np21W don't work at me. Speech from CD-rom is slow even if i put 200 Mhz Pentium 3. Only old emulator np21 working good with Speech CD-ROM.
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Re: PC-98

Thu Mar 30, 2023 6:47 pm

speech/music is running ok for me with Policenauts.
which game has slow speech?.

The INI options have changed, and attaching CD is broken from new config file. :roll:

; this option enabled reads the FLOPPY file stored in the INI and VM config file.
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||SVFDFILE||true)

; this option enabled shows message loading CD, but CD image file is not attached.
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||SVCDFILE||true)

i will contact Simk, and ask for a fix or command line.
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Re: PC-98

Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:41 am

.mad. wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 6:47 pm
speech/music is running ok for me with Policenauts.
which game has slow speech?
all game i tried. Also Policenauts speech is like in slowmotion

; this option enabled reads the FLOPPY file stored in the INI and VM config file.
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||SVFDFILE||true)

; this option enabled shows message loading CD, but CD image file is not attached.
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||SVCDFILE||true)

i will contact Simk, and ask for a fix or command line.
but "NekoProject21" you include in script what refere to? your emupath or must be inserted?
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Re: PC-98

Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:20 am

maybe there is a thing interesting.
if in CD archive like

Dark Seraphim.zip include:

Dark Seraphim.ccd
Dark Seraphim.img
Dark Seraphim.hdi

if i choose to start with Seraphim.ccd if boot automaticaly from hdi. The latter is prepared to run with CDrom and without cd-rom

maybe with CD there is a way to mount both format in one click.

unfortunately not works for every game, but only with HD prepared to run with CD-ROM if present :(

Dual succession plus kit for example start from HD without CD-ROM, but if present use it. However HD is not boot disc.
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Re: PC-98

Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:56 am

Seiya wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:41 am
but "NekoProject21" you include in script what refere to? your emupath or must be inserted?
"NekoProject21" refers to the header name in the INI file.

[NekoProject21]
FDD1FILE=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\Yume no Sei (Disk 1).hdm
HDD1FILE=
CD1_FILE=

[NP2 tool]
FD1NAME0=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\Yume no Sei (Disk 1).hdm

[Key Display]
keydmode=0

[Soft Keyboard]
windtype=false

[Memory Map]
windtype=false

[NP2 hostdrv]
HOSTDRV0=

[NP2 Window Accelerator]
MULTHREAD=true




Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||FDD1FILE||%gamepathfile%)

Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NP2 tool||FD1NAME0||%gamepathfile%)

; the "windtype" has same name in two sections
; so the script needs to know which section to look to edit the correct one...
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||Soft Keyboard||windtype||false)
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||Memory Map||windtype||false)


you need to add .CCD file to make CD work.

in some cases the HDI is a complete installed version of the game.
so CD and floppy is not needed.

some CDs are Music only (no game data).
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Re: PC-98

Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:24 pm

the config and script just started working again for me with rev88???

I used the old config file in new version.
set this setting back to false.
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||SVCDFILE||false)
Then CD, HD and Floppy are all inserted automatically from data stored in the config file or from scripting the INI.

the default saved .NPCFG (np21w.ini) is in Unicode mode.
this needs to be converted back to plain text for the scripting to work.

it's also possible to load the .NPCFG file as the gamebase runnable file.
np21w.exe config.npcfg

so any complicated multi file games can have their own bootable config file instead of crazy scripting.

Only one downside, the paths stored in the config...
*this could be c:\gbgame\0\
or a folder where all the CDs are unzipped.

FDfolder=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\
HDfolder=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\
CDfolder=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\
bmap_Dir=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\
npcfgDir=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\
SVFDFILE=true
FDD1FILE=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\Policenauts.FDI
FDD2FILE=
HDD1FILE=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\HD Policenauts [for Neko Project II].hdi
HDD2FILE=
SVCDFILE=false
CD1_FILE=
CD2_FILE=
CD3_FILE=C:\GameBase\PC-9801\cd\Policenauts.ccd
CD4_FILE=
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Re: PC-98

Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:42 pm

A good way to install and view files on the CD games...

Use a pre installed Win95 HDI with all the CD drivers.
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Re: PC-98

Sat Apr 01, 2023 1:30 am

games are zipped and inside any zip file there are:
boot disc + hd image
boot disc + hd image + CCD
hd image + CCD

every file are available in GBgame\0

now i watch again ini and your sugget, but no, i would like not use HDI with preinstalled Win98.
Now i think to have add a good number of games: 1730 (62 CD games)

30, 8 GB
Set_INI_Value(%emupath%\np21w.ini||NekoProject21||SVCDFILE||false)
now i try to test this script
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Re: PC-98

Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:10 am

i notice that with SVCD (false or true never mind) if i delete the .ini, the first time load a game like Akiko Gold, it load boot disc + CD-rom and the game work. It seems it work only with floppy + CD. If i mount a game with hdi + CCD not work even if delete the ini.

another thing: why in .ini the file are duplicated?

FFD1FILE= acrojet.hdm
FDD2FILE= acrojet.hdm

HDD1FILE= Alone in the Dark 3.hdi
HDD2FILE= Alone in the dark 3.hdi

the original gamebase about PC98 it was manual. you must be mount manually boot disc and hdi. I think that emulator should be rewritten to be more compatibile with Gamebase 1.3. Maybe wih the new gamebase this problems have been resolved.
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Re: PC-98

Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:47 am

with np21w i have this thing in ini file when i try to launch a CDrom Game:
Image

and i don't think it's normal because old np21 don't do it.

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