07346: vic20 [dkong, others]: several games freeze at the title screen

ID	Category [?]	Severity [?]	Reproducibility	Date Submitted	Last Update
07346	DIP/Input	Minor	Always	May 31, 2019, 13:04	May 12, 2023, 09:18

Tester	rsarson	View Status	Public	Platform	MAME (Self-compiled)
Assigned To		Resolution	Open	OS	Linux (64-bit)
Status [?]	Confirmed			Driver	commodore/vic20.cpp
Version	0.210	Fixed in Version		Build	64-bit
		Fixed in Git Commit		Github Pull Request #

Summary	07346: vic20 [dkong, others]: several games freeze at the title screen
Description	Several VIC-20 cartridges in the software list freeze once their title screen loads. Battle Zone, Donkey Kong, Moon Patrol, Ms. Pac-Man, Pole Position (Atarisoft), and Cloudburst, Outworld, Spider of Mars (UMI) are some examples.
Steps To Reproduce	mame vic20 -cart vic1001_cart:mspacman:cart - game will load but then freezes at title screen
Additional Information	When I made the Progetto snaps & title screen shots for all 295 games/programs in the VIC-20 software list, I tested each one (in both PAL and NTSC) to see if they would actually run in the current version of MAME (0.197 at the time). I made a detailed spreadsheet listing the status of all programs, including any workarounds needed to get the program working, if possible. There are about 24 programs I could not get working, even with trying workarounds and most of them suffer the same bug - they freeze at the title screen. If anyone would like more details, please message me. An example of a workaround: Defender, when loaded as above, freezes at the title screen but the following will get the game to work as expected: - manually set blocks 3 & 5 to 8k: mame vic20 -exp exp -exp:exp:slot1 8k -exp:exp:slot2 8k, then set the memory locations to slot1:$6000 and slot2:$A000 in the Dip Switches page of the UI menu (this step can't be done from the command line), then reset the machine - quickload the two .prgs (Defender-6000 & a000.prg from Zimmers.net) using the UI menu - enter SYS64802 to soft reset the machine - the game should be loaded and now F1 will allow you to continue playing
Github Commit

Flags
Regression Version	0.147
Affected Sets / Systems	vic20 [dkong, others]

Attached Files	softlist-vic20.zip (33,506 bytes) Dec 6, 2019, 16:13 Uploaded by Tafoid Converted List from original ODS link (.zip)

No.16499 Tafoid Administrator May 31, 2019, 14:35 edited on: May 31, 2019, 14:37	We'd love the spreadsheet to make sure our software lists represent state (working or not). It would also serve as great examples to Developer(s) who might happen to take this on. I only checked to starting the game here - the lack of ability to type F1 or have it recognized might be separate input issue. After some time I have determined the regression date/version where you were no longer able to start these carts (using dkong and spidmars). h There was a pretty major refactoring/modernization of the driver on that day, September 6, 2012, so it could be any little thing. https://github.com/mamedev/mame/commit/3722e8ff143bdb1125e3186b0a2eac4f63f34a1f
No.16500 rsarson Tester May 31, 2019, 19:18	I put a copy of the spreadsheet here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbeloycrxxxuyc6/softlist-vic20.ods?dl=1 Please take it with a grain of salt, as it was never intended to be something other than for myself when I was making the Progetto snaps. If there are any glaring errors/omissions or if you have any questions, please let me know.
No.17242 rsarson Tester Dec 6, 2019, 09:51	Hi! Was the spreadsheet I uploaded of any use to anyone? I've noticed the latest version of MAME still contains this bug and bug #07344 I reported around the same time... any progress being made on these?
No.17248 Tafoid Administrator Dec 6, 2019, 16:11	Sadly, bugs reported are not taken on and 'first come, first served' basis. A lot of it depends on the volunteer developer workload and interest factors, as well as the amount of work needed to detangle and/or reexamine older code changes which may have caused a regression. I wish I had a better answer. I've uploaded to here an .XLS conversion of your document (to allow more people to view) in case your dropbox copy goes away.
No.21429 curtcoder Developer May 11, 2023, 07:29	Of the titles marked not working in the Excel file only these are still not working: cannonbb, capflag, capflag1, moneywar, moneywar1, moneywar2, vicdiag, vicdiagp
No.21437 memo0304 Tester May 12, 2023, 09:18 edited on: May 12, 2023, 11:09	Quote from Additional Information: "mame vic20 -exp exp -exp:exp:slot1 8k -exp:exp:slot2 8k, then set the memory locations to slot1:$6000 and slot2:$A000 in the Dip Switches page of the UI menu (this step can't be done from the command line)" All steps can be done from the UI. To do this from UI, you first have to select exp from the Slot Devices, select exp:exp:slot1 8k exp:exp:slot2 8k, then choose Reset System, press ScrollLock, then TAB to re-enter the UI. Then select DIP Switches. You now can change the Memory Locations per Expansion Slot from the UI. No command line needed.