Take the C.A.P.S. game-link challenge!

[fiath]

Okay, I know that you guys like challenges, so how about this rather hard one...

We think that we have only about 3 generic protections left to support (you will see quite a few listed in the next WIP ;)), but for two of them, we don't know why they would be used in the set of games that they are.

So the challenge is, can you find a link between these games?

Possible links could be the same publisher or developer company but it does not appear to be that. It could be a single person who worked on each game, or more obscurely, the protection developed by a separate company, or same duplicator. Or anything else!

Links are used to name the protection used. Galahad, if you want to take a shot at this, please do. :)

Okay, here are the games that have similar/same protection tracks on the particular versions we have:


Game Set 1

ECO
Barbarian (Palace)
Armageddon Man
Buggy Boy
Three Stooges
Wizball

Game Set 2

Defenders of the Earth
Dragon's Breath
International Soccer Challenge
Mercenary 3
New York Warriors
Super Off Road

[Codetapper]

I can't help with group 2 but I have patched a fair number of group 1 games. I also think you are missing some from your list - I will try and find the other ones I have patched that use this protection. I think Eco/Ocean and possibly Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal use it. Armageddon is actually Armageddon Man btw :)

From memory there is 1k boot file, one layer of self-modifying code/encryption which sets up a separate process called Protect. The code is written in such a way that all variables are in one group and the code above it is checksum protected and the 32 bit key it uses to decrypt the data files.

I would guess that because these are all really early games that it was probably one of the first protection systems on the market and those companies just picked it for their current title before the other systems were made.

[IFW]

Codetapper:
Yes ECO is there, don't know how could Fiath forget it ;)
And of course Armageddon is really Armageddon Man, spot on.
Garfield is pre-Copylock RN protection, a later variant of the one on Lombard RAC Rally.
The earliest commercial protection systems seem to be Protec and HLS, head to head. The early version of Protec is being used on such games as Tass Times in Tonetown, Hacker 2 or Las Vegas; HLS on pretty much everything developed and/or duplicated in the US around the same time period.

Set#2 is really interesting I wonder who wrote that protection and what it was called. Remarkable density graph as well.

[Twistin'Ghost]

Speaking of Hacker, has anyone dumped a copy of the first Hacker game for CAPS yet? I found a copy and am planning on buying it (still shrinkwrapped!) since it's mercilessly MIA (and to prove its existance against naysayers...) :)

[IFW]

Dump exists, but could be possibly modified, so a shrinkwrapped one dumped is most welcome! Also afair it was disk only anyway...
Don't forget to set the wp tab on before doing anything with the disk ;)

Go ahead TG! :)

[Twistin'Ghost]

Originally posted by IFW
Dump exists, but could be possibly modified, so a shrinkwrapped one dumped is most welcome! Also afair it was disk only anyway...
Don't forget to set the wp tab on before doing anything with the disk ;)

Go ahead TG! :)
Good deal! Yeah, I really want this one preserved, but also curious why it's so difficult to get the game working! The copy I have (copied from an original using a parameter copier) always ran fine from either my 1.2 or 1.3 based NTSC A500, which was 512/512. AFAIK, nobody has ever gotten this one to work in emulation. And I plan on scanning everything underneath the shrinkwrap (to insure an early CAPS release, if nothing else!)

This is a good model, people: if you have a favorite game you want released by CAPS, ya need to get those guys the scans!

[IFW]

I can confirm, that it should work (at least pass the protection) with 1.2/1.3 and 512k chipram only. Both PAL and NTSC should work. It may or may not have problems with 1.3 later on.
It does not work however as is, and once I have the time I'll look into it, but my work list is already very long...

[fiath]

Hmm, not sure how I missed this one, but I corrected the above. Not sure how I missed them either, sorry IFW. Ah well.

So any other suggestions?? :)

[IFW]

I think I finally have the answer for set 2.
I've traced a very similar protection today, and it is clearly marked as "Speedlock".

Where is my prize? ;)

[fiath]

I forgot what the prize was now... Ah, I remember!

WELL DONE!

;)