- VIP4 Compo File -
Prod type :
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Demo [ ] Intro [ ] OldschoolDemo[x]
Gfx2d [ ] Gfx3d [ ] OldSchoolGfx [ ]
ZikMp3[ ] ZikMulti[ ] Zik4k [ ]
Wild [ ]
Infos:
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Prod Name : Quintessential
Author : Defence Force
Group : Defence Force
URL : http://www.defence-force.org
Comments : This is not a PC demo, it's an oric demo.
To watch it, you can:
1) Create a real Oric floppy disk and boot it on a Microdisc or Cumana Oric system.
2) Use one of the available Oric emulators available ("Euphoric" for PC).
Credits:
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Graphics: Exocet, Mooz, The Spider and Romu
Code: Twilighte, Romu, Jede and Dbug
Music: Twilighte
Other: Dancing girl came from the State of the Art Amiga demo from Spaceballs.
DTS logo, THX sound trailer, 20th century fox material are copyrighted by their respective owners.
Installation:
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In order to avoid you some headaches and web site crawling we decide to include all the necessary stuff required to watch this Oric demo using a PC. We also include the software required to create an Oric bootable floppy disk. Last but not least, this distribution also includes a version of "VDMS", a Sound Blaster emulation that allows DOS programs to recognise and play sounds under Windows NT/2000, because the PC emulator is designed to work under DOS and thus is not able to play sound under Windows NT/2000.
To create a bootable Oric disc: simply use the "WriteDsk.exe" program (found in the tools folder). It's a command line tool that takes two parameters. Simply enter from command prompt:
WriteDsk VIP4.DSK A:
when the software ask you a question, insert a blank disc, and confirm. It will then try to create a bootable oric disc. Note that if you use 1.44 HD floppy discs, you will have to cover the small HD detection hole (opaque tape, or a piece of floppy sticker will be fine). If you have problem running WriteDsk, try to reboot in Dos mode.
To view the demo on you Oric: Unpack Euphoric (this is the latest version available at this time: July, 7th of 2002), and read the documentation. If everything is correctly installed, the VIP4.DSK file should now have a small floppy disc icon associated to it. Double click on the VIP4.DSK file and enjoy the show. Note that if you are using Windows NT/2000 and wish to listen to the great music and sample contained in this demo you will have to also install VDMSound.
Technical information:
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Since the Oric is not really state of the art hardware, we assume that some of the folks that download that demo do not know what an oric is, and thus cannot appreciate what this demo represents. In short here are the characteristics of the Oric range of computer:
Processor: 1mhz 6502A. This is the same than you can found in an Apple 2.
Memory: 64 kilobytes, 37631 bytes available for user code, 10 kilobytes are used for video memory and redefinable character set, 16 kilobytes are reserved for the ROM that contains a BASIC interpreter.
Video modes: A TEXT mode containing 28 lines of 40 character each is available, as well as a HIRES mode able to display 200 lines of 240 pixels. A total of 8 colors is available (BLACK, RED, GREEN, BLUE, YELLOW, CYAN, MAGENTA and WHITE), it's not possible to have more than 2 colors used in 6 consecutive pixels.
Sound: A General Instrument AY-8913 sound chip that is able to output sound on three chanels. Actually this is the same class of sound chip than the one you can found in an Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum+, MSX compatible, or Atari ST.
Storage: On tape or floppy disc. Up to 720kb can be stored on 3" 1/2 floppies. Standard disc controller, the Microdisc is using 360kb 3" floppies.