Paku-Paku -- UPDATE V1.6 -- 9 November 2011

[deathshadow]

So here's version 1.5:
-- link removed, grab 1.6 instead --

I have to apologize for 1.4, which turned into a total DISASTER on the distribution side. The standalone beta before it was great, but when I ran it through CVS to build the new version, it saw code regressions where it was this oddball hodge-podge of code ranging from 0.89 through 1.4; making the 1.4 distro perhaps the WORST version of all of them.

I threw away the extra "tools" and got dirty doing it by hand like I should have all along, finally getting the code straightened out... then started adding more optimizations thanks to a discussion over on Oldskooler Ramblings that squeezed another 26% speed out of each loop inside the backbuffer blits, which combined with the changes to when the joystick is read should eliminate performance issues even at 4.77mhz.

There's also a PAKUT1JR.EXE file in there which tries to use the tandy/PCJr 160x200 graphics mode (still only displays 160x100, just line doubled) should owners of those systems encounter... problems with the text graphics. The regular paku.exe is still the 'preferred' method of running the game, but if that doesn't work, owners of said systems can give that a try.

Overall, this is a MUCH better release than the last one.

[leilei]

Lazy Game Reviews just reviewed it

[deathshadow]

Yup, pretty cool review -- and just in time for the release of 1.6, which hopefully will resolve the issues he was having with the CMS chips in his Sound Blaster 1.5 -- which was likely a my bad. I was using word-width port outputs and was only enabling the chip after setup, not after every note change; both add up to it working just fine on a 8088, but not so much on AT class machines or higher.

For those of you who went to the end of the thread first, the new home of Paku Paku is:
http://www.deathshadow.com/pakuPaku

... and all the needed download links are there. Oh, I also added a backlink on my links page to this site. I've got a thread over on the Vintage Computer Forums where I discuss a lot of the programming level changes to the game.