My Batocera Linux Setup

 So I've been working on setting up a system with Batocera linux, for my retrogaming enjoyment. 

Originally I had thought of just setting up a Linux environment and run MAME, and was working on a version of Debian, but was still doing research on what would be the best way to set up what I wanted. After a while I found out about Batocera and decided to give it a go. As soon as I managed to try it, I was instantly convinced it was what I wanted.

I had only small problems to start with: Finding a suitable USB stick, and convincing my old PC machinery to boot from it. First I was trying with a setup that had an old motherboard that needed some settings to be adjusted to allow the boot. But once it worked, it worked. And then I decided I wanted to install it to my SDD, which gave some problems. The installation to a drive should be possible directly from batocera menus, but it kept failing. I am not sure why, but I think it was trying to download stuff to put on the drive. I don't know if it was trying to download to the stick, but if it was then I'm pretty sure the problem was lack of sufficient space. If the problem was something else then it was something else. I didn't really look into it, and rather just went for a workaround. I ended up creating an image of my USB stick, and just copying it over to the SDD. To my astonishment, it worked.

Next problem was that the image was not using the whole of the SDD, so I needed to expand the partition. After some research I found out that this is a matter of setting some boot parameter to automatically extend the size of the partition to use all of the available space. I tried it, but as far as I could tell, it didn't work. I probably did something wrong, but I couldn't figure it out. So I ended up doing that manually, which worked just brilliantly. I cannot remember how I did it though, but it was probably reasonably easy. Otherwise I wouldn't have managed.

Next I switched to using a different PC setup. I think I just wanted to use the smaller case, and it was easier to just move the drive than to move any components. The two systems were very similar, and actually the one I switched to had slightly newer components. The only problem was it was my old Windows PC so I had to clean up lots of documents to make sure I wasn't going to lose anything important. The clean-up took a while, but the actual switch went without a hitch.

What was giving me trouble next was the audio through HDMI. It would just randomly stop working, and then just as randomly start working again. I never really managed to figure out the real root cause, but some of my dabbling around seemed to at some point have fixed it. I hope to still figure out what the issue was. I guess that means I hope that the problem resurfaces. Until then I will just enjoy the working audio.

Next on the list was trying to get the wireless PS3 controllers to work. The motherboard I am using does not have a built-in bluetooth. Luckily, I had an old USB-bluetooth dongle. I think it's at least 15 years old, so I had doubts about whether it would work but I decided to try it anyway. So I plugged it in, expecting that it's too old to do anything useful. Studying the setup and troubleshooting instructions, I learned that I need to plug my controller in with USB first for something like 10 seconds, then unplug and then press the PS button and it should miraculously connect.

I don't now remember if I had to do anything else for that first little bit of success but I'm pretty sure I didn't. The result was that the controller was connected. The problem was, however, that nothing happened if I pressed any of the buttons. As soon as I plugged it in with USB, the controller worked. Unplugged, despite showing that it is connected, it would not work.

What followed then was a bit of back and forth, trying various things like editing the config file to change the driver, plugging/unplugging, trying manual pairing, automatic pairing, moving the dongle from a usb-port in the back to one in the front of the computer, etc, combined with several reboots. At times it felt like progress was made, and at other times not. I'm pretty sure anything that looked like progress was 50% imagined and 50% misunderstood. I tried so many things I didn't even know what I was trying to do anymore.

Finally, I decided that the problem was my old dongle. I decided to buy a new one. What followed next was extensive research into which dongles have been tested with Batocera, which are recommended, and which one does my gut like. My gut liked one that was both tested and recommended, and I ordered it. It was delivered the next day. A few days later, I opened the package and plugged it into the computer. About two weeks later, I powered the computer on. I pulled out the controller and plugged in. After 10 seconds, I unplugged it, and pressed the PS button. The lights kept blinking. I checked the config and I think I had to change the driver to default again as in my earlier troubleshooting I had changed it something else. After rebooting, I plugged the controller in again, and unplugged, and pressed the PS button. And then it was connected. And it worked. I played a bit of NES Super Mario Bros and patted my back for job well done.

Next thing I want to do is to setup a library of a few games for a few different systems. Games I like and games I have tested. Dragon's Lair I and II and Space Ace are already setup for Daphne. I have a few too many games for NES and SNES. I have all the classics and more for SCUMM. I have a bunch of MS-DOS games I wish I had the time to play. So what I actually want to do is to organise the games I already have to have a few favourites I can go back to and I know will work and I will enjoy them, and then to have the rest as things to try when I feel like it.

So if all goes well, maybe I'll have more to tell on this topic later.

The Spectrum and TheVIC20

 I recently acquired two new toys. Both are remakes of old computers, neither of which I ever had but both were an object of some desire at some point.

The Spectrum. This is a remake of the good old ZX Spectrum from Sinclair. The predecessor of ZX Spectrum, ZX81, was our first home computer, and therefore it could have been logical to move on to the successor. It didn't happen, but I do remember reading about it and wondering how it would be to use one. I have since then played a bit with emulators, so have got a taste of what it was like to use a ZX Spectrum, but because of the way the original Spectrum had keywords assigned to specific keys, it was always a bit cumbersome to not have the actual keyboard. You either have keys mapped to your standard PC keyboard, or use a virtual keyboard. Neither is optimal. 

How it works is that when programming in BASIC, you don't type words like PRINT, LET, GOTO, etc, but rather press the key that has the appropriate keyword assigned to it. Some keys can have 6 different purposes, depending on the context or which modifier key you have pressed before. You can perhaps understand why it can be difficult to use a standard PC keyboard, as you have to either remember what's where, or have a printout next to the keyboard showing where each keyword and function can be found. Or using a virtual keyboard, which, unless you have a touch screen, means typing with the mouse, and the keyboard covers part of the screen so you may end up switching it on and off to see what's happening.

I have also looked into obtaining a real old ZX Spectrum, but then I always got stuck trying to decide which one I want. And which peripherals do I want to invest into. A cassette deck? I have an Arduino-based TZXduino device for my ZX81 already, and that should work for Spectrum as well, but I'd also love to get a real physical cassette deck to use real tapes. Only it's not so easy to find working tape decks from 40 years ago. A disk drive? Disk drive was not a common device to use with the original Spectrum, and I'm not very familiar with options and choices. Joysticks? The original Spectrum is lacking the sockets for the typical 9-pin D-connectors many other computers of the same era used for joysticks, so one needs to build or buy a custom interface to be able to plug in the controller.

The original Spectrum, which only has RF output to connect to the TV aerial input, apparently also has a problem with modern TVs not being able to read/process the signal, and requires a modification, similar to the ZX81.

With all that, I had never got around to buying one.

But then, Retro Games Ltd announced The Spectrum. I saw it, and I thought about it. Then I thought about it a bit more. By the time I decided that I was going to order it, it was either sold out in the places I was looking or wouldn't deliver to where I live. The country I live in also never had any shops listed on the official pages. In the end, I did manage to order it from Spain and then waited with some trepidation whether I had fallen for a scam or managed to order the genuine thing. When it arrived, I visually inspected the box and then gave it into hiding to be wrapped for Christmas.

After a month of waiting, I was finally able to open the package, hook it up and get my first taste of what using a Spectrum was like. It looks and feels like the real thing, at least to someone who never held the real thing in his hands. I can write basic programs - haven't yet, but there are a few listings in old computer magazines I want to try. I can play the 48 games included on the device, and I can play the games I download off the internet. I am very happy with that purchase, and only hope that I will be able to spend a bit more time on it, with what all my other retro distractions...

Which brings me to TheVIC20. Retro Games had brought out TheC64 Mini and Maxi some time ago already, and I had always thought I wasn't really interested. I have two real original C64 machines, cassette deck, several disk drives, and can run emulators on my gaming PC, on my phone, on my little MacBook, what more could I ask for?

Well, after experiencing The Spectrum, I realised how much easier it can be to use a remake. So, I started to feel that I'd like to have TheC64 too. The only problem is that they are old, and the availability is not that great. Except for the Mini, but I didn't want that. I did want to have a machine that has a keyboard that I can use and looks and feels physically like the real thing. Getting the Maxi from ebay seemed possible, but most of the time one would end up paying a lot more.

Various German sites would every now and then list the Maxi, but either they would not deliver where I am, or I would think about it too long and then they were gone. I was also looking at TheVIC20 with some interest but wasn't really considering it until I realised that it was the same machine as TheC64 Maxi with slightly different look. Both had both C64 and VIC20 modes, so getting one would mean having both. And then suddenly TheVIC20 became something I'd really like to have, it would be visually different from the C64 machines I had, and would expand my collection with another computer model next to filling the role of being the easy-to-use substitute for the real C64. I also remember the Vic20 tv commercials from when I was a kid, and I have to admit it was something I wanted to have at the time.

From then on I was checking for both, with the thought that I'd buy one when either becomes available. And then, a new C64 Maxi was available again on a popular online site. The only problem was it promised delivery in 4+ months. Ok, I thought I can wait and placed my order.

What I then noticed is that TheVIC20 was also available, and promised delivery on Friday same week. There were 3 units available. I thought about it, but didn't act on it. Checking again later that day, the availability of the VIC20 had gone from 3 to 1, and I made a quick decision to place an order for one and cancel TheC64.

After some anxious waiting, it arrived. I had thought to keep it for my birthday, which is in about 4 months, but was easily convinced to try it out right away. It is everything it promises to be. Now the only problem is not having enough spare time to play with all my toys, especially with the Batocera Linux installation I have also going on, but that is something for a separate post. Might have to write more about The Spectrum and TheVIC20/TheC64 too as I manage to spend a bit more time with them.

Elite

Perhaps my number one all time favorite game is the C64 version of Elite. The legendary game by Braben and Bell. I remember playing it as a kid, trading goods between planets, occasionally trying some piracy, battling thargoids, mining asteroids, and dying a lot. The sheer richness of the universe is mind boggling, considering the simplicity of the game.

Of course there isn't any chatting with the pilots of the other ships, you cannot talk with the merchants, and you cannot woo the governor's daughter (that reminds me of another all time favorite, so another blog post will be in the works), but what you can do is to try to maximize your profits, improve your ship, and grow your reputation.

"Right on Commander", says the ship's computer after a particularly well executed kill shot of a viper trying its best to avoid your military grade front laser, and you almost cannot help but feel a little proud of yourself.

What makes Elite so compelling and seemingly rich? There is after all only a couple of special missions, and mostly you are just buying and selling things, and battling space pirates. Sometimes a run from planet to another is as simple as this:

• Exit the station
• Activate hyperjump
• After arriving at target system turn ship towards planet
• When you're close enough, system will detect the station, so fly to the station
• Dock with the station

This is through the roof excitement. Usually there's some asteroids, and some other ships flying around too. Also as soon as you can afford it, the docking computer usually makes the docking process smoother and you get to listen to the beautiful rendition of "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss II.

And all of it actually follows fairly simple logic. If you have a cargo hold full of stuff that is very expensive, and the system you've jumped to is on the bad side of the tracks, the pirates will show up in large numbers. If you are carrying less expensive cargo, and flying towards a rich planet, you are less likely to be bothered by anyone.

What our brain does is it adds motivations and additional complexity to the actions of the computer controlled ships. In our minds, we think about the pilots flying those ships, and why they are doing what they are doing.

image source: https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Elite

Gamescom 2023

I visited Gamescom again this year. There was a period that I was going regularly, but this was the first time since 2016. It hasn't changed much. This time I went on the media day, since I was lucky enough to win the wildcard lottery that allows a regular person like myself to buy a ticket for the day that's mostly meant for business and media people. Media day was wednesday, and then normal people get their chance from thursday to sunday. In the past I'd buy a ticket for all four days and basically spend half a week in Cologne. Anyway, this time only one day. 

It was perhaps a little less busy than I remember from previous times. Also perhaps slightly fewer companies presenting, but that could also just be in my mind.

By far for me the most impressive section is the retro area. Not that I really engage with anyone or anything, but just to soak in the atmosphere and see the buzz and excitement around things that are upto 40+ years old. New games being released to machines like C64 and Amiga for example. Or the rows of arcade machines that I remember playing when I was a kid.

Then there is the yearly installments of FIFA, NFL,  F1, Farming Simulator, etc. What I think was missing this year was a new Civilization game. Or I just didn't notice it. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if there was a new version of the ones I mentioned. Except for the Farming Simulator, that one was definitely there and had a much bigger stand than what I remember from my earlier visits.

Notably for me, Blizzard was less present than in the past. They had a merchandise stand, but were not showcasing their full lineup anywhere. Theirs used to be one of my favorites to hang around.

Besides checking out the stands, I had to sample the food and drink offering a bit. I only tried bratwurst, which was ok. For beer, I couldn't find kölsch anywhere in the Gamescom area, which felt very strange. Instead they had Corona on tap, which is ok, but I can get Corona anywhere. Kölsch is a bit less easy to find outside of Cologne area I think. Luckily I was able to get my fill later in Peters Brauhaus, which is by the way the best place to eat in Cologne. If you ask me, which I know you didn't and possibly wouldn't, but I offer my opinion anyway.

I should probably put some pictures here, but I'm too lazy. (Edit, I got over my laziness and added a couple of photos. Looking at them, a better excuse for not showing any pictures might have been that they are all really bad. But hey ho here we go. Regardless, the
recommendation in the following paragraph still stand.)

So if you got interested and want to see some photo impressions or other online content they make available, check out https://www.gamescom.global/en.