The Explorer was my last project. It’s the most powerful debugger on the ATARI. (ooooyeah…. Sure!!!!!!). The competitor The ultimate ripper sukkz big time!!!!! Well, make up your own mind.
Here are some selling points :)
1. Built in graphics ripper. 2. Able to ripp and display spectrum 512 pictures. 3. Built in music ripper for “mad max”, “TCB-tracker” and “count zero” 4. Uses only 33Kb ram. 5. VERY fast…. No debugger is faster than the explorer. (well… here we go again!) 6. Have a “special” trace mode where the program is running in slow-motion.(F1 to break.) 7. Built in sample viewer and player. 8. Save/Load to disk option without any OS active. (Important when cracking games) (There is a program that's located in the zip file that extracts explorer files (one file per disk)) 9. “Fake” VBI for testing music aso. 10. The explorer is able to break into ANY program. 11. Uses no hardware to function (does not mess with any io device)
Well there are probably a few more things worth to mention but I was working on this program 1992 so I have forgotten a lot.
How to install the explorer.. (you have to be very experienced with assembler and the Atari ST).
1. Get a diagnostic cartridge or any other cartridge that contains two 27c256 proms. 2. Assemble the source code. 3. Burn the output from the assembler to the proms 4. You are ready to rumble.
How to run:
Mode one. (software without cartridge protection):
1. Turn off your Atari. 2. Insert cartridge 3. Turn on your Atari 4. Execute from where the [PC] is located 5. Reset your Atari when you want to break into the software.
Mode two. (the software contains a cartridge protection). DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!
1. run the software you want to enter. 2. At the time you want to enter the debugger hold the reset button at the reset state at the same time inserting the cartridge 3. Release the reset button. 4. ARAAAAJT..... no protection against this!!!!!!!
Tips & Tricks:
There are some useful debugger specific variables that are nice to use.
cwp dwp rp pc w1 w2 bp1 bp2 bp3 bp4 va1 va2 And look at the source before you run.. there are tons of hidden functions that I made for cracking games and demos.
...:::explorer:::...