Partial Success, More CE Versions needed

[GusCE6]

There are a number of versions of SCUMMVM for Windows CE but I have only found 0.1.0, 1.0.0, and 1.5.0. Can anyone link me to an archive or sites (active ones please!) where I can find other versions?


In a nutshell: all four SCUMMVM 1.5.0 EXE files have failed to work, even with GAPI with or without its emulation mode. SCUMMVM 0.1.0 and 1.0.0 work with GAPI in emulation mode, effectively only in 320h x 240v. Details below.

What I want is a) bigger screen and b) "Dreamweb" to play at the least.

The device in question is a 2006 Sylvania netbook. Windows CE 6, 800h x 480v resolution, 8505 VIA ARM processor 400MHz, 128MB RAM (~51MB available), color depth unknown; quite useful as it only needs 14 watts of power, is very portable, and who would steal it?

This could be important: testing with "Monkey Island 2" and "Sam and Max Hit the Road" indicate that no more than 4MB RAM is being used- so even that netbook has plenty to spare.



I've had no luck with ScummVM 1.5.0 for Windows CE- none whatsoever. I still get that "serious problem/shutdown" error message with all four EXE files so RAM isn't likely the problem.

Mixing files among the 1.5.0, 1.0.0, and 0.10.0 folders accomplished nothing.

I installed and tried the GAPI v4.04 app, but even though everything on it works no amount of tinkering with the adjustments got anywhere beyond a different error log for SCUMMVM 1.5.0.

GAPI was for Windows CE since Microsoft's support was lacking. Like SwiftShader and 3d-Analyze for regular computers GAPI grants mobile devices certain abilities they don't normally have. Since this version does not support this netbook model one must use the slower emulation mode.

I also have SCUMMVM 0.10.0 and 1.0.0 for Windows CE. Thanks to GAPI these versions of SCUMMVM do work. They are called "Pocket SCUMMVM."

If you set GAPI a certain way you get a 320h x 240v window in the upper-right corner and a sideways SCUMMVM. Cursor control is also normal, and once you get a game running it can be turned right-side up. Thus everything is a little larger, and every little bit helps. Removing the toolbar eliminates the scrunched look; it is a bit bigger and better. "LOOM" has a few quirks here one must beware of but it works fine.

There seems to be no way around the 320 x 240 limit. If you click the 2X GAPI setting everything is bigger and still quite sharp, but the cursor is very, very clumsy and everything moves slowly- too slowly.

Thanks to versions 0.1.0 and 1.0.0 the following games have worked so far: "Inherit the Earth" (MS-DOS and voice-CD versions), "LOOM" (VGA better graphics version and Amiga more scenes versions), all three "The Legend of Kyrandia" games (MS-DOS versions), "The Secret of Monkey Island" (MS-DOS version), "The Secret of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge (MS-DOS version)," "Sam and Max Hit the Road (MS-DOS version)," and "Return to Zork" (although I haven't figured out how to save a game yet).

(Update: As of this typing the VGA "LOOM" was played all the way through successfully.)

"Dreamweb" isn't recognized in these versions. "MYST: Masterpiece Edition" is also not recognized. The documentation mentions "Dreamweb" working on 1.5.0. Is there a way to get it running on 1.0.0?

The VGA version of "LOOM" was much slower than the Amiga version. Casting spells always had delays with each note, among other things, although not enough to be unplayable. Luckily the ASUS has an MP3 quality modifier that reduced that sound file to roughly 1/8 its size; the sound quality isn't quite as good but the delays are greatly reduced and the game is much more playable. The inside of The Forge would be terribly awkward otherwise.

The only real downside for me is that "Dreamweb" is not even detected. I like this one.

But in spite of their limitations SCUMMVM 0.10.0 and 1.0.0 with help from GAPI adds a new dimension to games. The games that do work are the same as on the ASUS itself, and are GOOD. If there is a way to make "Dreamweb" work, be it an added file or a more advanced version of SCUMMVM that does work on a netbook that would be terrific.

[digitall]

Not sure if you are aware, but the WinCE port was removed from the source tree recently due to lack of developers / users so there will be no future releases. See:
https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/pull/1931

The project is open source so this does not preclude an unofficial branch by a developer who is interested... but not likely.

Apart from this, you can find the archive of all releases here if you want to try different releases, but I think v1.5.0 was the last official release for WinCE:
https://www.scummvm.org/frs/scummvm/

Up till 24 days ago, you could have tried the latest nightly master build from https://buildbot.scummvm.org/snapshots/master/ ... but due to buildbot issues,
there are no WinCE builds there.