Free: Simple Galaga high score save mod
Mark C. Spaeth
over 999990 since you'll never score that high anyway, so here's a simple
patched Galaga ROMSet that'll let you save your high scores, but doesn't
alter the game program in any other way.
ROMs 3200A and 3500D need to be patched and replaced.
The 2114 RAMs at 3H, 3J get replaced with a non-volatile RAM.
Patched ROMS and the source code are posted at:
http://www-mtl.mit.edu/~mspaeth/files/GalagaHS/
--
Mark Spaeth msp...@mtl.mit.edu
50 Vassar St., #38.265 msp...@mit.edu
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 452-2354 http://rgvac.978.org/~mspaeth
Pat D.
that matter but may someday. Stuff like this is appreciated.
pat D.
jrok
>
>If you're like most of us, you don't need your galaga to display scores
>over 999990 since you'll never score that high anyway, so here's a simple
>patched Galaga ROMSet that'll let you save your high scores, but doesn't
>alter the game program in any other way.
Orrrrrrrrrrr.... SHAMELESS PLUG... you could get the enhancement kit that
just plugs into the CPU socket with no board hacking, which not only adds
8 digit scoring for the insanely good player but saves the scores, keeps
the attract mode going when coined, allows you to select the ship firing
speed, fixes level 255 lockup and corrects the freeplay bug on Bebulous
Bee/Gallag ;)
http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?sku=HSGALAGA
http://arcadeshop.com/ghssk/gep.htm
- James
--
------------------------------
JrokLand http://www.jrok.com
------------------------------
SalahiAndSon
Much better than some rom hack bs imo and much more useful features. Might
cost a couple bux but well worth it.
G.
.
"jrok" <jro...@san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ep90q...@drn.newsguy.com...
Mark C. Spaeth
: This is a great kit and I highly recommend it! I have one in all my Galagas.
: cost a couple bux but well worth it.
So let me get this straight...
You're dissing something that's *FREE* ?!
Dirk Justice
On Jan 24, 8:31 pm, "SalahiAndSon" <salahiand...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This is a great kit and I highly recommend it! I have one in all my Galagas.
> Much better than some rom hack bs imo and much more useful features. Might
> cost a couple bux but well worth it.
> G.
>
"rom hack bs" LMAO! Can you say "axe to grind"?
Anyway, this cool hack is much lower on the BS factor than that POS Pat
9000 you were trying to hawk here a few months ago. Oh no, you're
probably going to put me on your "no bid" list for saying that - I'm
devastated.
DJ
SalahiAndSon
"Dirk Justice" <dirk_j...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1169696369.0...@m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
> "rom hack bs" LMAO! Can you say "axe to grind"?
>
> Anyway, this cool hack is much lower on the BS factor than that POS Pat
> 9000 you were trying to hawk here a few months ago. Oh no, you're
> probably going to put me on your "no bid" list for saying that - I'm
> devastated.
>
> DJ
You sound like the bitter one with an axe to grind...
I admit I should have not used "bs" that sounds critical and I retract it.
G.
cnlmoore
I swear mine does not do this.
Chris M
"jrok" <jro...@san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ep90q...@drn.newsguy.com...
jrok
>
>Is the "attract mode while coined" a setting or just standard with the kit.
>I swear mine does not do this.
Hey Chris,
Without looking at my notes I think that was added after release 4.2
What's the ROM labelled as on yours ?
someotherguy
>SalahiAndSon <salahi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>: This is a great kit and I highly recommend it! I have one in all my Galagas.
>: Much better than some rom hack bs imo and much more useful features. Might
>: cost a couple bux but well worth it.
>
>
>So let me get this straight...
>
>You're dissing something that's *FREE* ?!
Sounds like it's worth up to at least twice the price! =)
Richard
Alf
to add the attract mode sound
On Jan 24, 11:01 pm, jrok <jrok...@san.rr.com> wrote:
> In article cnlmoore says...
>
>
>
> >Is the "attract mode while coined" a setting or just standard with the kit.
> >I swear mine does not do this.Hey Chris,
Dirk Justice
>
> > DJYou sound like the bitter one with an axe to grind...
> I admit I should have not used "bs" that sounds critical and I retract it.
>
> G.
Guess that whole PAT 9000 thing didn't really add to the argument, did
it? I need to be a big boy and retract that as well.
DJ
guinness
wait...thats not free too. :D
This is a nice contribution Mark, thanks.
tim (NH)
"Mark C. Spaeth" <msp...@mit.edu> wrote in message
news:45b81577$0$560$b45e...@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu...
ned
I've got a Galaga and I've looked at the "enhancement kit" or whatever
is available, and while its cheap, I don't particularly want to alter
the speed of the missiles or anything like that. Also, I don't get
scores more than a million. Also, I'm getting tired of writing my
scores down in a little book.
So a high score only kit would be perfect for me. And its free?
Thanks Mark. I'll be trying to get someone to help me burn those soon.
jrok
>
>I've got a Galaga and I've looked at the "enhancement kit" or whatever
>is available, and while its cheap, I don't particularly want to alter
>the speed of the missiles or anything like that.
And you don't have to. It's all dip switches options. You can turn
on or off the ability to select firing speed, and if you turn it off
there's another dip for fast or slow fire. Seeing as there were two
versions of the game released with different missile speeds. Some
folks wanted the fast fire version of the game and others the slow.
Alf
ned
get it for free, I'll pick the free one. And I know that the code is
free and that the chips usually are not. Still, its cheaper than the
"kit" and why have the options if I wont ever use them?
jhuie
Is there anyone out there who would be willing to burn some of these
roms for people for...well....free? heh
guinn...@gmail.com
tim (NH)
Mark C. Spaeth
: The code is free - you have to burn the chips
The code is free, but you need to burn the chips, and you need to
replace 2 rams on the video board with non-volatile rams.
Mark C. Spaeth
: If you're like most of us, you don't need your galaga to display scores
: over 999990 since you'll never score that high anyway, so here's a simple
: patched Galaga ROMSet that'll let you save your high scores, but doesn't
: alter the game program in any other way.
:
: ROMs 3200A and 3500D need to be patched and replaced.
:
: The 2114 RAMs at 3H, 3J get replaced with a non-volatile RAM.
:
: Patched ROMS and the source code are posted at:
: http://www-mtl.mit.edu/~mspaeth/files/GalagaHS/
I just added a version that'll handle 7 digit scoring and keep track
of 7 digit high scores. (ie, I 'drew' the trailing zero in manually,
and let the original code keep track of the 6 digits that matter.)
Rob Carroll
Mmmmmm... beer.
On Jan 25, 3:47 pm, "Mark C. Spaeth" <mspa...@mit.edu> wrote:
> Alf <sirus.co...@gmail.com> wrote:: The code is free - you have to burn the chips
>
> The code is free, but you need to burn the chips, and you need to
> replace 2 rams on the video board with non-volatile rams.
>
> --
> Mark Spaeth mspa...@mtl.mit.edu
> 50 Vassar St., #38.265 mspa...@mit.edu
Scott Caldwell
Thanks for offering this up. I appreciate it.
BTW, I tried to get the 7 digit version, but your
site said they aren't available to us (permission
and such).
Scott C.
jrok
# available from cambrid...@gmail.com
So.. how much are you selling the adapters for then ? Do they include the NVRAM
?
Mark C. Spaeth
: Mark,
:
: Thanks for offering this up. I appreciate it.
:
: BTW, I tried to get the 7 digit version, but your
: site said they aren't available to us (permission
: and such).
Doh! Stupid default permissions.
They're all 644'ed now.
SalahiAndSon
news:1169753255....@k78g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
I think the word "FREE" is a bit misleading for this mod. Lets take a closer
look. What is free is the modified ROM code. This code is only going to work
with the same version of the ROMs as Spaeth used. So if you have an older
version or bootleg you are looking at burning all the roms again first. Then
you need to locate an adaptor or adaptors for the nvrams. Galaga has 18 pin
sockets, nvrams are 24 pin. Mark might sell this adaptor but I bet its not
"FREE". If he makes his adaptor like the one jrok made way back in 97'-98'
it will allow you to use only 1 nvram for both sockets. If not then you will
be forced to purchase 2 nvrams. I have found the nvrams online for $7-12$
ea. plus shipping. I heard Mark sold them on his site at one time for $35 ea
but I could be wrong on that. So if you use 2 nvrams you are looking at
around $20-$30 shipped for these. At which time you would still have to come
up with an adaptor from 18-24 pins to use them. so another $5-$10 there
roughly. Now if your time is worthless to you (burning the roms,making the
adaptors plugging it all up) you are still out roughly $25-$40 for this mod.
I am not sure why anyone would go to all this trouble when a drop in version
with many more useful features is available for $45. Am I missing something
here?
G.
Mark C. Spaeth
: Am I missing something here?
Yes, you are missing something.
I wanted to save high scores on my galaga using parts I already had
on hand. This was my solution, and I've released the code for one
set of roms for FREE, but the patches can be applied to any romset
with minor tweaking.
If you don't like my mods, don't use them. I don't really care.
I never said this was the perfect solution for everyone, and it's
pretty much useless for people who can't burn their own roms and wire
up their own adapters, but it is FREE, and it is documented, so
if anyone wants to look at the code and LEARN something, they can.
Why you and jrok are trying to make this a 'competition' is what
I don't understand.
jrok
>
>I don't understand.
Are the adapters free too ? or doesn't the fact you're offering them for sale
mean you're actually in competition to sell something ? So you've released a
FREE ROM hack to sell some adapters, not a bad marketing tactic.
Please answer the question, HOW much are the adapters then ? If they're free
could I have a couple ?
Mark C. Spaeth
: In article Mark C. Spaeth says...
: >
: >Why you and jrok are trying to make this a 'competition' is what
: >I don't understand.
:
: Are the adapters free too ? or doesn't the fact you're offering them for sale
: mean you're actually in competition to sell something ? So you've released a
: FREE ROM hack to sell some adapters, not a bad marketing tactic.
No, hardware is not free. Only information... Did you give away your
original galaga high score kit that was just roms and a NOVRAM adapter?
No? I didn't think so.
Am I stepping on your toes by helping out DIYers who don't want to spend
$45 on your ROM hack?
jrok
>
Damn, I was looking forward to a FREE one :(
So why are you avoiding answering the question ? How much are your adapter
boards for replacing the two RAMs on Galaga ?
>Only information... Did you give away your original galaga high score
>kit that was just roms and a NOVRAM adapter? No? I didn't think so.
No, they've always been for sale, and exactly what does that have to do with the
price of beans in Mayalsia ? It is/was a kit that was for sale so by it's very
nature that would mean it wouldn't be given away, not like say a free ROM hack
with an adapter available at an extra charge.
>Am I stepping on your toes by helping out DIYers who don't want to spend
>$45 on your ROM hack?
You forgot to add the $45 ROM hack comes with a FREE plug in adapter board that
actually stores the scores in it. So, that doesn't really step on my toes.
So just in case you missed it earlier How much are your adapter boards for
replacing the two RAMs on Galaga ? Perhaps in French "Quelle Prix mon ami ?"
A reply in French would also be acceptable.
THIS ISN'T VAPORWARE IS IT ? You know the stuff you used to wail at Clay
about doing ?
So just in case you avoid it again "What is the price for the advertised plug in
board for the NVRAM" ?
Mark C. Spaeth
: In article Mark C. Spaeth says...
: >
: >No, hardware is not free.
:
: Damn, I was looking forward to a FREE one :(
:
: So why are you avoiding answering the question ? How much are your adapter
: boards for replacing the two RAMs on Galaga ?
It's the same as the adapter I sell for replacing 2 2114s with a NOVRAM
for Zookeeper. $30. But there are other sources for this board, and
nobody has to buy anything from me to use the roms & patches I posted.
: So just in case you avoid it again "What is the price for the advertised
: plug in board for the NVRAM" ?
I didn't advertise the plug-in board. Only suggested 1 possible source
in the documentation... and in fact, I don't know if the 2114 adapters
I have stitting around are wide enough to work with the socket spacing
on galaga, since I made them smaller since the original run becuase
Zookeeper didn't need the wider spacing.
jrok
>
>
>It's the same as the adapter I sell for replacing 2 2114s with a NOVRAM
>for Zookeeper. $30. But there are other sources for this board, and
>nobody has to buy anything from me to use the roms & patches I posted.
Other sources for specifically replacing the NVRAM on Galaga ?
Perhaps you could provide some examples ?
So your FREE kit already costs $30 in parts excluding the ROMs and having
them burned, that is looking like a bargain.
Are you going to provide a schematic, board layout(?), and wiring
instructions for that adapter. Show exacty how it should be hooked up
seeing as you're only wanting to help the DIYers here ? that would be a
nice touch.
>: So just in case you avoid it again "What is the price for the advertised
>: plug in board for the NVRAM" ?
>
>I didn't advertise the plug-in board.
Line 8 in the patch source, if I may quote:
# Replace 2114 RAMs at 3J & 3H with a non-volatile RAM adapter
# available from cambrid...@gmail.com
Wouldn't that be like advertising ?
>Only suggested 1 possible source in the documentation...
That source being yourself, isn't that along the lines of the very
definition of advertising something for sale ?
Perhaps a preamble of "a suggested possible source would be not that
I'm advertising them for sale" or "don't feel like I'm forcing you here
people but I could offer you one of these for a small charge but don't
think I'm advertising as a product for sale or anything".
>and in fact, I don't know if the 2114 adapters
>I have stitting around are wide enough to work with the socket spacing
>on galaga, since I made them smaller since the original run becuase
>Zookeeper didn't need the wider spacing.
So you don't even have an adapter that you know will work and you haven't
even tested it(!) Not that you're advertising one for sale.
Heh.. that is special gotta give you that.
Mark C. Spaeth
: In article Mark C. Spaeth says...
: >
: >jrok <jro...@san.rr.com> wrote:
: >
: >It's the same as the adapter I sell for replacing 2 2114s with a NOVRAM
: >for Zookeeper. $30. But there are other sources for this board, and
: >nobody has to buy anything from me to use the roms & patches I posted.
:
: Other sources for specifically replacing the NVRAM on Galaga ?
: Perhaps you could provide some examples ?
Many pinball websites sell kits to replace 2114s, 5101s, and 6116s
with NOVRAMs.
: So your FREE kit already costs $30 in parts excluding the ROMs and having
: them burned, that is looking like a bargain.
I said the mod -- ROMs and information were free. Where did I call what
I was offering a kit?
: Are you going to provide a schematic, board layout(?), and wiring
: instructions for that adapter. Show exacty how it should be hooked up
: seeing as you're only wanting to help the DIYers here ? that would be a
: nice touch.
Anyone who can't figure out how to wire point to point between 2 sockets
to replace on ram with another is obviously not much of a DIY-er.
: >: So just in case you avoid it again "What is the price for the advertised
: >: plug in board for the NVRAM" ?
: >
: >I didn't advertise the plug-in board.
:
: Line 8 in the patch source, if I may quote:
:
: # Replace 2114 RAMs at 3J & 3H with a non-volatile RAM adapter
: # available from cambrid...@gmail.com
:
: Wouldn't that be like advertising ?
:
: >Only suggested 1 possible source in the documentation...
:
: That source being yourself, isn't that along the lines of the very
: definition of advertising something for sale ?
I didn't advertise in the post. But thanks for advertising for me.
I don't know how many people would have read the comments in the patch
source file.
: So you don't even have an adapter that you know will work and you haven't
: even tested it(!) Not that you're advertising one for sale.
:
: Heh.. that is special gotta give you that.
I have one. It's on my board, from an old, old run of boards. I said
I don't know if the new smaller boards would fit. You really need to
work on your reading comprehension.
jrok
jrok
Reading comprehension 101: Just to make sure I'm on the same page
To quote yourself.
>and in fact, I don't know if the 2114 adapters
>I have stitting around are wide enough to work with the socket spacing
>on galaga, since I made them smaller since the original run becuase
>Zookeeper didn't need the wider spacing.
What does that statement say ? Let's break it down, just in case your
version of English is different. I left the spelling mistake for comic effect.
"I don't know if the 2114 adapters I have stitting around are wide enough to
work with the socket spacing on galaga"
So you're saying you don't know if they'll fit. Would that therefore imply that
you have not tested them, as if you'd tried to plug one in would you not know if
it fitted or not ?
So you HAVEN'T tested those on a Galaga have you ? Otherwise you'd be able to
say with certainly that 'YES THEY FITTED MORON' or some other whitty Spaethean
response ? You tested the OLD ones but not these ones. Isn't that what your
statement means ?
Just wanted to get that straight seeing as you are concerned about reading
comprehension.
So my reply with:
>So you don't even have an adapter that you know will work and you haven't
>even tested it(!)
Given the above would be correct based on "I don't know if the 2114 adapters I
have stitting around are wide enough to work with the socket spacing on galaga"
Perhaps you're using a different version of English than the accepted norm ?
Mark C. Spaeth
: "I don't know if the 2114 adapters I have stitting around are wide enough to
: work with the socket spacing on galaga"
:
: So you're saying you don't know if they'll fit. Would that therefore imply that
: you have not tested them, as if you'd tried to plug one in would you not know if
: it fitted or not ?
I have not tested the smaller boards to fit. I grabbed one of the old
larger ones that was bigger because I knew it would. The 2 boards are the
exact same design, except the older ones have more rows of holes to put
the pins for D4-7 on the 2nd 2114 socket.
In any case, even if the adapters I have in stock are too small to just
plug in, I can run jumper wires to pins to plug into the 2nd socket and
they will work, which is why I didn't bother testing them. I put together
1 kit for myself, and posted the ROMS and INFORMATION.
In any case, the question of whether or not the adapters I have left will
work is COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT to the fact that I've posted the ROMS for
people to use as they see fit.
jrok
>
So your insult about my reading comprehension was incorrect then ?
>I grabbed one of the old larger ones that was bigger because I
>knew it would. In any case, even if the adapters I have in stock are
>too small to just plug in, I can run jumper wires to pins to plug into
>the 2nd socket and they will work, which is why I didn't bother testing them.
Heh.. that's always an excellent attitude. "I don't need to test it, I
know it'll work". I believe NASA built one bad telescope mirror and
cannon balled a probe into the surface of Mars with that type of thinking.
Lot of phd's there too, is this a common flaw ?
>I put together 1 kit for myself, and posted the ROMS and INFORMATION.
Not all the information, how about the wiring ? After all isn't this supposed
to be for DIYers ? Wouldn't something for the DIYer's include the important
details of like how to wire your own adapter thing ?
>In any case, the question of whether or not the adapters I have left will
>work is COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT to the fact that I've posted the ROMS for
>people to use as they see fit.
So it's "COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT" unless you want to buy one of the adapters of
song and legend that may or may not fit, which are advertised (or not) in the
patch file which nobody reads except me. Wouldn't that be like the very
definition of vaporware if they don't actually exist for the application in
hand, but may exist at some point in the future ?
Mark C. Spaeth
: Heh.. that's always an excellent attitude. "I don't need to test it, I
: cannon balled a probe into the surface of Mars with that type of thinking.
: Lot of phd's there too, is this a common flaw ?
Yeah comparing a mars mission to a PCB with 24 traces wired point-to-point
is very logical.
If adding an extra inch of wire to data line on a PCB is going to cause the
game to fail, I think all of our galagas would have died long ago.
If I were to actively market this adapter, which you're apparently intent
on believing I am, I would test it on galaga boards before shipping, but
for the mean time, I'm content with having one of the older, larger
boards with the pins soldered in, rather than attached with wires working
in my game.
*PLONK*
Goodbye.
Mark C. Spaeth
: larger ones that was bigger because I knew it would. The 2 boards are the
: exact same design, except the older ones have more rows of holes to put
: the pins for D4-7 on the 2nd 2114 socket.
The smaller boards fit and work great, so I apparently have about 30
boards in stock that I can build up for this application if need be.
jrok
>
>: Heh.. that's always an excellent attitude. "I don't need to test it, I
>: know it'll work". I believe NASA built one bad telescope mirror and
>: cannon balled a probe into the surface of Mars with that type of thinking.
>: Lot of phd's there too, is this a common flaw ?
>
>Yeah comparing a mars mission to a PCB with 24 traces wired point-to-point
>is very logical.
It's the attitude that's important not just the application. Wiring 24 traces
correctly can be quite important too.
>If adding an extra inch of wire to data line on a PCB is going to cause the
>game to fail, I think all of our galagas would have died long ago.
Hey.. those numbers aren't in Ft/sec there in meters/sec.. oops. BOOM.
>If I were to actively market this adapter, which you're apparently intent
>on believing I am,
And you just thanked me for advertising them and it's sh1tcanned already ?
> I would test it on galaga boards before shipping,
That's good to know.
> but for the mean time, I'm content with having one of the older, larger
>boards with the pins soldered in, rather than attached with wires working
>in my game.
So now you're not selling them, hmmmmm.. flip-flopper.
>*PLONK*
>
>Goodbye.
If only it were true ;)
jrok
>
>boards in stock that I can build up for this application if need be.
I thought you said goodbye and that you weren't marketing them ?
>>*PLONK*
>>
>>Goodbye.
>
>If only it were true ;)
Heh heh heh. Aparently not...
SalahiAndSon
"Mark C. Spaeth" <msp...@mit.edu> wrote in message
news:45bade09$0$580$b45e...@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu...
> The smaller boards fit and work great, so I apparently have about 30
> boards in stock that I can build up for this application if need be.
How much will you sell them for?
Will you include the rom chip with the new code and the nvram?
Please let us know.
G.
jonceramic
when the power switch is finally turned on?
On Jan 27, 11:33 am, "SalahiAndSon" <salahiand...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "Mark C. Spaeth" <mspa...@mit.edu> wrote in messagenews:45bade09$0$580$b45e...@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu...
>
> > The smaller boards fit and work great, so I apparently have about 30
> > boards in stock that I can build up for this application if need be.How much will you sell them for?
Mark C. Spaeth
: No, hardware is not free. Only information... Did you give away your
: original galaga high score kit that was just roms and a NOVRAM adapter?
: No? I didn't think so.
A little more info for the DIY'ers:
Here's a 1-layer PCB layout for 2x2114 to 6116/novram (in eps format).