Was there ever an NTSC version of Zool? - Page 2

Matt_H · 31 May 2018, 20:21

Upload complete! See ~/Uploads/MattH. It's in BIN/CUE format. I included a scan of the disc as well. Attached to this post, see FS-UAE screenshot of what happens when you try to run the game in PAL. The Zool logo appears, the intro CDXL plays, the Zool logo appears again, and then the attached message.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

@Matt_H: Can you also upload an image of the CD? Does it come with a printed booklet or is it just a plain disc?

The packaging is identical to what's on HOL, although I never had the outer big box. Multilingual rear case insert and manual.

Quote:

Originally Posted by th4t1guy

That's exactly what my disc looks like, but the game is definitely NOT NTSC. Maybe there are different pressings of this disc?

Is the hub text on your copy the same as what I posted above? The market may have been large enough back then for multiple print runs, including a misprinted one

DamienD · 31 May 2018, 21:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt_H

Would you believe that I've had no cause to upload anything larger than what The Zone can handle in all that time?

No, not from someone who has been a member for a decade now

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt_H

Upload complete! See ~/Uploads/MattH. It's in BIN/CUE format. I included a scan of the disc as well. Attached to this post, see FS-UAE screenshot of what happens when you try to run the game in PAL. The Zool logo appears, the intro CDXL plays, the Zool logo appears again, and then the attached message.

The packaging is identical to what's on HOL, although I never had the outer big box. Multilingual rear case insert and manual.

Is the hub text on your copy the same as what I posted above? The market may have been large enough back then for multiple print runs, including a misprinted one

Merci beaucoup!!!

mc68060 · 01 June 2018, 11:01

Very interesting, thanks a lot. Judging from the date stamps, it looks like this version was made roughly a month after the PAL version which has date stamps of 9th October, 1993 whereas the NTSC version has date stampts of 12th November, 1993. A quick diff shows that all files are identical except the "zool" executable and "mapc3.mgl". Also, the files "titlecd1.mgl" and "zoolprt1.mgl" aren't on the PAL CD at all.

Quite an interesting find because this must be the final version of Zool for the Amiga then.

BTW, when running the PAL version on an NTSC CD32 it will show the screen you uploaded above only with a notice that the PAL version cannot be run on an NTSC CD32 :-)

Matt_H · 01 June 2018, 22:03

I had no idea I was sitting on such a rarity, although I suppose that's to be expected given that the vast majority of the Amiga scene (and associated preservation work) is in Europe. Makes me wonder if a lot of NTSC releases are missing from SPS. I suspect there's a lot of American software (games and productivity) never released abroad that is now forgotten/lost.

I also have an NTSC release of Gremlin's Nigel Mansell for CD32... is that considered rare as well?

mc68060 · 02 June 2018, 11:49

I guess everything NTSC for the CD32 has to be considered rare :-) If you want to upload Nigel Mansell NTSC I could compare it to the European version...

Matt_H · 04 June 2018, 23:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

I guess everything NTSC for the CD32 has to be considered rare :-) If you want to upload Nigel Mansell NTSC I could compare it to the European version...

Date stamps for the files on the Nigel Mansell disc are also November 12, 1993, except the executable itself which is November 22. I've uploaded a BIN/CUE and disc scan if you want to take a look. It generates an error message just like Zool's if you try to run it in PAL.

From a quick perusal on HOL, there are a few other Gremlin CD32 games (Disposable Hero, Sorasil) that specify "PAL COMPATIBLE" on the disc, which suggests, like Zool and Nigel Mansell, there were also separate NTSC versions (or at least plans for them - perhaps they were canceled). Later releases (Zool 2, Litil Divil, etc.) don't specify and are known to be PAL only, suggesting they gave up on the NTSC market as 1994 progressed and the news out of West Chester got worse and worse.

Seiya · 05 June 2018, 01:49

Thanks Matt_H

vulture · 05 June 2018, 19:28

So, anybody tried Zool if it indeed runs at NTSC frame rates? I'm trying to download it, but it's unbearably slow here for some reason, about 50kb/sec and it's 511MB!

th4t1guy · 12 June 2018, 03:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt_H

Is the hub text on your copy the same as what I posted above? The market may have been large enough back then for multiple print runs, including a misprinted one

I guess it's different. Mine reads:

S ZOOL 1 02
ROM
DISCTRONICS
ROM

With "13" embossed.

Turran · 12 June 2018, 08:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by vulture

So, anybody tried Zool if it indeed runs at NTSC frame rates? I'm trying to download it, but it's unbearably slow here for some reason, about 50kb/sec and it's 511MB!

That is because you are logging in with the anonymous "ftp" account. Register your own account here: https://grandis.nu/eabadduser/

Then use that to login with no speed restrictions.

vulture · 12 June 2018, 10:11

Many thx man! Registered!

TjLaZer · 13 June 2018, 21:14

How long does it take to get the faster download speed after registering? Still getting 50k/s

DamienD · 13 June 2018, 21:25

...then you can't be using the account you created. It's instant

You are using an FTP client like FileZilla hey?

th4t1guy · 13 June 2018, 21:40

The other option would be to download from the google drive mirror. About how long does that take to get updated?

TjLaZer · 13 June 2018, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

...then you can't be using the account you created. It's instant

You are using an FTP client like FileZilla hey?

Yes FileZilla.

Got it sorted, working now.

TjLaZer · 14 June 2018, 01:46

Thanks for the upload Matt! WHDLoad version in da Zone!

Matt_H · 14 June 2018, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by th4t1guy

I guess it's different. Mine reads:

S ZOOL 1 02
ROM
DISCTRONICS
ROM

With "13" embossed.

Interesting. That seems to match the PAL release on HOL, although it's a bit hard to tell from the scan resolution. You get none of the behavior I described from my version? Seems like it was indeed a misprint. I wonder if it was a whole production run, or if just a few PAL discs ended up in the printer while it was labeling the NTSC discs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TjLaZer

Thanks for the upload Matt! WHDLoad version in da Zone!

Oh, WHDLoad can't do the CD32 version justice - you lose the CD soundtrack!

Such a shame that the floppy version only allowed you to choose music OR sound effects. Also unfortunate that the CD32 version forced to you pick a single music track for the whole game, but at least there were sound effects to go with it. They finally got it right with Zool 2 - unique CD track for every level, plus sound effects.

th4t1guy · 14 June 2018, 15:33

I get the red warning screen telling me I need the NTSC version. I guess it was just printed with the wrong label. This whole time I assumed there was no NTSC version and they were selling duds! Nice to see this here. Thanks for the upload.

DamienD · 16 June 2018, 14:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

Interesting

...so maybe I should create a directory "NTSC" under "Commodore_Amiga/CD/CD32" and then:

a) move Oscar from your ~Uploads directory there.
b) move Zool from Matt_H's ~Uploads directory there.
c) move Nigel Mansell from Matt_H's ~Uploads directory there.

What does everyone think, good idea?

Done

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01 June 2018, 11:01	#23
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	Very interesting, thanks a lot. Judging from the date stamps, it looks like this version was made roughly a month after the PAL version which has date stamps of 9th October, 1993 whereas the NTSC version has date stampts of 12th November, 1993. A quick diff shows that all files are identical except the "zool" executable and "mapc3.mgl". Also, the files "titlecd1.mgl" and "zoolprt1.mgl" aren't on the PAL CD at all. Quite an interesting find because this must be the final version of Zool for the Amiga then. BTW, when running the PAL version on an NTSC CD32 it will show the screen you uploaded above only with a notice that the PAL version cannot be run on an NTSC CD32 :-)

01 June 2018, 22:03	#24
Matt_H Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 943	I had no idea I was sitting on such a rarity, although I suppose that's to be expected given that the vast majority of the Amiga scene (and associated preservation work) is in Europe. Makes me wonder if a lot of NTSC releases are missing from SPS. I suspect there's a lot of American software (games and productivity) never released abroad that is now forgotten/lost. I also have an NTSC release of Gremlin's Nigel Mansell for CD32... is that considered rare as well?

02 June 2018, 11:49	#25
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	I guess everything NTSC for the CD32 has to be considered rare :-) If you want to upload Nigel Mansell NTSC I could compare it to the European version...

05 June 2018, 01:49	#27
Seiya Registered User Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Italy Posts: 2,342	Thanks Matt_H

05 June 2018, 19:28	#28
vulture Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Athens , Greece Posts: 1,840	So, anybody tried Zool if it indeed runs at NTSC frame rates? I'm trying to download it, but it's unbearably slow here for some reason, about 50kb/sec and it's 511MB!

12 June 2018, 10:11	#31
vulture Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Athens , Greece Posts: 1,840	Many thx man! Registered!

13 June 2018, 21:14	#32
TjLaZer Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tacoma, WA USA Age: 52 Posts: 1,915	How long does it take to get the faster download speed after registering? Still getting 50k/s

13 June 2018, 21:25	#33
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	...then you can't be using the account you created. It's instant You are using an FTP client like FileZilla hey?

13 June 2018, 21:40	#34
th4t1guy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO, USA Posts: 683	The other option would be to download from the google drive mirror. About how long does that take to get updated?

14 June 2018, 01:46	#36
TjLaZer Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tacoma, WA USA Age: 52 Posts: 1,915	Thanks for the upload Matt! WHDLoad version in da Zone!

14 June 2018, 15:33	#38
th4t1guy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO, USA Posts: 683	I get the red warning screen telling me I need the NTSC version. I guess it was just printed with the wrong label. This whole time I assumed there was no NTSC version and they were selling duds! Nice to see this here. Thanks for the upload.

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