Help with WinUAE, specifically w/ Pool of Radiance

[Maxor127]

I recently had some nostalgic urges to play old games.  I decided to try out my copy of Pool of Radiance for Amiga.  I've played both the C64 and DOS versions of it, but since the Amiga version has better sound, I thought I'd try that instead.  I've finally got it working.  I'm using the latest WinUAE version and I'm following the recommended settings from back2roots.org.  Anyways, my problem is the actual speed of the game.  It's very slow.  Maybe I'm just used to the other versions, but the game is significantly slower.  I'm sure my computer is more than enough to handle it.  Things like arrows being shot across the battlefield are especially slow and annoying.  I have an Athlon 64 3000 w/ 1 GB RAM and Radeon 9800 Pro graphics and I'm running WinXP.  I tried changing different settings to make it run faster, but all I get is slightly faster speed and distorted sound and freakishly fast animations.  Any help on the different ways to make the game faster or more responsive?

[Maxor127]

Now it seems my save disk (adf image) keeps getting corrupted somehow.  Looks like it happens once I leave New Phlan and try to save in the Slums.  One error said "Key 954 already set."  I ended up using diskdoctor to fix the disk but once I tried saving in the Slums again, it stopped working.  I'll try saving only with "save state" files now.

[amigadave]

Have you tried installing the game to your hard disk/hard file instead of running from adf files on WinUAE? Then you need to create a Save directory/folder inside the same directory where the POR files are located.  There are assigns to be made to your S:user-startup file to point to the correct locations for the game files and the save disk.  Use an editor to read the install file if you can't find the correct info in a readme file.  POR has been one of my favorite games on the Amiga.

The other possibility is that your game file is corrupted.  You aren't using a cracked copy are you?

[Maxor127]

Yeah it's cracked by Skid Row.  It's all I can find.  The game saves fine at first, but once I enter the Slums, it seems saving corrupts my save disk. But it saves fine in New Phlan.  I tried using save states instead but I get errors once I enter the slums and save and load from a save state too. With the testing I've done, it seems to happen once I fight a battle in the Slums and I try to save. Then it hangs, and if I try using the disk again, it gives errors saving the disk is corrupted, and I have to use diskdoctor to restore it. If I use a save state after a battle in the slums, I get this message "Software Error - Task held - Finish all disk activity." I'm using ECS chipset and Kickrom 1.3 and the latest version of WinUAE and ADF disk images.

I had a similar problem years back when I played Pirates on UAE for Mac and it would randomly corrupt my save disk so I had to make sure I had a fresh backup of my file each time I played in case it got corrupted. My problem with Pool of Radiance is unavoidable and recurring, though. The game saves fine up until the area I mentioned.

Are cracked versions really that bad?  I have the code wheels so I could use a clean version if I had it, but it's nice not having to look up those codes.

[horsie]

Sorry to tell you this but that's how fast the game runs. Battles take wayyyy too long. It's just the way it is. Things improve a lot though once you find a Fireball wand and 'duplicate' it via the remove/add character 'feature'.

At least with WinUAE you can make your 'Amiga' run as quickly as your PC allows hence speed up those battles up a bit. But it's a really horrendous game to play when you're up against 30 goblins, at least early on. I finally managed to finish it several years ago - thanks to the walkthru. (written by Radagast the Brown, if I remember)

[kd7ota]

I would have helped you out only if I had my Amiga disks with me. I had many of the DnD games.

Why the slow speed?  My 030/50mhz amiga would have no problem and the enemys would INSTANTLY calculate and smash you.  :-D

[countzero]

I remember a combat speed setting in the ssi rpgs, but it might be a feature added later on. check your combat menu, there should be something like speed if you're lucky.