ICU64

Release Delay

2010-09-16T22:46:00.002+03:00

Unfortunately, the cleanup task of the Frodo Redpill source code was underestimated. More time is needed before it's released. Also, the changes have effects to the ICU64, which has a GREAT progress these days, after a year of suspension.

The pending releases are:
- a great new version of ICU64 / Frodo Redpill
- the source code of Frodo Redpill
- sample code (C++/C#/Mathematica) that handles Frodo Redpill

I'll try to make them available as soon as possible and, in any case, before the 2011.

My apology to all those who follow this project
and they were waiting for a new release now,

Mathfigure.

Interview in Commodore Free Magazine

2010-02-26T23:25:00.006+02:00

The Commodore Free Magazine is a free electronic magazine dedicated to the Commodore. Some days ago, Nigel Parker (the editor) asked me for an interview about my project. So if anyone looks for information about the ICU64, they can be found on the current issue (Issue 37).

I would like to thank Nigel Parker for his questions because they really pushed me to think some things better. Also I want to thank him for his patience because my text was full of spelling errors and several corrections had to be made.

Any comment or question after reading the interview is welcome.

Custom Display for Paradroid

2009-09-30T20:46:00.016+03:00

A hack for the game Paradroid (1985):

(watch in full-screen HD)

This game is set on a spaceship with 20 decks. There is an off-screen with a full deck, somewhere in the RAM, but only a small part of it is visible on the display while playing. ICU64 reads directly from the off-screen and visualizes it whole in a custom display.

This case wasn't so trivial as was the 'Boulder Dash':

(read more on this and other future applications at lemon64)

Paradroid uses sprites (in a swap mechanism) and splits the screen using raster effects. But it's done now, proving that any game can be hacked like this.

(During this hack several missing features from ICU64 were pointed out and they are on their way now)

ICU64 for VICE 2.1

2009-09-12T23:35:00.034+03:00

It was asked by many, so here it is:

ICU64 for VICE 2.1

Requirements:

- a PC with Windows XP and .NET Framework 2.0
- the WinVICE 2.1 emulator

Have fun!
(Read the included README.TXT for the installation instructions)

NOTE
In this version ICU64 operates as a common debugger over the x64 process. This approach reduces the features that can be supported, in comparison to the Frodo Redpill version. But since it is slightly newer, it has some more functionality and some bugs are fixed. The notable addition is a simple 'memory scanner'.

Also, this version can be connected with other C64 emulators. However, the procedure to do this is a little hard, for safety reasons.

The included file 'x64mm.exe' comes from a recompilation of the VICE 2.1 source code with the -memmap option. (The source code is NOT altered this time, in contrast to the Frodo version). With this option, the x64 tracks the memory accesses made by the CPU (unfortunately with some issues: some RAM accesses reported incorrectly by the x64 as ROM accesses).

I hope that the VICE team will notice the possibilities, so that one day they fully expose the C64 virtual machine to the external applications.

First Release of ICU64 and Frodo Redpill

2009-09-01T00:10:00.065+03:00

After the first public preview of ICU64, the hacking tool that provides real-time view and edit of the C64 internals,

(edit: the above video was first uploaded to youtube but has been blocked in many countries)
here is the first public version: ICU64 / Frodo Redpill
You can now experience the hacker's view of the Commodore 64!

Requirements:
- a fast PC with Windows XP and .NET Framework 2.0
- the Frodo v4.1 emulator

NOTE

It is still a prototype, and it is missing a lot of functionality and user guidance. This software is intended for advanced users.