Witch way Update???

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 2:21 pm

I knew someone from the Forum won that Witch Way cart off Ebay at the end of May and was wondering if they could share with us a quick review of it's gameplay and maybe a screen shot or two??

It seems like an intriguing title that I'm sure all of us would love to hear a bit more about it. Like is it a Witch flying around on a broom collecting pumpkins or what??

Would be greatly appreciated,
Brian

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 4:49 pm

It was Leo. Last time I spoke to him about it, he was looking to try and get it dumped out for emulator use WITHOUT actually having plugged it into his Vic20 to test it. Wacky I know heh... I would have tried to play it beforehand

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:51 pm

Mayhem wrote:It was Leo. Last time I spoke to him about it, he was looking to try and get it dumped out for emulator use WITHOUT actually having plugged it into his Vic20 to test it. Wacky I know heh... I would have tried to play it beforehand

Ya, us collectors are sure a bit "different"

I would of called in sick from work that day to have played it

Let us know when something appears....
Brian

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 12:09 am

Hm, don't you need a VIC-20 to dump a cartridge, even if you never execute the code on the ROM? Or does someone have a special dumping device that can read the contents externally? If it was a tape or disk, I can understand how to dump without a VIC.

Schema · Post by **Schema** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 7:02 am

carlsson wrote:Hm, don't you need a VIC-20 to dump a cartridge, even if you never execute the code on the ROM? Or does someone have a special dumping device that can read the contents externally?

A standard EPROM Burner should also be able to read back the contents of most ROM chips, as long as you know the pinout and the burner supports it. I know Leo has one.

But does that mean he has to desolder the ROM chip in the cart first?

Much braver than me...

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:48 am

Yes. First break open the cartridge, then desolder the ROM. Or maybe there is a special VIC cartridge reading device somewhere. Possibly one could turn a partially damaged VIC-20 to a cartridge dumping device?

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 9:23 am

carlsson wrote:Yes. First break open the cartridge, then desolder the ROM. Or maybe there is a special VIC cartridge reading device somewhere. Possibly one could turn a partially damaged VIC-20 to a cartridge dumping device?

I'm not a computer techie but Carlsson raises a very interesting scenario.

Couldn't one plug the cart into the game cart port, read the schematics to find where the info travels and before it gets dispersed tap into it and send the info to a EPROM burners inner board (without hacking the burner too much not to use for it's regular duties)?

Removing chips is one thing but EPROMS with information (one of a kind possibly information) is scary to risk removal in my opinion.

Trace lifting phobia/non-techie,
Brian

6502dude · Post by **6502dude** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:38 am

It would not be too difficult to build a perf board with 22 pin edge card connector on one end for VIC cartidge and a cable with socket on other end to allow cartidge rom to be read via eprom programmer.

Or, If one is not concerned about circuit board of cartridge, a propane torch applied to foil side of circuit board will allow for quick removal of rom

Years ago, I carefully desoldered ROMs and read them.

4K images are generally 2532 pinout.

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 12:09 pm

I think the edge card connector and some equipment is to prefer. Possibly something that transfer the content to a smart media card rather than burn another EPROM. Or a serial cable or whatever to interface with a PC or alike. On the other hand, the need would be pretty limited.

Imagine a dual direction interface with a USB connector, so you could plug in your 16K RAM expansion and use as a temporary storage device to your PC.

The Cheese · Post by **The Cheese** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 1:16 pm

Are you guys talking about the game Witch Way by Commercial Data Systems Ltd? If so, I won a sealed tape copy of the game along with another sealed game tape on eBay 4 weeks ago for £3.39.

I'm guessing that the tape version is really common, but there is a really rare cartridge version which is the one that you are talking about. Is that correct?

I haven't played my game yet by the way.

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 2:06 pm

If you can take a pic of the tape, and maybe transfer it over to a TAP, that would be good also

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 2:29 pm

Hard to make a TAP without breaking the seal. Or maybe there is a special device for that too?

Is this game for expanded VIC? I know that there are some 4K cartridge games also released on tape and that most actually execute the code in ROM instead of copying itself down to RAM.

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 3:55 pm

Either "witch way", it would be a TAP that I and others haven't seen/played yet

I won my Zorgon's Kingdom (re: past posting topic) with The Canadian Tire Compilation in the batch too off of Ebay today btw

20 years since I played Zorgon and I wonder if it'll have the same effect to play it so many years later?
Brian

Post by **Jeff-20** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 7:35 pm

carlsson wrote:Hard to make a TAP without breaking the seal. Or maybe there is a special device for that too?

My new enterprise. . . "Rom psychic" (holds cart to forehead and hums).

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:56 am

Centallica wrote:I won my Zorgon's Kingdom (re: past posting topic) with The Canadian Tire Compilation in the batch too off of Ebay today btw

I was actually going to bid on that, and didn't in the end. So consider yourself "lucky"