Difference between revisions of "Loaders"
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This list is not complete: | This list is not complete: | ||
| − | *[[ | + | *[[Custom Turbo Loader]] |
| + | |||
| + | Note: those protections systems are actually using custom turbo blocks and don't need a specific encoder, | ||
| + | and are actually sub-parts of the custom turbo loader family: | ||
| + | |||
*[[Spectrum (loader)]] | *[[Spectrum (loader)]] | ||
| + | *[[Gremlin Dot Loader]] | ||
| + | *[[Cassys Loader]] | ||
| + | *[[Hexagon Loader]] | ||
| + | *[[Hewson Counter Loader]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | *[[Speedlock Type 1,2,3,4]] | ||
*[[Alkatraz]] | *[[Alkatraz]] | ||
*[[Bleepload 1]] | *[[Bleepload 1]] | ||
*[[Bleepload 2]] | *[[Bleepload 2]] | ||
| − | |||
*[[Gremlin Loader 1]] | *[[Gremlin Loader 1]] | ||
*[[Gremlin Loader 2]] | *[[Gremlin Loader 2]] | ||
| Line 18: | Line 27: | ||
*[[Unilode Loader]] | *[[Unilode Loader]] | ||
*[[Zydroload Loader]] | *[[Zydroload Loader]] | ||
| − | |||
*[[Ricochet Loader]] | *[[Ricochet Loader]] | ||
| − | |||
*[[Microkey Loader]] | *[[Microkey Loader]] | ||
*[[Poliload Loader]] | *[[Poliload Loader]] | ||
Revision as of 11:30, 25 February 2016
A loader is a program that loads in new data for a game or program. This section covers various types of loaders seen on the Amstrad.
Contents
Cassette
This list is not complete:
Note: those protections systems are actually using custom turbo blocks and don't need a specific encoder, and are actually sub-parts of the custom turbo loader family:
- Speedlock Type 1,2,3,4
- Alkatraz
- Bleepload 1
- Bleepload 2
- Gremlin Loader 1
- Gremlin Loader 2
- Gremlin Loader 3
- Operasoft Loader
- Unilode Loader
- Zydroload Loader
- Ricochet Loader
- Microkey Loader
- Poliload Loader
- ehService Loader
- MBC Loader
- Puffy's Saga Loader
- Technician Ted Loader
- Ariolasoft Decryption key
- Rainbow Arts Decryption Key
- Lone Wolf Loader
Disc
This list is not complete:
Specific loaders worth looking at
This list is not complete:
- Deflektor had a loader which showed instructions while loading
- Zynaps had a loader which had a countdown while loading
- Speedlock had colourful stripes in the border, some versions loaded the screen from top-to-bottom line by line
- Some firebird games had music while loading from tape (see below).
Loading music
Cassette
Loading from cassette effectively uses all the CPU's time because it must poll the cassette input in order to convert the sound into data. So to do music and other things during loading requires precise timing.
The C64 effectively had interrupt driven loading music and the serial chip handled clocking in of the data bits and signalled an interrupt when the byte of data was ready. This meant music during loading was much easier to achieve.
I think only Firebird games had loading music on cassette. The music was composed by Melvyn Wright (www.melright.com). The music data was embeded into the data on cassette. The data was read as a group of 3 bits and 8 data bits. The 3 bits determined if the 8 data bits were for data or for music.
This list is not complete, please add more. Will upload YM of the loading music soon.
| Game | Loading music |
| Booty | |
| Comet Game (The) | Media:Comet_game_(the)-loader.ym |
| Harvey Headbanger | Media:Harvey_headbanger-loader.ym |
| Thrust | Media:Thrust.ym |
| Spiky Harold | Media:Spiky_harold-loader.ym |
Disc
The disc system on the Amstrad (and Spectrum +3) is "polled" which means the CPU has to keep checking if the FDC (NEC765) has more data to read/write. On the C64 the disc system is interrupt driven.
So to do music while loading requires careful timing and often the use of very small sectors (128bytes).
ZapTBalls The Demo 5KB Demo 3 Midline Process Orion Prime Batman Forever
