The Sinclair QL Forum

tofro wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 12:43 pm Just for completeness (I understand the game is for the BBQL):
It seems to talk to the IPC directly instead of using MT.IPCOM calls (or, tries to talk to the IPC with interrupts off). Thus, the game will likely not run on anything that doesn't have (or fully emulates) an IPC.

I tried running it on a Q68 with Minerva4Q68. It boots after I cut memory to 640K (using CALL 390,12*65536+1) but doesn't respond to the keyboard. So I guess it talks directly to the IPC instead of using MT.IPCOM (which KEYROW function is emulated, even with interrupts disabled). This is a pity and I wonder why MT.IPCOM hasn't been used since using it is much easier that talking to the IPC directly.
Strange enough, I was able to reset the Q68 using CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-TAB. This means that interrupts were still enabled (or it does use MT.IPCOM somehow).

Wow, looks great! Can't wait to try playing it!

janbredenbeek wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 11:17 pm This is a pity and I wonder why MT.IPCOM hasn't been used since using it is much easier that talking to the IPC directly.

I don't know the author's motives, but here are two good reasons not to use MT.IPCOM:
- Recent versions of Minerva crash when calling it if the OS is completely disabled.
- On Sinclair ROM, it's very slow. Between code improvements and other tricks, it can go quite faster.

Download link updated with new format and content thanks to @badaman

tofro wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 10:28 am Seems to play nicely with sqlux, although I can't hear any sound there.
QPC is a bit hesitant to run it.
And the BBQL of course likes it

have you set a sound level in the ini file on sqlux?
SOUND = 10
something like that. without it sqlux wont give sound.

jobdone wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 10:26 am

tofro wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 10:28 am Seems to play nicely with sqlux, although I can't hear any sound there.
QPC is a bit hesitant to run it.
And the BBQL of course likes it

have you set a sound level in the ini file on sqlux?
SOUND = 10
something like that. without it sqlux wont give sound.

I've got the Batman sound working on sQLux with:
SOUND = 1

10 is very loud for me

You also need to ensure that "Select IPC Routine" in the main Batman menu is set to "ROM Routine", but I think that is the default?

PS: This is a great coding achievement!!

M68008 wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 1:00 am I don't know the author's motives, but here are two good reasons not to use MT.IPCOM:
- Recent versions of Minerva crash when calling it if the OS is completely disabled.
- On Sinclair ROM, it's very slow. Between code improvements and other tricks, it can go quite faster.

MT.IPCOM should work under Minerva unless you change the SSP to be outside the $28000 to $2FFFF region or overwrite system variables. Anyway, he should have had his reasons.

EDIT: Don't know why it didn't work last night, must have been the late hour . Got it working now under Minerva4Q68 after rebooting using CALL 390,768*1024 (to reduce used RAM to 640K). Of course without sound and perhaps needing a little speed tuning using SLUG.
The IPC menu option should have been a hint!

jobdone wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 10:26 am

tofro wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 10:28 am Seems to play nicely with sqlux, although I can't hear any sound there.
QPC is a bit hesitant to run it.
And the BBQL of course likes it

have you set a sound level in the ini file on sqlux?
SOUND = 10
something like that. without it sqlux wont give sound.

Indeed, that makes it beep, thanks. (Not sure if it wasn't better before, but that's not the game's fault, but rather the poor QL sound support)

Sorry for being again noob,
What does mean IPC? I know in some context what it means, but here no idea.

Recently I learnt that BBQL doesn't mean barbeque. So... that is my level

Popopo wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 10:52 am Sorry for being again noob,
What does mean IPC? I know in some context what it means, but here no idea.

Recently I learnt that BBQL doesn't mean barbeque. So... that is my level

The 8049 keyboard co-processor. (Sinclair's naming was "Integrated peripheral co-processor", I think).