Is Pinball Prelude really that technically complicated?

[MethodGit]

Seeing as how Jeff described patching it for WHDLoad as really difficult and all. And I can understand, as it seems the encryption protection is preventing me from making a working PSPUAE save state for it as the game will seemingly not run on a hardware setup different to what you installed it on to begin with.


WHDLoad would normally save the day for me but seeing as the PP install only supports the AGA version, and PSPUAE doesn't currently support the AGA chipset, I can honestly say I'm a bit screwed here!

I did try to use Jeff's "fix_install" with the Install program on the CD-ROM version (which also appears to apply encryption, and the data files on the CD aren't useable on any other media) but I guess it should've been obvious that it wasn't compatible.

I've spent tiresome hours trying to get this stubborn bastard of a game to do what I want it to, and frankly I'm wondering whether it's even worth trying to PSPUAE this for the guys over there for the time being.

Bloody Effigy and their weird protectionness!

[Hungry Horace]

i dont remember the game being so great... so maybe it's not worth the bother!

any i am dubious about pinball on any emulation, (not smooth enough imo) never mind on PSPUAE

[Graham Humphrey]

Originally Posted by Hungry Horace

i dont remember the game being so great

I think it's a very good game and is under-appreciated by the majority of Amiga users... but that's just me

[Galahad/FLT]

As Graham said, its a good game.

Have you tried the Hellfire OCS/ECS cracked version?

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

I think it's a very good game and is under-appreciated by the majority of Amiga users... but that's just me

It's not just you! I quite like this game too and think it's very underrated.

[Hungry Horace]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

I think it's a very good game and is under-appreciated by the majority of Amiga users... but that's just me

yeah, but i think that about Wipe-Out and few people say anything but to take the piss...

[MethodGit]

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

As Graham said, its a good game.

Have you tried the Hellfire OCS/ECS cracked version?

Yes, except that it isn't HD-installable and all the disks are in NDOS format. My idea was to get some files copied to the internal RAM for the purpose of making a R.I.S.S. (RAM-installed Save State) for PSPUAE.


I was hoping to use the CD version as that provides a frontend to access all the tables whereas the floppy version only allows you to load tables like seperate games. I might have to give the floppy version a try though and just hope it's not as stubborn as the CD release.

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by MethodGit

Seeing as how Jeff described patching it for WHDLoad as really difficult and all. And I can understand, as it seems the encryption protection is preventing me from making a working PSPUAE save state for it as the game will seemingly not run on a hardware setup different to what you installed it on to begin with.


WHDLoad would normally save the day for me but seeing as the PP install only supports the AGA version, and PSPUAE doesn't currently support the AGA chipset, I can honestly say I'm a bit screwed here!

I did try to use Jeff's "fix_install" with the Install program on the CD-ROM version (which also appears to apply encryption, and the data files on the CD aren't useable on any other media) but I guess it should've been obvious that it wasn't compatible.

I've spent tiresome hours trying to get this stubborn bastard of a game to do what I want it to, and frankly I'm wondering whether it's even worth trying to PSPUAE this for the guys over there for the time being.

Bloody Effigy and their weird protectionness!

Since I have made a completely new Pinball Prelude patch which supports the OCS and AGA version I can tell you that the protection was absolutely nothing special. Disk format was semi-interesting because each cylinder used a different SYNC, 4 different SYNCS were used which means every 8th track the SYNCs repeated. Other than that there is really nothing special or "weird" whatsoever when it comes to the protection.

[MethodGit]

Originally Posted by StingRay

Since I have made a completely new Pinball Prelude patch which supports the OCS and AGA version I can tell you that the protection was absolutely nothing special. Disk format was semi-interesting because each cylinder used a different SYNC, 4 different SYNCS were used which means every 8th track the SYNCs repeated. Other than that there is really nothing special or "weird" whatsoever when it comes to the protection.

Well thanks for getting stuck in and giving it a new coat of paint four years later!

Seeing as you took an interest in the game, shall I lend you an image of the CD version (or alternatively a link to it) to look at? The most notable difference between it and the floppy versions is that - like I said - it includes an actual frontend from which you can select your table, rather than giving you three WB icons to click on. I guess it was done this way for ease of use on simpler CD systems such as the CD³².

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by MethodGit

Well thanks for getting stuck in and giving it a new coat of paint four years later!

Not "4 years later", I didn't look at this game because of your thread here!

Originally Posted by MethodGit

Seeing as you took an interest in the game, shall I lend you an image of the CD version (or alternatively a link to it) to look at? The most notable difference between it and the floppy versions is that - like I said - it includes an actual frontend from which you can select your table, rather than giving you three WB icons to click on. I guess it was done this way for ease of use on simpler CD systems such as the CD³².

If that CD version is an official one I'll support it, where can it be found?

[MethodGit]

Originally Posted by StingRay

Not "4 years later", I didn't look at this game because of your thread here!

Ok, I'll reiterate - thanks for finding this thread and bringing it to the fore four years later!

If that CD version is an official one I'll support it, where can it be found?

If it's okay on here for me to link to it....

http://www.emuparadise.me/Amiga_CD32...32-PC%5D/57659

And it's certainly official - I do believe I still have an original copy of it in fact!


One thing to note: the CD version's HD installer also uses encryption, and from my experience the existing data files on the CD have been designed to refuse to run from any media other than the disc they're on, so it's not just a case of manually copying them over. I remember getting agitated because I couldn't use this version as the basis for a R.I.S.S. state..... before I eventually discovered the old replacement 'install' program by JOTD that allowed one to install the ECS or AGA floppy version, sans encryption. Mind you, all of this saga was from before I took a personal interest in 68000 programming.

[Galahad/FLT]

Shame the psp amiga emulator is so crap as I did a hd install with high score save based on my fairlight crack

[alkis21]

After reading this thread, I thought I'd give the game another chance after many years so I played it for about 15 minutes (the AGA version). You are right, it does look well made. The only thing that bothers me is the ball, compared to the one in Digital Illusions games it looks flat, unrotating and very two dimensional. Plus I can't figure out the objectives other than the obvious one of not getting the ball get past you, what I love in games like Pinball Illusions is that I always have a goal, a point on the screen to aim at next which is far less boring than just keeping the ball in play. But I guess it's just a matter of time before I learn the objectives right?