Wild Puzzle by Mapax released | MSX Resource Center

Mapax bring us a new game for MSX2! Their first production was Mr. Balloon, an small and cute Screen 5 32KB ROM/PSG game and with the second one they have made a considerable leap releasing an Screen 8 1024KB ROM/MSX-MUSIC game also coded in assembler.

Enjoy 17 sliding title puzzles, just like the ones we owned during our childhood, 21 fantastic songs and 3 difficulty levels. Will you be able to solve the puzzles? Or maybe better leave this task to your children...? Enjoy with them! The game has been already uploaded to the download section.

Relevant link: Wild Puzzle download link

Media browser (4)

Comments (59)

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

04-01-2017, 10:53

First of all thank you so much Meits and BiFi for your great support. Without your help this game wouldn't have been as it is now.

Why does it show 2016 instead 2017 at the title screen? Well, after a year and half of development we wanted to release it during last Christmas holidays but we wanted to improve last coding issues. Probably you will notice that movements are not perfect and could be improved but due to some technical problems we decided that playability is now good enough. We are open for future improvements. Suggestions are welcomed.

And finally, our apologies to Huey. Thank you for your support at the beginning of this project. As you remember we wanted to implement your nice Trilotracker SCC replayer but we couldn't find a musician.

Champion (395)

03-01-2017, 23:35

Wow, great game, i played thru the easy levels... And got a diploma with Qualification Elephant

Paragon (1238)

04-01-2017, 07:49

Nice work guys, even though I realy suck at these kind of puzzles (thus never play them), I kept trying to solve at least the first puzzle. Nice music and very nice graphics. If you hadn't told us about the controls, I wouldn't have noticed, so no problems there as far as I am concerned.

Hero (521)

04-01-2017, 08:11

That is another very beautiful game!
Congratulations.... and many, many thanks to all developers.

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

04-01-2017, 11:16

Thank you. You are right TheKid, we know that this kind of game is not the favourite one of the community anyway we made it just to do something different and considering the little MSX generation of users too .

About music, Meits is synonymous with quality you know, and with the help from BiFi we could implement the Moonblaster replayer in ROM successfully.

By the way, I forgot to mention our betatesters, Jordi Villegas and mesiasmsx. They did a very good job testing the game.

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

04-01-2017, 14:22

One more thing, use /A16 option with MFR.

Paragon (1238)

04-01-2017, 19:17

Is there also a .dsk file available so I can play it on my real nms 8250 ?

Paladin (674)

04-01-2017, 20:38

Hello, I'm the coder. The game is a 1024KB rom done from scratch, so it's not a dsk converted to rom, sorry. I use an ASCII16 mapper to fit all the graphics and musics without compression, so this is the explanation about its size.

Paragon (1238)

04-01-2017, 21:18

Okay, thanks for your answer

Ascended (19308)

05-01-2017, 12:36

Hmm, if I run the game with the Boosted MSX2 EN in openMSX, I get no music... Trying to slim down the configuration: when I use any MSX2 (Philips NMS 8250/8245/etc, Sony HB-F700P) machine with FM-PAC in openMSX, I get no music. Unfortunately I can't test it on real hardware...
I do get music with a turboR or MSX2+ with built in MSX-MUSIC. And I also get music when using an FM-PAC clone like the Checkmark FM-Stereo-PAK.

I guess something is wrong with the initialization/detection of an original Panasonic FM-PAC..?

Ascended (19308)

05-01-2017, 12:42

Otherwise, the game looks very fresh and colorful! Great job!

Prophet (2475)

05-01-2017, 21:34

Manuel wrote:

Hmm, if I run the game with the Boosted MSX2 EN in openMSX, I get no music... Trying to slim down the configuration: when I use any MSX2 (Philips NMS 8250/8245/etc, Sony HB-F700P) machine with FM-PAC in openMSX, I get no music. Unfortunately I can't test it on real hardware...
I do get music with a turboR or MSX2+ with built in MSX-MUSIC. And I also get music when using an FM-PAC clone like the Checkmark FM-Stereo-PAK.

I guess something is wrong with the initialization/detection of an original Panasonic FM-PAC..?

I'm not a expert in emulators but it seems that the turbo-r config in BlueMSX works with FM music with this game. Is this different compare to OpenMSX?

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

05-01-2017, 21:47

Hello Manuel. Thank you for comments and inputs. We tested the ROM in real machines, a turbo R and a couple of MSX2 with an FM-PAC clone with no problems. Now it seems there is something else with external cartridges... Do you know if there is a clear difference between original and clone? We tought that the Moonblaster replayer did this job.

If someone can check this issue, please let us know. Thank you.

Champion (395)

05-01-2017, 21:52

It worked Okay here on a Philips 8250 with Flashrom-SD in slot 1 and a Korean FM-Pac in slot 2,
when i switched them around, sound did not work tho.

Ascended (19308)

05-01-2017, 22:34

Yes, there's something different with the original FM-PAC and its initialization, see https://www.msx.org/wiki/MSX-Music_programming#FM-PAC

edoz: as I said, with built in MSX-MUSIC, all works fine Try a separate FM-PAC (the actual FM-PAC, not a clone).

I even tried this:
- boot MSX2 without the game cartridge, but with FM-PAC
- in BASIC, do CALL MUSIC (this also properly initializes the FM-PAC)
- insert the cartridge while the MSX is on
- in BASIC: DEFUSR=0:?USR(0)
and the game starts with FM music :)

Although I can't test it, I'm 100% sure this problem will also happen on real hardware, with the actual Panasonic FM-PAC. The article above explains why.

Paladin (674)

06-01-2017, 19:47

Thank you very much, Manuel.
I am already working on fm pac detection and activation.

Ascended (19308)

06-01-2017, 20:33

Great, I hope I helped!

Paladin (732)

07-01-2017, 13:29

Nice game. Good graphics and sounds. I like it!

By gdx

Enlighted (6110)

07-01-2017, 14:14

Manuel wrote:

- insert the cartridge while the MSX is on

I do not recommend this except to put down your MSX.

Ascended (19308)

07-01-2017, 15:35

Yeah, better not do that on real hardware....

Ascended (10708)

07-01-2017, 22:09

Hi Manel46,

For FM-PAC initialisation see BiFi’s blog.

For some example code, look at the MSXMusic_Enable and MSXMusic_Detect routines here.

Champion (395)

07-01-2017, 22:41

YAY Have finished the game in all difficulty levels, and collected all the passwords
Maybe you could add another difficulty level ... EXTREME !

This game is great...

Champion (395)

08-01-2017, 00:08

@Grauw
Maybe a stupid question, but where can i find the function source code of the folwing functions used in MSXMusic.asm...
Memory_searchslots, memory_SearchSlotString, Memory_readslot, Memory_Writeslot

Paladin (674)

08-01-2017, 01:24

Hi Grauw,
Thank you very much for the links. Luckily, I have already solved the routine.
We uploaded a new version today.

Paladin (674)

08-01-2017, 01:32

Hi AxelF,
Congratulations, you are a phenomenon. Thanks for the positive comments.
There is not much space left in the rom, to implement another level.

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

08-01-2017, 13:34

Well, finally we could fix the problem with the original FM-PAC initialization and detection. Please download again the LZH file and delete the old version of Wild Puzzle from your devices, we added an appendix.txt file explaining this issue. If someone can test the game in real hardware + original FM-PAC, we will be very grateful.

Manuel thanks again for your support, probably the game would contain this problem for a long time...
AxelF, glad to know you like it and congratulations, you are a master . Thank you for playing it, although one of our betatesters finished the game in all levels, it's also a valuable test for us.

By gdx

Enlighted (6110)

08-01-2017, 15:47

The game doesn't work with MEGA16.

Paladin (674)

08-01-2017, 18:24

Hi Grauw,

My recognition to your contribution to the MSX scene. For sure many people have based their work on sources and examples you publish in your web. Everything is fantastic and very useful for the asm beginners.

I have to check the link you posted, I think that routine is very complete. Anyway I still don't understand how it works and I can't assemble it with sjasm.

One more thing, when sources for v9990? I'm waiting my Powergraph.

Paladin (674)

08-01-2017, 19:01

Friend gdx,
I do not know MEGA16. If it is something like the MFR, you have to force the ascii16 mapper.

By gdx

Enlighted (6110)

09-01-2017, 11:19

I made a wiki for MEGA16.

http://www.msx.org/wiki/MEGA16

Prophet (2436)

09-01-2017, 12:56

Thanks Mapax guys for that beautiful game, nice musics and cute animals GFX
I only have one suggestion: beeing able to enter password with joystick (or skip the password input using joystick), so that the game could be completely launched from joystick (and be "sofa-compliant" ).

Paladin (674)

09-01-2017, 14:50

Hi Louthrax,

Sofa option. Good choice, yes . Skip the password ... No!
It would be necessary to implement a table of characters. Feasible, but complicated. Also, the rom is almost full.

Paladin (674)

09-01-2017, 14:53

Thanks for the info, gdx.
I suspect that for it to work, it takes a lot of ram.

Paragon (1115)

13-01-2017, 22:41

Indeed. I played a bunch of these games as kid.

PAC wrote:

Suggestions are welcomed.

I know it's overused but... coff ..girls pics..coff...
Not really, add some random guy trying to move the pieces while a bunch of zombies are trying to eat him
And girls too.

By gdx

Enlighted (6110)

14-01-2017, 10:05

Manel46 wrote:

Thanks for the info, gdx.
I suspect that for it to work, it takes a lot of ram.

I don't think because the game doesn't use the memory mapper.

Wild Puzzle runs on MSX 2/2+ when option -L is specified but only the stage 1 is playable (A Memory Mapper of 2048/4096kB is Need). It crashes just before stage 2. When I replace "32 FF 77" by "32 00 70" the option -L is no longer required but the game crashes the same.

Paladin (674)

15-01-2017, 01:17

gdx
Wild Puzzle, does not use ram mapped.
The buffer for mbm is located on page 3 of the normal ram.

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

21-01-2017, 21:36

Hi, download updated! A minor bug has been fixed due to the appearance of a high pitched tone, generated by the FX of the PSG soundchip, when muting the game music or during screen transitions. Almost inaudible but obvious when using headphones mainly. Thank you Meits.

By gdx

Enlighted (6110)

23-01-2017, 08:08

I found the issue with MEGA16!

When we use a disk interface the value of SP register changes and the stack overwrite on game data. To fix it we need to add "LD SP,0F08Eh" at start.

We must also replace all "32 FF 77" with "32 00 70" to avoid the -L option but in this case, although the ROM is still supported by the emulators we must manually select the ASCII 16 mapper with OpenMSX.

I indicated the method to patch the game with a hexadecimal editor in the wiki for MEGA16. This game requires a memory mapper of 2048 kB specified by the -s option!

Paladin (674)

23-01-2017, 20:23

Congratulations on the achievement, gdx.
It will be taken into account to fix SP, in 0F08Eh, for a new version.
Precisely, Manuel, Mr. Open , advised me to place bank 2, in this direction, 77FFh.
It seems logical that this mapped ram is required for a 1 MB rom.

Ascended (19308)

23-01-2017, 22:51

If you're talking about me: I don't think I advised you anything about 77FFh, did I?

Paladin (674)

24-01-2017, 00:19

It was indirectly Manuel and for another project.
It was a question of John Hassink because he couldn't run our rom in openMSX and this was your recommendation.

Ascended (19308)

24-01-2017, 12:17

Really? Are you sure you're not confusing me with someone else? (E.g. Manuel Pazos.)

Paladin (674)

24-01-2017, 16:59

Manuel, I have sent you email

By tfh

Prophet (3317)

05-02-2017, 17:04

Hi Guys,

I have added your game to my site: http://www.file-hunter.com/MSX/WildPuzzle.html
I hope this is OK for you?

By Pac

Scribe (6971)

05-02-2017, 19:50

Yes, no problem.

By tfh

Prophet (3317)

05-02-2017, 20:24

Cool, thanks!

Paladin (750)

10-06-2017, 02:34

For the ones interested, thanks to Larsthe18th the passwords for every mode are now available:
https://www.cheatmsx.com/en/cheats/4040/mapax-2016-wild-puzz...

Paladin (674)

16-06-2017, 11:07

I'm glad. How did you get it out? Playing or why have you seen the encryption key?

Scribe (6534)

16-06-2017, 11:48

Lars is a top class hacker.
@Manel46 I'm not a (en)coder, but can the passwords be decrypted if you earned two passwords by playing and start searching the code with an algorithm that searches for sequences with the same value between them as in the passwords?

Paladin (674)

16-06-2017, 13:16

Meits, greetings, ok what you say about Lars.
We also agree that if you locate in the rom the encrypted keys, knowing a couple of them, you can deduct the rest. But this is not an addition or subtraction to the ascii character code, in this case it is an XOR.
A XOR N = B; B XOR N = A.
Friends: Meits is the author of the 21 songs of the game.

Scribe (6534)

16-06-2017, 16:32

I understand a bit of obfuscation of strings, but won't the difference between an A and a B still not be 1? So if Lars found a password ABDE and wouldn't it be first character + 1 = second character, second character + 2 = third character, third character + 1 = fourth character?
If you have a search algorythm that can find the differences between characters you discovered will result in one result, won't that be your password, even if its stored in game as 1245?

Paladin (674)

16-06-2017, 17:40

No friend. There is no proportionality, no linearity.
Try the windows calculator in programmer mode. You do a few XORs, and you'll see.
We try to find N in the equation A XOR N = B

Scribe (6534)

16-06-2017, 18:46

Then Lars did his best

Paladin (674)

16-06-2017, 19:05

Sure.

Master (187)

16-06-2017, 22:19

It was not very hard to find, just open the ROM file in a HEX editor
and do a XOR 69 operation on the complete file.
Now the passwords are readable at adress #4389.

Scribe (6534)

16-06-2017, 23:04

Ghehe, the evil genious looking as evil as his avatar

Paladin (674)

17-06-2017, 01:17

Yes, XOR # 69. It was a joke the number.
But Lars took the trouble to convert the 3 boards. Surely with a proper routine

Paladin (674)

18-06-2019, 16:48

Hi guys.
It has been more than 2 years since the publication of this rom.
I think it is not explained anywhere, but on the home screen if you press "M", you access a menu with all the songs. It is of automatic reproduction and with screensavers. You can also use the cursors or joystick 1.
In the rom for V9990, Dreams Puzzle, there is also this menu.

Paladin (674)

18-06-2019, 19:19

This is already explained in the instructions.
But it is not said that you can pass each screen, by simultaneously pressing PLN.