Space Harrier II WHDLoad Pack

README
Short : HD Installer for Space Harrier II
Author: Graham & DJ Mike (djmike@crystalmike.com)
Version: 1.0
Type: game/patch
Requires: WHDLoad 18, 512k chip mem

This patch applies to "Space Harrier II" © 1990 Sega Enterprises Ltd.

Supports two versions of the game, including SPS #1121.

REQUIREMENTS

- Original disk or compatible disk image
  (Cracks have not been tested and are not supported)
- Slave requires WHDLoad 18+
- Game requires 512k chip memory
  (+ approx 660k other memory for preload option)

If you are upgrading from v1.0 of this patch, you must reinstall the game.

FEATURES

- Game loads fully from HD
- Uses real files, which can be compressed with Propack/CrunchMania/FImp/XPK
- Quit game at any time (default key F10), including on 68000 machines
- Highscores loaded and saved to disk
- CACHE can be enabled for better framerate on accelerated machines
- Blitter waits added x47
- Invalid memory accesses fixed x7
- Screen clear routine rewritten to improve speed
- Player avatar blit out of bounds blit fixed
- Keyboard routine replaced to fix handshake
- Timer subroutines fixed to avoid stack frame issues on 68010+
- Stack + decruncher relocated to fast memory if available
- Trainer/other options added - set CUSTOM1 with any of the following:
  + 1 for infinite lives
  + 2 for invulnerability
  + 4 to enable in-game cheat keys (screen flashes blue for on, red for off):
    * F1 to toggle infinite lives
    * F2 to toggle invulnerability
- Frame delay/speed regulation added for very fast machines
  * Set CUSTOM2=0-5 to specify many frames to wait (minimum)
    (0 is off, 1 is draw every frame, 2 is every other frame, etc.)
- Set BUTTONWAIT to wait for fire button on loading screen
- Color/New/Rom Icons included
- Manual included
- Source code included

HISTORY

Version 2.1 (2024-09-28) by DJ Mike
- Second version supported (thanks to Snoopy1234 for supplying)
- Manual included

Version 2.0 (2024-09-27) by DJ Mike
- Patch rewritten
- Uses real files instead of disk image (requires reinstall)
- Re-ordered relocation/patching and flushed caches to fix startup crashes
  (Mantis issue #4492, and probably several other reports)
- Graphics fixed on fast machines due to copperlist not running in time
  (Mantis issue #4560)
- More access faults fixed with bosses and bonus levels
- Out of bounds blits fixed
- Per-frame screen clear rewritten for slightly better speed
- Replaced keyboard routine to fix handshake
- Quit key support for 68000 machines
- Stack + decrunched relocated to fast mem if available
- Frame delay / speed control added for very fast machines
- Trainers + splash screen options added
- Buttonwait for loading picture added
- New icons made
- Source code now included

Version 1.0 (1999-06-13) by Graham
- Initial release

WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

One of the oldest installs on the site, meaning it pre-dates a lot of modern
WHDLoad functionality and unfortunately has issues a result. I've remade the
install from scratch to hopefully resolve these, as well fixing other bugs.

Access faults persisted with bosses and bonus levels, that should be fixed.
There were also some blits that addressed memory above the 512k chip limit.

It also turns out there are two revisions of the game. The latter release is
the same box art and only distinguished by a different disk label, so my
guess is Grandslam did a second production run and let the developer do some
bug fixes. There is an attempt to make the keyboard handshake actually work
(using a succession of divu instructions!) but not much else different.
This version is different enough to make all the patch offsets misaligned,
which might explain some of the bug reports this patch has been getting over
the years!

The game has an incredibly expensive approach to rendering - clearing the
entire screen buffer each frame and redrawing everything! I've rewritten
the clearing code as the blitter was used with src A activated, meaning the
blitter was reading memory for no reason. Doing this meant I could use the
CPU in parallel to clear the screen a bit faster. The game starts drawing
immediately after so it is not possible to have the blitter run while the
game gets on with something else.

Ironically, despite running at about 15fps on a stock A500, this game runs
too fast on very modern accelerators/emulators, so I've added a frame delay
to clamp this. I recommend a setting of 2, i.e. 25fps, which is still a bit
faster than A500, but you can vary it if you wish (up to 5, which is 10fps).

For those machines in-between (030-060 etc) you can enable the CACHE option
to get a much smoother frame rate.

Greetings and thanks to Snoopy1234 for sending the elusive second version of
the game, to the EAB forum for testing and support, and to the WHDLoad team.

Enjoy! :-)

--- DJ Mike (28th September 2024)

         Bug report form, full WHDLoad package and other installs:
                          http://www.whdload.de

THIS PACKAGE COMES WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO USE, RESULTS AND
PERFORMANCE OF THE PACKAGE IS ASSUMED BY YOU AND IF THE PACKAGE SHOULD PROVE
TO BE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING,
REPAIR OR OTHER REMEDIATION.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, CAN THE AUTHOR BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE
CAUSED IN ANY USUAL, SPECIAL, OR ACCIDENTAL WAY, ALSO IF THE OWNER OR A
THIRD PARTY HAS BEEN POINTED AT SUCH POSSIBILITIES OF DAMAGE.