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Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby shadowcat » Mon Jan 02, 2023 12:38 am

Hi, not sure if this is the right sub-forum. I'm searching for some old patches that possibly no one has anymore.


I'll start with just this one: Forsaken 1998 - the history is a little odd.

1998-04-15 = Europe retail = first release (readme says April 2, 1998)
1998-04-24 = Italy / Usa / ? retail = final version (see readme faq, mentions indeo driver)
?? = Patch 1.00
1998-11-23 = Patch 1.01 (EFIGS = English - France - Germany - Italy - Spain) (mentions DX6)


This website mentions there's a 1.00 patch, of which I know nothing about
https://forsakenx.github.io/fsplanet/info.htm


I have zero idea whether it's the 04-24 hotfix or something created after that one. It's not important other than .. well archival completionist ocd research I guess. I'm usually interested in the readme itself to know what / when something changed.

:thanks: regardless of whether you can dig up anything!
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby annoyment » Mon Jan 02, 2023 7:48 am

Knowing the exact filenames would help (although the first twoentries sound to me like discs rather than patches) - this will have to do for now:
https://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/1715/7/24953
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://ww ... /patches/*
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby HcH » Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:07 am

Good day Shadowcat,

I read you're into anti-piracy measurements, interesting stuff isn't it? About hard to find patches in general, I had a lot of luck finding old patches on archive org, in the pc magazine coverdisc section.

Some series like "Game.EXE" have a lot of game patches, here are those from 2000 - 2005, a nice patch collection:

pc-2000-patches: https://anonfiles.com/Xa59F2P0y1/
pc-2001-patches: https://anonfiles.com/v1A6FfP9y3/
pc-2002-patches: https://anonfiles.com/x951FcP2y6/
pc-2003-patches: https://anonfiles.com/e4Q0F0P2ya/
pc-2004-patches: https://anonfiles.com/f5Z8FePbya/
pc-2005-patches: https://anonfiles.com/c69cF0Pdya/

Index:
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Maybe there are some patches in that collection you need later on, or if you want to start a patch collection, it's a nice start.
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches  Topic is solved

Postby annoyment » Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:11 pm


Managed to find the supposed easier patch (ForsPatch09-29.exe) here: https://archive.org/details/PowerPlay1298
shadowcat wrote:1998-04-15 = Europe retail = first release (readme says April 2, 1998)
1998-04-24 = Italy / Usa / ? retail = final version (see readme faq, mentions indeo driver)

Please clarify these for me BTW - :thanks: in advance...
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby shadowcat » Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:49 pm

Thanks everyone! You managed to find the mystery Usa Military patch I've heard about
http://www.forsaken.com/downloads/patches/MILITARY.ZIP (use archive)
- what's so weird about this one is that the files have 1998-04-15. It's like the usa one used some earlier build than the Europe counterparts.


EDIT:
ForsPatch09-29.exe is 1.00!


The 1.01 patches all have conflicting timestamp information
forsakenpatch101english.exe
forsakenpatch101french.exe
forsakenpatch101german.exe
forsakenpatch101italian.exe
forsakenpatch101spanish.exe
- most say June 1999 for installer but the files inside are dated 1998-11-23, except for the readme which says 1998-09-29



The wiki mentions 1.00 dumbed down the hardest difficulty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forsaken_(video_game)


To make things more confusing for chronologists like me, the dates go like this:

- Europe retail
--- April 2, 1998 = readme
--- 1998-04-15 = exe PE header
--- 1998-04-15 = exe Win32 timestamp


- Europe re-release
--- April 14, 1998 = readme
--- 1998-04-14 = exe PE header (what???)
--- 1998-04-14 = exe Win32 timestamp


- Italy retail
--- April 2, 1998 = readme 1
--- Friday April 24th = readme 2, "Forsaken FAQ for Final version"
--- 1998-04-25 = exe PE header
--- 1998-04-25 = exe Win32 timestamp


- 1.00 patch = 1998-09-29
--- Includes new battle.dat levels, which 1.01 omits
--- Plus exe changes


- English 1.01 patch
--- 1998-09-29 = readme, "Forsaken Patch"
--- 1998-11-23 = exe PE header
--- 1998-11-23 = exe Win32 timestamp


I've yet to compare the Usa release, why only that one needs the Military patch.


===


Copy protection became more interesting when I learned how to dive into the asm. The crypto math for SecuROM 1-5 completely befuddles me though, it's a 9-byte key but the algorithm is :???: Something I've learned I don't need to know.
Last edited by shadowcat on Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby shadowcat » Mon Jan 02, 2023 8:36 pm

EDIT:
annoyment found the correct patch, mentioned above. It correctly is the 9/29 Patch (1.00). Later 1.01 is 1998-11-23 with exe changes only, and new battle levels not included from 1.00.


The original name was
FORSAKENPATCH09-29.ZIP - From www.acclaim.net


===============================================


Curiously found this one
https://archive.org/details/totalgames093

Says Patch 1.0 by Reflux. Which looks like the 1.01s floating around. Maybe 1.01 is a misnomer or there was some hidden changes I'm not seeing.



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▀█▄▄ ▀▀▀▀ ▀▀ █ ▀ ─ ── ──────── R·e·f·l·u·X ──────── ── ─ ▀ █ ▀▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▄▄█▀▒
▀▀▀▀█ █████ █▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀█ █████ █▀▀▀▀ ▒
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.... Proudly Presents .... .. .
┌ ─ ── ──════════════════════════════════════════════════════════── ── ─ ┐
┌-: FORSAKEN v1.0 Patch :─┐
│ └── ──══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════── ──┘ :
│ Supplier --- -- [ Acclaim ] │ Type --- --- -- [ Update ] │
: Cracker --- -- [ rantnrave ] │ Protection - -- [ CD Checks ] :
. Tester --- -- [ rantnrave ] : Requirements -- [ p166/16mb/dx6] .
# Of Disks - -- [ 02 x 1.45 mb ] . Release Date -- [ 10 - 10 - 98 ] .
└─┌ ─ ── ───────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────── ── ─ ┐─┘
┌: . .. :: [ Release Notes ] :: .. . :┐
│└─ ── ───════════════─═──════════════──═══════════──═─═══════════─── ── ─┘│
: :


New Features:

- The join game menu now gives you information regarding the type of
game being played.
- Multiplayer patched games are incompatible with non-patched games.
- Both easy and normal mode for single play have been made easier by
at least 50%
- CD is no longer required for multiplayer games provided you did a
Custom install that included the level data (and preferably the sound
effects as well). You can spawn multiplayer deathmatch games from 1
CD. (Note: CD still required to play the single player game).
- The option to reset the frag counter after every game has been added.
(selectable from Multiplayer option menu).
- Bike headlights (Can now be toggled on and off and will light up dark
areas of the map and cloaked bikers if in range). Selectable from in game
key configuration menu.
- Fullscreen rear view (Can now be set up from the in game key
configuration screen).
- There is now an option to toggle the amount of primary weapons available
at the beginning of the level to a maximum of 3. This evens out the
playing field, e.g. you can now have 3 Trojax on a level etc. This is
selectable from the 'more multiplayer options' menu for the Host.
- The damage from a ricochet of a Transpulse blast has been reduced to 25%
instead of 50% this should stop people from camping out of harms way.
- Be aware un-patched save games are not compatible with the patch version.

Bug fixes:

- Choppy FMV bug under Windows 98 and 95 now fixed. Now uses Direct Show
to play FMV. All necessary DirectX components now automatically installed.
- Ammo on all levels now regenerates properly
- No cheats allowed in multiplayer games.
- SLI 1024x768 mode for Voodoo 2 is now fixed and is a selectable setting
in the launcher.
- A cure has been found for the Starfighter AGP card crash. Please download
the latest drivers from the Real3D website. http://www.real3d.com
- Crashing when re-spawning in a multi-player game has now been fixed.
- SetViewport failed crash bug has now been fixed.
- Flying backwards with nitro bug on the sidewinder joystick is now fixed.
- The lumberjack cheat no longer leaves stationary Mug missiles in mid air
for single player games
- The power of a Trojax for a quick tap of a button has been corrected (it
used to be far too powerful). Now to get full power you must fully charge
the Trojax.

This new patch requires DirectX 6 installed!

. .. :: [ Install & Rip Notes ] :: .. .

Unzip, then unrar to the directory you installed
Forsaken to. This update requires the Class release
of Forsaken. This update has Long File Names also (use winrar).

Enjoy!

:└──══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──┘│
│ . .. :: [ The RefluX Team ] :: .. . :
└──┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐──┘
┌─┘──────────────────────┤ -- --- [FLUXMEN] --- -- ├─────────────────────└─┐
: :
-= Alchemist · Anthrax · Bio Sphere · Byte Asc · Bullet Wound · Conan =-
-= Darksun · Del · Detoch · Dlgr · Djay · DrWoo · Grinder · G-RoM =-
-= Justarius · Koka · LightB · Radon · rantnrave · Raist · [Riddler] · Scan =-
-= tKLP · Tragik · Uncle John · Wadood · ZiP =-
-= Caserd · Moon Sabre =-

└──────────────┌────────────────────────────────────────┐──────────────┘

┌─┘──────────────────────┤ -- -- [FLUXSPOTS] -- -- ├─────────────────────└─┐
: :

=[World HQ]= Hxxx ox Ixxxxxxxx
-[ HQ ]- Txx Mxxxxx Sxxxxxxx
=[ HQ ]= Txx Wxxxxx Hxxxx
-[ HQ ]- Pxxxx Mxxxx
=[ HQ ]= Txx Cxxxxx
=[ US HQ ]= Returning soon...



┌──────┘────────────────────────────────────────└──────┐
─ ── : │ . .. :: [ Greets ] :: .. . │ : ── ─
└──────:────────────────────────────────────────:──────┘
┌────────────┘────────────────────────────────────────└────────────┐
│ .xX[]-People : Pitbull, Smokey, Prozac, Z-E-U-S, Butcher, Zip, │
: Retix, ][ce, RnR, Alchemist, Tklp, Sharp, DrWoo, :
r0sc0, and ALL the suckahz in RefluX :)

. .xX[]-Groups : Razor 1911, Paradigm, Class, Divine, Pinnacle, .
: Drink or Die, Pirates With Attitudes, Rise, FCN. :
└────┐─ ── ───════════════════════════════════════════─── ── ─┌────┘
┌┘────────────────────────────────────────────────────────└┐
: . .. :: [ RefluX News ] :: .. . :
┌─────└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┬────────┘─────┐
│ rant is still smoking it.... : [10/10/98] :
│ └──────────────┘
│ │
┌─└─ ── ───════════════════════╗═══────────══════════════════════─── ── ─┘─┐
: . .. :: [Contacting] :: .. . ║ Interested in joining? Please stop by │
└──────────────────────════════╝ #Reflux of EFNET, or drop us an email at │
reflux@partyondude.com We encourage anyone who can get new, unreleased │
: games, hardware/cash, or on a fast link in EST to please drop us a line. :
└─ ── ───═══════════════════════════──────═════════════════════════─── ── ─┘
│ Nfo Header+Layout By: Strike Light Complements of <SAC> Productions │
┌└────────────────────────────────────══──────────────────────────────────┘┐
└────══┤ NFO Last Updated: [10/10/98] By: rantnrave ├══───────────────────┘
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby shadowcat » Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:00 am

Forsaken 1998 version history
https://pastebin.com/raw/wdw7vW9v


Thanks to annoyment for that original 1.0 find!
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby shadowcat » Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:21 am

Didn't know that patches-scrolls.com still has archives not on the new patches-scrolls.de website

All 6 patches for Incoming (1998) :mrgreen:
https://www.patches-scrolls.com/search. ... m=1&cnt=25


The web faq mentions that early OEM builds are not the full retail game :?
https://web.archive.org/web/19990223205 ... g/faq.html


More interesting to me is that many OEM builds I find (at least on the Archive) are the early release edition (4 maps, campaign-only mode) and the soundtrack is changed (no old MacDonald remix + slower longer tracks + synth instruments sound like a weaker patchmap). Usa Incoming Forces bundle is the "pre-retail" Incoming release too, but includes the missing farm track). Still, it's very neat to see how the development changed - the OST moreso compared to Retail final.


Were there other games that got this pre-release OEM "demo" treatment? Were the video card releases really that different from normal Retail 3D accelerated builds (texture cache, pop-up, flares, or what else) or just performance boost? I haven't noticed or heard anything for Incoming though - 3dfx Voodoo2 / Riva TNT vs Matrox G200 vs Retail.


And well, the Usa release got a few very minor bugfixes over the Europe retail one. And Usa got a bunch of new audio tracks with small mission narration (haven't tested yet if they're actually used in-game).


EDIT:
Turns out the models and textures changed also
https://www.resetera.com/threads/recent ... on.155341/
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Re: Looking for hard to find game patches

Postby annoyment » Fri Jan 06, 2023 3:32 am

shadowcat wrote:Were there other games that got this pre-release OEM "demo" treatment?

For GPU/CPU specific physical releases (off the bat, night and day in graphical fidelity between regular and PowerVR releases of Resident Evil; and back then quite a bunch PowerVR and/or Glide could've counted as a worthy visual spruce-up - granted, not as sharp as DOS going Hercules/CGA/VGA/other, but still worthy of appreciation) I'd speculate, from W9x to (sharply decreasing) late XP era, ~30 percent :idea:
For regular demos in OEM discs (MDK Mission Laguna Beach might count here), a bit below the former estimate (with a bit of an overlap between the two as well) :|
Lastly, having an exclusive/prerelease (for general public, and NOT press/review/screener/RC/such) bundled (whether or not intentional or slip-up is always a guess)? One percent or below surely (Tonic Trouble, and its later Special Edition, for one; preserved on the Archive BTW) :huh:
As for the protection status on ANY single mixture of those? IMO hardly any may occur for English variants; FIGS could've slipped in a SafeDisc or other in select few more discs, but better not keep your fingers crossed in finding one deliberately :roll:
Any further details on any/all of the above - BetaArchive could be your friend too :up:
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