Steem SSE 3.4
---------------
V.3.4.0, 22/09/2012

New features
--------------

- New machine options: STF ("wake up state 2") for funny differences (Forest,
Nostalgia menu); Mega STF 4 with blitter because we can afford it now.
- Auto-selection of TOS102 or 106 if they´re available when switching STF/STE
- Can save memory state (and program works on restart) also with programs
using keyboard chip reprogramming (Dragonnels, Froggies, Transbeauce 2).
- The large display mode can be 400x275 or 400x278.
- Very large display mode is now 412x280.
- Stricter distinction between STF and STE for left border removal.
Programs that shouldn´t work in STE mode include Omega Full Overscan, SNY/TCB,
SoWatt/Sync etc.
- Primitive low pass filter for STE sound.
- The same kind is used for STF sound instead of the former one, which maybe
was overkill, for a less muffled sound, also fine for samples (Mortville
Manor). New option.
- Using 3rd party DSP code by Maverick (Fabio Bizzetti) for Microwire controls
(volume, balance, bass & treble). New option ´STE Micreowire´.
- Some FDC fixes or hacks, the solid ones based on Hatari.
- 6301 true emu (using code by Arne Riiber and doc by Stephane Catala -
Belzebub / ST Connexion)
- All new options introduced with ´SSE´ are now on their own option page. This
was very easy to do thanks to the way Steem originally was coded. Will make the
eventual Linux port easier too.
- Option ´Stealth Mode´
When you enable this option, Steem won´t cooperate with programs trying
to assert if they run on an emulator. It may be useful if there are still
incurable hardware fanboys around producing worthwhile code that refuses
to run in emulators (I know of no case though), or if some hacker fixed
the program to adapt it to an emulation issue that has since been improved.


New program fixes
-------------------

- NEOchrome: mouse speed? (HD6301 emu)
- Spectrum 512 drawing program: jitter

- Jumping Jackson (WNW): no menu
- Manchester United: mouse control
- Sentinel: real fix for slow mouse. Note: don´t use Automation version

- 36.15 Gen4 by Cakeman (STF): mush (3.2) or flicker (3.3)
- 36.15 Gen4 by ULM: torn scroller ("YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH !!!")
- Beat Demo (STE): sound controls (Microwire)
- Big Wobble (STE): shifted pic (hack)
- Cool STE: terrible flicker, unreadable & jerky scrollers
- Corporation Megademo (STE): keyboard has no effect
- Dangerous Fantaisy credits (STE): flicker
- Dragon by Ghost (STF2): big hack for shift
- E605/Planet (STE): wrong display (worse in 3.3 than in 3.2)
- Extreme Rage (STE): guest screen overscan
- Forest: all modes working (exactly the same demo)
- Golden Soundtracker (STE): wrong background colour?
- Pacemaker credits: shifted scanline (worse in 3.3 than in 3.2)
- RGBeast by Aggression (STE): mush, overscan
- Sphere by Sunny (STE): jerky scroller

Floppy drive controller hacks (no Pasti, no ADAT):
- Blood by Holocaust reset
- Delirous IV loader (from Hatari)
- Overdrive by Phalanx
- Songs of the Unexpected
- Ultimate 3D Dots STE

Regressions fixed
-------------------

- Delirous IV loader: fixed STE detect bug introduced with v.3.3
- HighResMode: fixed bug introduced with v.3.3
- Using 14MB RAM, TOS wouldn´t boot anymore in v3.3. Hidden Agenda
- Command line arguments ignored in 3.3
- Pacemaker & E605 Planet (STE demos) worse display in 3.3


Internal changes in v3.4
--------------------------

- Hatari code (ikbd, video) isn´t used anymore like in the cool hack of
v3.3. For video this means we go back to the Steem system, extended with
funny features that were discussed after Steem development stopped in 2004
(4bit scrolling, 0-byte lines, +20 bytes lines...), and that the
list of working/non-working programs may be different (regression is
possible). Helper functions still a bit buggy.
For keyboard, it makes things actually simpler.
- Better inline/macro choice for performance in the VC6 build.
- CPU exception quirks for Phaleon, Transbeauce 2, European Demos now handled
without a specific hack.
- Large Display mode (400): handling at rendering time (Direct X) instead of
endless pitiful hacks at emulating time(Reality is a Lie credits)
Drawback: when Windows takes over blitting (when the Engine is not running),
it´s unaware of the trick and fails to redraw.
- Various improved fixes for writing to SDP (STE), Enchanted Land (STF & STE),
Death of the Left Border, Omega, SNYD/TCB...
- CPU/MFP ratio in STE mode closer to real value thanks to blitter fixes
(Lethal Xcess)
http://ataristeven.eu5.org/Steem.htm



The Steven Seagal build!
Steem Engine version 3.3 beta, by Anthony & Russell Hayward
The "Steven Seagal" build.
Note that it´s based on the FEB2011 source, with certainly added features
since V.3.2.
Added features on this base:
- Option to mute the damn keyboard click.
- STF/STE option (tentative, but makes Hyperforce work).
- Use Hatari video timers (on by default): it´s tentative at best for the moment.
- Toggle hard disks on/off shortcut.
- Yellow drive led replaced with a green led for reading, red for writing (problem: you
don´t always see it because there´s some reading action too; in fact it doesn´t
work that well!).
- Hard disk action signalled by the familiar yellow led.
- MSA Converter context menu in disk manager checks if Msa.exe is in Steem´s
folder and if yes, uses it instead of prompting the player (WIN32).
- Deactivated auto-update.
- Use F11 to trace in the Boiler debugger.

(Edit: see below for files, new version)