RMESS 0.111 (final) released

[Robert]

Yes just one last release at the request of R.Belmont.

 

Below is an extract from the Readme.

 

RMESS 0.111 (16/12/2006)

===========

 

 

Introduction

------------

This is the FINAL release of RMESS.

 

RMESS was created to allow me some latitude with drivers and coding methods that do not fit the MESS model.

 

The primary aim was to create a driver for the Dick Smith Super-80, and also to allow correct loading of the games I played long ago on the vz-200, the exidy sorcerer, and the microbee.

 

Some work was done with the Tandy (Radio Shack in the U.S.) TRS-80 Model I and clones, as (until recently) nobody seemed concerned about its broken state in MESS.

 

Since my aims have been achieved, this is the last release.

 

 

 

Quickload

---------

This facility allows programs with a Quickload header to be loaded and executed on the vz-200, super-80, exidy, and microbee. The header contains the load address, the end address, the execute address, the program name, and optional notes. Since each computer system is different, each driver contains quickload code specific to the needs of that driver. For instance, some initialisation of certain memory areas is required after loading a BASIC program, before it is run. Some games assume memory is at zeros when loaded; you may need to reboot the driver before loading an image on occasions.

 

Changes from MESS:

* Fix autorun issues

* Allow "wrap-around" loads

* Fix various Access Violation issues

* Add a dipswitch option to disable the Autorun feature

 

 

 

Cartridge loading

-----------------

This is enabled on the Microbee, the Super-80, and the Exidy Sorcerer. Only the Sorcerer had an actual cartridge slot. On the Super-80 and Microbee, you can use it to test new rom images without having to burn physical roms.

 

 

 

Auto-size option

----------------

This is fitted to the microbee and the super80v driver. Some games may be squashed to the left of the screen, because they were ported from some other system. The auto-size option will automatically expand the characters so that the screen is filled.

 

 

 

Exidy Sorcerer (exidy and exidyd)

--------------

Changes from MESS:

* Remove NOT_WORKING flag, since it works perfectly, apart from the cassette system

* Fix Quickload (above)

 

Notes:

* The system boots into the Monitor mode. You need to load the BASIC cartridge before you can load BASIC games.

* It is necessary to reload a cartridge after a Hard Reset.

* Existing cartridges (to my knowledge) are: Basic, Word Processor, Basic 1.01, Basic Rev.B, and the elusive EDASM.

* When you start the driver for the first time, adjust the DipSwitch so that Speaker is selected. This enables Sound.

 

 

 

Microbee (mbee, mbeepc, mbeepc85, mbee56)

--------

Changes from MESS:

* Reset modes work like a real machine

* Fix sound

* Fix colours

* Fix cursor modes

* Enable small character set

* Fix "extra insert" key

* Fix PIO addressing

* add Auto-Resize option

* fix Quickload (above)

 

Notes:

* The mbee56 driver hasn't been verified as I don't have the software to boot it.

* A few games still don't run but the vast majority do.

 

 

 

VZ-200 (and all vtech1 clones)

------

Changes from MESS:

* Fix Quickload (as described above)

 

 

 

Tandy TRS-80 Model I/III/4 (trs80, lnw80, sys80, trs80l2, trs80l2a, trs80m3, trs80m4)

--------------------------

Changes from MESS:

* Fix the black screen problem (it boots up now)

* Hook up the Disk System dipswitch, so that when it is turned off, the system is now a Cassette system.

* Fix 32-character mode (except model III/4)

* Added Model III and 4, they boot but there is no code for the I/O ports.

* Changed the operation of the 7-bit dipswitch

* The rom trs80.z33 was found to be a hack - the real one is now required to be used.

 

Notes:

* The dipswitches should be set to Floppy Disk Drives: OFF ; and Video RAM: 7 bit

* No file loading options have been tested, I suspect they are all broken.

* Since the LNW-80 character generator hasn't been decoded, the TRS80 generator is being used for now.

 

 

 

Dick Smith Super-80 (super80 and super80v)

-------------------

This was a kit computer sold by Dick Smith Electronics in 1981, in Australia and New Zealand. Apparently "several thousand" kits were sold, but now, less than a dozen remain. It has been emulated exclusively in RMESS, in an effort to avoid the complete extinction of this computer. It works except for these issues:

 

* Cassette system doesn't work

* The 6845 "interlace" and "interlace and video" modes are not emulated

* Keyboard interrupt doesn't work if keyboard isn't being scanned (MAME core limitation)

* Natural keyboard has problems when Shift key pressed

* The optional I/O board isn't emulated

 

Notes:

* For super80v, set the dipswitches this way: Colour Type=RGB ; Colour=ON ; Auto Resize=YES ; and then reboot driver.

* If you turn on colour for the super80 driver, you will get a black screen. This is because the colour RAM has not been initialised. At the monitor prompt, enter >F FE00 FFFF 4 (for example) before selecting colour.

>> Get it HERE.