Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Converting Windows TrueType fonts for Classic Macintosh MacOS and Apple IIGS GS/OS

TrueType is a font standard adopted by Apple in the 1980's as an alternative to Adobe PostScript fonts. TrueType fonts scale without the jagged edge appearance of scaled bit-map fonts. TrueType fonts became standard with classic MacOS System 7. In the early 1990's WestCode Software released "Pointless", a IIGS GS/OS System 6 compatible Control Panel written by Alan Bird which allowed IIGS GS/OS applications such as HyperCard GS and AppleWorks GS to also use TrueType fonts. Because Microsoft also embraced TrueType and TrueType fonts also work with Mac OS X there are resources online and in some cases instructions and tools are designed for specific platforms.

Having a recent need to add a TrueType font to my IIGS I determined what I needed to do to download a TrueType font from a current online web font repository and get it working on both classic MacOS 9 and GS/OS. As the steps were a bit more complicated then I expected I am documenting them here in case they will be helpful to anyone else.

Step 1: Download the TrueType font

The online source of the TrueType fonts I used is https://all-free-download.com/font/. This site advertises over 26000 TrueType fonts that are free to use. For my purposes I downloaded the font Harakiri.

Harakiri font

The fonts downloaded from the site are Zipped. I downloaded the font onto a Mac running OS X, so unzipping the file only required a double-click and I then had a .ttf file that could be opened in Mac OS X Font Book and installed.

Unfortunately I found that moving the .ttf file to my IIGS did not result in a usable file. Even changing the filetype to $C8 and aux filetype to $0001 to indicate a TrueType font did not make it usable. This is because the font information in the file is stored as data and GS/OS expects font data to be stored in a file's resource fork. The font file also did not appear correctly in MacOS 9.

Step 2: Convert the font file to MacBinary

The website www.fontconverter.org provides a free service for converting font files between several common formats. Using this site I converted the downloaded .ttf file to a MacBinary .ttf.bin file. This takes only a few seconds.

Step 3: Move font to MacOS (optional)

Note: If you want to bypass this step and go directly to the IIGS that can also be done.

Because I am running the MacOS emulator SheepShaver I moved the .ttf.bin file to my host directory, allowing me to see the file from within SheepShaver which was running MacOS 9. Double-clicking the .ttf.bin file within MacOS 9 produced a font suitcase with the TrueType font inside. Double-clicking the TrueType font opens a window showing the font. At this point the font can be installed in the System Folder and used with MacOS.

Moving the font suitcase to the IIGS can be done at this point.

Step 4: Move font to IIGS and add to Pointless Control Panel

If you did step 3 then you can move the font suitcase to the IIGS. If you did not do step 3 then you can move the .ttf.bin file to the IIGS. In my case I am running the IIGS Sweet16 emulator by Eric Shepherd so moving the file to the IIGS just requires dragging it onto an open folder window on my emulated IIGS. For TrueType fonts I always use a folder on an HFS volume so that the font names do not need to be restricted by the length and format limitations of ProDOS. If you moved the ttf.bin file then you will need to use the freeware utility MacBinary-GS by Tony Morales to convert the file to a .ttf file. (The freeware ProDOS 8 program MacDown by Jason Harper may also be used.)

At this point you have a .ttf file on the IIGS with the font information in the resource fork correctly. However, the filetype and aux filetype will need to be corrected. This can be done in a number of ways. I recommend the shareware application UtilityWorks by George R. Wilde. Change the filetype to $C8 and the aux filetype to $0001.

Now open the Pointless Control Panel and use the Add button to add the font to Pointless. Pointless also allows you to view the font or generate bit-map point sizes of the font which are useful if you want to use the font in HyperCard GS or HyperStudio for text fields.

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Vintage Network Update November 2021

The number of machines in my vintage network has increased and there are now three distinct groups of machines, requiring expanded use of WiFi to connect them.


Friday, November 12, 2021

BlueSCSI to the Rescue

Using BlueSCSI to Rescue Vintage Macs from SCSI Hard Drive failures

I have several Vintage Macintoshes that use internal SCSI hard drives and also have DB25 SCSI ports: a Mac Plus, a Macintosh TV, a Color Classic II, a Performa 6300CD, and a PowerMac 5400/120.

I have had SCSI internal drives fail before.  After 30+ years they are prone to fail for a variety of reasons. Most well known is that Quantum drives commonly used in vintage Macs have two posts covered in rubber that after decades turn to sticky goo and lock the drive head. DIY attempts to repair these drives are iffy at best because they can be easily damaged further in the process of trying to repair them.  I have also found that the case screws which need to be removed are often almost impossible to get off with a screwdriver, even after applying WD-40. After two recent drive failures in a short span of time I purchased plastic inserts which may resolve the stuck head issue but as of yet been unable to open a drive to test them.

SD based alternatives have been available for a while so I decided to consider that rather than continue to depend upon 30+ year old SCSI drives.

I decided to try BlueSCSI. BlueSCSI is a very affordable micro-SD solution that works on most Macs that have a SCSI port. They can be built from a kit if you have the tools and skills, or, as I did, purchased from a approved builder.

The BlueSCSI is designed to replace an internal hard drive, so to allow the flexibility of plugging it into a DB25 port I also purchased the OverEasy II Adapter. I prefer not to have to open my vintage computer to get to the SD card.

Using BlueSCSI with a Color Classic II

I purchased my first BlueSCSI and OverEasy II Adapter after the recent failure of my Color Classic II internal drive. Plugging into the SCSI port is doable but would block a serial port. Because the CCII lacks an internal CD-ROM drive I would also like to use an external CD-ROM drive and use the SCSI port for that.  I also tested using an Iomega SCSI Zip drive connected to the port and the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II connected to that.

The Color Classic II is running MacOS 7.1 with System Update 3.0

I was able to chain the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II to the Zip drive to the SCSI port and use both the BlueSCSI to boot off of and access the Zip drive.

I was able to connect the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II using a CN50M-DB2F adapter to the CD-ROM drive Centronics port while connecting the CD-ROM drive to the Mac SCSI port. This allowed both booting and accessing the CD-ROM drive.

I was unfortunately not able to use all three devices at the same time. This would cause Bus errors even though all devices have unique SCSI IDs and termination was set correctly on only the end of the chain. I don't know if having the internal hard drive still connected even though it fails might be causing this issue.

Because the CD-ROM drive is more useful to me than the Iomega Zip drive, I decided to go with connecting the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II to the CD-ROM drive, and the CD-ROM drive to the Mac SCSI port.

Using BlueSCSI with a Macintosh TV

Having had to replace the Macintosh TV internal SCSI drive in the past and dreading drive failure on booting, I would like the boot drive to be a reliable solution and the internal drive used only as a secondary data drive.  I do not need to chain any SCSI devices on the port so the BlueSCSI connected via OverEasy II adapter to the port makes sense.

The SCSI port on the Macintosh TV is close to the serial printer port and it would be blocked if the OverEasy II is plugged directly into the SCSI port.  I considered two options that would prevent serial port blockage: using a short SCSI cable so that the BlueSCSI could be in front of the computer and easy to access; or using a right angle DB25 adapter that would allow the BlueSCSI to be plugged in vertically. A third option I did not test but might also work would be to use a MM DB25 adapter and FF DB25 adapter to extend the port out.

Using a short SCSI cable turned out to be problematic. First, getting one is a problem. The DB25 short cables you can buy now are usually parallel cables, not SCSI cables, and the one I purchased did not work at all. The short cables that come with an Iomega Zip SCSI drive seem like they should work work except they have two male ends. So I purchased a set of 5 FF DB25 adapters. Though using the combination of a Zip SCSI cable, a FF DB25 adapter, and the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II, I had inconsistent results.  Usually the drive would not mount and show on the SCSI bus despite the LED light on the BlueSCSI being lit up. It is possible that the FF adapter I purchased was faulty, but I purchased 5 and it doesn't stand to reason that all of them are faulty. It occurred to me that termination power may not being passed through the Zip drive cable, but providing 5v power to the BlueSCI directly using its micro-USB port did not improve the inconsistent results. So I abandoned this approach.

I did have success with the second option: using a right angle DB25 adapter and BlueSCSI+OverEasy II adapter. This allowed the BlueSCSI to be set up vertically and did not block the serial port.

Using BlueSCSI with a Macintosh Plus

For the Macintosh Plus I had several options. The Macintosh Plus does not have an internal hard drive, but I have a large noisy non-Apple functional hard drive in a case that can chain a SCSI device as well as a second smaller silent non-Apple functional case that lacks a port for chaining that I could put the BlueSCSI inside and connect to power using a Molex to Berg adapter with no need for the OverEasy II. I could also plug the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II into the Mac Plus SCSI port, though I would also need to use a right angle DB25 adapter to prevent blocking the serial printer port. Using the port directly would also require adding a power source for termination since, unlike later Macs, the Mac Plus SCSI port does not provide power for termination, so a 5V charger and micro-USB cable would also be needed.

The first option I tested was connecting the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II to the large noisy but period correct external hard drive via a CN50M-DB2F adapter. This proved successful with both drives mounting consistently. Functional but very loud. And considering the small amount of software, two hard drives are not really needed. For what it is worth this did look period correct though.

The second option I tested was connecting the BlueSCSI+OverEasy II to the Mac SCSI port using a right angle DB25 adapter. Because the Mac SCSI port does not provide termination power I also connected a 5v charger into the BlueSCSI via its micro-USB port. This proved successful and completely silent. And because the Mac Plus and the 5v charger are plugged into the same power strip, the BlueSCSI will always have power when the Mac Plus is turned on.

The third option, and the one I decided to use, was to mount the BlueSCSI inside a small external case connected to the Mac SCSI port with a standard DB25 Male to Centronics 50 Male SCSI cable. The case has its own external power and to connect that to the BlueSCSI for termination power I used a Molex to Berg adapter. One advantage of this solution is that the BlueSCSI is mounted inside a case offering it some protection. This particular case has a plastic lid, so I still have easy access to the BlueSCSI in case I want to swap out or backup its micro-SD.


My Vintage Apple Computers

I've been a regular Apple computer user since 1979 and owner since 1986 when I first purchased an Apple IIGS computer.  I used early Macintosh computers for college courses in the 80's and started using them at home in the 90's, at first as a necessary accessory for my Apple Newton MessagePad and later for other household purposes and entertainment. Over the years there have been opportunities to purchase or acquire Apple computer equipment and I have only rarely discarded anything so I now have a small collection. This post covers only vintage (i.e. pre-Intel based) Apple computers in my collection. I am not including devices such as printers, routers, iPods, iPads, iPhones, Apple TV, etc.



Apple II Family



Apple ][+ (aka Apple II+, Apple II Plus) (1979)

Not my Apple II+, but similar

The Apple ][+ is had an 8-bit 6502 CPU running at 1 MHz, a built-in keyboard, 7 slots for peripheral cards, a hand controller port, and composite output that could be used with a television or a computer monitor. Typical storage was a pair of 5.25" Disk ][ 140K floppy drives connected via a Disk ][ interface card in Slot 6, but it also had a port that could be used to load programs from an audio source such as a cassette tape. This computer is not connected to my network.

Model: A2S1048A

Serial #: A2S2-559930

Logic Board: 820-0044-D, manufactured 1979 (RFI Revision 2 board) (this is the latest version of Apple II+)

Memory: 64K

Peripheral cards and internal modifications:

Apple Disk ][ interface card

Apple 16K Language card 

Peripherals: 

Apple Disk ][ 5.25" floppy drive

Apple Hand Controllers (paddles) (The Keyboard Company, model K680-0003)

Apple Monitor /// (composite monochrome)

Apple Studio Display (composite color) 

Not in use: 

Apple Monitor /// stand

Joystick adapter 

Kensington System Saver 


Apple IIGS (aka Apple IIgs) (1986)

Not my "Woz" Apple IIGS, but similar


The IIGS has a 16 bit processor that could emulate the 8 bit 65C02 chip used in the Apple //e and //c, allowing it to run all Apple II 8 bit software at up to 2.8 MHz as well as IIGS specific 16 bit software. The Apple Desktop Bus keyboard and mouse were introduced with the IIGS and later became standard on the Macintosh family. The IIGS has peripheral slots like the ][+ and //e but also ports for connecting ADB devices, modem, printer, AppleTalk network, composite or RBG monitor, joystick, and "smartport" for chaining Apple 3.5" and 5.25" floppy disk drives.

Because this IIGS lacks a hard drive, I have it configured to boot off of a 3.5" disk and mount a shared folder on the PowerMac 5400/120. Then the IIGS Finder can be launched from the shared folder.

Version: Woz Limited Edition - ROM 00 upgraded to ROM 01

Peripheral cards:

Applied Engineering 4 MB Memory card

Peripheral cards and internal modifications:

Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard (A9M0330 introduced with IIGS)

Apple Desktop Bus Mouse (model A9M0331 introduced with IIGS)

Kensington Turbo Mouse ADB

Kensington System Saver IIGS (Revision B)

Apple IIc/IIGS monitor stand 

Apple IIGS RGB Monitor

Apple 3.5" drive

PhoneNet connector for AppleTalk

Internal battery holder installed and original battery replaced (2021)


Apple IIGS (aka Apple IIgs) (1986)

Apple standard Apple IIGS photo

The IIGS has a 16 bit processor that could emulate the 8 bit 65C02 chip used in the Apple //e and //c, allowing it to run all Apple II 8 bit software at up to 2.8 MHz as well as IIGS specific 16 bit software. The Apple Desktop Bus keyboard and mouse were introduced with the IIGS and later became standard on the Macintosh family. The IIGS has peripheral slots like the ][+ and //e but also ports for connecting ADB devices, modem, printer, AppleTalk network, composite or RBG monitor, joystick, and "smartport" for chaining Apple 3.5" and 5.25" floppy disk drives.  I have a single Apple 3.5" drive connected and the modern BMOW FloppyEmu connected as well as 2 Apple Disk II 5.25" drives.

Version: ROM 01

Peripheral cards and internal modifications:

BOOTi storage card (modern USB-based storage)

Applied Engineering Transwarp GS Accelerator 7 MHz

ROM 01 chip replaced with Transwarp GS chip 

GG Labs 8 MB RAM card (modern)

Internal battery holder installed and original battery replaced, 2019

Peripherals:

BMOW FloppyEmu (modern SD-based floppy drive emulator)

Apple 3.5" drive

2 Apple Disk ][ 5.25" drives chained using a Redmond Cable adapter (the second drive is not accessible while using the FloppyEmu)

Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard (A9M0330 introduced with IIGS)

Apple Desktop Bus Mouse (model A9M0331 introduced with IIGS)

Kensington System Saver IIGS

Applied Engineering Heavy Duty Power Supply 

Apple IIGS RGB Monitor

Epyx 500XJ Joystick

PhoneNet connector for AppleTalk 

 Not in use:

CVTech RamFAST SCSI card (replaced with BOOTi card because it stopped working properly)

Original ROM chip 

 

Apple //c Plus (aka Apple //c+, Apple IIc+) (1988)

Not my Apple //c Plus, but similar

The final new model of the Apple II family to be released, the Apple //c Plus ran a 65C02 CPU at 4 MHz, used an internal 3.5" floppy drive, adopted the smartport from the IIGS allowing additional floppy drives to be chained, could use composite or RGB monitors, and used a combination port for a joystick or Apple //c mouse. Standard memory on a //c Plus is 128K. This computer is not connected to my network.

For video my //c Plus is connected to the composite video input on a Macintosh Performa 6300CD. The Apple II video can then be viewed through the Apple Video Player application, which also allows screen capturing and recording.

Peripheral cards and internal modifications:

ROM 5x (12/10/17) updated ROM (Ctrl-Opt-Reset to access)

Apple 3.5" drive

American Micro Research Half Height 5.25" drive 

Apple Mouse (A2M4015)

Not in use:

Apple //c monochrome monitor

Original ROM chip



Macintosh Family



Macintosh Plus (1986)

Not my Mac Plus, but similar

The Macintosh Plus was the first Macintosh to include an 800K internal floppy drive and a SCSI port for storage expansion. This Macintosh Plus was rescued from a Hollywood prop house in 2021 and included the computer, non-Apple external hard drive, keyboard, and mouse. The internal floppy drive eject gear needed to be replaced, the battery replaced, the external SCSI hard drive replaced, and a period correct Macintosh 800K External Drive added.

Memory: 4 MB

Original battery replaced, 2021

Ejection gear on internal floppy drive failed and replaced, 2021

Peripherals:

Apple Mouse (M0100)

Macintosh Plus keyboard 

PhoneNet connector for AppleTalk  

Macintosh 800K External Drive

Kensington Mac System Saver 

TMS Peripherals Shadow drive case with a BlueSCSI inside connected internally to power with a Molex to Berg adapter.

Not in use:

Non-Apple External SCSI Hard Drive

  

Macintosh Color Classic II (1993)

Sold only outside the United States (this particular one was sold in Japan), the Color Classic II is the last of the compact all-in-one Macintoshes. Purchased used in 2021 this Macintosh Color Classic II had already been modded to allow 640x480 video and included an Ethernet PDS card. A 32 bit machine capable of operating in 24 bit mode, the CCII is compatible with the Apple II PDS card though that would sacrifice the PDS Ethernet card.

The internal SCSI hard drive failed so a BlueSCSI SD storage solution is being used. Initially the BlueSCSI was plugged into Stephen Arsenault's OverEasy II adapter which in turn was plugged into a CN50M-DB25F SCSI adapter which was plugged into an Apple CD-ROM drive attached to the Mac SCSI port. There was some instability with this approach when booting which was resolved by disconnecting the failed internal hard drive and connecting the BlueSCSI internally (I'm using a Molex to Berg adapter for power but this may actually not be necessary with a CCII).

Memory: 32 MB

Peripherals:

Apple Extended Keyboard II

Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II

Apple CD-ROM External SCSI Drive

Iomega Zip 100 External SCSI Drive 

Apple StyleWriter II printer

Apple microphone (round style) 

PhoneNet connector for AppleTalk

BlueSCSI 1.0c (modern SD-based storage) connected internally and powered via a Molex to Berg adapter

Issues:

Internal SCSI hard drive failed and is disconnected but not removed.

The BlueSCSI is internal but is not secured. It fit well in the area directly behind the hard drive and the SD slot should be accessible when the case is removed.

Not in use:

Japanese Apple Keyboard II


Macintosh TV (1993)

The Macintosh TV is the rarest member of the Macintosh family. Similar to all-on-one models at the time it has a 68030 processor, internal SCSI hard drive, internal CD-ROM and 1.44 MB floppy drive. Its internal PDS slot is occupied by a TV tuner card. It has ADB, SCSI, and serial ports as well as video in ports. Its credit card sized remote control can be used to turn on and off the computer and control all functions of the TV card and CD drive. It has a stunning all black appearance and shipped with an all-black Apple Keyboard II and all-black Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II.

 Memory: 8 MB

Original battery replaced

Original SCSI drive replaced

Peripherals:

Macintosh TV ADB Keyboard (Black) and Mouse (Black)

Apple TV Remote Control

PhoneNet connector for AppleTalk

BlueSCSI 1.0c (modern SD-based storage) connected to the SCSI port with Stephen Arsenault's OverEasy II DB25 to 50 pin SCSI adapter and a right angle DB25 adapter so that the serial port isn't blocked.

Issues:

Sound volume is very low. This was first noticed 11/21 and is a recent development. This indicates leaking capacitors (likely surface mount capacitors on the motherboard (aka logic board), but could also be the analog board- see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ20_57y-rA). 


Macintosh Performa 6300CD (1996)

The Performa 6300CD has a 94 MHz 603e processor. This computer contains everything but the kitchen sink in terms of slots and ports. It has an internal hard drive, CD-ROM drive and 1.44 MB floppy drive. It has a dedicated communications slot for a modem or ethernet card. It has a PDS slot for PDS cards (though because it is  32 bit machine unable to operate in 24 bit mode it is is not compatible with the Apple II PDS card). It has a slot for an TV card and video input. It has ADB, SCSI, and serial ports. It has IR for a remote control. Other than a Mac Mini G4 this is the only vintage desktop Macintosh I have that requires a monitor.

Memory: 64 MB

Original battery replaced with 3 AAA battery kit, 2021

Original floppy drive replaced

Peripherals:

AppleColor Plus 14" Display (not the 15" display normally included w/6300CD)

Apple Adjustable Keyboard (without the numeric keypad)

Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II

Kensington Turbo Mouse ADB v5.0

Apple PlainTalk microphone

Apple TV Tuner card and video input cards

Farallon Ethernet Communications Card 

Issues:

One I/O door latch broken off

2 Metal fence screws missing

Not in use: 

PDS Ethernet card

 

Power Macintosh 5400/120 (1996)

Original battery replaced 2020

Peripherals:

Apple Keyboard II

Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II

Issues:

Front bezel latches broken off

Brightness increase button broken 

 

G3 Blue & White 350 MHz Tower (1999)

G3 iMac 350 MHz Indigo (Summer 2000)

Original battery replaced 2021

Peripherals:

Apple USB Keyboard (transparent w/ black keys)

Apple USB mouse (black)

TEAK USB 1.44 MB external floppy drive 

Issues:

Internal CD-ROM drive not working - needs to be replaced

Signs of capacitor failure - will eventually require capacity replacement (i.e., recapping)

 

iBook G4 1.42 MHz (2005)

Issues:

Screen fades out periodically

Battery no longer holds charge


Mac Mini G4 (Jan 2005) (not currently in use)

Upgraded to 1 GB RAM


Newton Family

MessagePad 110

MessagePad 130

MessagePad 2100 (upgraded from 2000)





Sunday, October 17, 2021

Additions to my Vintage AppleTalk Network

During the last year I have added aa Macintosh Color Classic II, a Macintosh Plus, and an Apple Stylewriter II printer to my home network. The computers both have serial ports and could be connected to my existing AppleTalk network using PhoneNet connectors. The Color Classic II has an Ethernet card installed as well and so due to limited desk space I decided to retire the rather bulky PowerMac 5400/120 in favor of using the Color Classic II as my bridge Mac. With an Apple external SCSI CD-ROM drive connected to its SCSI port, the Color Classic II is almost as capable as the PM 5400, though not as fast and with reduced screen size and sound. The Color Classic II has Mac System 7.5.5 installed which is sufficient to run Local File Sharing, the LocalTalk Bridge, and act as the host for the StyleWriter II printer with "GrayShare" which allows all of the other vintage Macs to print to it over the network. Only my Apple IIGS is unable to print since Apple never released StyleWriter II drivers for the IIGS or allowed printing from a IIGS over AppleTalk except to networked ImageWriter II or Laserwriter printers.







Thursday, February 25, 2021

BlankerConfig Script-Central Theme


Script-Central disk magazine always opened with an image of the "Script-Central" virtual school building, which I recently learned was modeled on the UW Science Building by artist Bo Monroe. There were always themed animations around the building and they varied from issue to issue, providing an initial few moments of entertainment.

The Script-Central 2020 Special Edition includes a stack called BlankerConfig. BlankerConfig is a stack that allows a screen blanker to be configured that will execute while HyperCard IIGS is running and has been idling for some period of time. There are 5 possible screen blankers, the fifth of which is a Script-Central themed blanker that combines elements of several of the Script-Central issues and provides night and day views of the Script-Central building along with a fireworks display.

This video does not have sound recorded, but the screen saver stack itself includes the sounds of cars and fireworks. BlankerConfig also includes tamer screen savers that display messages, the time, and an aquarium.

Enjoy the video and download Script-Central 2020 Special Edition for tons of HyperCard IIGS fun.

Visit https://sites.google.com/view/silverwandsoftware/ to download Script-Central 2020 SE, which includes BlankerConfig.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The Dungeons of Fangborne Keep: A Developer's Tale

Fangborne main menu screen

 

Visit https://sites.google.com/view/silverwandsoftware/ to download Script-Central 2020 SE, which includes Fangborne.

Ten years ago, in 2011 I detailed my experiences as a youth with tabletop and computer based role playing games.  I had played several in the 1980's and by the 1990's, inspired by Dungeon Master (and also irritated that Dungeon Master 2 was never developed for the Apple IIGS) I had embarked on the development of my own cRPG using HyperCard IIGS. I envisioned creating a HyperCard based engine stack that would be used to run community generated dungeons, much like a 3D graphics version of EAMON. Unfortunately my reach exceeded my grasp.

Dungeon Master IIGS by FTA


Dungeon Master revitalized my interest in building my own games, but at the time of its release there was no way to modify it or build your own dungeons. So I turned to HyperCard GS and spent hours trying to create my own dungeon engine I called "HyperAdventure" and sample game I called "Fangborne". My goal was to combine the 3d dungeon exploration and point and click interface of Dungeon Master with the fairly simple real-time combat system of my own devising. My HyperAdventure system relied on predefined cards that defined every possible appearance of a hallway. This would have allowed for a nearly unlimited size dungeon within the constraints of the software and memory (a high-end IIGS typically had no more than 4 MB RAM, and it could be as little as 1.25 MB).  Also, since a dungeon was essentially defined by a set of text records it would have been easy to create a dungeon generator and save files would be very small text files. Characters were also saved in text files so that they could be migrated between games. It all worked but it consumed an enormous amount of my free time designing it and with the abandonment by Apple of the IIGS platform and HyperCard IIGS it became difficult to remain motivated to complete it. I stopped working on it in 1995. The final prototype version was only 750K in size.


Fangborne prototype in development

Flash forward to October 2020 and I was putting the final touches on Script-Central 2020 SE, my personal homage to the Script-Central HyperCard IIGS disk magazine that had been published by Resource-Central in the early '90's.  I had just enough room for one more stack and I decided to include the Fangborne prototype.

I decided that I still had time to release Script-Central 2020 SE in 2020, and so began adding some minor enhancements to Fangborne, hoping it would end up closer to an enjoyable game than just a concept piece. I worked on it through mid-February 2021 and enlisted the aid of a family member or two to test it out. In the end it became a 350 card stack of over 2 MB in size, eclipsing the 750k prototype I started with.


A demo of a beta version of Fangborne v1.0

Fangborne v1.0 is a completely functional single-player multi-level cRPG that includes editors for creating items, populating stores, and generating template-based dungeon levels of up to 20x20 size.

Some of the many features of Fangborne include:

  • Player character generation, saving, loading with multiple races and attributes
  • Game session saving/loading
  • Help system stack
  • Editors for developing items, stores, and map levels (5x5, 10,10, 15x15, and 20x20)
  • A theme editor
  • Auto-mapping
  • Game and Sound FX menus for easy access to options while playing
  • An on-screen mini-map
  • A large 3D display with a mouse-driven interface
  • Combat in the style of Bard's Tale with a variety of monsters
  • Loot from both random drops and placed treasure troves
  • A spell casting system resembling that of Dungeon Master
  • A variety of normal and magical weapons and clothing
  • Spell scrolls and notes, with a spellbook and a folio
  • Dungeon features such as pits, traps, doors, gates, secret doors, one-way doors, and more.
  • Sound effects that can be customized
  • Built-in speed control so that it can be played on fast emulators
  • A kid mode that allows exploration without fighting
  • A master mode that doubles monster hit points and attack damage for replayability
  • A developer mode that allows access to many hidden commands such as teleport, giveitem, etc.
  • A non-flashing mode to reduce the amount of on-screen flashing
All of these features do come at a price though.  The game will function on a IIGS, but even on an accelerated IIGS the gameplay will be frustratingly slow. Loading the initial maps can take several minutes, as can viewing the in-game level map. Movement can take more than 15 seconds, even with the mini-map toggled off. For an enjoyable experience I strongly recommend playing on an emulator with a CPU speed of 40 MHz or more.  The faster the better really, although at faster speeds you will be more likely to encounter random monsters. Testing has been done on Sweet16 and GSPlus. I have found that the GSPlus emulator has problems playing sounds in HyperCard IIGS, so unless that is fixed I recommend using Eric Shepherd's Sweet16 emulator due to Fangborne's frequent use of sound effects. At this time Sweet16 works best on Mac OS 10.13. It has disk mounting issues on 10.14, and does not work at all on 10.15 or later. If you have Windows or Mac OS 10.15 or later then you can try GSPlus (without sound) or ActiveGS.

Visit https://sites.google.com/view/silverwandsoftware/ to download Script-Central 2020 SE, which includes Fangborne.



Character Inventory screen

An interactive gate

Typical dungeon view with mini-map

Combat screen
Map Level Generator
Item Editor Utility


Sunday, February 21, 2021

Script-Central 2020 Special Edition

My Homage to the HyperCard IIGS Disk Magazine


About HyperCard and HyperCard IIGS
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HyperCard is an Apple Computer application developed by Bill Atkinson and released in 1987 for the Macintosh. It was bundled with all new Macintoshes and provided an easy way for Mac users to develop applications, called "stacks", that utilized the WIMP interface (windows, icons, mouse, pull down menus) popularized by the platform. This made Macintosh development accessible to thousands of Macintosh owners in much the same way that AppleSoft BASIC had made programming on the Apple II series computers accessible to thousands of owners of Apple IIs. Because it was developed at a time when Mac allowed only shades of gray, HyperCard did not support color. HyperCard used the concept of a Home stack (much like the iPhone Home button) from which HyperCard stacks could (1) be organized and easily launched, and (2) provided a customizable programmable layer between application stacks and the HyperCard application itself. 

Macintosh HyperCard Home stack

The primary language of HyperCard, HyperTalk, is an object based event driven English like language that allowed rapid prototyping of concepts even for non-programmers. It was the inspiration for AppleScript, the Macintosh automation language, and is what JavaScript might have been if the developers of JavaScript had been native speakers of English rather than C. HyperCard is the direct parent of both the visual application product Microsoft Visual BASIC and ViolaWWW, which preceded Mosaic as the first popular web browser. The overall impact of HyperCard on the digital world far exceeds the impact of all the thousands of stacks developed for it.

HyperCard IIGS was developed by Apple Computer for the Apple IIGS computer and released in 1990 with an upgrade in 1992 to v1.1. HyperCard IIGS has many of the same capabilities as Mac HyperCard v1.2.5 with the notable addition of native color support for all object types. HyperCard IIGS was meant by Apple to be a gift to the Apple IIGS owners and facilitate their transition to the Macintosh platform. Apple even released a free utility called HyperMover which could dissemble and reassemble HyperCard stacks between Mac HyperCard and HyperCard IIGS. Because of its native color support HyperCard IIGS stacks often looked significantly better than their Mac HyperCard equivalents.

HyperCard IIGS Home stack


Also in 1990 Apple released Macintosh HyperCard 2.0, and finally added color support in HyperCard 2.2 which was released in 1992. Though Apple ceased HyperCard IIGS development in 1992 with v1.1, they continued Mac HyperCard development until its final update v2.4.1 in 1998.

About Script-Central
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Script-Central was a bi-monthly magazine for HyperCard IIGS enthusiasts published by Kansas City publisher Resource-Central. There were 22 issues published from July 1991 to January 1995, each issue distributed on two 800K 3.5" floppy disks. Implemented as a HyperCard IIGS stack, the disk magazine used a building as a metaphor, with 1st floor rooms dedicated to regular features and a 2nd floor for special features. Each issue had a theme based on the time of year, and the magazine was entertaining as well as educational. I was fortunate enough to contribute a few stacks to Script-Central during its run, and at the time of its abrupt cancellation had several stacks ready for publication.

Along with the rest of the Resource-Central catalog, Script-Central was released under Creative Commons license 3.0 in 2010.

Script-Central 2020 Special Edition
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In the summer of 2020 I found myself prototyping a personal application with HyperCard IIGS and then using HyperMover to convert it to Mac HyperCard, and finally importing it into LiveCode for completion. I also began interacting with the online Apple II and Apple IIGS enthusiast communities. With HyperCard IIGS on my mind, I decided to polish and complete some of my never-released HyperCard IIGS stacks and release them to the community.  I decided that there would be no better way to release a collection of HyperCard IIGS stacks than to produce a special edition of Script-Central. I tried to contact both Bruce "HangTime" Caplin and Tom Weishaar, the respective editor and publisher of Script-Central, and was unable to reach either of them. Learning that Script-Central had been released under the Creative Commons license in 2010, I decided to move forward on the project and do my best to not only provide a vehicle for the release of my stacks, but to also dissect, document, and enhance the Script-Central front end and regular feature stacks so that it would be possible for other issues to be made in the future, if community interest warranted it.

Getting content for the special edition was not a problem though.  A standard issue of Script-Central usually included four feature stacks and I had recently written stacks as well as stacks from the early 1990's that could be included.  I did not want to require a follow-up issue, so I took the time to add a basement level to the Script-Central "building", allowing an additional 6 feature stacks.

In addition I reviewed all existing issues of Script-Central developing a glossary of all content, and developed documentation that provides enough information on the Script-Central front end and regular feature stacks for future issues to be developed. All the while adding visual and utility enhancements, cleaning up code, and correcting minor bugs.

Script-Central 2020 Special Edition is based on the latest issues of Script-Central but includes features from the entire run, and therefore should appeal to anyone who was a fan of the original magazine.




In addition to its regular features: Tips & Trix, the Lounge, Q+A, Scripter's Workshop, the office, the mailroom, and the bathroom, there are a number of special features, some entirely new and some updated versions previously released on Script-Central or online:
  • Word Scrambler
  • Stack Analyzer (a Mac HyperCard conversion)
  • HyperTalk Tutor 101 with all 4 lessons
  • Merlin GS, an enhanced emulation of the handheld Merlin device
  • No Worries, a launcher modeled on Apple's Macintosh At Ease program
  • Reminder
  • DateFun
  • Splash Color - A GS/OS Splash Color screen editor
  • IIc+ Technical Look (an enhanced Mac HyperCard conversion)
  • BlankerConfig - a HyperCard based Screen Blanker with multiple configuration options
  • Fangborne, a 350 card 2 MB HyperAdventure single-player RPG (recommended CPU speed > 40 MHz). Inspired by Dungeon Master, Bard's Tale GS, and EAMON.
There are also a number of tools and applications that were used by the author to create Script-Central 2020 SE included.  In total over 11 MB of material distributed on a 16 MB hard drive image.

Visit https://sites.google.com/view/silverwandsoftware/ to download Script-Central 2020 SE.