Driver:PC-88

NEC PC-88xx architecture

BASIC versioning

PC-8001/PC-8801 and children employs a BASIC operational mode. These are controlled in dip-switches that exists in physical form on real HW except for newer machines which moves them in a software setup mode.

N[-Basic]: PC-8001
N-80: PC-8001mkII
N-80SR: PC-8001mk2SR
V1S: original PC-8801
V1H: PC-8801mkIISR+ in PC-8801 compatible mode and weights reduced.
V2: PC-8801mkIISR+ native mode
8 MHz: Z80 high clock select for PC-8801FH+ machines
V3: PC-88VA

V1/V2 are also known as N88-Basic. Later iterations are more or less compatible with the previous ones, provided you set operational mode settings properly. Exceptions are:

- N-80 is compatible with pc8001mk2 and pc8001mk2sr only.

- N-80SR is pc8001mk2sr only.

- pc88va minimum support is for V1S (and driver can't run anything that isn't a V3 for now and, even if it does it's been known to be a rather shoddy compatibility).

Common boot troubleshooting

The vast majority of PC-88 SWs are self-bootable (so they should leave the BASIC prompt after few seconds). A few of them requires a separate Disk BASIC, which are around V1S/V1H modes at best. To load those, insert a System Disk like 'n88syst' in first drive then swap it with SW of choice. Issue a 'files' to check disk contents, then 'load "<casesensitive_filename>"' finally run if no error arises. For example load "DRK1" from this picture, from the 'ankosei' set.

Loading N-Basic SWs on PC-88xx

Loading PC-8001 SWs in PC-88xx may show the following garbage text layer if run from N88 Basic:

These needs BASIC to be set to N-BASIC and preferably V1S or V1H in BASIC speed/Version select dips.

The other way around a.k.a. trying to load any of the N88 SWs in N-Basic mode will either spin floppy indefinitely (throwing a blinking "Syntax error" and repeating boot), just refuse to load, throw a "V2 BASIC only" message or just switch to N88 mode by itself (last 2 for 1990-ish SWs).

Loading N-Basic SWs on PC-80xx

Running a N-Basic SW directly on pc8001 should either work or not.

- Sometimes will just prompt for an "Ok" without any extra context, those will actually require at least 32K of RAM (current default: 16K).

- Late N-Basic games such as pc8801_flop:hangon seems to require a v1.5+ N BIOS -> pc8801mk2sr and later only.

- Anything that is recognized but incompatible with used N BIOS often throws the following gibberish text:

File:Pc80xx gibber.png temporary link [1]

This also applies to N-80 pc8001mk2 and N-80SR pc8001mk2sr. In turn, running a N80 SW in N80SR mode will just spin floppy indefinitely, running a N80SR SW in N80 mode will throw an explicit "NON N-80 DISK BASIC"

SW boots but video lack red gradient

Trying to load a N88 V1S/V1H game under V2 mode will generally show like this:

When this happens, flip the BASIC version select dip to V1 Mode and soft reset. A few oddballs will lack sound from pc8801mk2sr and onward machines, these wants the original pc8801 / pc8801mk2 BIOSes for buzzer sound (i.e. no OPN/OPNA support), or an expansion sound card.

The other way around (loading V2 SW in V1 mode) is usually more explicit, with a "SET V2 MODE" drawn on screen and hanging there.

FH+ setup menu

pc8801fh and all later machines progressively replace physical dip switches with an EEPROM based software dip menu. This is callable by holding PC key at startup. Notice that only pc8801ma and pc8801mc have setup bank dumped at the time of this writing, cfr. this bannister link for further info.

PC-8801MC

pc8801mc is a special case, being the only system in the arch to be a tower form factor and with a slot for a CD drive. While the interface is a custom SCSI controller (and actually sold as a rare expansion card for MA/MA2 named PC-8801-31, currently undumped), its PC-8801-30 drive is actually very similar (if not same) to the equivalent PC Engine 1x CD-ROM unit and the portable NEC CDR-35. The SCSI bay has been seen in the wild with a Gotek mounted in its place, this is not yet emulated (and essentially unknown in how it works).

Boot options

Booting without any CD-ROM inserted the system works more or less like an FH+ system. Booting with any CD in will prompt user to press space to bring the redbook player, not doing so will try to boot from CD (if it finds a specific boot sector, cfr. takabako) then fallback to floppy (mirrors and dioscd). Some very late V2 floppy games will actually determine to use redbook rather than FM sound at startup. The currently known games list is:

genchohi: Aoki Ookami to Shiroki Mejika - Genchou Hishi / 蒼き狼と白き牝鹿 元朝秘史
daikokai: Daikoukai Jidai / 大航海時代
dslayed: Dragon Slayer - Eiyuu Densetsu / ドラゴンスレイヤー英雄伝説
dslayed2: Dragon Slayer - Eiyuu Densetsu 2 / ドラゴンスレイヤー英雄伝説2
eurosens: Europa Sensen / ヨーロッパ戦線
inindo: Inindou: Datou Nobunaga / 伊忍道 打倒信長
emperor: L'Empereur / ランペルール
nobubufu: Nobunaga no Yabou - Bushou Fuunroku / 信長の野望・武将風雲録
popful: Popful Mail / ぽっぷるめいる
royalbld: Royal Blood / ロイヤルブラッド
sangoku2: Sangokushi II / 三国志2
teiketsu: Teitoku no Ketsudan / 提督の決断

It's TBD if any of these expects an actual Koei/Falcom OST release or they were made with any audio CD in mind. The redbook track to game event(s) mapping is generally customizable by bringing a menu item that is normally concealed when using FM sound.

PC-88VA

(TBD)

Individual games non-canonical user disk creation

(TBD)