Epic: Is the sound code broken after a while? + question about the music + HOL cheat

[lilalurl]

1) A little while ago, I read that the music in Epic was taken from The Planets Op. 32 orchestral suite by Gustav Holst.
So, I thought I would try and listen to that. After listening to the whole suite, I had not heard anything that was close to the music.

I decided to try the other versions of the game. The Atari ST version clearly uses a sample from the Mars song. The PC version too it seems (well, the MIDI from the game was not great via Dosbox, but it sounded like a MIDI rendition of that song)

Therefore I was wondering if anyone has more info. on the music in the amiga version. Is it a completely original creation? Is it a partial 'remix'? Sometimes I have the feeling that some parts of the Mars song are featured in the amiga music (but with a different 'instrument' of course), but maybe I am imagining things after listening to them a lot of times.


2) While doing 1) I had the opportunity to notice something in the Atari version that reminded me of a probable issue with the amiga version (could be a coding issue or more likely a development issue, something rushed or similar)

2)a) Amiga version: When you see that animation, you hear the sample 'clear flight deck'. After a while in the game (I think mission 6 or something), you hear 'launch all fighters' for that same screen. And then, you don't hear one of those samples for the few other missions that feature this screen.

Atari ST version: Same thing for 'clear flight deck'.
But on the following animation screen , you hear 'launch all fighters'.

This makes me think that something happened during the development of the amiga version.


2)b) A bit like the previously mentionned samples, the music also doesn't play during the cutscenes in the amiga version after a while in the game.

I did not try the whole Atari ST version, but using the code for the last mission (Corvus) and suiciding to restart the mission, I could hear that the music replays each time you go into the cutscene phase.
That is not the case with the amiga version.

As a matter of fact, there is also a problem with the Atari ST during the cutscene phase for the last mission. Although you can hear, besides the music, the 'alert' sample when appropriate, you no longer hear the clear flight deck and launch all fighters sample.


I tried the Atari ST version with Steem, Elite crack.
I tried the whdload version with Winuae/A1200 settings. I clearly remember that when I had an A1200 I encountered the same issues (it was a cracked version, but I suppose that if the whdload version as the same issue, it is not a cracking problem), so there is no reason to think it could be an emulation issue.


3) One of the cheats in HOL is:
'Push the joystick down and to the right and press 'ENTER' for full
shields and weapons.'

Actually if that refers to the numpadEnter cheat, pressing numpadEnter is enough. No need for pressing the joystick down and to the right.


PS: Of course, I could not post this thread before because of the guess the handdrawn screenshot competition which lasted quite a while

[Angus]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

1) A little while ago, I read that the music in Epic was taken from The Planets Op. 32 orchestral suite by Gustav Holst.
So, I thought I would try and listen to that. After listening to the whole suite, I had not heard anything that was close to the music.

I can't help specifically with the music issue I'm afraid, but we revisited the game on c.s.a.games in August, and there were a number of very noticeable "features" in the game that caused problems. I think it was potentially a very good game, let down by not being finished properly and essentially being in a beta state, still and advancement on F29 though.

Here's the c.s.a.games thread if you're interested:

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/com...&q=August+Epic

[lilalurl]

Thanks, not directly helpful but nice to see some other people have some 'worries' with the game.
Probably a not fully finished/rushed game indeed.

Funny thing is that some issues are universal. For instance, the fuelpod were an issue for a long time, until I took time to study how to locate them and get them.
By the way, if I remember correctly (I usually cheat in-game so I don't get to use them often) the 'fuel'pods also replenish weapons. Didn't see that mentionned on csag.

Another point, am I right in thinking that the pod is usally quite high up
on the horizon?'

Also sometimes they are very low, almost at ground level (at least some of them in mission 1, stage 2)

I didn't know the shield consumed fuel. Now it makes sense for the lower shield key to exist (until know my only guess was that the programmers thought it would be needed to suicide from time to time ).
Could be a nice idea for someone to write a FAQ and put it on sites such as gamefaqs (there are none at the moment)

Regarding the shield generator, one funny thing is that on the Atari ST version, although it is located at the same place as in the amiga version, the pink/purple dot is not at the right place, so you have to fly a bit further to find it.

Another funny thing is that the Atari ST, although it has some bad sound effects for weapons fire (plasma and photon are the same as on Amiga) but laser and epical is horrible, there is a specific sound for when you lock on a target. This is rather useful and not featured on the amiga version.


I quickly searched csag and didn't find anything relevant, so I suppose that none of you tried the extra missions.
I only gave it a quick try. What I remember is that there was a nice briefing (detailled objectives, with a map). Maybe some other improvements. I'll give it a further try later.

The PC version may be in a more finished state. I remember there were some specific screens for the briefings (you see a general or something). But that MIDI music was really poor, which does not help wanting to try it again.


And finally, if you still have not finished the lost vikings, I may be able to help.
Back on Amiga, I had managed to go as far as some stages of the penultimate zone (that one with oxygen pump stations that make you float and those nasty spikes that make you explode). I finally finished the game (SNES version) last summer, using save states especially for those spike levels.