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.

A good part of the Most games with CPC and PLUS existing 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.

== List Examples of Direct Disk to Cartridge Ports ==

Those were at least adapted These games are identical in look to the ROM format.CPC versions with no use of Plus features:

*[[Tintin On the Moon ( Cartridge )]] This was still better than the direct ports, because it could give a more "16bit version look".

These could have benefited from using the Plus 4096 colour palette as a minimumPlease visit their respective pages to read more about these games.

Yet some == Examples of those actually had some especially made graphic pages (Tintin on the Moon perhaps) games developed using PLUS palette, or some slight changes in palette.lots of Plus features ==

== List All cartridge games should have followed the example of "Almost" Direct Disk to Cartridge Ports ==these games:

Some other cartridge games looked similar to the CPC version, but did have some enhancements *[[Pang (few visual effect or cinematic/Intro pagesCartridge ). ]]*[[Navy Seals ( Cartridge )]]*[[Plotting ( Cartridge )]]

*[[Crazy Cars 2 ( Cartridge )]] : sky smooth colourfull gradient or HUD re== Side-coloured... added option such as the map. Upgraded inbtropage too.by-Side comparison of ported games ==

*[[Fire and Forget 2 ( Cartridge )]] https: added smooth sky gradient while playiong (same recipe as in Crazy Car2) and Fullscreen Intro/Cinematic pages/www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ZBzhKoGdI Batman the Movie, Barbarian 2 & Operation Thunderbolt]

*[[Operation Thunderbolt ( Cartridge )]] https: PLUS palette used, yet exactly same game engine (and datas)//www. youtube.com/watch?v=DRDlE0f8GaI Klax, Mystical & Super Pinball Magic]

*[[Wild Streets ( Cartridge )]] https: mostly re-colouring to fit the better PLUS palette, and fullscreen intropage//www. (perhaps a few Hardsprites used youtube.com/watch?)v=nPEeqIEgO_0 No Exit, Panza Kick Boxing & Wild Streets]

This was still better than the direct ports*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LaHwU5A0gk Crazy Cars 2, as it could give some "16bit version look" thanks to the PLUS palette (Atari ST portage lookalike)Fire & Forget 2 & Pro Tennis Tour] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XNDx8A8WUQ Switchblade, Tin Tin on the Moon & Dick Tracy]

It is nowadays a common feature easy to modify existing CPC games into make a "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port", just by modifying using the colours [[No$cart]] utility by [[Nocash]].  A number of unofficial cartridge games have been made this way and some have been even been sold in game to use nice packaging and sold on Ebay. (See [[Bootleg Cartridges]]). It is nowadays a better choice common feature to modify existing CPC games to take advantage of colours from some plus features, mostly the [[Plus]]'s bigger palette, but often these remain on disk.With [[No$cart]] these could be converted to cartridge and made into "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port". Most cartridges were the original games released from the GX4000 era so these ideas were mostly applied to games. To apply this to utilities you would need to have drivers to access disc/tape for storage, or include the OS/firmware in your 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]]).