Grell and Fella

Pavero · May 2013

I have created TZX file from my own original tape, but I can't hear any AY music in 128K mode.

Can any happy owner of this really rare tape try it on a real hardware? Maybe my version is wrong. Or was it a bug?

Also I can share this TZX file, if someone would like to check it. I would say there is all additional 128K data (even with AY music) in the TZX.

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0009355

Alessandro Grussu · May 2013

I downloaded the TZX file before Code Masters denied its distribution and distinctly remember the AY sound. Didn't try loading it on real hardware yet, however.

Ralf · May 2013

I've just checked Greg and Falla .tzx from the Internet and there IS music in 128 kB mode

richl · May 2013

I think I may have made a similar thread a few years ago. My copy never had any music despite there being a music credit in the titles. I found a TZX from another source later on and seem to remember it did have music. I think it might be a bit like how my first copy of Amaurote was music-free despite reviews praising the soundtrack and then later copies were fixed/finished versions with the full audio. I'll have to check tomorrow to see if my hooky copy of Grell & Fella has music or if I dreamt it.

Alessandro Grussu · May 2013

Yes, but it was another forum member who reported that first.

My TZX file timestamp reads 14.03.1999, by the way, and when loaded - at least under emulation - the game definitely has in-game 128K music and sound.

FrankT · May 2013

Alessandro Grussu wrote: »

My TZX file timestamp reads 14.03.1999, by the way, and when loaded - at least under emulation - the game definitely has in-game 128K music and sound.

My TZX's timestamp is 24.12.1996. And also has 128k music. Tested with 128/+2/+2a/+3 models.

Jmk · May 2013

I have the same problem with my tape. It claims to have music but is completely silent.

So I've had more of a look around...

In RAM bank 6, there's a certain address (59105 / $E6E1) which is set to 3. This gives complete silence.

Change it to the following to hear:
000 - Sound Effects
001 - Title Music (according to a Youtube video)
002 - Garden Shop Music (according to a Youtube video)

This isn't a magic fix though, as whatever you select remains on until you poke it again.

I guess there are two versions, one which correctly calls the music routines and another which doesn't.

gorski · May 2013

Hi All,
I have this tape side a and side b made silent tzx files for me :)
when I change 59105 (like Jmk say) to 1 sound is here .. original value at this address is 3 :)

Greets,
Gorski

Ivanzx · May 2013

So, we have another case of Music bug? Or is it just that there are some cassettes which have music, and some other dont?

BiNMaN · May 2013

Ivanzx wrote: »

So, we have another case of Music bug? Or is it just that there are some cassettes which have music, and some other dont?

mine has music, maybe that the initial run contained the bug then was fixed on later releases?

richl · May 2013

BiNMaN wrote: »

mine has music, maybe that the initial run contained the bug then was fixed on later releases?

I think it's just that - initial batch had bug, later ones were fixed. Unfortunately, because of the deniencing thing with all the Codies titles things like this are hard to pin down because comparing of tapes and TZXes has to be done a little bit "off the books". Sort of.

Anyway, I won't write any more because looking at the thread Alessandro linked to, what I wrote above was virtually the same thing I put about 3 years ago. Not sure if that's some amazing feat of memory... or because I actually have a bad memory when it comes to remembering what I've already written! Answers on a postcard please ;)

Metalbrain · May 2013

BiNMaN wrote: »

mine has music, maybe that the initial run contained the bug then was fixed on later releases?

Finally someone who has a working tape. Looks like the bugged one was more extended.

goodboy · May 2013

I have firm cassette (no-sound version).
old tzx on Wos is russian conversion cracked (and fixed) version to tzx.
in the firm loader you can press `4` to load game always in 48k mode

Jmk · May 2013

I've noticed that the in-game screenshot on WOS isn't the same as the tape I've got or the "fixed" tape version.

My tape (and the "fixed" tape):

WOS screen:

ghbearman · May 2013

There isn't a TZX for this game - it's denied! (it's also MIA)

Metalbrain · May 2013

Jmk wrote: »

I've noticed that the in-game screenshot on WOS isn't the same as the tape I've got or the "fixed" tape version.

Try your tape in 48k mode.

Jmk · May 2013

Metalbrain wrote: »

Try your tape in 48k mode.

That definitely explains that. :)

ghbearman wrote:

There isn't a TZX for this game - it's denied! (it's also MIA)

I don't think this is a MIA situation?

Ivanzx · May 2013

Jmk wrote: »

I don't think this is a MIA situation?

Maybe he was referring to the non-bug release, which is not so common?

BiNMaN · May 2013

there is a TZX with the 128k music intact out there

Les Fran?ais sont nos amis dans ce cas

Ivanzx · May 2013

BiNMaN wrote: »

there is a TZX with the 128k music intact out there

Les Fran?ais sont nos amis dans ce cas

Then maybe the bug version is the one missing the tzx? Only Guy can shed some light here :)

Alessandro Grussu · May 2013

Ivanzx wrote: »

Maybe he was referring to the non-bug release, which is not so common?

Me and at least other two folks in this thread reported having a TZX of it, so it does not seem so... I downloaded that TZX, if memory serves me correctly - 14 years have passed, by golly - from the TZX Vault; I used to download TZX files from there as soon as they were announced. This means that the file of the proper release has been preserved.

Metalbrain · May 2013

I do have a .tzx I made myself from the bugged version, 3 years ago, but I haven't distributed it to anyone. It has normal ROM based loaders, and it's not compressed, therefore taking 100kb instead of 64kb.

Should I send it to The TZX Vault, so they keep it in case Codemasters ever lifts the ban?

ghbearman · May 2013

The answer is yes, we need all tzx's - besides it's currently MIA. (ie no listing for a preserved tzx)

edit: apparently I need to explain (haven't contacted the MIA list yet, though...might need to)

This is the 'release information' for Jetpac for comparison.
Release information
Origin Model Code Barcode D.L.
Original release 16K 161001
Re-release Microbyte [1] 16K
Re-release Ricochet 16K RS009 5012967400262
Re-release Sinclair Research Ltd 16K G27/R
Re-release Sinclair Research Ltd 16K G27/R
Re-release Ventamatic 16K

no download because it's denied. now compare this with Grell & Fella; you see there's no infoseek listing at all for 'original release' (their entry goes straight to 'additional material'). So my conclusion was 'its MIA' - will need to check with gilby.

edit #2 to the OP: my copy is packed away and ready to be sent to gilby.

gorski · May 2013

Yes and No :) This is denied MIA but here we have few people who have tape, including me .. :) this is MIA with many sources and all sources have version without sound ... :)

Greets,
Gorski

picture ... :-P very better inlay than WOS one :)

spec-e · May 2013

gorski wrote: »

picture ... :-P very better inlay than WOS one :)

This inlay looks very familiar... ;)

Slider · June 2013

Grey and Fella (inlay) or Grell and Falla (spectrum's screen)???

Ralf · June 2013

Grey and Fella (inlay) or Grell and Falla (spectrum's screen)???

Make your choice :) The authors seemed not to be sure themselves :)

Personally I prefer Falla. "Fella" is a form of "fellow" - man,guy,bloke. Not the best name for pretty, flying female fairy.

WOS of course will use Fella as it's on the inlay and that's the rule used here. But still I claim that the inlay is very wrong ;)

jlsoler · June 2013

Hi all,

ghbearman wrote:

The answer is yes, we need all tzx's - besides it's currently MIA. (ie no listing for a preserved tzx)

edit: apparently I need to explain (haven't contacted the MIA list yet, though...might need to)

Sorry if I'm late to this. Guy is right, surprisingly this title is MIA, so both of the versions involved are worth to go to the archive.

ghbearman wrote:

edit #2 to the OP: my copy is packed away and ready to be sent to gilby.

So Guy, is your tape playing any sound? Gorski's one is silent, and I think he could make me a pair of samples for preserving.

Slider wrote:

Grey and Fella (inlay) or Grell and Falla (spectrum's screen)???

Anyway we like it, the spine criteria is commonly followed by the preservation team for naming titles, because most of the time they are enough hints for give them more than a name to a program. So if spine exists, and a name in it, this one is used over all the rest. So, 'Fell & Grella in the Enchanted Gardens' is the name for this one, I guess. Or even, 'Fell & Grella' | aka: 'Fell & Grella in the Enchanted Gardens'. Maybe this criteria could be unfair for many programs, but I guess a solid scheme is needed to avoid personal tastes (?).

Cheers,
Jose.

Jmk · June 2013

I think we all deserve an (11-years late) upgrade to a fully working version, so I've made a patch.

GrellFix

All you have to do is copy it onto a tape and load it (or play it through your soundcard) into the Spectrum. Then put your (silent) Grell and Falla tape into the cassette deck and play.

The fix will load the old game, apply a patch (a mere 40 bytes) and run the game, giving you title music, sound effects in-game and the other tune in the garden shop - as it should be and as you paid for!

---

There were other bytes I could've changed, related to the slight visual differences in the loading screen (which is copied into bank 1) but there was really no need to. Source code is included and can be compiled with PASMO, but you need to hack the header with a TAP/TZX editor (like Taper) to turn it into a Program block instead of a Code block. Instructions are included.

Grell and Fella

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