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--- blog:pc98_launcher_b [2020/09/06 18:04] – john
+++ blog:pc98_launcher_b [2021/02/24 14:31] (current) – [PC-98 Game Launcher - Information & Downloads] john
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== PC-98 Game Launcher - Appendix B: Application & Game metadata files ======
+====== PC-98 Game Launcher - Information & Downloads ======
+My //PC98Launcher// application is written in C, using the custom DJGPP implementation for PC-98 hardware, [[blog:pc98_devtools|as detailed on my site]].
+//What is it, and what does it do?//
+//PC98Launcher// is graphical game browser and launcher for the PC-98 range of personal computers from NEC.
+It runs on the PC-98 hardware itself, either emulated or real physical system; it is __not__ a Window/Mac/Linux application like [launchbox](https://www.launchbox-app.com/) or [RetroArch](https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch).
+Specifically, it is written to use the 256 colour graphics hardware found on late PC-9801 and early to late PC-9821 machines.
+   * It creates a browseable list of all the game directories on your drive(s)
+   * It can load and display additional metadata per game (i.e developer, genre, release date etc)
+   * It can load and display screenshots or artwork per game (i.e box art, screenshots, etc)
+   * It can export an audit file of all the found games
+   * It can launch any game for which a start file is either found (e.g. start.bat), or which has been defined in metadata (e.g. run.com, go.exe, etc)
 You can find versions of the PC98Launcher application ready to download on this page, as well as packaged up versions of games and their metadata ready to go.
@@ Line 24: / Line 40: @@
 ^ Date ^ Notes ^ Download Links ^
+| 2020-09-07     | First version which can launch games! Run //l.bat// and it will start up everything you need, as well as run the selected game on exit. Still need to implement game filtering, as well as re-launch the application after you exit the game. | {{ :blog:pc98launcher_2020_09_07.zip |486}}|
 | 2020-09-04     | Fixed some memory leaks when loading/unloading metadata file and image lists. Enabled pageup/pagedown navigation. Initial implementation of //Confirm you want to start this game// popup dialogue. | {{ :blog:pc98launcher_2020_09_04.zip|486}} |
 | 2020-09-02     | Added ability to preload full game name from metadata at scrape time. Can be enabled/disabled by //preload_names// in launcher.ini | {{ :blog:pc98launcher_2020_09_02.zip|486}} |
@@ Line 46: / Line 63: @@
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/amaranth-iii|*]] | {{ :blog:amaranth_iii.zip|Amaranth III}} | Fuga System | Yes | Yes | No | FM, MIDI (MPU) | |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/amaranth-iv|*]] | {{ :blog:amaranth_iv.zip|Amaranth IV}} | Fuga System | Yes | Yes | No | FM, MIDI (MPU) | Start file assumes game is unpacked to \Games. Edit //start.bat// if this is not the case. |
-| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/amaranth-kh-stellar-koku-kenkokutan|*]] | {{ :blog:amaranth_kh.zip |Amaranth KH}} | Fuga System | Yes | Yes | No | MIDI (MPU) | |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/amaranth-kh-stellar-koku-kenkokutan|*]] | {{ :blog:amaranth_kh.zip |Amaranth KH}} | Fuga System | Yes | Yes | No | FM, MIDI (MPU) | |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/bible-master-2-the-chaos-of-aglia|*]] | {{ :blog:bible_master_2.zip|Bible Master 2}} | Glodia | Yes | Yes | Front/Rear | FM, MIDI (MPU+Serial) | |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/branmarker-2|*]] | {{ :blog:branmarker_2.zip|Branmarker 2}} | D.O. Corp. | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU) | Can be started in PC-98 notebook-compatible mode by adding 'note' after //BR2_98.EXE// in !START.BAT; this sets a high-contrast palette mode. |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/briganty-the-roots-of-darkness|*]] | {{ :blog:briganty.zip |Briganty}} | GIGA | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI | Action, Beat-em-up, RPG, Platform hybrid. Really needs a joypad to be enjoyed fully. |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/case-of-dungeons|*]] | {{ :blog:case_of_dungeons.zip|Case of Dungeons}} | Studio K2 | Yes | Yes | No | FM | Single screen dungeon crawler. A sort of strategy/tactics "beat the boss" type of game. |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/crw-metal-jacket|*]] | {{ :blog:crw_metal_jacket_english_.zip|CRW: Metal Jacket}} | WiZ | Yes | Yes | Front/Rear | FM | This is a pre-patched [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/3105/|English]] version. |
+| [[https://refuge.tokyo/pc9801/pc98/01027.html|*]] | {{ :blog:crw2.zip|CRW 2}} | WiZ | Yes | Yes | No | FM, MIDI | Untranslated sequel to CRW. |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/cyber-illusion|*]] | {{ :blog:cyber_illusion.zip|Cyber Illusion}} | Pearl Soft | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU+Serial) | MIDI mode seem to be tailored for a GM compatible module. |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/nightmare-collection-dead-of-the-brain-shiry-no-sakebi|*]] | {{ :blog:dead_of_the_brain_english_.zip |Dead of the Brain}} | FairyTale | Yes | Yes | Front | FM | This is a pre-patched English version (all links to original patch are broken as of 2020). Although DOTB doesn't have a hard-drive install, it seems to work fine if you copy all four floppy disks to the same directory. |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/farland-story|*]] | {{ :blog:farland_saga_1_english_.zip|Farland Story 1}} | Technical Group Laboratory, Inc. | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU) | This is the pre-patched [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/646/|English]] version. Music supports the NEC -26k and -86k FM cards, LA MIDI synths (e.g Roland MT32/CM32) and GS MIDI synths (e.g Roland Sound Canvas). Opening cinematic can be viewed seperately via the secondary start file in the metadata. GDC clock slowed to 2.5MHz via the included //gdc.exe//. |
@@ Line 56: / Line 78: @@
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/farland-story-daichi-no-kizuna|*]] | {{ :blog:farland_story_5_english_.zip|Farland Story 5}} | Technical Group Laboratory, Inc. | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU) | This is the pre-patched [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/743/|English]] version. Music supports -26k and -86k FM cards and and GS MIDI synths (e.g Roland Sound Canvas). GDC clock slowed to 2.5MHz via the included //gdc.exe//. |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/farland-story-kamigami-no-isen|*]] | {{ :blog:farland_story_6_english_.zip |Farland Story 6}} | Technical Group Laboratory, Inc. | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU) | This is the pre-patched [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/745/|English]] version. Music supports -26k and -86k FM cards and and GS MIDI synths (e.g Roland Sound Canvas). |
+| [[https://refuge.tokyo/pc9801/pc98/00933.html|*]] | {{ :blog:graystone_saga.zip|Graystone Saga}} | Pegasus Japan | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU+Serial) | MIDI output supports both LA and GM type modules. |
+| [[https://refuge.tokyo/pc9801/pc98/02170.html|*]] | {{ :blog:graystone_saga_gaiden.zip|Graystone Saga Gaiden}} | Pegasus Japan | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU+Serial) | MIDI output supports both LA and GM type modules. |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/kuro-no-ken|*]] | {{ :blog:kuro_no_ken_blade_of_darkness_.zip |Kuro no Ken (aka Blade of Darkness}} | Forest | Yes | Yes | Front/Rear | FM | Game is sourced from the Neo Kobe collection and runs from a single __.com__ file and 5 disk images. |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/romance-wa-tsurugi-no-kagayaki-last-crusader|*]] | {{ :blog:last_crusader.zip|Last Crusader}} | FairyTale | Yes | Yes | No | FM | Note that this archive contains a LZH archive which must be uncompressed on the PC-98 itself using //lha.exe// - there are long Kanji filenames that do not transfer well on Windows/Linux systems. |
+| [[https://refuge.tokyo/pc9801/pc98/00573.html|*]] | {{ :blog:legam.zip |Legam}} | U-Office | Yes | Yes | Front | FM, MIDI (MPU) | |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/legend-of-heroes-iv-akai-shizuku|*]] | Legend of Heroes IV | Falcom | Yes | Yes | No | FM, MIDI (MPU+Serial), Soundblaster 16 | FM mode supports 3-operator and 6-operator FM hardware. |
 | [[https://macross.fandom.com/wiki/The_Super_Dimension_Fortress_Macross:_Skull_Leader_Complete_Pack|*]] | {{ :blog:macross_skull_leader_complete_english_.zip|Macross: Skull Leader Complete}} | Family Soft | Yes | Yes | Front | FM | This is a pre-patched [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/3159/|English]] version. Translated PDF manual available [[https://nebulous.group/index.php/projects/translations/macross-skull-leader-complete-pack/#cmtoc_anchor_id_8|here]]. |
 | [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/3622/|*]] | {{ :blog:melpool_land_english_.zip |Melpool Land}} | Compile | Yes | Yes | No | FM | This is a pre-patched [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/3622/|English]] translation. |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/pc98/metajo-furitsu-metatopology-daigaku-fuzoku-joshi-kk-sp|*]] | {{ :blog:metajo.zip|Metajo}} | R-Force Software | Yes | Yes | No | FM | Supports 3-operator and 6-operator FM (-26 and -86 sound devices). |
+| [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/zai-metajo|*]] | {{ :blog:metajo_2_zai_metajo_.zip|Metajo 2 (Zai Metajo)}} | R-Force Software | Yes | Yes | Front | FM | Supports 3-operator and 6-operator FM (-26 and -86 sound devices). |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/metal-eye|*]] | {{ :blog:metal_eye.zip |Metal Eye}} | Elf Co., Ltd. | Yes | Yes | Front | FM | |
 | [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/metal-eye-2|*]] | {{ :blog:metal_eye_2.zip |Metal Eye 2}} | Elf Co., Ltd. | Yes | Yes | Front/Rear | FM | |