Free TOWNS OS (Tsugaru OS)

Introduction

Welcome to the Free TOWNS OS project! Our mission is to develop a copyright-free FM Towns OS, enabling you to run not only classic free games but also re-released titles and even create brand-new games for the FM Towns system. With a focus on eliminating copyright concerns associated with the original Towns OS files, we aim to provide a free and open platform for gamers and developers alike.

Currently, the Tsugaru OS has successfully achieved compatibility with three of the most popular free games: Panic Ball 2, VSGP, and Sky Duel. Players can now enjoy these titles without needing any files from the original Towns OS, paving the way for a more accessible experience.

Usage

To get started with Tsugaru OS, you can boot from release/FDIMG.bin. If you opt for release/FDIMG_USEROM.bin, it uses MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM from the ROM drive instead of YSDOS.SYS and YAMAND.COM on disk, providing an additional layer of flexibility. We are also working towards compatibility with real hardware systems, with preparations already underway for that.

Alternatively, you can mount release/HDIMG.h0 on SCSI ID 0 and run Tsugaru directly without any other media attached. Tsugaru OS intelligently assigns drive letters, starting with the first partition of SCSI ID 0, ensuring you can seamlessly boot up from the hard disk without needing a CMOS setup.

Build Environment

To build Tsugaru OS, you will need the following:

• Python: Essential for running the build scripts.
• Netwide Assembler (NASM): Ensure it’s accessible through your command line.
• Visual C++: Confirmed to work with version 2019, and you can use it through the Developer Command Prompt or PowerShell.
• FM TOWNS Emulator "Tsugaru": It’s necessary to have this running for your builds, so make sure to set the path correctly.
• High-C Multimedia Kit and FM TOWNS 386|Assembler Toolkit

Setting Up Your Environment

Setting up NASM and Visual C++ can usually be found with a quick search. However, you’ll need to understand how to work with the Tsugaru execution environment and TGDRV.COM. Setting up High-C and 386ASM will be a bit intricate, but you should configure them in your Tsugaru hard disk image under the following directories:

D:\HC386
D:\386ASM

Once you’ve established these directories, copy MAKE.EXE from the FreeTOWNSOS directory to your Tsugaru image directory at:

D:\EXE

Finally, create an HC386ENV directory at the same level as FreeTOWNSOS, and copy the corresponding directories using TGDRV from within Tsugaru to finalize your setup.

Build Process

If you have your environment set up correctly, running makedisk.py in the tgbios subdirectory will compile everything you need, generating the binary files: HDIMG.h0, FDIMG.bin, and FDIMG_USEROM.bin. Note that paths and directory expectations can sometimes be finicky, so ensure that High-C and 386ASM are placed as expected by the Tsugaru VM.

External Contributions

We deeply appreciate the inclusion of ORICON, a console emulator developed by MIYAZAKI and YAMAZAKI, and we thank them for their generous contribution to the FM TOWNS community. Additionally, the Free386 DOS-Extender, provided by nabe-abk, is incorporated into our package, demonstrating our commitment to shared contributions within our community.

Recent Updates

• 10/04/2024: Thanks to the contributions from BCC and Ryu Takegami, VSGP, PANIC BALL 2, and Sky Duel are now playable on Tsugaru OS.
• 09/06/2024: Added support for TGDRV and ORICON, now featuring limited functionality for INT AEH, INT 90H, INT 93H, and DOS devices.
• 08/27/2024: Project inception.