Remaking Jaguar games

[Gunstar]

I saw the old thread "Jaguar remake Ideas" that JustClaws dug up, and when I first saw it, again, I thought it was a topic started about remaking or "hacking" bad Jaguar games. THAT would be cool. I'd love to see improved hacks of Jag games like the 2600 is getting all the time, like Space Invaders Arcade, etc., etc., etc.

I know it takes loads more work on the 64-bit cat with games that are megabytes in size compared to the 2600's 4 or 8k "hacks," but source code seems to be popping up all over now, for at least some Jag games...does anyone think this SHOULD or COULD realistically be done? I know this has been talked about somewhat previously, but generally partaining to individual games on occasion, like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

[Serblander]

Gunstar wrote:

...like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

I think thats a brilliant idea Gunstar

I'm still fantasizing about someone fixing the controls for Chequered Flag, as i do like the game (maybe a modded steering wheel along with the new improved controls? ).

 

As for Doom link-up, i'm still waiting for either of my two Jag owning friends to aquire a copy so that we may play co-op & deathmatch! Hell, if they take any longer, i will just have to get another Jag & Doom myself (along with another BattleSphere Gold/Classic and 2 B&C Aircars)!

[Alex Czarnowski]

I saw the old thread "Jaguar remake Ideas" that JustClaws dug up, and when I first saw it, again, I thought it was a topic started about remaking or "hacking" bad Jaguar games. THAT would be cool. I'd love to see improved hacks of Jag games like the 2600 is getting all the time, like Space Invaders Arcade, etc., etc., etc.

I know it takes loads more work on the 64-bit cat with games that are megabytes in size compared to the 2600's 4 or 8k "hacks," but source code seems to be popping up all over now, for at least some Jag games...does anyone think this SHOULD or COULD realistically be done? I know this has been talked about somewhat previously, but generally partaining to individual games on occasion, like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

 

Hi GunStar,

It is possible even without source code if you have alpine - you can just load dumped rom into memory and start hacking it with rdbjag. Full disassembly of dumped rom takes time and you have to be careful in identifying section of code and data. Unfortunately IDA Pro does not handle Jag files (but it can probably be done with help of it's sdk but I've never tried it). However keep in mind that patching something in memory is easier than producing new rom file. Some fixes would require more code so you would need to figure out where to put additional opcodes in already used memory.

Just my 2 cents

[justclaws]

Hello,

 

I saw the old thread "Jaguar remake Ideas" that JustClaws dug up, and when I first saw it, again, I thought it was a topic started about remaking or "hacking" bad Jaguar games. THAT would be cool. I'd love to see improved hacks of Jag games like the 2600 is getting all the time, like Space Invaders Arcade, etc., etc., etc.

Can anybody (Alek?) recommend a good 68000 disassembler?

The one here does not run on most of my systems - only one W98.

Another W98 system will not run it, it crashes, don't know why yet.

I presume it needs a library which is not documented with the exe.

http://www.infinity.waw.pl/~alekc/

 

I have also been working on a disassembly of the Jaguar boot ROM

lately, (oh, for source code for that), with an eye to video setup code,

and it's complicated to follow, for me anyway. I don't make a habit

of disassembling code, and it's an art learnt slowly from experience.

An Alpine helps when the code isn't as disruptive as the Jaguar boot

ROM, and mutually exclusive. No STUB ROM, no Alpine debugging.

 

I know it takes loads more work on the 64-bit cat with games that are megabytes in size compared to the 2600's 4 or 8k "hacks," but source code seems to be popping up all over now, for at least some Jag games...does anyone think this SHOULD or COULD realistically be done?

There might be scope for some small hacks, if the ROM has blank space in it at the end. For sure a "jsr" could be inserted to replace existing code,

jumping to code in the blank space. (For use on Alpine or emulator only.)

However, things like steering on Checkered Flag will be very complicated

I think, so I think the most would be changing graphics (but that's not

easy as most graphics will be compressed) or text. (May be obfuscated.)

 

I know this has been talked about somewhat previously, but generally partaining to individual games on occasion, like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

I think the only way to go ahead on this is with source code. Even then

as we sadly know from the Doom source code, despite being able to

build a new version, there are still obstacles in the way (oh for a 4MB

Alpine), :-( and changing things without breaking the game is difficult.

The real experts on this sort of thing are the crackers who manage to

crack game protection in the PC market of course, as they did once

for the Amiga and ST for example, or even the Spectrum. It takes a

special kind of skill and experience to work with other people's code!

 

So... don't forget I'm looking for a better disassembler. My needs in

particular are to be able to get a disassembly which allocates labels

automatically, and which allows toggling output of binary dump data.

disasm is very annoying for adding that, it needs to be stripped out.

I've tried a couple of others, but nothing to-date is what I'm seeking.

I know I'm not asking too much, and I'm willing to pay for one too!

 

Cheers,

JustClaws.

[albaki]

I have jusr upgraded my 2mb alpine to 4mb at a cost of £113.00 for the cost of the chips tested all ok. if anyone else wants this mod carried out please email me for details.(small charge for work and postage as it takes around 2 hours) but if it helps all us jag developers to make better games and modify old ones for the jag users then i wil do it at minimum cost.

 

cheers

alanbaxendale@blueyonder.co.uk

[Matthias]

Hello!

 

Can anybody (Alek?) recommend a good 68000 disassembler?

 

I am using EasyRider 4 running in the STEEM emulator.

 

Regards

Matthias

[walter_J64bit]

I saw the old thread "Jaguar remake Ideas" that JustClaws dug up, and when I first saw it, again, I thought it was a topic started about remaking or "hacking" bad Jaguar games. THAT would be cool. I'd love to see improved hacks of Jag games like the 2600 is getting all the time, like Space Invaders Arcade, etc., etc., etc.

I know it takes loads more work on the 64-bit cat with games that are megabytes in size compared to the 2600's 4 or 8k "hacks," but source code seems to be popping up all over now, for at least some Jag games...does anyone think this SHOULD or COULD realistically be done? I know this has been talked about somewhat previously, but generally partaining to individual games on occasion, like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

 

I like to see a fix for DD5 the controls on that game are just awful!

[xenomorpher]

I think someone should make the frame rate for Alien VS Predator faster and maybe the alien could climb on the walls ........Yeah I cant hack games.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

I saw the old thread "Jaguar remake Ideas" that JustClaws dug up, and when I first saw it, again, I thought it was a topic started about remaking or "hacking" bad Jaguar games. THAT would be cool. I'd love to see improved hacks of Jag games like the 2600 is getting all the time, like Space Invaders Arcade, etc., etc., etc.

I know it takes loads more work on the 64-bit cat with games that are megabytes in size compared to the 2600's 4 or 8k "hacks," but source code seems to be popping up all over now, for at least some Jag games...does anyone think this SHOULD or COULD realistically be done? I know this has been talked about somewhat previously, but generally partaining to individual games on occasion, like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

 

I like to see a fix for DD5 the controls on that game are just awful!

 

Erasing the code for DD5 completely would be a major improvement!

[walter_J64bit]

I saw the old thread "Jaguar remake Ideas" that JustClaws dug up, and when I first saw it, again, I thought it was a topic started about remaking or "hacking" bad Jaguar games. THAT would be cool. I'd love to see improved hacks of Jag games like the 2600 is getting all the time, like Space Invaders Arcade, etc., etc., etc.

I know it takes loads more work on the 64-bit cat with games that are megabytes in size compared to the 2600's 4 or 8k "hacks," but source code seems to be popping up all over now, for at least some Jag games...does anyone think this SHOULD or COULD realistically be done? I know this has been talked about somewhat previously, but generally partaining to individual games on occasion, like fixing the controls and whatnot in games like Checkered Flag or correcting the networking errors in Doom. What do YOU think?

 

I like to see a fix for DD5 the controls on that game are just awful!

 

Erasing the code for DD5 completely would be a major improvement!

 

[VortekGuardian]

I would so kill to see Ultra Vortek with improved control. I also would hope to use Carbon as a playable character. I don't mean to sound doom and gloom, but this whole remake idea, as good as it sounds, it's probably gonna get lost in Limbo (meaning it won't make it). Sorry if I sound grim. BTW, does anyone have Ultra Vortek sprite sheets or images of Carbon. Maybe even screenshots featuring Carbon. Thanks.

[justclaws]

Hello Alex,

 

It is possible even without source code if you have alpine - you can just load dumped rom into memory and start hacking it with rdbjag. Full disassembly of dumped rom takes time and you have to be careful in identifying section of code and data.

Did you complete a Jaguar boot ROM disassembly BTW?

I now have 68000 code for the 68000 part, but not the GPU parts...

I'd really like to examine how the GPU code displays the cube etc..

 

Have you modified any existing ROMS in this way yet, incidentally?

 

Cheers,

JustClaws.

[K3V]

I would so kill to see Ultra Vortek with improved control.  I also would hope to use Carbon as a playable character.  I don't mean to sound doom and gloom, but this whole remake idea, as good as it sounds, it's probably gonna get lost in Limbo (meaning it won't make it).  Sorry if I sound grim.  BTW, does anyone have Ultra Vortek sprite sheets or images of Carbon.  Maybe even screenshots featuring Carbon.  Thanks.

 

Dude, Carbon is playable now. And so is the Guardian:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=56565