the C64 maxi loading vic20 games

[lucifershalo]

Hello,
just received my the C64 maxi today and cant load any Vic20 games

has anyone made a downloadable zip with all games that can be loaded via USB stick?

[Mike]

For a smoke test, try out my 'Unexpanded Games Collection'. Just mount the *.d64 file contained in the *.zip archive, and run the file "BOOT". I've put some extra work into this to make it function independent of what kind of RAM configuration is actually active. For further information, consult the included "READ ME" (but you'll need to activate +24K or +32K RAM for this).

If you can get this working, look here:

SD2IEC-Ready Games Collection (1986 onwards), by siccoyote, or

FE3 Software Collection by ops.

Despite their names ("SD2IEC", "FE3") they mainly consist of *.d64 disk images, single one *.prg files which should work without any issues also on the emulation of TheC64 in VIC-20 mode.

You have to make sure, that you enable exactly that RAM configuration for each program/game as is stated in the docs. This is not an issue specific to TheC64 or any other VIC-20 emulation, you have to take that into regard also on a real VIC-20.

[tokra]

Since the VIC-20 has a few different memory configurations you need to tell the C64 Maxi which configuration to use and you need to know beforehand which configuration your program needs. This can be done by either using specific filenames or a configuration-file called .cjm-file. Sadly there is currently no comfortable way to set this using a GUI on the C64 Maxi. Details can be found in the manual in chapter 8 and appendix C:

https://retrogames.biz/thec64/support/manuals-thec64#

Mike's collection he mentions above has been specifically programmed to work on any memory configuration, essentially it "unexpands" the VIC-20 using software. However nearly all other programs don't do this and you as a user need to know which configuration a game needs. This problem is not emulator-specific but a general issue with VIC-20 programs.

[Vic20-Ian]

This helps for cartridge games:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ru ... ORM=VDQVAP

Great Video from Robin on memory configuration on The C64.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ru ... m%3DQBVDMH



To make it a little clearer for the novice Vic20 user

Unexpanded programs run up to 3.5k or 3583 Bytes

+3K runup to 6655 Bytes

+8K run up to 11775 Bytes

+16K 19969 Bytes

Unexpanded programs only usually run on unexpanded unless very simple

+3K programs only run on +3K configuration

+8K will run on +8K or +16K or +24K Vic20

+16K will run on +16K or +24K Vic20

[garry68]

The naming convention also lets the VIC emulator know whether or not the image is PAL or NTSC.