Changes

The practise of some GX4000 cartridge game developers was to put an almost unchanged game from the CPC into a cartridge for the Plus/GX4000.A game which had small changes (often just using the Plus's palette) was called a "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port".

== The most common size of [[Cartridge|cartridge]] used was only 128KB which had less capacity compared to a 3" disk. The standard DATA format had 178K of useable storage and later (1990) disc games had around 210KB of usable storage on each disc.This meant that a direct Disk Vs to Cartridge ==port would need to have something removed so that it would fit into the cartridge space.(It is worth noting that 256KB ROM and 512KB ROM (maximum capacity for a rom) can be used with cartridges but probably because of cost reasons most used 128KB ROMs.)

Sometimes such A small number of games had some features removed because the 128KB only cartridge had less capacity compared to a 3" disk on tape/disc (178K with standard DATA format with later disc games e.g. Bloodwych) used around 210K on each tape/disc, compared to 128KB used for most cartridge gamesstore game state (so play could continue after) and in addition , but there was no way to store game state on Cartridge games. (i.e. the cartridge contained an EPROM and the ACID protection chip only, no EEPROM or RAM). It is worth noting that 256KB and 512KB (max capacity) can be used with cartridges but most used 128KB ROMs.

Of course this practise direct disk to cartridge didn't help the [[Plus]] range at all and was almost as shameful as the [[Speccy Port]] technique, but it was done because it was a cheap and fast way to quickly release games.

It was a cheap Another problem came from the fact that both the 464Plus and fast way GX4000 (essentially a cut down 464Plus) had 64KB ram. As a result using the Plus features to the full was not so simple if the game was to quickly release gamesrun on these systems.

Another problem came from the fact that both the 464Plus and GX4000 (essentially a cut down 464Plus) had 64KB ram. As a result using the Plus features to the full was not so simple if the game was to run on these systems. If 128KB ram was had been the minimum then this would have allowed more flexibility for graphical data, sampled sound etc and would have easily enhanced a 64KB only game.

== Examples of Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Portages Port ==

*[[Batman (Most games with CPC and PLUS versions are "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge)]]Port", a "Direct Disk to Cartridge Port" with small modifications. The use of the extra Plus features varied a lot. Some didn't use much, others used more.

*[[Barbarian 2 (== Examples of Direct Disk to Cartridge)]]Ports ==

These games are identical in look to the CPC versions with no use of Plus features: *[[Batman The Movie ( Cartridge )]] *[[Barbarian 2 ( Cartridge )]] *[[Mystical (Cartridge)]]

Please visit their respective pages to read more about these games. == Examples of Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Ports == Some other cartridge games looked similar to almost the same as the CPC version, but did have use some enhancementsPlus features. Some examples:

*[[Tintin On the Moon (Cartridge)]] This was still better than the direct ports, because it could give a more "16bit version look". Please visit their respective pages to read more about these games. == Examples of games developed using lots of Plus features == All cartridge games should have followed the example of these games: *[[Pang ( Cartridge )]]*[[Navy Seals ( Cartridge )]]*[[Plotting ( Cartridge )]] All these games were developed with the Plus features in mind, and all cartridge games should have been of this quality. == Side-by-Side comparison of ported games == *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ZBzhKoGdI Batman the Movie, Barbarian 2 & Operation Thunderbolt] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRDlE0f8GaI Klax, Mystical & Super Pinball Magic] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPEeqIEgO_0 No Exit, Panza Kick Boxing & Wild Streets] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LaHwU5A0gk Crazy Cars 2, Fire & Forget 2 & Pro Tennis Tour] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XNDx8A8WUQ Switchblade, Tin Tin on the Moon & Dick Tracy] == Price comparison ==

UK prices: in 1990 when the Plus/GX4000 was released, cartridge games were sold at £39£29.9995, while disc versions were normally £15£14.99 and tape version was £11£9.99. Blank discs were £3£2.99 50 each.French prices: 250Fr for cartridge, 150Fr for disc and 100Fr for tape.Blank discs were 20Fr each. (Fr = French Francs, pre-Euro currency in FranceSource Amstrad Action October 1990).

Most French prices: in 1990 when the Plus/GX4000 was released, cartridge games with CPC were sold for 250Fr , 150Fr for disc and PLUS versions are "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port"100Fr for tape. Blank discs were 20Fr each. (Fr = French Francs, pre-Euro currency in France).   == The present and future ==  It is easy to make a "Direct Disk to Cartridge Port" with small modificationsby using the [[No$cart]] utility by [[Nocash]]. The use  A number of unofficial cartridge games have been made this way and some have been even been sold in nice packaging and sold on Ebay. (See [[Bootleg Cartridges]]). It is nowadays a common feature to modify existing CPC games to take advantage of some plus features, mostly the extra [[Plus features varied a lot. Some didn]]'t use muchs bigger palette, others used morebut often these remain on disk.With [[No$cart]] these could be converted to cartridge and made into "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port".

It is nowadays a common feature Most cartridges were the original games released from the GX4000 era so these ideas were mostly applied to modify existing CPC games into "Almost Direct Disk . To apply this to Cartridge Port"utilities you would need to have drivers to access disc/tape for storage, just by modifying or include the colours OS/firmware in game to use a better choice of colours from the [[Plus]]s bigger paletteyour cartridge.

As most cartridges were the original games released from the GX4000 era, it was mostly applied to games. Now that the operation of the ACID protection chip is known, and the development of various homebrew home brew cartridge hardware solutions may lead to Direct Disk to Cartridge Port applied to any kind of software or new cartridge games that make fuller use of Plus features(See [[Converted_GX4000_games]]).