Parin Base - PacifiST FAQ

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Running Day of the Viper on PacifiST is extremely possible...if you have the right version, that is. Currently, the only recent version of PacifiST to run Viper correctly (i.e. no bombs on the copy-protection screen) is version .49 beta. And run it well it does! The only thing not perfect is sound emulation...other than that, everything else runs very well! Thanks to Frederic Gidouin for his excellent ST emulator, and Arnaud Carre for the sound chip emulation in PacifiST. Great work, guys! Looking forward to seeing newer versions. Keep in mind that this tutorial assumes a basic knowledge of PacifiST use, and a previous setup of PacifiST. I won't tell you how to set it up, for a tutorial on that, visit the Little Green Desktop.

1) Identify which version to download.

Personally, I would suggest downloading my compilation, the zip file containing only Day of the Viper games; the menu disks contain other games as well, which could complicate bootup and such. This archive does not contain a disk image (in .st or .msa format) but is the actual files itself; this, I believe, makes it easier to install into a mapped directory using Pacifist - you can use WinZip to put it in the proper place, instead of copying the files from the disk image in Pacifist to a directory of your choice on your mapped hard drive. For those that wish, however, I have included a disk image of this compilation for easier transfer to a real ST using MakeDisk.

2) Which version of TOS do I use?

It is always best to use 1.04, especially for gaming. If you find a game doesn't work properly with one version, try another. Viper will run on TOS 2.06, but it has been widely circulated that the 1.0x series is the best for gaming.

4) What settings should I use in PacifiST?

Video Mode (F1) should be set on Scr (Screen Mode)

The Speed (F3) really doesn't matter; setting it to Full Speed on a fast machine will really make it fly though! If you have problems, set it back to ST Speed.

For sound effects, the Samples (F5) should be On. This will give you more realistic gameplay with more likeness to the experience on a real ST. Your emulator MUST be set to low-res mode; DOTV will not run in medium or high resolution. This is changed via TOS for low and medium res, and via PacifiST (F10) for high res.

3) I've installed the files. What now?

After making sure that you've unzipped the files leaving the directory structure intact, enter PacifiST. If you've elected to use the disk image, enter it into the Virtual PasifiST Floppy Drive A (via the F12 button). If you are using a mapped Virtual PacifiST Hard Drive, go to the Atari path where you unzipped your files to. Open the Viper directory, and run viper.prg. That's it! Enjoy.