Exult Forum

Hi

i perhaps want to buy a Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 for playing ultima 7 (yes,

iam a freak)
but first, i need some detailed information about the whole thing, how it

works with ultima7, etc.
so my question is, where can i find some further information about playing

ultima 7 on a zaurus?
or should i ask my questions here in the forum? or contact Artaxerxes

directly?

sorry if a similiar thread exists already, i have not found any

a little confused
Trevor

Look for a thread with my name, "Shamino96", ive already put Artaxerxes through a bunch of trouble, mabie my thread will answer your questions.

Or just ask your pb here.

Someone else asked me to make a FAQ for the zaurus... I should contact Dominus about that.

Artaxerxes

i have read the other thread, by shamino96, but there are still some questions left.

i post them here (iam a ultra-newbie with Handhelds, etc.)

1. what's up with sound & music? are there the same problems with strange sound like with some soundcards and windows? do i get the sound & music through earplugs (earphones?)?

2. must i copy the whole ultima 7 on the zaurus? (approx. 25mb, or?)

3. Is it possible to read the texts good?

4. how i play ultima 7 on the zaurus? with this pen-cursor only?

5. how's the speed? does it run jerky?

6. is it possible to use the scalers?

7. i have only read about SI for the zaurus working 100%. Does BG run 100%, too?

so far...

sorry for my bad english and my little knowledge about the whole thing ^_^

When we are at it, I have also a little question: (I have also no clue of Handhelds;))

8. Would Exult also run on a PocketPC? Or would that need a new conversion? (Or perhaps a PocketPC IS a zaurus? )

@Trevor
Sorry for interfering!

No it doesn't currently run on PocketPC. It is different platform.

grrr, I made a full reply and it did not get posted!
Anyways...

> 1. what's up with sound & music? are there the same problems
> with strange sound like with some soundcards and windows? do
> i get the sound & music through earplugs (earphones?)?

AFAICT, the sound and music play as if it came from an adlib or a old SB. You need earphones since the zaurus does not have a built-in speakerphone (just a buzzer). I do not recommend to have both sound and music 'on', since that will produce choppiness. Put one 'on' and one 'off'.

> 2. must i copy the whole ultima 7 on the zaurus? (approx.
> 25mb, or?)

Actually, "just" the static will do.

> 3. Is it possible to read the texts good?

No pb at all.

> 4. how i play ultima 7 on the zaurus? with this pen-cursor
> only?

The stylus emulate the "mouse-move + left click" and the keypad the "mouse-move + right click". In a word, you move the avatar by pressing the up, down, left and right direction keys from the keypad and you tap on an item to identify it and d-tap an item to "use" it. You can also use the built-in keyboard to have access to the speed keys, like 'c' for combat and so on.

> 5. how's the speed? does it run jerky?

with the sound XOR music on, I'm playing at a faster speed than on my PII-350. Mind you, I use scalers and full music+sound on it.

> 6. is it possible to use the scalers?

As above implies, the zaurus plays the Original Resolution (tm).

> 7. i have only read about SI for the zaurus working 100%.
> Does BG run 100%, too?

Don't know. I haven't tried to play BG on it but I'd guess there shouldn't be any pb.


In the pack of news too, the SDL maintainer for the zaurus told me he found a way to map the speed-keys of the zaurus (the ones around the keypad) so they can be used with programs. Which means, it will be possible to map, say, the "home" button to trigger the combat mode etc. Nice possibilities ahead.

Artaxerxes

thank you very much for your help, Artaxerxes

there are still some further questions:

how long can i play with one battery-charge? (i think it takes a lot energy with sound, music and the whole other things)

you mentioned, that you play it with the original solution and scalers? (my english isn't that good to get the point exactly^^) so, can i use the standard-resolution(320x200?) and SUPER-EAGLE?

300-500 $ are very much for a "gameboy" which can handle Ultima 7 Serpent Isle. I am a very big fan of BG, so i would only buy a Zaurus when iam 100 % sure, that it will work with BG perfect
so, could you please try it out? (or anyone who has a zaurus, too?)
i know it's a bit much, but i would be very happy if you try BG on it for me
that's the last descision i have to make before i decide to buy it

just to make sure we understand each other (and please tell me if I am wrong somewhere):

the scalers are used only when the resolution is not 320x200x1
And that's the resolution the zaurus screens runs at.
Conclusion: it does not run any scalers. It's my desktop which does, not my zaurus.

For the battery, without sound or music, and low screen light, I'd say you can play a good 10 hours. It's the light that actually eat up most the power. With the FULL light on, I wouldn't think it would play more than 2 hours.

Artaxerxes

If there are any problems with BG for some reason they would probably not be difficult to fix.

absolutely

now like I said before, if you want a zaurus JUST to play BG, then borrow one from a friend. If you really NEED a PDA, then sure, the zaurus is awesome at it.

Artaxerxes

would it be possible to get Ultima 7 run on a PALM with windows? or similiar? with non-linux?
if yes: are you planning to develop it for a PALM, too?
if not: why?

Unfortunately there's no SDL port to PalmOS (it's just not practical), and without an SDL port it would be more like rewriting Exult than porting it.

- SJ

so it runs only with Linux? (zaurus is the only one with linux, right?)

as a matter of fact, there is quite a few handheld running linux.

Look at http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8728350077.html for more information.

Artaxerxes

but not every linux-handheld can handle exult, right?
sharps' zaurus is the only one, which fills the requirements?

would you suggest another handheld for exult, besides the zaurus?

well, as long as SDL is ported and there is enough power and space, I don't see why any other handheld wouldn't do.

Artaxerxes

I haven't had a look at the current exult port yet, but the main problems I had a while back was that SDL locked basically once you push one of the command buttons and the other one a missing movement control with the stylus. So basically I don't know how well exult works on a PDA without a keyboard, you simply need keys for several things
(a pad for movement and you have to enter save game names ...)
So I guess an IPaq or a similar machine might not be suitable.

And yes exult is really nice on the Zaurus, but having a full lockup once I press a few milimeters off the movement wheel or
constantly hammering the wheel which probably isn't designed for heavy use isn't. Anyway, besides that I can recommend the Zaurus no matter if you look for a decent PDA or if you need a better gaming handheld

as a matter of fact, I've check just 10 minutes ago the newest port of SDL by Alexandre Courbot (http://www.gnurou.org) and it sports a menu key remapping ability!
Consequently, Exult will not get kicked when you press one of those menu button.

The question is, since those buttons can now be mapped in Exult, what should they be mapped to?

Artaxerxes

Excellent news, indeed (put it on the table )

Here is my vote
a) first one for fight
b) second one for the avatars inventory or vice versa
d) home should be left out due to its closeness to the movement wheel
(you hit that one constantly once you slip with the fingers from the control
wheel)
e) the other two for fast save and load

The better option would however be a button mapping tool within exult.
But that is lots of work using a config file might be better.

Anyway Artaxerxes, thanks for the excellent news.

Another question:
Did you have any thoughts about a movement ability within the game which is stylus controlled yet?

I have tried some of it in my CVS tree but it needs refining. Maybe I should use the 'home' button ti switch between walk mode and use mode.

Artaxerxes

That would be a good solution I think.

Can anyone post a pic of it in action on the Zaurus? That would me most appreciated

[link]http://exult.info/screenshots_zaurus.php[/link]

!@#$
http://exult.info/screenshots_zaurus.php

Sweet, worth a Zaurus just for THAT.

The Zaurus generally is an amazing machine, so far the best PDA I've had.

Bah, stop bragging.

Who wants to play "the game"?

*push it up*

so, ok i have thought a lot about this whole thing, buying the Zaurus only for Ultima 7 and i have only one question left, then i run to ebay and buy this awesome machine

-So is it possible to really play the game well? I mean, isn't it difficult to point at these little items with the stick? generally the controls, is it comfortable to play it with stick+micro-keyboard, etc. or only:
"ok it's nice to tryout some half-hour ultima 7 on Zaurus, but playing the whole game on this thing might be uncomfortable."

?

thx for your help

ehm hey zaurus-exult users
please can anyone of you help me with my descision whether to buy a zaurus for exult or not by answering my question

please

I'd say, get a friend who has a zaurus to install Exult on it and try it for yourself.
If you like it, buy it!

I'd say: don't buy _just_ to play Exult. With my due respect to Exult, it would be a waste of money. Buy a zaurus if you planned to buy a PDA _and_ if you want to play Exult on it.

Artaxerxes

hmm, I AM a freak
i WANT to waste my money

so may you please tell me if it's comfortable to play Exult on the Zaurus, so let's say i want to play the whole Ultima 7 on it through?

i want to waste my money COMFORTABLE, so i have to know

I personally find it comfortable. YMMV.
As I said, use a friend's zaurus to find out by yourself.

Artaxerxes

no one of my friends, collegues, etc. has a zaurus

I too am considering buying a Zaurus just for Ultima 7...
But having a linux PDA would be sweet.
Ive already got a PocketPC, Toshiba e335
too bad it wasnt ported to Pocket PC too

I was asking around at work if, perhaps, our product ought to be ported to the Zaurus, since most of our sales appear to have moved to Linux.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a strong reason why anyone would want to run a hardware simulator on a handheld.

Trevor_Clim said:
"Hi

i perhaps want to buy a Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 for playing ultima 7 (yes,

iam a freak)"

Stop being modest. All of us here are Ultima freaks. If I wasn't a broke 13 year old, I would buy a Zaurus also. Just for this.

For the rest of you, I say again:
Stop being modest.