Flashback

[Dimitris1980]

I started playing Flashback on Archimedes via the Arculator. The problem is that although I put the cartridge in the generator, it doesn't load and it remains as zero so I cannot proceed across the bridge. Attached some pictures from Dos and Archimedes versions.

Any ideas ?

[sirbod]

Protection kicking in?

[iomanoid]

Protection kicking in?

Copy protection that JUST ABOUT lets you play the game, is the very definition of evil. Blowpipe does that, you can complete half of level 1 but then you can’t do shit at the shop. It’s a crime. I’d rather they just played the captain pugwash theme…

[sirbod]

Cartoon Line part one, Cyber Ape, Fire & Ice, Rockfall and Thundermonk also become more difficult or unplayable if the protection fails. Fire & Ice being the interesting one as it only passes the protection on very specific hardware.

Flashback has Manual based protection, it's possible the validity check is performed more than once throughout its code. I'd have to play-test with and without the Manual check removed to be certain it is the protection. It could just as easily be a Page Zero access bug that needs fixing.

It could also be the copy being used or something else that's loaded.

[MatthewThompson]

Cartoon Line part one, Cyber Ape, Fire & Ice, Rockfall and Thundermonk also become more difficult or unplayable if the protection fails. Fire & Ice being the interesting one as it only passes the protection on very specific hardware.

Flashback has Manual based protection, it's possible the validity check is performed more than once throughout its code. I'd have to play-test with and without the Manual check removed to be certain it is the protection. It could just as easily be a Page Zero access bug that needs fixing.

It could also be the copy being used or something else that's loaded.

Is this Fire + Ice issue, where when you get to Level 2 (or 3) there is no exit - and you cannot complete the level ?

[sirbod]

Is this Fire + Ice issue, where when you get to Level 2 (or 3) there is no exit - and you cannot complete the level ?

It is indeed

[philpem]

I'd love to see some write-ups on the copy protection schemes -- Fire and Ice sounds especially interesting, I'd love to know why it only works on one specific type of hardware.

I've got an original boxed copy around here somewhere and I vaguely remember the disk format being pretty wild compared to most other Arc protection schemes. It's also the only time I can recall coming across the copy protection scheme they used, which seemed to be a commercial bought-in product.

[MatthewThompson]

Is this Fire + Ice issue, where when you get to Level 2 (or 3) there is no exit - and you cannot complete the level ?

It is indeed

Thought so, I think i first became aware of it when it was mentioned in, or I wrote to Acorn User. It was a shame as I really liked that game, and that I barely could get anywhere.

[SarahWalker]

I'd love to see some write-ups on the copy protection schemes -- Fire and Ice sounds especially interesting, I'd love to know why it only works on one specific type of hardware.

One of the protection sectors is high density (on a double density disc). Doesn't work brilliantly on 1772 machines. IIRC the bitcells are a bit non-standard as well.

[sirbod]

I'd love to see some write-ups on the copy protection schemes

Protection methods that I've noted, with example games:

1 - Protection wheel (eg The Legend of the Lost Temple)
2 - General unformatted track (eg The Last Ninja)
3 - General sector CRC error (eg Air Supremacy)
4 - General read track (eg Slappit)
5 - Oregan Developments (eg Arcturus)
6 - SoftLock (eg Gods)
7 - Daniel Simms X Lock2 (eg Gribbly)
8 - DSPS (eg Xenon II)
9 - Daniel Simms X Lock (eg Populous)
10 - Peter Gillett ZFiler module 1.0 (eg Chock Away Extra Missions)
11 - Variation on X Lock (9) (eg Wolfenstein)
12 - R.A. North (eg Zarch)
13 - Variation on Gordon J.Key (18) (The Dungeon)
14 - Gordian Lock (eg Fire & Ice)
15 - Protector (eg Pandora's Box)
16 - DM Protection Systems (eg Darkwood)
17 - Martin Piper Protection_Module 3.12 (eg Formula 2000)
18 - Gordon J. Key (eg Drop Ship)
19 - Variation on Protector (15) (eg Cataclysm)
20 - Fuzzy bits (eg The Crystal Rainforest)

There's also games that bypass the OS and talk directly to the FDC, such as original Eterna games or the RO2 version of Chequered Flag. They're still covered by the list above though.

Fire and Ice sounds especially interesting, I'd love to know why it only works on one specific type of hardware.

Code: Select all

Fire & Ice disc 1 (14)         - Sectors are rotated one full sector from previous track
                               - Track 157, no sectors
                               - Track 158, 19 x 256 byte sectors ID order: 2 > 19, 1
                               - Track 159, 19 x 256 byte sectors 0 > 18 all bad ID CRC
                               - Track 160 extra track
                               - Track 161 quad density track
	Read Track:        &316 (&C5800)  - 158   (10, 5, 2, 2, &D00C00)               slow sector
	Verify: &400  from &31B (&C6C00)  - 159.0 (10, 5, 2, 2, &D00C00)  << ID CRC    slow sector
	Read:   &1400 from &320 (&C8000)  - 160.0 (10, 5, 2, 2, &D00C00)               slow sector
	Read:   &1400 from &A1  (&284000) - 161.0 (14, 1, 2, 4, &D00C00)  << data CRC  slow sector

	* CHECK * Level 3 has no enemies if disc check fails

Fire & Ice disc 2 (3)	      - Track 0, sector 1 bad CRC

In summary, it requires:

• DiscOp 3 (Read Track) to return a list of sector ID's - not the track data
• An FDC that supports Quad density
• A drive that will read beyond track 159
• A specific read speed on the protection sectors

[vanpeebles]

Have you charged the cartridge? If I remember right, you have to charge it with power like the shield.