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(Unofficial) Nox Archaist Utilities

Table of Contents

Introduction

Context: I was one of the programmers on Nox Archaist. I asked Mark if I could share the Font Editor we used for the game that I wrote and Mark said "Sure!"

Here are my unofficial collection of utilities that I think all Nox Archaist fans will be interested in.

DISCLAIMER: This project is NOT affiliated with 6502workshop in any way, shape or fashion. This is an UNOFFICIAL mod and UNSUPPORTED software by a fan who also helped worked on the game and toolchain.

Built-in Fonts

Nox Archaist comes with 2 great fonts out-of-the-box:

  • FONT1 -- A "Runic-inspired" Nox Archaist font
    • Font 1
  • FONT2 -- A traditional Apple 2 "thin" font
    • Font 2

Would you prefer a different font that you might find more readable or stylistic?

/Oblg. "Have I got a deal for you!"

  • Carmen Carmen
  • Gothic Gothic
  • Byte Future

As shown above I've included a few different fonts to pick from.

Now there are a couple different ways to replace the font used in Nox Archaist depending on if you are more comfortable with utilities or the command line. I'll go over both methods.

I will eventually be writing a utility to streamline all of this but for right now be patient with the extra verbose description. It looks more complicated then it really is -- due to showing pictures for every step of the way.

Before you change the font

NOTE: You need to start/continue a Nox Archaist game before you can switch the font! At this time you CAN NOT change the font from the Main Menu -- only in-game.

To clarify, you can either:

  • Start Nox Archaist, toggle the font, reboot, replace FONT2 with a new font, reboot again, or
  • Replace FONT2 with a new font, reboot, Start Nox Archaist, toggle the font, and reboot.

We'll use the former steps.

  1. Start Nox Archaist
  2. Either continue or make a new game.
  3. When you see your avatar in game:
  • Press TAB to show the party summary Party Summary
  • Press TAB again to show the character summary Character Summary
  • Press 6 to switch to the in-game options panel Options
  • Press UP ARROW to select Toggle Font Select Font
  • Press RETURN to toggle the font. You will see a message that you need to save your game and reboot before the new font takes effect Save font
  • Press ESC to quit the options dialog
  • Press Q to save the game Save game
  • Wait for saving to finish Save done

Before you re-start Nox Archaist let's install a new, second font.

Changing Fonts

There are many different ways to replace the fonts in Nox Archaist. The easiest way is probably to use CiderPress but using Copy ][+ or even the command line aren't hard.

Let's walk through and example using the font from Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego showing 3 common ways.

CiderPress

  1. Stop any emulator(s) that have the Nox Archaist HDV image mounted, or "unplug" the hard drive.
  2. Start CiderPress
  3. File > Open > NA.GRAPHICS.dsk
  4. Select: FONTS:CARMEN.FONT
  5. Edit > Copy
  6. File > Open > Nox Archaist HDV (v1001).HDV
  7. Select directory NA
  8. Edit > Paste
  9. Rename the old NA:FONT2 to FONT2.BACKUP via Actions > Rename
  10. Rename NA:CARMEN.FONT to FONT2 via Actions > Rename
  11. Close CiderPress and fire up Nox Archaist in your favorite emulator!

Copy ][+

If you wist to use Copy ][+ to copy the font you will need to use a latter version that supports ProDOS such as 8.4.

  1. Start your emulator
  2. Mount the floppy disk/hard drive with Copy ][+ and start it
  3. Mount the NA.GRAPHICS.dsk floppy disk -- (Slot 6, Drive 1 for me)
  4. Mount the Nox Archaist HDV (v1001).HDV) hard disk drive image -- (Slot 7, Drive 1 for me)
  5. Copy 2 files from the NA.GRAPHICS disk: FONT.EDIT and CARMEN.FONT to the Nox Archaist Hard Drive. Specifically:
  • Copy
    • Copy
  • Files
    • Files
  • Select Slot 6, Drive 1 -- the NA.GRAPHICS floppy source
    • Source
  • Select Slot 7, Drive 1 -- the Nox Archaist hard drive destination
    • Destination
  • Select the source FONTS sub-directory on NA.GRAPHICS
    • Source Directory
  • Select FONT.EDIT
    • Select Font Edit
  • Select CARMEN.FONT
    • Select Carmen
  • Press G to copy
  • Select the NA sub-directory destination
    • Directory
  • Copying ...
    • Copying
  • ... and this step is done.
  1. Rename the Nox Archaist FONT2 to FONT9 to back it up.
  • Rename
    • Rename
  • Files
    • Files
  • Select Nox Archaist hard drive
    • Hard Drive
  • Select destination NA sub-directory
    • Destination
  • Select FONT2 file
    • FONT2
  • Press RETURN to rename it to FONT9
    • FONT9
  • Press G to execute...
    • Go
  • .. and this step is done.
  1. Rename the CARMEN.FONT to FONT2
  2. Reboot Nox Archaist

Command Line

To manually replace the font:

  1. Start your emulator
  2. Mount the NA.GRAPHICS.dsk disk in your emulator in Slot 6, Drive 1.
  3. Unmount any hard drive images in your emulator
  4. Re-boot. (In AppleWin this is F2. In other emulators you may need to press Ctrl-Reset in your emulator and type PR#6)
  5. Mount the Nox Archaist HDV (v1001).HDV) hard drive image in your emulator in Slot 7, Drive 1.
  6. Press DOWN ARROW to navigate down to BASIC.SYSTEM
  7. Press RETURN to start BASIC
  8. Copy the font you wish to use over
    BLOAD /NA.GRAPHICS/FONTS/CARMEN.FONT,A$C00
    BSAVE /NOXARCHAIST/NA/FONT2,A$C00,L$300
  1. Reboot Nox, Continue, and enjoy!
    PR#7

TL:DR;

  • Manual Carmen

Example Fonts

Font: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego

    BLOAD /NA.GRAPHICS/FONTS/CARMEN.FONT,A$C00
    BSAVE /NOXARCHAIST/NA/FONT2,A$C00,L$300
    PR#7

Font: Gothic

Same instructions as above but the TL:DR; version is:

    BLOAD /NA.GRAPHICS/FONTS/CHR.GOTHIC,A$C00
    BSAVE /NOXARCHAIST/NA/FONT2,A$C00,L$300
    PR#7

Font: Byte

Same instructions as above but the TL:DR; version is:

    BLOAD /NA.GRAPHICS/FONTS/CHR.BYTE,A$C00
    BSAVE /NOXARCHAIST/NA/FONT2,A$C00,L$300
    PR#7

Font Editor

The font editor used on Nox Archaist is included!

  • Nox Font 1
  • Nox Font 2

You can either:

  • Boot the NA.GRAPHICS disk
    • Use arrow keys to select FONTS
    • Press RETURN
    • SelectFONT.EDIT
    • Press RETURN
  • From the command line:
    • PREFIX /NA.GRAPHICS/FONTS
    • -FONT.EDIT

From the Font Editor, press ESC to quit.

It has two modes:

  • SELECT character mode, and
  • EDIT characater mode

Select Mode Keys

It defaults to SELECT character mode. The keys available in this mode are:

    RET Edit glyph
    ESC Quit

    I   Select Prev Row
    J   Select Prev Char
    K   Select Next Row
    L   Select Next Char

    i   Select Prev Row
    j   Select Prev Char
    k   Select Next Row
    l   Select Next Char

    ^   Select Prev Row
    <-- Select Prev Char
    v   Select Next Row
    --> Select Next Char

    0   Load NOX.FONT
    1   Load FONT1
    2   Load FONT2
    3   Load FONT3
    4   Load FONT4
    5   Load FONT5
    6   Load FONT6
    7   Load FONT7
    7   Load FONT8
    7   Load FONT9

    Shift-0   Save NOX.FONT
    Shift-1   Save Font 1
    Shift-2   Save Font 2
    Shift-3   Save Font 3
    Shift-4   Save Font 4
    Shift-5   Save Font 5
    Shift-6   Save Font 6
    Shift-7   Save Font 7
    Shift-8   Save Font 8
    Shift-9   Save Font 9

Edit Mode Keys

The keys in EDIT character mode are:

    RET Update glyph, return to select mod
    ESC Cancel glyph, return to select mod

    I   Move Up
    J   Move Left
    K   Move Down
    L   Move Right

    i   Move Up
    j   Move Left
    k   Move Down
    l   Move Right

    ^   Select Prev Row
    <-  Select Prev Char
    v   Select Next Row
    ->  Select Next Char
    SPC Toggle pixel on/off

Themes / Skins / Alternate Tile-sets

Ultima 4

In progress ...

Floppy Disk Verifier

In progress ...

Updated

Version 1 Last Updated Dec 22, 2020