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release:classiczoo [2021/07/01 17:36] asierelease:classiczoo [2021/10/10 09:04] asie
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 If you'd like to learn more about ZZT, [[https://museumofzzt.com/about-zzt|the Museum of ZZT]] is a good place to start. If you'd like to learn more about ZZT, [[https://museumofzzt.com/about-zzt|the Museum of ZZT]] is a good place to start.
 +
 +===== System requirements =====
 +
 +==== Minimum ====
 +
 +The minimum requirements are effectively the same as ZZT's own, with the addition of PC-98 support:
 +
 +  * IBM PC or NEC PC-9801 compatible computer,
 +  * 512 KB of RAM,
 +  * Any graphics adapter with a color or monochrome screen.
 +
 +Keyboard, Joystick and Mouse input is supported.
 +
 +==== Recommended ====
 +
 +  * IBM PC or NEC PC-9801 compatible computer,
 +  * 286-class CPU (386/486-class for particularly scripting-heavy games to run at full speed),
 +  * 640 KB of RAM,
 +  * EGA/VGA graphics adapter (CGA will work, but with lower performance due to snow avoidance).
 +
 +Most ZZT games are designed with Keyboard input in mind - however, a few (two) recommend Mouse input instead.
 +
 +===== Help =====
 +
 +Most help is provided in-game, available by pressing "H".
 +
 +==== Command line arguments ====
 +
 +ClassicZoo supports a few command line arguments on launch:
 +
 +  * ''/NOEMS'' - disable EMS extended memory support,
 +  * ''/NOXMS'' - disable XMS extended memory support,
 +  * (4.16+) ''/NOSNOW'' - force-disable CGA snow avoidance logic; by default, it is disabled if an EGA/VGA-compatible card is detected, however many CGA clone cards also do not suffer from CGA snow. This can improve performance.
  
 ===== Major features ===== ===== Major features =====
  
-  * EMS/XMS extended memory support - allows worlds of effectively any size within specification, and makes existing near-limit worlds run more reliably on real hardware+  * EMS/XMS extended memory support - effectively lifts the world size limit, as well as improving stability of large worlds on machines with lower amounts of free conventional memory
-  * Increasing the board limit from 20000 to 65500 bytes.+  * Increasing the board size limit from 20000 to 65500 bytes
 +  * Increasing the board count limit from 101 to 256 boards.
   * Major CPU and memory usage optimizations.   * Major CPU and memory usage optimizations.
   * Major editor enhancements: syntax highlighting, OOP import/export, STK color and element support, multiple patterns, block and OOP copy/paste, bugfixes   * Major editor enhancements: syntax highlighting, OOP import/export, STK color and element support, multiple patterns, block and OOP copy/paste, bugfixes
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 ===== Downloads ===== ===== Downloads =====
  
-The //libre// version of ClassicZoo differs in toolchain only it's compiled using Free Pascal, rather than Turbo Pascal. However, as FPC's current (as of 3.2.08086 compiler seems to generate slower and bigger code in general, it is primarily provided for users who seek to achieve free software purism. If you're a first-time or casual useryou most likely want the non-libre version at this time.+In most cases, you want either the build in bold (for PC-compatibles) or the NEC PC-98 build (for PC-98 machines). See the FAQ for further details. 
 + 
 +If you're looking for game worldstry the Museum of ZZT! Here are some recommendations: 
 + 
 +  * [[https://museumofzzt.com/article/295/the-best-of-zzt|The Best of ZZT (list) ]], 
 +  * [[https://museumofzzt.com/article/563/the-best-of-zzt-part-2-modern-treasures|The Best of ZZT, Part 2 (list)]],
  
 ==== Current version ==== ==== Current version ====
 +
 +=== ClassicZoo 4.15 ===
 +
 +Released on the 9th of August, 2021.
 +
 +  * **[[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo415.zip|Download]]**
 +  * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo415p.zip|Download (NEC PC-98)]]
 +  * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo415l.zip|Download (libre build)]]
 +  * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo415m.zip|Download (low memory build)]]
 +
 +==== Previous versions ====
 +
 +=== ClassicZoo 4.14 ===
 +
 +Released on the 11th of July, 2021.
 +
 +  * **[[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo414.zip|Download]]**
 +  * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo414p.zip|Download (NEC PC-98)]]
 +  * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo414l.zip|Download (libre build)]]
  
 === ClassicZoo 4.13 === === ClassicZoo 4.13 ===
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   * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo413p.zip|Download (NEC PC-98)]]   * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo413p.zip|Download (NEC PC-98)]]
   * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo413l.zip|Download (libre build)]]   * [[https://zeta.asie.pl/czoo413l.zip|Download (libre build)]]
- 
-==== Previous versions ==== 
  
 === ClassicZoo 4.12 === === ClassicZoo 4.12 ===
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 ===== FAQ ===== ===== FAQ =====
 +
 +  * **Q:** Which build and executable of ClassicZoo should I use?
 +  * **A:** For all builds, "ZZT.EXE" should be preferred for general usage.
 +    * The regular build (in bold) is provided for typical PC-compatible use. 
 +    * The PC-9801 build is provided for users of NEC PC-9801 machines.
 +    * The libre build is provided for projects which do not wish to utilize non-libre code included by Turbo Pascal's compiler. However, it comes with a CPU performance, filesize and memory usage penalty.
 +    * The low memory build is meant for especially constrained platforms and removes many features. It is only really useful for platforms with <= 512 KB of memory.
  
   * **Q:** Should I use DOSBox or Zeta with ClassicZoo?   * **Q:** Should I use DOSBox or Zeta with ClassicZoo?
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   * **Q:** I'd like to make a ZZT 3.2-compatible game. How can I ensure ClassicZoo's bugfixes don't get in the way?    * **Q:** I'd like to make a ZZT 3.2-compatible game. How can I ensure ClassicZoo's bugfixes don't get in the way? 
   * **A:** The "?DCOMPAT" command in the editor build serves exactly this purpose. If enabled, it will emit a warning when most bugs fixed by ClassicZoo are encountered - including behaviours which are unreliable in ZZT 3.2, but not always a crash or hang (like double #BIND).   * **A:** The "?DCOMPAT" command in the editor build serves exactly this purpose. If enabled, it will emit a warning when most bugs fixed by ClassicZoo are encountered - including behaviours which are unreliable in ZZT 3.2, but not always a crash or hang (like double #BIND).
 +
 +  * **Q:** How good is ClassicZoo's compatibility relative to ZZT 3.2?
 +  * **A:** As a rule, all games released for ZZT 3.2 should work correctly in ClassicZoo, and the two should be freely interchangeable for this purpose. I am, however, aware of some behaviours which are not emulated:
 +    * Some worlds which rely on arbitrary code execution exploits (like [[https://museumofzzt.com/file/p/portalz_demo.zip|PortalZ]] or [[https://museumofzzt.com/file/h/thematrx.zip|Hack the Matrix]]) which depend specifically on ZZT 3.2 may not work correctly. This may be improved in the future, but - for some of these worlds - may prove impossible.
 +    * The fix for the "conveyor destroys player" bug also prevents all usages of the conveyor for stat swapping. To the best of my knowledge, no game uses this behaviour deliberately due to it only being documented very recently - if one is found or created, the bugfix may be adjusted as necessary.
  
 ===== Links ===== ===== Links =====
  
 +  * [[https://github.com/OpenZoo/ClassicZoo/blob/project/classiczoo/DOC/CHANGES.HLP|Changelog]]
   * [[https://github.com/OpenZoo/ClassicZoo/tree/project/classiczoo|Source code]]   * [[https://github.com/OpenZoo/ClassicZoo/tree/project/classiczoo|Source code]]
release/classiczoo.txt · Last modified: 2023/12/16 17:51 by asie