getting backbone running

[dschallock]

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this thread.

I am trying to get backbone running specifically because my kids wanted to try their hand at some "simple" game development.

I found the very nice tutorial from Cammy on backbone and installed the  FULL archive, then copied over the files from the UPD then added the key  file.  Problem is I don't get very far following Cammy's tutorial  because no matter what I do when I click on the image editor the program  always crashes out.  It's not an ugly crash that freezes up my system  but rather it just dumps me back to workbench without another word

Anyone know anything about this that could offer some help getting this going?  I would greatly appreciate it.

I am running an Amiga 3000 with os 3.9 boing 1-3 installed.  I do have a  picasso IV but I am obviously not trying to promote any backbone  screens.

Thanks!

[dschallock]

I tried doing the same install of backbone on an emulated stock Amiga 3000 with 3.1 and it worked fine.  I really get the feeling it has something to do with the screenmodes and the standard Amiga display.  I am not promoting the screens for backbone but it is being passed through the picasso IV.  I don't know if that has something to do with it.  Normal screen modes pass through the picasso IV just fine, but you can't pull one screen down and see the one behind it when its passed through the picasso IV.  I don't know that the code could affected by that, but its something.  Just my intuition but I think this is screen mode related somehow...... hmmmm...

[dschallock]

ok i have a very strange clue now. i backed my system up so i could restore and then I did a fresh install of os 3.1 with no graphics card or anything. installed backbone and im still getting a problem whenever i try to launch the image editor. it kicks me back to workbench but now it also pops up a little noticication window on wb that says "system request" and then it displays some random character that isnt one of my normal english keyboard characters... all you can click is "ok".
so it runs under emulation on a 3.x system and a high end emulated system like amikit. It also seems to run on everyone's system who repliex to the backbone thread/tutorial started by Cammy (at least i didn't see anyone post these issues). Why would it not run on a fresh 3.1 install on my a3000? it has to be a hardware issue or a library issue right? If it was like bad memory i would think i would be getting problems with other software too.
Does any of these symptoms pop up any ideas or suspicions with anyone?
Thanks!
Dan

[dschallock]

How are you transferring Backbone to your A3000? Could be as simple as corrupted Backbone files / binary.

Hi Paul, Thank you for responding with an idea.  I think its is a great thought too.  Last summer I bought an x-surf 100 and through that I have finally been able to connect my Amiga to the net instead of burning CDs and running back and forth between the PC and the Amiga.  So basically I am using Ibrowse to go to Aminet and download the LHA archives.  I have been downloading other stuff from Aminet also and the other stuff seems to run ok.
I do really appreciate this line of thinking though Paul, because I know it has to be something odd like that.

[dschallock]

Try this Guide from Cammy  http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=63305&highlight=Backbone

yea i was using that tutorial from the get go. early on in the tutorial it has you click on image editor and thats where my problem happens. what is really blowing my mind is that i have tested backbone on 3 different emulated amiga configurations and they all load fine. I do try a good 3.9 install and then a fresh 3.1 install and it wont work on my real amiga in both cases. something obvious is happening i just cant see it.

[dschallock]

SOLUTION:

I wanted to post a final followup on how this issue was resolved in case any one ever searches the forums trying to find a solution to this:

It turns out that backbone (as far as I can tell at this point) needs to be run in PAL mode for certain parts of the program to work.  Once a game is created you can run said game from a NTSC screen mode but the backbone program itself needs to be ran from a PAL screenmode.

For me on a A3000 that meant booting up my system with both mouse buttons held down, selecting display options - PAL - and then boot.

This isn't anywhere in the documentation or on any forum that I can find so I wanted to pass this on to others!

A special thanks to @hipoonios on the EAB forum for this solution find!
:laugh1: