Bolo Crashing on Mac Classic

[DiskKun]

Any version of Bolo that I try to run on my recapped Mac Classic crashes in the tutorial (address error), and Internet Bolo Buddy crashes immediately (unimplemented trap) and will not start. Things I've tried:

• I installed MacsBug and that allowed me to somewhat get past the crashing in Bolo by continuing program execution every time it happened, but it didn't help with the Bolo Buddy.
• I've tried it with minimal 6.0.8, and also 7.1 and 7.5.5 with extensions. Same result in every OS.
• I've tried the versions of the game included with MacPack (0.99.2, 0.99.7bv, Plus Pack 1.0) and also a fresh download of Plus Pack 1.0 copied over from another volume.
• I installed the AppleTalk driver included with 0.99.2.

I have not installed any additional brains. Other games from MacPack have been running just fine. I'm using BlueSCSI v2 with the latest firmware to load my files and run my OS.
Anyone have any ideas at all?
Edit: forgot to mention I've got 4MB of RAM.

 

[adespoton]

When you drop to MacsBug, what's the error that halts execution? Since I've had no issues with Bolo on other hardware, I suspect you've got some sort of niggling hardware error, and the crash report might shed light on what it is.

 

[LaPorta]

Never had an issue, either. With an address error, is it possible that you have some bad RAM, or at the least an iffy connection to some of the built-in RAM? Any other issues at all with any other applications?

 

[LaPorta]

When you drop to MacsBug, what's the error that halts execution? Since I've had no issues with Bolo on other hardware, I suspect you've got some sort of niggling hardware error, and the crash report might shed light on what it is.

In a coincidence, I just saw your post on the Garden >2 years ago under the Bolo page, and I actually do have a compiled version of the bolorama UNIX executable that I use to host a server.

 

[DiskKun]

When you drop to MacsBug, what's the error that halts execution? Since I've had no issues with Bolo on other hardware, I suspect you've got some sort of niggling hardware error, and the crash report might shed light on what it is.

I'll take a picture when I'm home tonight.

Never had an issue, either. With an address error, is it possible that you have some bad RAM, or at the least an iffy connection to some of the built-in RAM? Any other issues at all with any other applications?

I've tested my RAM using some Apple diagnostic tool and it came back OK.

 

[LaPorta]

I'll take a picture when I'm home tonight.

I've tested my RAM using some Apple diagnostic tool and it came back OK.

The other question I’d ask is are there any extensions you are running in common between the systems that mess with the RAM at any sort of way?

 

[superjer2000]

Can you play a solo game (ie not the tutorial?). I used to play Bolo on my Classic back in the 1990s without any issue.

 

[LaPorta]

Can you play a solo game (ie not the tutorial?). I used to play Bolo on my Classic back in the 1990s without any issue.

It is supported on the Plus and up, so it should work without issue as you are saying.

 

[superjer2000]

It is supported on the Plus and up, so it should work without issue as you are saying.

Although I would note that even though it's supported, the Classic is NOT the platform for a serious Bolo player! We used to have LAN parties, playing Bolo until 3:00am and my poor Classic had a hard time keeping up with faster Macs. Way too much lag for a truly competitive Bolo player!

 

[adespoton]

Although I would note that even though it's supported, the Classic is NOT the platform for a serious Bolo player! We used to have LAN parties, playing Bolo until 3:00am and my poor Classic had a hard time keeping up with faster Macs. Way too much lag for a truly competitive Bolo player!

Hah... we used to have Mac Plus LAN parties where running the slower hardware was part of the challenge! Then there'd be someone on the LAN with a faster Mac and larger screen acting as the spectator's lounge so that those who'd already lost could watch the rest of the game in more comfort.

 

[beachycove]

Phht, adespoton…. Sure I used to try to pedal my bike to turn a dynamo to run my Classic to keep up with my pals, who had fast Macs AND actual mains electricity. Occasionally, lightning would strike and I could even see what was going on on the Classic! Otherwise, I’d never have known that I had lost.

(We all need a laugh — thanks.)

 

[adespoton]

Playing Bolo on a 9" screen was an art form -- limiting everyone to a small visible playing field tended to affect strategy quite a bit. A lot more sneaking up through the forest happened; personally, I found it more enjoyable than everyone on 24" colour monitors with brains aware of everything, where it was just an all-out fight and a race to see who moved in the right direction soonest.

 

[superjer2000]

Playing Bolo on a 9" screen was an art form -- limiting everyone to a small visible playing field tended to affect strategy quite a bit. A lot more sneaking up through the forest happened; personally, I found it more enjoyable than everyone on 24" colour monitors with brains aware of everything, where it was just an all-out fight and a race to see who moved in the right direction soonest.

What version of Bolo were you playing? I don't recall being able to see more of the map - I just booted my LC575 and SE/30 side by side and they show the same game area. It would be a pretty unfair advantage to be able to see more.

 

[LaPorta]

What version of Bolo were you playing? I don't recall being able to see more of the map - I just booted my LC575 and SE/30 side by side and they show the same game area. It would be a pretty unfair advantage to be able to see more.

Yes, regardless of what machine you play on, the game window is always the same size. It would have been pretty cheap had it been otherwise.

Now, with a larger screen, you likely could have had the overview map AND the game window open simultaneously without one blocking the other...that may be what he he referring to.

 

[adespoton]

Yes, regardless of what machine you play on, the game window is always the same size. It would have been pretty cheap had it been otherwise.

Now, with a larger screen, you likely could have had the overview map AND the game window open simultaneously without one blocking the other...that may be what he he referring to.

The viewing map may have been a custom build actually; Stuart was actively developing it at the time and fed us a few non-official versions. Either that or it was a very complex brain plugin, but it seems to me that would have been a lot of work. It was definitely the game window and not the overview.

 

[DiskKun]

The other question I’d ask is are there any extensions you are running in common between the systems that mess with the RAM at any sort of way?

I've tried it on the minimal 6.0.8 install (OpenRetroSCSI 500mb doesn't come with any extensions as far as I am aware).

When you drop to MacsBug, what's the error that halts execution? Since I've had no issues with Bolo on other hardware, I suspect you've got some sort of niggling hardware error, and the crash report might shed light on what it is.

MacsBug crash while running the tutorial:


MacsBug crash while running Bolo Buddy:

 

[DiskKun]

Can you play a solo game (ie not the tutorial?). I used to play Bolo on my Classic back in the 1990s without any issue.

Yes, solo games appear to run just fine.

 

[adespoton]

I've tried it on the minimal 6.0.8 install (OpenRetroSCSI 500mb doesn't come with any extensions as far as I am aware).

MacsBug crash while running the tutorial:
View attachment 94166

MacsBug crash while running Bolo Buddy:
View attachment 94167

Interesting... so the same error, "Undefined A-Trap at 003477FE KevAppIsRunningCopyOfThisApp__FP19ProcessSe..." for both.

Interestingly, in the second case, the IP is sitting at MOVE.W (A7)+,D0 at the address in question. In the first case, it seems to be failing before that address is read at all.

It does seem to suggest that the address being referenced from there isn't being read reliably.

The error means that A7 is referencing an OS toolbox trap vector that the system doesn’t recognize. The crash occurred in a function that checks whether an application process is already running. This implies the app was performing a process-list/launch-check, and invoked a toolbox routine not currently available or badly patched.

So the possible causes are: incompatible OS version (which we've already ruled out) or corrupted trap table/system image in memory, which could be caused by bad memory, or an extension doing bad things to the trap table.

 

[LaPorta]

The viewing map may have been a custom build actually; Stuart was actively developing it at the time and fed us a few non-official versions. Either that or it was a very complex brain plugin, but it seems to me that would have been a lot of work. It was definitely the game window and not the overview.

Certainly possible if you had access to beta versions!