itch.io

Hi Stefan, the game is very nice and I'm glad it had the success it deserved! I played on the Plus/4 and I really enjoyed it. The QL is an interesting machine, it's a good thing that it received a version of Rabenstein.

Cheers!

No, there is an email address on my home site, just do not send attached files: http://davbucci.chez-alice.fr/index.php?argument=varie/silk/silk.inc (look at the very bottom)

Great! I wrote a page about the background of the game: http://davbucci.chez-alice.fr/index.php?argument=varie/silk/background.inc You have to insert the passwords of the game to unlock the different paragraphs. If you send me the final password, I'll add you in the hall of fame on my website: http://davbucci.chez-alice.fr/index.php?argument=varie/silk/silk.inc&language=English

Amazing, thank you very much. In the meanwhile, I could update other versions of the game for the Z80 machines. 

Thank you, I'll have a look at why the key does not have a description, too.

BTW, I found a way to circumvent the issue, but  in the meanwhile, I could find that the problem came from a bug in the  z88dk compiler: I could discuss about it in the forum and the issue was very swiftly corrected: https://z88dk.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=12036&sid=152214e79554d4caa873a5568a386e89

I think I solved the problem on the Spectrum version of the game. Can you please try to download it and try again?  The version should be 1.0.3, now.

Do not forget to give back the keys to Salvatore after you drop the tunic in his shed.

I checked parts 2, 3 and 4 with the solution in both the 48K and the +3 versions, and the game can be finished, but let me know if you spot other problems.

Well, il looks like you have found another bug!

There is something that does not work when you drop things in the game. It is strange that I haven't noticed this before! The exact same code works perfectly with other C compilers. I'm looking what went wrong right now (the compiler toolchains is installed, this time, so I hope it won't take too long).

Did you try to drop the tunic in the place where you found it? Salvatore is nice but not very bright. If you offer him a tunic, he does not realize it is his own. He thinks he already has one.

Thank you for your patience: I'm currently battling against the cross compiler, I'm confident I will succeed one day or another :-)

The sequence was almost identical to the first one but I wanted to be sure to start from scratch, hence the password. I suspected a different behavior from what I got may came from something different on the start of part 2.

I'm glad you could advance the game on the Spectrum. Give the tunic back to Salvatore, or put it back on the shed. You don't want to steal it after all.

Version 1.0 is the version you get when you download Silk Dust for Amiga.

BTW, if you like my music, have a look at the New Star album (I'm writing the final piece and it will be complete soon): https://darwinne.itch.io/new-star

The style is more electronic-oriented with respect to the Silk Dust soundtrack.

I had a closer look and could find the error on the game logic. However, I still have to work to put together the build system to get the Amiga game. I changed my computer in the meanwhile and the compiler I used does not like the gcc version I have now. I think I will manage to get something working as I need it for other things, too, but it will require some time.

In the meanwhile, I tried with the FS-UAE emulator with this sequence on Silk Dust for Amiga version 1.0 and it worked:

restart

shibboleth ohbastala

n

n

w

talk to father

read letter

read message

e

s

e

talk to voicepipe

push button

w

n

talk to nanna

s

s

open the door

e

activate compressor

x compressor

open valve

w

n

n

x bench

take oiler

s

s

e

put oil on the valve

open valve

activate compressor

Thank you very much! It's a pleasure. I've dubbed the album on cassette with Dolby C, too.

Ok, I'll look more closely in a few days.

I checked around and I think there is a bug in the versions of the game where the three parts are spliced together in a single file (such as the Amiga one), revision 1.0.1. When you say to Emilia to take the oiler you get this:

> take oiler

- Nanna, can I please borrow you some tools?

- Yes, but do not leave them around after you finish.

You can't.

And the oiler is not in your inventory. However, if you continue, Emilia behaves like the oiler is with her! I did not notice this bug, as it appears only in the versions of the game where the three parts are spliced together. I always check that the game can be finished with a standard solution and it did. I haven't noticed the "You can't." message that here is indeed very confusing and incorrect.

I will correct it in the next week or so.

To continue playing, try with this sequence from start of part 2, it should work:

n

n

w

talk to father

read letter

read message

e

s

e

talk to voicepipe

push button

w

n

talk to nanna

s

s

open the door

e

activate compressor

x compressor

open valve

w

n

n

x bench

take oiler

s

s

e

put oil on the valve

open valve

activate compressor

Let me know if this lets you continue playing.

Hi!

The purge valve is initially stuck when you try to activate the compressor the first time, you should lubricate it. Look on the bench nearby, you'll find an oiler, then use it on the valve.

Hi, I tried to compile again the game for Atari ST. I deactivated the splash screen that seemed to create some issues. If you still want to give a try on the ST, download it and try it again. I hope it works.

Hi, I'll definitely have to give a closer look at it.

In any case, all the versions come from the same game logic. I usually have two sources: one where the game is split in three separate parts and one where the three parts are in the same file. The Amiga and the Atari use the single file source and the game logic is strictly identical. The C64 version comes from a version that is split in three parts, and it should be nearly identical.

Ah, the game is not meant to replace the ROM in the emulator, there are just two executables (for 40 and 80 columns).

You can try to search for an image of an original Atari ROM and OS disk. Hatari will load it and will behave as the original computer with the Atari OS. Usually I configure Hatare so that to have a shared directory on my OS  seen as a hard disk inside the emulated computer. The game files are just executables and can be run with a double click. Try also the other games, I remember spending quite some time developing The Queen's Footsteps on the Atari.

Hi, so you tried the game with the original Atari ROM and TOS and it does not work? In that case, I should definitely have a look at it. Do the other games (The Queen's Footsteps and Silk Dust) work?

Hi, did you use the original Atari TOS or EmuTOS in Hatari? If you tried with EmuTOS, did you get the same error with an Atari TOS?

Hi,
 I look at the code of the game and, in order to decide to go to Turin, you should:

- Have received the second telegram

- Have visited Rovelli's place

- Have the recomposed letter with you

- Have examined the iron's gate at Raligotto's villa

For the moment, I do not see the bug, yet. The moment where you examine the gate should not count. If you examine the recomposed letter, you should get a slightly longer message, with a part that says that you recognize the symbol. This does not trigger any particular event though.

If you still think there's a bug, can you send me a save file of the game, so that I can watch it in more detail? Write me using the address on my blog, I will give you a second address where you can send attached files.

Cheers,

D.

Hi, which is the version of the game you are playing? On which platform?

Did you receive the second telegram? Have you had a look at the symbol on the gate of Raligotto's villa? Try to read again the letter. The symbol on the gate is what makes you realize that there's a connection between Raligotto and Rovelli.

Did you try to speak again to the hotel clerk?

D.

I tested the game on Firefox. Does it happen repeatably when you start the game, or you noticed the slow down gets worse after a while?

Hi, thank you for the feedback. I'll have a look at it. What is the browser you are using?

Thank you Frank, I'll definitely let you know if I will do something about it.

Thank you, I will certainly let you know if I will do something in this direction. No minidisc, as I am not equipped for it, but more probably cassette.

My pleasure!

Amazing work!

I'm really pleased to see that my little game gets some love.

Cheers,

Davide Bucci

Hi Marco,
   I'm so happy to see this result. When I released the source code of The Queen's Footsteps, I did not imagine that someone would ACTUALLY read it, let alone study it in detail to port the game towards such an advanced system, drawing a picture for each room.

The result is truly amazing and I like it a lot.

Cheers,

D.

Thank you, I enjoyed a lot working on it.

Hello!

In theory, the version of the game in a single .cas file should contain the loader and the three parts. If the cassette does not stop automatically when part1 is fully loaded, try stopping it manually. If you try to load from there, part2 should be loaded. If you are using an emulator though, it is probably much more convenient to use the distribution with the three .cas files separated.

Let me know,

D.

It worked perfectly. Problem solved, thank you very much!

Hi to all,
  I have a background in classical piano and I lean towards a piano/orchestral/electronic kind of palette.  I recently tried to write some music for one of my games, called Silk Dust: https://soundcloud.com/user-375194295/sets/silk-dust-soundtrack

Listening again the pieces after a few months, I realized I have a soft spot for Varenna suite, Villa Briccorosso and Emilia's Theme.

I recently wrote this piece, investigating a more electronic soundscape: https://soundcloud.com/user-375194295/new-star

(btw, a high quality version of the pieces along with some bonus can be found here on Itch.io for a very moderate price)

Cheers,

D.

Hi to all.
   I noticed something strange after I added a browser-friendly version of certain games I developed.

The screenshots (that are present in the page) are not shown unless the width of the browser window is quite reduced. That seems strange to me. Here is a game where this behaviour can be seen:

https://darwinne.itch.io/silk-dust

I tried with Safari 16.6 and Firefox 117.0 running on macOS 13.5.1 and I get the exact same result.

I don't know if there is a bug somewhere. Is that a problem with my game that messes up with the content of the page?

Kind regards,

D.

BTW I received the printed book today. It is the version with a spiral and it is very nice. Definitely an useful resource.

The soundtrack can be bought with a -50% discount for a limited time. Hurry up!

Thank you very much!

A truly great resource!

My pleasure! I'm glad you appreciate it, I had some great fun working on the game and on the soundtrack.