Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

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Mtik333
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Joined: Sun 23 Jun, 2019 2:07 pm

Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by Mtik333 »

Hello,

I'm not sure if this is kind of bug that can be reported here, but I decided to at least try.

I created a machine Epox P55-VA with Intel Pentium MMX 233, with 128 MB memory, S3 ViRGE/DX Voodoo 2 Graphics. I installed Windows 98 on this machine and decided to try to launch Pro Rally 2001 demo (it can be found here: https://www.gamepressure.com/download.asp?ID=27) which is probably unplayable on any NT systems (full version got some patches though but I don't own it).

After launching it and configuring to use Voodoo2 with Glide 3 graphics (other two configurations do worse than this), I'm getting past main menu and loading screen, but the game crashes few seconds after timer starts.
(To answer the question why I haven't tried other ones: first configuration gives awfully glitchy screen and second crashes PCem before main menu starts).

In pcem.log file I see only this:

Code: Select all

Bad CMDFIFO0 fffffe68
(value of course changes per each launch).
I recorded video with what actually happens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxRxt5kUFYs

I tried this on three different PCs, if required I can provide specs.

Obviously, this game is not mentioned as supported in README, but I was wondering whether anything can be achieved here. If this is something that cannot be reported as bug, then please close this topic.
Regards.
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omarsis81
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Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by omarsis81 »

Do you happen to have old hard to test the demo? I wonder what might happen in real hard. Quit to Windows desktop?
Mtik333
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Joined: Sun 23 Jun, 2019 2:07 pm

Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by Mtik333 »

I forgot to mention that I was following mostly this tutorial when creating environment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ro3nvM ... u0Wtu/view
omarsis81 wrote: Fri 28 Jun, 2019 5:55 pm Do you happen to have old hard to test the demo? I wonder what might happen in real hard. Quit to Windows desktop?
Well, I have a "kind of" retro PC:
* Pentium IIIE, 800 MHz,
* Asus CUSL2-C,
* Intel Solano i815EP
* 256 MB RAM
* ATI Radeon 9600
* Windows 98 SE (same as in PCem)

As far as I remember, it simply worked without crashing at all, I was able to finish this "stage". However, it's difficult to compare Radeon graphics to Voodoo here. I'll definitely check it during the weekend and try to record it somehow.
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leilei
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Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by leilei »

The CMDFIFO crash indicates a failure at the Voodoo emulation level. Have you tried it with the voodoo recompiler disabled? Have you also tried it on Voodoo Graphics?
Mtik333
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun 23 Jun, 2019 2:07 pm

Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by Mtik333 »

leilei wrote: Fri 28 Jun, 2019 9:18 pm The CMDFIFO crash indicates a failure at the Voodoo emulation level. Have you tried it with the voodoo recompiler disabled? Have you also tried it on Voodoo Graphics?
Well, once I unticked it, nothing changes, sometimes log shows:

Code: Select all

triangle_setup wrong order 4631 4895 0
Sometimes its about this:

Code: Select all

CMDFIFO packet 5 has byte disables set 41d4b2fd
I recorded behaviour of the game with two other options available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQd4A4_h6ng

First one, well, "works" but graphical artifacts make it completely unplayable. Second does simply the same as Third one but crashes during game's launch.
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omarsis81
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Joined: Thu 17 Dec, 2015 6:20 pm

Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by omarsis81 »

Mtik333 wrote: Sat 29 Jun, 2019 12:04 pm [

I recorded behaviour of the game with two other options available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQd4A4_h6ng
Here it works because you're running the game with the Virge card and NOT the Voodoo, and as leilei said, the problem relies on the Voodoo emulation
Also, I bet the Virge artifacts are real behavior, since the Virge was only meant for very early 3D like 1996 or 97. I'm surprised it could run a game from 2000 or 2001
Mtik333
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Joined: Sun 23 Jun, 2019 2:07 pm

Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by Mtik333 »

Ok, so final conclusion is that I should leave this game for "real" retro-PC rather than emulation right? Thanks for help.
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leilei
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Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by leilei »

switching the CPU to WinChip2 interpreter might be a workaround as there's been a few rare times where the dynarec makes the Voodoo2 drivers get garbage.
Mtik333
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Joined: Sun 23 Jun, 2019 2:07 pm

Re: Pro Rally 2001 demo + Win98 crashes PCem

Post by Mtik333 »

leilei wrote: Sat 29 Jun, 2019 9:46 pm switching the CPU to WinChip2 interpreter might be a workaround as there's been a few rare times where the dynarec makes the Voodoo2 drivers get garbage.
Well, I tried that as well but nothing changed at all, anyway thanks a lot for suggestion, I think there's nothing to achieve here and even if, doesn't make sense to waste time on that.
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