Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Soulless a new game for Commodore 64 and advice for fixing my C64

  1. #1
    Apple (Level 5) Wraith Storm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Tulsa Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,092
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    7
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    4 Posts

    Default Soulless a new game for Commodore 64 and advice for fixing my C64

    Just wondering if anyone has played SOULLESS yet? It's a new game for the C64.

    They have a disk or tape version at psytronik or a cart version at RGCD. I'm not really sure why anyone would want a tape or disk version over cart, but I suppose its nice that they provide options. I ordered the cart and it arrived a few days ago and I have been having a blast.

    The game is structured similar to Castlevania: Symphony of the night. It all takes place in a huge castle and there are "Save rooms" and such, but the game plays differently. It sees you transformed into a beast, searching objects in each room looking for 12 stones scattered throughout the castle. Once you collect all the stones you can change back into your human form and save the kingdom... blah, blah, blah.

    So far it has been really awesome. The graphics are excellent and the chip music is amazing. It took me a while to get used to the controls however. The main issue is you cannot move in mid air when jumping. Once you jump you cannot make adjustments until you land. This make all the platforming elements a bit tough, but it's a welcome old school challenge.




    Unfortunately I am having issues with all four of my C64s. My last working one decided to partially bite the dust. Here are the issues I am facing and hopefully you guys can help me out.

    Breadbin C64 (1983)- This worked perfect until the other night. I turned it on and the "Ready" screen boots up all scrambled in multi colored characters then freezes, or says "?out of memor Error in 0" and freezes or just doesn't boot at all! It worked perfect a week ago.

    Breadbin C64 (1983)- This one has never worked for me. Usually it will not boot up. If it does boot the screen will be all scrambled in multi colored characters like the unit above. If it does manage to boot up to the "Ready" promt, everything will look normal, but it will just freeze. Also I opened it up and the SID chip was a socket type and was missing. A missing SID chip shouldn't affect the systems boot phase should it?

    Breadbin C64- (1982)- This one used to work perfect then started to give me all sorts of problems with both audio and video so it has been packed away for several years. I pulled it out again and gave it a shot yesterday and amazingly the video portion was perfect, but the sound was crazy. The music plays, but its all the wrong notes and real chaotic sounding. I opened it up and there are a LOT of socketed chips instead of soldered. Thats pretty cool as I assume it would make it easier to replace any bad ones. It is also a 5 pin video model. The RF output looks fantastic, but the a/v cable for Luma/Chroma only gives me black and white on my commodore monitor. What gives?

    C64c (19??)- This one loads fine and sounds fine. But it outputs to a black and white picture with some static. I don't have an 8 pin video cable so I am having to use the RF cable and the picture is pretty bad. I have tried several different RF cables and get the same results. If I could fix this issue it would be a perfect working unit. Any ideas?

    ANY help or advice on getting these going would be GREATLY appreciated and your name will be carved into the mantle above my fireplace so all will know your great deeds!
    If a god is willing to prevent evil, but not able, then he is not omnipotent. If he is able, but not willing, then he must be malevolent. If he is both willing and able, then why is there evil? If he is neither able or willing then why call him a god?

  2. #2
    Peach (Level 3) Custom rank graphic
    thegamezmaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Minonk,IL
    Posts
    601
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default Soulless a new game for Commodore 64 and advice for fixing my C64

    On the 64C if you wiggle the rf cable plugged in does the color come back? If it does maybe one of the ground solder points needs resoldering. Here's a great C64 site that you can get a lot of help on their forum. http://www.lemon64.com/ Hope this helps.

  3. #3
    Insert Coin (Level 0)
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    The Midwest
    Posts
    65
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith Storm View Post
    Breadbin C64 (1983)- This worked perfect until the other night. I turned it on and the "Ready" screen boots up all scrambled in multi colored characters then freezes, or says "?out of memor Error in 0" and freezes or just doesn't boot at all! It worked perfect a week ago.
    That's almost certainly one or more bad memory chips. Get a few 4164 chips, try piggybacking them on chips until the problem goes away, and then you've identified your bad chips. Clip those chips out, de-solder the pins, solder in sockets, drop in new chips, and it'll be good to go.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith Storm View Post
    Breadbin C64 (1983)- This one has never worked for me. Usually it will not boot up. If it does boot the screen will be all scrambled in multi colored characters like the unit above. If it does manage to boot up to the "Ready" promt, everything will look normal, but it will just freeze. Also I opened it up and the SID chip was a socket type and was missing. A missing SID chip shouldn't affect the systems boot phase should it?
    You're right, a 64 will boot without a SID. It could be a power supply issue, but if it's not that, it's not obvious to me what the issue is. Tougher than the first '83 box.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith Storm View Post
    Breadbin C64- (1982)- This one used to work perfect then started to give me all sorts of problems with both audio and video so it has been packed away for several years. I pulled it out again and gave it a shot yesterday and amazingly the video portion was perfect, but the sound was crazy. The music plays, but its all the wrong notes and real chaotic sounding. I opened it up and there are a LOT of socketed chips instead of soldered. Thats pretty cool as I assume it would make it easier to replace any bad ones. It is also a 5 pin video model. The RF output looks fantastic, but the a/v cable for Luma/Chroma only gives me black and white on my commodore monitor. What gives?
    Sounds like a bad SID chip. You might try swapping in the chip from the first breadbin, if it happens to be socketed. Regarding the video, the 5-pin is cable is composite, so switch your monitor to composite mode (or use the composite jacks if it has two sets) and you should get color.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith Storm View Post
    C64c (19??)- This one loads fine and sounds fine. But it outputs to a black and white picture with some static. I don't have an 8 pin video cable so I am having to use the RF cable and the picture is pretty bad. I have tried several different RF cables and get the same results. If I could fix this issue it would be a perfect working unit. Any ideas?
    The 5-pin video cable will still work in 8-pin 64s, so that would be the quickest route to getting a working unit, I think. Give that a shot.

    Hopefully this will be enough to get at least one of your units up and running.

  4. #4
    Apple (Level 5) Wraith Storm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Tulsa Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,092
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    7
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    4 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thegamezmaster View Post
    On the 64C if you wiggle the rf cable plugged in does the color come back? If it does maybe one of the ground solder points needs resoldering. Here's a great C64 site that you can get a lot of help on their forum. http://www.lemon64.com/ Hope this helps.
    No matter what I do, the RF cable only gives me B&W. Since my original post I tried a 5-pin and an 8-pin that I ordered and still only get B&W from those cables as well.

    I registered over at Lemon64 and I think they got me pointed in the right direction.

    Thanks for the reply!
    If a god is willing to prevent evil, but not able, then he is not omnipotent. If he is able, but not willing, then he must be malevolent. If he is both willing and able, then why is there evil? If he is neither able or willing then why call him a god?

  5. #5
    Apple (Level 5) Wraith Storm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Tulsa Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,092
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    7
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    4 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Farquhar View Post
    That's almost certainly one or more bad memory chips. Get a few 4164 chips, try piggybacking them on chips until the problem goes away, and then you've identified your bad chips. Clip those chips out, de-solder the pins, solder in sockets, drop in new chips, and it'll be good to go.



    You're right, a 64 will boot without a SID. It could be a power supply issue, but if it's not that, it's not obvious to me what the issue is. Tougher than the first '83 box.



    Sounds like a bad SID chip. You might try swapping in the chip from the first breadbin, if it happens to be socketed. Regarding the video, the 5-pin is cable is composite, so switch your monitor to composite mode (or use the composite jacks if it has two sets) and you should get color.



    The 5-pin video cable will still work in 8-pin 64s, so that would be the quickest route to getting a working unit, I think. Give that a shot.

    Hopefully this will be enough to get at least one of your units up and running.

    I registered with Lemon64 after posting here and I think those guys got me headed in the right direction. I ordered some 4164 chips and some IC sockets to install.

    I have no experience soldering, but my dad is going to help me. His solder gun died on him and he ordered another one. It came in a few days ago, so hopefully within the next week or so we'll give it a shot. The C64 that you mentioned as having bad ram chips was also mentioned by others as having the same issue. I plan on removing all 8 ram chips from the board and installing IC sockets in their place and then dropping the new chips in.

    As far as the C64C goes. The 5-pin cable and then I ordered an 8 pin S-vid and composite cable and with both of those I only get B&W. I tried them on my monitor and my TV and got the same results.

    Although one thing that confuses me is the 5 pin cable has red, white and yellow leads. I assumed it was three for luma chroma, but it only gives B&W with luma Chroma. As you stated, this leads me to believe that they are composite cables. But if it is a composite cable then why does it have all three jacks. Shouldn't it only have two as the C64 doesn't output stereo does it?

    Thats for all the help guys. Although I have a decent C64 collection, I know little of its internals and what cables do what. Any info helps me out a lot, so thanks for taking the time to reply.
    If a god is willing to prevent evil, but not able, then he is not omnipotent. If he is able, but not willing, then he must be malevolent. If he is both willing and able, then why is there evil? If he is neither able or willing then why call him a god?

  6. #6
    Insert Coin (Level 0)
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    The Midwest
    Posts
    65
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Be sure it's a low-wattage iron (30 watts is about as high as I'm willing to use on something like a 64). It's much easier to snip the pins off flush with the chip with a small pair of diagonal cutters, then de-solder each pin afterward. Get a desoldering braid from Radio Shack, work slowly and carefully, and you can do it. Practice on a junk board first to get comfortable, from some dead household electronic item.

    Don't punish yourself by trying to use modern lead-free solders. You need special equipment to use those properly. My favorite solder is 62/36/2 solder like Radio Shack part#64-013. It's 62% lead, 36% tin, 2% silver. (If you can find the same blend at a hardware store, it'll probably be cheaper there.) 63/37 or even 60/40 solder may be easier to find and is nearly as good. 60/40 is the least expensive of the three.

    Radio Shack also sells a cleaning/tinning compound. Part number is 64-020. It's expensive (almost $10), but makes soldering much easier and lasts a long time. Heat your iron up, dip the tin in the compound, and when it's hot enough to poke in, then you know it's hot enough to use. It'll save you and your dad a lot of hassle.

  7. #7
    Peach (Level 3) PC-ENGINE HELL's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    679
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Man, I have a couple of C64 systems down in storage. I just dont use the things and I was not aware people were still releasing games of good quality on it. Learn something new every day I tell you.

  8. #8
    Apple (Level 5) Wraith Storm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Tulsa Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,092
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    7
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    4 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Farquhar View Post
    Be sure it's a low-wattage iron (30 watts is about as high as I'm willing to use on something like a 64). It's much easier to snip the pins off flush with the chip with a small pair of diagonal cutters, then de-solder each pin afterward. Get a desoldering braid from Radio Shack, work slowly and carefully, and you can do it. Practice on a junk board first to get comfortable, from some dead household electronic item.

    Don't punish yourself by trying to use modern lead-free solders. You need special equipment to use those properly. My favorite solder is 62/36/2 solder like Radio Shack part#64-013. It's 62% lead, 36% tin, 2% silver. (If you can find the same blend at a hardware store, it'll probably be cheaper there.) 63/37 or even 60/40 solder may be easier to find and is nearly as good. 60/40 is the least expensive of the three.

    Radio Shack also sells a cleaning/tinning compound. Part number is 64-020. It's expensive (almost $10), but makes soldering much easier and lasts a long time. Heat your iron up, dip the tin in the compound, and when it's hot enough to poke in, then you know it's hot enough to use. It'll save you and your dad a lot of hassle.
    I know he ordered a desoldering braid, but i'm not sure about the cleaning/thinning compound or what mix of solder he bought. I'll ask him and I appreciate the advice. I'm up for anything that will make this task a bit easier. It just looks daunting, but if it means saving my C64 then i'll do what it takes!

    Quote Originally Posted by PC-ENGINE HELL View Post
    Man, I have a couple of C64 systems down in storage. I just dont use the things and I was not aware people were still releasing games of good quality on it. Learn something new every day I tell you.
    Oh yeah. The C64 has a pretty big homebrew scene. Soulless was released this year and then last year psytronik released the amazing Knight n' Grail.

    They are both worth checking out. There are plenty more quality homebrew games out there as well, but these two are certainly some of the best.
    If a god is willing to prevent evil, but not able, then he is not omnipotent. If he is able, but not willing, then he must be malevolent. If he is both willing and able, then why is there evil? If he is neither able or willing then why call him a god?

Similar Threads

  1. Need Advice on fixing Ps2.
    By DaFatassassin in forum Technical and Restoration Society
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-02-2013, 10:32 PM
  2. Apple Commodore Old Games/ Need advice.
    By mpat15 in forum Computer Gaming
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 08-18-2011, 10:23 PM
  3. Replies: 25
    Last Post: 11-29-2008, 07:03 PM
  4. Help Needed: Commodore 64 game ID'ing
    By ahamilton0953 in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 12-27-2005, 01:33 PM
  5. Need a little advice on restoring/fixing a cab
    By LAGO in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 06-23-2004, 09:52 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •