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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Gaming => Topic started by: 3583Bytes on June 14, 2014, 03:37:20 AM

Title: Sim Ant
Post by: 3583Bytes on June 14, 2014, 03:37:20 AM

I am having issues running Sim Ant on my Amiga 2000 running Workbench 3.1.  It works on my A500 (1.3) but after I installed it on my A2000 it crashes shortly after the opening screen flashes for a second.

Does anyone one know if there is a compatibility issue with Sim Ant in WB 3.1?

Thanks

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: ElPolloDiabl on June 14, 2014, 09:49:21 AM

I remember it being hard to get working. I did play it fine on the 1200 though.

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: Lizard on June 14, 2014, 01:27:09 PM

You could try the WHDload installer: http://whdload.de/games/SimAnt.html

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: Matt_H on June 14, 2014, 01:58:00 PM

No issues for me on my A2000 on 3.1 and 030. What else do you have running (patches, commodities)?

WHDLoad should work, but I found it to be slooooooow for this game and prefer the "native" install.

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: 3583Bytes on June 14, 2014, 02:55:41 PM

I think its my chip ram, I only have 512.  When I disable my wallpaper I get a bit further in the opening screen to the point where I have to press any key to continue.

I am running MUI and Class Act so I am sure those don't help either.

Very frustrating, I have 8MB or ram and I still can't run games because of Chip Ram.  I am this close of taking he KickStart 3.1 rom out of the A2000 and moving it to my A500.

Thanks

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: paul1981 on June 14, 2014, 03:17:22 PM

Quote from: 3583Bytes;766629

I think its my chip ram, I only have 512.  When I disable my wallpaper I get a bit further in the opening screen to the point where I have to press any key to continue.

I am running MUI and Class Act so I am sure those don't help either.

Very frustrating, I have 8MB or ram and I still can't run games because of Chip Ram.  I am this close of taking he KickStart 3.1 rom out of the A2000 and moving it to my A500.

Thanks

Try changing your screenmode prefs to 2 colours temporarily in addition to clearing the wallpaper for windows, backdrop and workbench. This should free up some chip ram and hopefully run the game.

If that doesn't work, you could always boot with no startup-sequence and run the game from the shell.
If there's not enough chip ram still (even when booting with no startup-sequence) download and try this little proggy:

http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/add36k

This will free up a further 36K of chipram (it will make the screen a narrow band and change the colour depth to 2 colours, but you should be able to see enough to type commands into the shell). This works from the Workbench too if you fancy a laugh. Hehe... :)

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: 3583Bytes on June 15, 2014, 04:09:46 PM

Thanks I will try that.

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: ElPolloDiabl on June 15, 2014, 04:44:15 PM

I gave it a try. The low res version works fine, and it is not bad.
The hi-res version must be for AGA Amigas only. Nothing to do with chip ram.

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: midway on June 15, 2014, 10:47:03 PM

actually no, you need 1 MB chip ram and a ecs amiga, does not need aga. but without a flickerfixer its not playable and without a 68020 or more its much slower. Have fun !

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: 3583Bytes on June 16, 2014, 05:24:48 AM

OK so I switched Workbench to 4 colors and that seemed to free up enough memory to run Sim Ant, thanks.  

I am guessing there is no software way to switch some of the 8MB ram to Chip ram? (For other games)

Thanks

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on June 16, 2014, 06:48:16 AM

Your A2000 should support up to 1MB of chip ram on the motherboard (2MB if you get one of the 8375 "Megachip" expanders).  You may have to change a jumper or two around.

Or, I forget, are you the guy who posted a while back that their motherboard was damaged and couldn't be swapped over?  Or is it some rare A2000 German model?

http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/megachip
http://bboah.amiga-resistance.info/cgi-bin/showhardware_en.cgi?HARDID=992

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: 3583Bytes on June 19, 2014, 01:58:54 PM

Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;766827

Your A2000 should support up to 1MB of chip ram on the motherboard (2MB if you get one of the 8375 "Megachip" expanders). You may have to change a jumper or two around.

Or, I forget, are you the guy who posted a while back that their motherboard was damaged and couldn't be swapped over? Or is it some rare A2000 German model?

http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/megachip
http://bboah.amiga-resistance.info/cgi-bin/showhardware_en.cgi?HARDID=992

I don't have a Megachip, are you telling me I can increase my chip ram using a jumper without one, or do I need a megachip for it to work?
 
 Thanks

Title: Re: Sim Ant
Post by: paul1981 on June 20, 2014, 06:37:36 PM

Quote from: 3583Bytes;767137

I don't have a Megachip, are you telling me I can increase my chip ram using a jumper without one, or do I need a megachip for it to work?
 
 Thanks

You'd need a Megachip.
Oops...you'll need a Megachip for 2MB. Possibly you could get 1MB of chip by replacing the Agnus with 1MB part and then change jumper settings but you'll have to ask an A2000 expert. :)

Check out this review of the Megachip:
http://www.amigareport.com/ar306/review2.html

Choices:
http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/categorylist.aspx?se=megachip