Cyclone Software

Phantomz · 18 October 2008, 04:41

Just found my home made cyclone box which I made many moons ago.

Brings back memories as my friend also tried to make one, he tested it in his cousins machine and killed it lol (will never forget that day)

Would like the latest Cyclone Software if anyone has it and would be kind enough to upload it to the Zone.

Cheers

DamienD · 18 October 2008, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantomz

Just found my home made cyclone box which I made many moons ago.

Nice

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantomz

Would like the latest Cyclone Software if anyone has it and would be kind enough to upload it to the Zone.

I've uploaded the following to The Zone! for you:

... Cyclone 4 v9.11b (1991)(AST)[h Venture].zip
... X-Copy TNG & Tools (1995)(De).zip (which contains Cyclone 14.02 PAL)

Phantomz · 18 October 2008, 13:44

Cheers, nice to have some good software to go with it

Thanks alot

DamienD · 22 October 2008, 23:54

Hey Phantomz,

Also found this today:

The .ADF is in The Zone! for you

Phantomz · 23 October 2008, 03:32

Nice one, thanks again

RichAplin · 29 October 2008, 00:06

That screenshot looks odd to me - I don't think it's the original cyclone software It might be a third-party thing... does it say it's by Cachet Software?

I have fond memories of making the hardware too - when I first got it working we went to a demo party in london (an SAE party I think) and showed it off copying games with long tracks and the like. Lots of people wanted one, so we had to go find an electronic component store run by a little old guy, buy all his 25-pin D connectors and a hacksaw, and then potential customers from the party had saw them down to 23-pin themselves to fit the Amiga disk connector. Fun fun fun. Later on Cachet got in touch and we made a commercial version to bundle with X-Copy. Heh. Silly times.

I did a "APWM" version a lot later on which attempted to intelligently jitter the drive motor to get the two index markers to fall into sync before copying a track (the only way to copy a long track that was referenced to the index mark), ha never worked right. ;-P

Cheers!
Richard Aplin

DamienD · 29 October 2008, 00:20

Welcome to EAB Richard

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichAplin

That screenshot looks odd to me - I don't think it's the original cyclone software It might be a third-party thing... does it say it's by Cachet Software?

Can't remember. The file is still in The Zone! though if you want to take a look; X-Copy & Tools 08_94.zip

To gain access to The Zone! just follow these instructions: How do I get access to the zone?

dlfrsilver · 29 October 2008, 14:57

Hello Richard, we are very very demanding about crusty details of the final fight development on amiga

i'd love to hear you about it !

31 October 2008, 01:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantomz

Just found my home made cyclone box which I made many moons ago.

Brings back memories as my friend also tried to make one, he tested it in his cousins machine and killed it lol (will never forget that day)

Would like the latest Cyclone Software if anyone has it and would be kind enough to upload it to the Zone.

Cheers

haha, t'was the good soldering that I done and the 3p wire from Rapkins hehe

andreas · 31 October 2008, 02:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

Welcome to EAB Richard

Yes, have a nice stay, "Mr. Double Dragon II"!

So there are still surprises even after SEVEN years this forum exists!

Although I'd always feel a bit queasy when thinking of the good chances to run into guys who cracked your software back then!

Even after this whale of a time, some still resent the guys' actions because they accuse them of loss in revenue.
OK, yet another story...

Phantomz · 31 October 2008, 02:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjp_24

haha, t'was the good soldering that I done and the 3p wire from Rapkins hehe

Hello my friend, glad you've joined the forum at last

You should have took more time doing it and spent more cash on the wire then

31 October 2008, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantomz

Hello my friend, glad you've joined the forum at last

You should have took more time doing it and spent more cash on the wire then

Maybe, the one I did before worked haha

RichAplin · 05 November 2008, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by andreas

Yes, have a nice stay, "Mr. Double Dragon II"!

So there are still surprises even after SEVEN years this forum exists!

Although I'd always feel a bit queasy when thinking of the good chances to run into guys who cracked your software back then!

Even after this whale of a time, some still resent the guys' actions because they accuse them of loss in revenue.
OK, yet another story...

Heh no not at all; I was just working for a salary (not a big one) so didn't benefit or lose directly from piracy. I mostly did it because it was... FUN! ;-)
Making disk protection was just another aspect of the fun (and the Amiga was an amazing machine in so many ways), although after Double Dragon 2 I gave up and spent my time on other things instead.

dlfrsilver · 06 November 2008, 07:27

BTW how did you created the double dragon II protection physically ? what tools or system did you used to create the double dragon II master disk ?

Marcuz · 06 November 2008, 11:35

that's definitely not the Cyclone i have... it remains to see if catweasel let me rip it.

mr.vince · 15 November 2008, 09:59

That version shown in the screenshot above is taken from the last X-Copy release by Cachet. Alf Meier (or Maier, not sure anymore) worked on that. Although there were some versions that did work after Richard had left, this version in particular was never finished. It uses the parameters made by me, which was in fact a good start. But all the rewrites making the software more system friendly (quit back to workbench) did not improve the copy results from what I remember.

BTW that hardware dongle was redesigned later on and a version with a GAL exists. It can be switched off by software, so verifying the data was possible.

Chris

RichAplin · 26 November 2008, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

BTW how did you created the double dragon II protection physically ? what tools or system did you used to create the double dragon II master disk ?

It just used a long track (standard Protec disk protection) because getting the duplicators to duplicate anything else was a nightmare and we didn't have time to fight with them - but I hid separate bits of code that checked for that long track in lots (and lots) of places. I think I used a custom track format for the data as well but nothing particularly special about it.

To make and test the master disks the duplicators just sent us a big stack of blanks with the long (protection) track written on them and nothing else; we'd write the other 79 tracks and the rest was easy.

After all that (wasted) effort that I just went back to Amigados track format and even used (optimised) Amiga filesystem layout in the end because it was easier to develop.

Galahad/FLT · 26 November 2008, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichAplin

It just used a long track (standard Protec disk protection) because getting the duplicators to duplicate anything else was a nightmare and we didn't have time to fight with them - but I hid separate bits of code that checked for that long track in lots (and lots) of places. I think I used a custom track format for the data as well but nothing particularly special about it.

To make and test the master disks the duplicators just sent us a big stack of blanks with the long (protection) track written on them and nothing else; we'd write the other 79 tracks and the rest was easy.

After all that (wasted) effort that I just went back to Amigados track format and even used (optimised) Amiga filesystem layout in the end because it was easier to develop.

Nearly every single file tested that bloody track

All of your files were encrypted, had a coded header that decoded the file, some then did nothing, most tested your protection track.

I wouldn't say it was a completely wasted effort as it slowed the cracked version down, and only Weetibix/Oracle got it 100% from what I remember, so I wouldn't say it was a failure.

Imagine writing a nice copy protection, and then be TOLD you had to use their stupidly easy doc check instead...... load of arse!

dlfrsilver · 26 November 2008, 17:35

Okkk interesting for softpres ! So your long track protection was PROTEC, like the one
used on Sorcery + and Gemini Wings

Galahad/FLT · 26 November 2008, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

Okkk interesting for softpres ! So your long track protection was PROTEC, like the one
used on Sorcery + and Gemini Wings

If its the same, use the Rawdic imager I did for Double Dragon 2 and see if it will touch those games.

18 October 2008, 04:41	#1
Phantomz Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Age: 51 Posts: 214	Cyclone Software Just found my home made cyclone box which I made many moons ago. Brings back memories as my friend also tried to make one, he tested it in his cousins machine and killed it lol (will never forget that day) Would like the latest Cyclone Software if anyone has it and would be kind enough to upload it to the Zone. Cheers

29 October 2008, 00:06	#6
RichAplin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: san francisco/usa Posts: 176	That screenshot looks odd to me - I don't think it's the original cyclone software It might be a third-party thing... does it say it's by Cachet Software? I have fond memories of making the hardware too - when I first got it working we went to a demo party in london (an SAE party I think) and showed it off copying games with long tracks and the like. Lots of people wanted one, so we had to go find an electronic component store run by a little old guy, buy all his 25-pin D connectors and a hacksaw, and then potential customers from the party had saw them down to 23-pin themselves to fit the Amiga disk connector. Fun fun fun. Later on Cachet got in touch and we made a commercial version to bundle with X-Copy. Heh. Silly times. I did a "APWM" version a lot later on which attempted to intelligently jitter the drive motor to get the two index markers to fall into sync before copying a track (the only way to copy a long track that was referenced to the index mark), ha never worked right. ;-P Cheers! Richard Aplin Last edited by RichAplin; 29 October 2008 at 00:12.

06 November 2008, 07:27	#14
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,424	BTW how did you created the double dragon II protection physically ? what tools or system did you used to create the double dragon II master disk ? Last edited by dlfrsilver; 06 November 2008 at 13:05.

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18 October 2008, 13:44	#3
Phantomz Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Age: 51 Posts: 214	Cheers, nice to have some good software to go with it Thanks alot

22 October 2008, 23:54	#4
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	Hey Phantomz, Also found this today: The .ADF is in The Zone! for you

23 October 2008, 03:32	#5
Phantomz Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Age: 51 Posts: 214	Nice one, thanks again

29 October 2008, 14:57	#8
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,424	Hello Richard, we are very very demanding about crusty details of the final fight development on amiga i'd love to hear you about it !

06 November 2008, 11:35	#15
Marcuz Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: . Age: 48 Posts: 5,562	that's definitely not the Cyclone i have... it remains to see if catweasel let me rip it.

15 November 2008, 09:59	#16
mr.vince Cheesy crust Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hawk's Creek Age: 48 Posts: 1,383	That version shown in the screenshot above is taken from the last X-Copy release by Cachet. Alf Meier (or Maier, not sure anymore) worked on that. Although there were some versions that did work after Richard had left, this version in particular was never finished. It uses the parameters made by me, which was in fact a good start. But all the rewrites making the software more system friendly (quit back to workbench) did not improve the copy results from what I remember. BTW that hardware dongle was redesigned later on and a version with a GAL exists. It can be switched off by software, so verifying the data was possible. Chris

26 November 2008, 17:35	#19
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,424	Okkk interesting for softpres ! So your long track protection was PROTEC, like the one used on Sorcery + and Gemini Wings

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