c64 C64 Dreams (massive curated C64 collection)

[Zombeaver]

On 4/3/2019 at 5:42 AM, boon said:

I would like to change theme with the new built in theme manager for Bigbox, but I´m not sure how to do that with your custom entries. Is it as easy as just rename?

I'm not sure what you mean. They work with Big Box already.

On 4/3/2019 at 5:42 AM, boon said:

I also would like to have that controller explaining picture as a startup picture for a few seconds.. How to do that?

You'd have to create an .ahk script or something and add it as an additional app for all of these (and you can't bulk add additional apps) so unless you feel like doing that for over a thousand entries that's not going to happen.

It's not necessary though, because you can already display it in-game. You just press back+start and it will display. Press them again and it'll go back to the game. It shows that in the image - "Combo + Start = Show Controls"

[boon]

I guess I´m wondering how to reorganize the games and demo so it will be under Computers/Commodore 64/Games instead of C64 Dreams/Games. Is there a reorganize guide?

I could ofcourse import all "roms" ie .bat files as commodore 64 but that would leave out sid files and such. And if i try that, I can´t filter out .bat from all of the other files?

I missed the combo + start, thanx!

[Zombeaver]

You'd have to rename the "Games" platform to Commodore 64 in LB and then change its parent to Computers instead of C64 Dreams. I didn't really want this interfering with people's existing C64 libraries because it functions pretty differently.

[Jookie]

As someone who spent countless hours on his Commodore 128 back in the day, I really appreciate the effort here.  I've kicked the tires on trying to get some of my favorites working well through various emus over the years as well, but nothing nearly as well thought out as this.  I'm looking forward to trying this out!

[boon]

14 hours ago, Zombeaver said:

You'd have to rename the "Games" platform to Commodore 64 in LB and then change its parent to Computers instead of C64 Dreams. I didn't really want this interfering with people's existing C64 libraries because it functions pretty differently.

Ah, thanx. Is it possible to have sub categories to a platform? would be nice to have demos and mags as a sub. It would be nice to have for the Amiga aswell.

[Zombeaver]

Sortof - if you consider playlists a subcategory. You can go three layers deep, if you include playlists, which is what this collection does.

Platform category

          |_ Platform

                    |_ Playlist

In this case that's:

C64 Dreams

          |_ Games

                    |_ Best of Vol. 1

                    |_ Best of Vol. 2

          |_ Magazines

                    |_ Zzap!64

etc.

[MacGuyver]

On 4/7/2019 at 11:14 PM, Zombeaver said:

You'd have to rename the "Games" platform to Commodore 64 in LB and then change its parent to Computers instead of C64 Dreams. I didn't really want this interfering with people's existing C64 libraries because it functions pretty differently.

Quick question Zombeaver - If I already have a platform in my LB setup called "Commodore 64", how can I merge the games platform in C64 dreams into this current one?  

It was relatively easy to change its parent to computers like you suggest, but when I tried to change the name it said "Another platform already exists with the specified title.  Please choose a different title"

Hmmm - Any way to merge platforms?  Or do you have another suggestion to integrate it with my current Launchbox C64 games setup?   Thanks!

[Mauxe]

This is absolutely insane!

You are a gentleman and a scholar.  I grew up with stacks of plastic 5-1/2 disks with marker labels filled with games littering my desk.  So many great memories of the c-64.

I'm grabbing this right now.  Thanks so much!

[Zombeaver]

You're very welcome!

9 hours ago, Mauxe said:

I grew up with stacks of plastic 5-1/2 disks with marker labels filled with games littering my desk.

Yep, that was me too haha. We literally had like 4 large boxes full of hand-written label disks. There had to have been a couple hundred disks. It was always awesome just digging through that stuff. I kindof feel like this is just that coming full circle.

On 4/16/2019 at 2:04 AM, MacGuyver said:

It was relatively easy to change its parent to computers like you suggest, but when I tried to change the name it said "Another platform already exists with the specified title.  Please choose a different title"

Hmmm - Any way to merge platforms?  Or do you have another suggestion to integrate it with my current Launchbox C64 games setup?   Thanks!

Well, you could select them all (Ctrl+A) and then do a bulk change > platform and just change them to Commodore 64.

[Mauxe]

I got this up and running in my LB last night.  

I did something wrong with copying over the xml data but since this is my absolutely first use of LB I ended up copying your files over.  Nothing to overwrite n my end and it worked well.  I'll compare my attempt with yours to see what I did wrong.

I browsed titles for awhile.  Lots of great gems in there and many, many that I have never seen.   I played some Arkanoid and loaded up Archon (so awesome.  Played so much of that game) but I need to look into setting up my controller.

I loved to see the gold box games in there.  The box art just makes it.  I have no idea what has gone into your build and it's from that base that I'm wondering how easy it would be for me to drop Pool of Radiance into the mix?  

I'll probably play some Bruce Lee tonight!

[Zombeaver]

9 minutes ago, Mauxe said:

I did something wrong with copying over the xml data but since this is my absolutely first use of LB I ended up copying your files over.  Nothing to overwrite n my end and it worked well.  I'll compare my attempt with yours to see what I did wrong.

If it's your first use of LB you could always just use the included version of LB and update from there rather than trying to import into a fresh install. Either way though should be okay, it's just a little more complicated to pull it over.

11 minutes ago, Mauxe said:

I have no idea what has gone into your build and it's from that base that I'm wondering how easy it would be for me to drop Pool of Radiance into the mix?  

I'll add Pool of Radiance to my list of stuff to add in the first update.

11 minutes ago, Mauxe said:

I'll probably play some Bruce Lee tonight!

One of my absolute favorites for sure! Bruce Lee was the first game I ever beat.

[Mauxe]

I need to give one more shout out to Zak McKracken....

I remember getting this game for Christmas and just losing myself in it.  Such a great time.  I couldn't break down the whole story for you..I just have such great memories of it.  Definitely looking forward to checking it out again.  

I'll stop with the nostalgia shoutouts -- I know that isn't what the thread is about..  well..  actually..it IS what its all about...  but you know what I mean.

[Impact_Thomas]

First thanks for the Work.

I have some Question.

Must C64 Dreams copy in the Main Folder of Launchbox ? Can i copy C64 Dreams do another Path ( where my Roms located ) ?

My Retroarch is also in another Path !

How can i handle this ?

Sry for my bad English

CU

 

[Zombeaver]

It needs to be in the Launchbox folder unless you plan on updating all of the paths in the game entries to something else, which would basically entail editing the xmls in notepad++ which is doable.

You will not be able to use your own copy of Retroarch. The bats are setup to use a version of Retroarch that I've setup already that's contained in the folder.

Everything is setup with relative paths and is where it is for a reason.

[Zombeaver]

Alright y'all, I've been pretty preoccupied with Zomb's Lair stuff lately, but I'm gearing up to get back to work on this. The plan is to do update packs of say 200 games at a time. I've got about 60 new ones done already.

If anyone has any specific requests for the first pack, let me know. The current list of requests is:

Forbidden Forest
Head Over Heels
M.U.L.E.
Pharaoh's Curse
Pogo Joe
Pool of Radiance
Survivor
The Seven Cities of Gold

[alnyden]

1 hour ago, Zombeaver said:

Alright y'all, I've been pretty preoccupied with Zomb's Lair stuff lately, but I'm gearing up to get back to work on this. The plan is to do update packs of say 200 games at a time. I've got about 60 new ones done already.

If anyone has any specific requests for the first pack, let me know. The current list of requests is:

Forbidden Forest
Head Over Heels
M.U.L.E.
Pharaoh's Curse
Pogo Joe
Pool of Radiance
Survivor
The Seven Cities of Gold

Request:  David's Midnight Magic.

Thanks Zomb, loving this collection!

R

[Zombeaver]

I've finished that and the other requests.

In the process, I've also gone back and reworked things a bit so that now there will no longer be a brief command prompt visible when starting games. Beyond simply looking nicer, this should allow them to work properly with startup/shutdown screens now, though I'll need to do some testing tonight to confirm.

I'm using a visual basic script to do this. Because of this, the paths will all need to be updated as well from .bat to .vbs. As result, the first update pack will actually be a repackaged complete set since the formatting and paths will be altered. Future updates should be drag and drop from that point.

God bless Bulk Rename Utility and Notepad++

[MacGuyver]

On 5/6/2019 at 5:45 AM, Zombeaver said:

If anyone has any specific requests for the first pack, let me know. The current list of requests is:

Forbidden Forest
Head Over Heels
M.U.L.E.
Pharaoh's Curse
Pogo Joe
Pool of Radiance
Survivor
The Seven Cities of Gold

Wow, it's awfully nice of you to open this up to the community for the next set of games you'll do.  I'll add a few more games to the list, if I'm not too late.  So many good titles to choose from!  Here's a few more obscure titles that I enjoyed playing way back in the day:

 

Flloyd of the Jungle

Gyruss

Jupiter Lander

Mario Brothers

Miner 2049er

Oil's Well

Pharaoh’s Curse

Racing Destruction Set

Snokie

Ultima III:Exodus

Wizard of Wor

Edited May 8, 2019 by MacGuyver

[mattdawson75]

Thanks for doing this. I'd like to request "Barbie" for Commodore 64. My older siblings played this before I was born and they have fond memories of it. I'd really like to surprise them and have this game running for them.

[Zombeaver]

13 hours ago, MacGuyver said:

Wow, it's awfully nice of you to open this up to the community for the next set of games you'll do.  I'll add a few more games to the list, if I'm not too late.

Sure, no problem. I'm at 1110 currently, and will likely release the next version at 1200, so still plenty of room.

13 hours ago, MacGuyver said:

Gyruss

Pharaoh’s Curse

Both of these are actually in the 110 new ones I've added already.

13 hours ago, MacGuyver said:

Racing Destruction Set

Racing Destruction Set is already included in the base/current set.

13 hours ago, MacGuyver said:

Flloyd of the Jungle

Jupiter Lander

Mario Brothers

Miner 2049er

Oil's Well

Snokie

Ultima III:Exodus

Wizard of Wor

9 hours ago, mattdawson75 said:

I'd like to request "Barbie" for Commodore 64.

I'll add these in tonight.

9 hours ago, mattdawson75 said:

My older siblings played this before I was born and they have fond memories of it. I'd really like to surprise them and have this game running for them.

Well I certainly can't refuse a request like that! :D

As a bit of a progress update, after reformatting the files and updating the paths, startup screens do indeed work smoothly now, and there's no command window visible when starting. Unfortunately, shutdown screens don't work - they don't appear erroneously, they just don't show up at all. I'm assuming this is because the vbs scripts basically hide the starting window from appearing so it doesn't really know what to trigger off of. I can live with that though, it still looks better now than it did.