Ripping - Captive

[Lyverbe]

Yeah, it does look like a valid RNC header.



- RNC1
- Decompressed file is 0x00007d00 bytes
- Compressed file is 0x00002542 bytes
- Output CRC is 0x8206
- Input CRC is 0xBCA0

But I've tried with http://www.yoda.arachsys.com/dk/rnc.html and some RNC ProPack I've found somewhere else (can't locate URL). Both failed.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Lyverbe

but the only two RNC decompressors I've found say "CRC error".

And they are? Give us their names. I use XFD package for it. I have also some small tool for decrunching but I can recall its name.

[Lyverbe]

Originally Posted by mailman

And they are? Give us their names. I use XFD package for it. I have also some small tool for decrunching but I can recall its name.

Like I said in the previous post, I've tried with the one linked at http://www.yoda.arachsys.com/dk/rnc.html, and I've managed to locate the other one I've tried: http://www.devrs.com/gb/software.php (under "Compression / RNC 2.14").

I've extracted one of the file and attached it to this mail, if you want to give it a shot.

[zenox98]

Propack on PC doesn't recognise it but xfd on miggy depacked it fine.

Attached here: Attachment 14645

[Lyverbe]

Originally Posted by zenox98

Propack on PC doesn't recognise it but xfd on miggy depacked it fine.

Cool. I don't know much about the Amiga, but from I've read on the net, I assume "Miggy" is a another way to call an Amiga?

I couldn't find xfd for PC, so I would need set WinUAE, find+download kickstart/workbench, find that xfd decompressor and learn how all this works. Eek.

But thanks guys. You've been helpful!

[zenox98]

Soz for the quaint English colloquialism

Yes a miggy is an Amiga. If you need help setting up winuae with xfd (it isn't hard) then there are loads of people more knowledgeable on here than me, but if you ask, we'll help, I'm sure!

[Lyverbe]

I've disassembled the map generator and created a section on my Captive site that explains how maps are generated (with Antony Crowther's permission, of course).

Letting you know in case you care

[BippyM]

wow i am impressed

It might be worth doing some dev work

[Hungry Horace]

like adding CD32 button mapping for movement Bippy?

(are there other keybaord controls? i forget)


might make me play it instead of Liberation some time :P


oh and i guess that would need a mouse->joystick patch to go with (or youd use both)

[gimbal]

jesus, I am truly amazed how complex Captive really is. To make all that work so quickly on an Amiga 500 with only 512kb memory to waste :s I bow to the masters of ye olde days.

[BippyM]

I too am impressed. I am also impressed that someone has managed to figure out how it works, now we need to get a map program made that will allow us to accurately create maps

[BippyM]

Originally Posted by Lyverbe

Cool. I don't know much about the Amiga, but from I've read on the net, I assume "Miggy" is a another way to call an Amiga?

I couldn't find xfd for PC, so I would need set WinUAE, find+download kickstart/workbench, find that xfd decompressor and learn how all this works. Eek.

But thanks guys. You've been helpful!

send me all the rnc compressed files and i'll decompress them for you and send back

[Lyverbe]

Originally Posted by bippym

send me all the rnc compressed files and i'll decompress them for you and send back

Thanks, but the files are the graphic files that you've ripped except for one called "fed_MapView" that has no extension. I assume this is 68000 code not worth of our attention.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by Lyverbe

I've disassembled the map generator and created a section on my Captive site that explains how maps are generated (with Antony Crowther's permission, of course).

Great work.

So thats how the root finder works. It confused me because it worked "too well" in real-time, I was sure there was not enough cpu power to do that kind of route calculation in real-time. Really nice "automatic" solution

[BippyM]

Originally Posted by Lyverbe

Thanks, but the files are the graphic files that you've ripped except for one called "fed_MapView" that has no extension. I assume this is 68000 code not worth of our attention.

Assuming the rnc files are not damaged I can decompress them all.

I'll check over the weekend as i'd like to play myself.

Looking at your explanations i don't quite understand how all this is generated from a seed value and results in the same maps being generated generally time in, timeo out.. maybe I miss something!

[StrategyGamer]

Originally Posted by bippym

Looking at your explanations i don't quite understand how all this is generated from a seed value and results in the same maps being generated generally time in, timeo out.. maybe I miss something!

Total Chaos does the same.
You can write:

Seed 1234 ; <- Put any number of your choice
GenerateNewDungeon

And it generates the same map on every computer in the universe.

With Total Chaos you can actually see the whole map at once from overhead view to confirm this easily.

[BippyM]

I know this, but in the instructions it says it does some mathematical computations to the seed and then uses that.

I think to understand this properly I will need to resource the mapgen prog.. Guess I'm gonna be transferring my hdf's to my girlfriends laptop so I can have a play

[Hungry Horace]

what i dont understand, is what you do with it once you understand it?

generate Captive maps for other games??? an AGA version perhaps?

[Lyverbe]

Originally Posted by bippym

I know this, but in the instructions it says it does some mathematical computations to the seed and then uses that.

Lets say a random generator function does the following:

n = OldValue * 1234
n = (n + 29) & 0xffff
n = (n << 8) | (n & 0xff)
OldValue = n

If you initialize "OldValue" with the seed 1, calls to the mathematical operations above will create 61188, 3526, 35172, etc. If you initialize it with the seed 2, the same calls with create 49417, 32127, 12014, etc.

That's how a single seed number creates completely random numbers.
I didn't want to be too technical on the webpage to not confuse anyone

Originally Posted by Hungry Horace

what i dont understand, is what you do with it once you understand it?

I implemented the map generator in my Captive utility called SuperCC. It allows you to instantly play any maps using the Atari ST Emulator. I was also tired of asking myself how the maps are generated!

[StrategyGamer]

How do we use your map generator on the Amiga?
Amiga version has better graphics.