Flashback - HD Remake (Action Platformer)

[Sandro]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

Interesting. I did not remember the DOS version having the Zoom. Was it both the floppy version and the CD version? I mostly played the latter and maybe the zoom was not in there (otherwise it means my memory is getting worse )


Anyway, I guess that since dlfrsilver knows Thierry Levastre he could ask him if the Amiga version was the first one developed and/or released or if several versions were developed at the same time.

the floppy version have zoom,the cd version seems was done a cup of years later > zoom was removed
another thing that now made me to think that PC floppy version could be the original one is the fact that Flashback PC runs in high resolution, while the Amiga,megadrive, SNES runs in LOWRES
GFX are much better in the PC version...seems are the original GFX ,perhps they degraded GFX for plarforms not capable to run games in high resolution

[gimbal]

For all we know the graphics were done before hand, but the Amiga version was still the first one programmed / finished. Too many variables and options to keep guessing.

[BobRedthorp]

According to the latest issue of Retro Gamer magazine, Paul Cuisset said the original platform was the Mega Drive

When we asked Paul what his favourite version of the game was he hit us with the following blindside. “The best version for me is the Mega Drive version. The game was created for this platform.” Thinking that our ears were still faulty after hearing about The Godfather revelation we asked Paul to repeat himself. “It was the main platform,” he confirms. “It was a port on the Amiga; the main platform was the [Mega Drive].”

[Retro-Nerd]

The best version is now the Amiga version with full CD32 pad support. Thanks to Psygore.

[lilalurl]

Originally Posted by BobRedthorp

According to the latest issue of Retro Gamer magazine, Paul Cuisset said the original platform was the Mega Drive

Issue 118 with Flashback on the cover? I will take a look and set the status in the entry then.

Originally Posted by Sandro

the floppy version have zoom,the cd version seems was done a cup of years later > zoom was removed
another thing that now made me to think that PC floppy version could be the original one is the fact that Flashback PC runs in high resolution, while the Amiga,megadrive, SNES runs in LOWRES
GFX are much better in the PC version...seems are the original GFX ,perhps they degraded GFX for plarforms not capable to run games in high resolution

Those are interesting details. Even if the original version is apparently the Megadrive one, if dlfrsilver can ask Thierry Levastre some questions for us, I'd like to know the chronology of the versions: which one(s) were the original(s), why such version had such features and the other had them removed etc....



As a side note, I find it interesting how much elements are being brought forward by many EAB members just because you noticed that the status in the HOL entry was set to unknown.

[BobRedthorp]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

Issue 118 with Flashback on the cover? I will take a look and set the status in the entry then.

Yep, thats the one!

[lesta_smsc]

It's finally here!

[BobRedthorp]

Yep, and its truly abysmal, its like Shadow Complex with bad voice acting, they included the original too but that doesn't help it because you need to play it in a tiny arcade cabinet with virtual screen glare and no audio in the cutscenes, I so wanted to like this remake, I don't think they should have bothered.

[lesta_smsc]

Originally Posted by BobRedthorp

Yep, and its truly abysmal, its like Shadow Complex with bad voice acting, they included the original too but that doesn't help it because you need to play it in a tiny arcade cabinet with virtual screen glare and no audio in the cutscenes, I so wanted to like this remake, I don't think they should have bothered.

Actually, despite what I initially thought, I do quite like this now. I must commend the team on 3d graphics and game play is quite like original... so far, so good!

[s2325]

Entire intro of Amiga Flashback (without music) fit in 57KB file (!) I don't know how it's possible.
download http://cd.textfiles.com/aggames/COMM...ORLDII-PREVIEW
video [ Show youtube player ]
another version is in 98KB file http://cd.textfiles.com/aggames/COMM...WORLD2.PREVIEW

[dlfrsilver]

Those are interesting details. Even if the original version is apparently the Megadrive one, if dlfrsilver can ask Thierry Levastre some questions for us, I'd like to know the chronology of the versions: which one(s) were the original(s), why such version had such features and the other had them removed etc....

I have almost all original IFF graphics for PC, Amiga, and a bit of the megadrive version.

The graphics were made with deluxe paint on amiga.

Amiga release was first, then PC, and then megadrive. This was the order of this game back in the day. I'm afraid Paul's memory is failing a bit here....

[lilalurl]

That's what I think too. Based on the release date available on MobyGames (usually reliable on that):
http://www.mobygames.com/game/flashb...y/release-info

and my memory from back then, I am pretty sure like you that is was Amiga, DOS and then Mega Drive.


There is still the possibility that the game was developed for the Mega Drive (and therefore the first internal "runnable" versions were on the Mega Drive) despite being developed on the Amiga.


A bit later in the interview that BobRedthorp quoted, Paul Cuisset also states:

“We had more than 1,000 frames of animation for Conrad himself, and of course the most important thing was the memory. The game was created for the Mega Drive at that time. At that time the cartridge size was only 16 mega-bits. That was the biggest, and we managed to negotiate with Sega to have a 24 mega-bit cartridge.”

“We didn’t have too much contact with them. It was only really when we showed them the game, and they were quite surprised because there was no cartridge of 24 mega-bits at the time. We created it ourselves (there was an engineer in our department) and so they were quite surprised to see that we had created our own cartridge.”

If that is true, perhaps the game reached a "final" state on the MegaDrive, on their prototype 24 mega-bit cartridge. But then it took time to mass-manufacture (including the contracting of a manufacturer) such cartridges and therefore the other versions were finished and released. Meanwhile, the MegaDrive received revisions (based on the feedback for the Amiga and DOS versions).

[lesta_smsc]

This was also on SNES...

[lilalurl]

The SNES came much later I am pretty sure. Based on my memory (far from 100 % reliable ) and that every SNES version saw the correction of that ledge bug that I show in this video:

[ Show youtube player ]


Here is most of the description:

This bug happens in the Amiga version of the game (video captured from this version)


The ledge area is accessible in the MD European version (Rev A) and US versions. The same bug happens.
In the Japanese MD version the ledge is not accessible (hidden from view, you cannot climb on the ledge and a running jump ends in the wall)
Comparison pictures from the other side of the ledge area (bottom right):
http://upload-pics.org/images/67118706864798604440.png
http://upload-pics.org/images/82411378681542059333.png


In all SNES versions the area is not accessible.

In the DOS disk version (French) and CD version, the area is accessible and the bug happens.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Sandro

the fact that Flashback PC runs in high resolution,

The PC version DOESN'T have high resolution graphics. I just tested it again and this is how it looks:


The resolution seems DOUBLED but it seems like it's exactly the same graphics than the Amiga/MD version, unlike the Mac version which is absolutely beautiful and in proper high res:

[s2325]

I think some graphics in Mac version were filtered while background trees are still the same.

[lesta_smsc]

Might be worth trying pc version using tv out. I've done this for several games and amazing quality! No more pixels!

[frikilokooo]

Originally Posted by s2325

I think some graphics in Mac version were filtered while background trees are still the same.

You can get an effect similar or higher running Flashback on WinUAE with some filter

[dlfrsilver]

The MAC version is enhanced, as it's written on the box. it use indeed a higher res than the other releases.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by frikilokooo

You can get an effect similar or higher running Flashback on WinUAE with some filter

No, you can't. Did you actually zoom in on the images I posted? The resolution is double, and not only that, the graphics have more details, graphics have been reworked for the higher resolution, it hasn't been filtered.

Here it is, for the lazy and/or blind ;p