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The memories...Also what happens to the old games

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:14 am
by Rincewind
Hello guys, another nostalgic 3DO user. I have actually bought a 3DO from ebay back in `03, still works. I just recently a few hours ago booted it up, with a nice game of Killing Time, until I got killed in the hedge maze area, DOH. :)

The console works great, and has no trouble reading burns (yes I will admit most of the games I have are *cough* ahem, are burns :oops: , but I have all the games I need, and I do have at least some originals that were shipped with my 3DO, Hell, Doom, Gex, and Road Rash but none in their original boxes or any manuals).

Anyways, I know that back when 3DO filed for Ch 11. and the details if I remember correctly that Trip Hawkins kept most if not all the IP for the console & games?

Also this is just speculation, but have you guys ever asked yourselves what happens to the older games, particularly the source code? Does it just go into the digital void?

If Trip Hawkins does have the patents to these games, does that include the source code for some of them? I often wondered what happens to certain game publishers that just die off and who gets their source codes to their games, or does it just 'go into oblivion?'

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:25 am
by Rincewind
Forgot to mention the obvious: The system in question that I have is the FZ-1. I rather like the Panasonic FZ-1 rather than the FZ-10, but thats just me ;)

Re: The memories...Also what happens to the old games

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 4:39 am
by Vance
Rincewind wrote:(yes I will admit most of the games I have are *cough* ahem, are burns :oops: , but I have all the games I need, and I do have at least some originals that were shipped with my 3DO, Hell, Doom, Gex, and Road Rash but none in their original boxes or any manuals).
Yeah, this is... yeah.

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:42 pm
by 3DO Experience
Uh oh, you've made an enemy!

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:43 pm
by 3DOKid
Tell 'em to get in line.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:11 am
by Trev
The few burned discs I do own are like big ugly warts on my otherwise beautiful collection. Only the combo of sheer deperation, coupled with astronomical prices and a dash of impossible to find drive me to pursue them.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:11 am
by 3DO Experience
I have discs I'm not proud of but we generally don't talk about it here.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:21 am
by BryWI
I have no shame. Just a folder of preservation. There was a time when such items were no where to be found. Efforts have made this not such a problem anymore though. I think this is a discussion that might of already taken place before though.

I have some original discs, the ones that I really wanted and actually do play. My FZ-1 is as good as a paper weight now. Even when I dont play it, it still manages to get worse.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:42 pm
by Rincewind
Ok well moving beyond my collection of games which the majority are burns...

I would like to return to one of my main points, and I am interested on your thoughts.

What happens to the source code to games when a company goes 'kaput'?

Is it essentially gone forever?

Which brings me to Studio 3DO, particularly Killing Time. Since Studio 3DO is essentially 3DO, and it went under, doesn't Trip have the IP to that? If so, would he still have the sources to Killing Time?

You probably would have guessed by now, and maybe I am obviously not the only one thinking/wishing this, but if Trip does have said sources to Killing Time, wouldn't it be great if he had decided either to resurrect it, or perhaps instead of just sitting on the IP, at least release it into the public domain?

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:53 pm
by BryWI
I think you are being a bit hopeful. As to what happens, I would guess 2 things usualy happen. Someone hoards it and it gets lost to the sands of time never to be seen again. OR. A certain member of this board, who never ceases to amaze me with the stuff they have that I have never even heard of, aquires it. :)

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:05 pm
by Rincewind
*sigh* I know I am being hopeful. Its just that I also played the butchered demo pc version, and ran back to the proper Killing Time version.

I am hoping against hope that maybe perhaps one day it might some how 'appear' somewhere and someone with the know-how would begin to port it as is to PC.

I certainly hope the sources aren't lost forever, it would be such a tragedy :(

I know also as an example ID-Software actually released the old Doom sources to the public domain, and you can also replay Doom on modern systems using the JDoom project, which is cool because you have the option to play either using the updated graphics, or the original graphics. All you need is the .wad file.

Anyways, I know that Doom & Killing Time are two far apart games, but I just wish I could see the 3DO port back to PC (PROPER port), and then maybe Killing Time wouldn't suffer from the poor framerate of the 3DO.

I also want to note that the ONLY FPS on the 3DO that didn't really suffer from the 3DO's limitations was Wolfenstein. Of the three shooters that I played (Doom, Killing Time and Wolfenstein), Wolfenstein had the best performance. I can't speak for PO'ed because I never played it for the 3DO. I did rent it when I had a PS1, and I just didn't care for P'Oed.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:29 pm
by 3DO Experience
I would like to see a Dreamcast port of Killing Time. That system has P-O-W-E-R so if anything could fix the frame rate that could. Ever see Quake on the DC? Looks wonderful!

The PC version could probably be easily ported to DC but who wants a port of that!?! hmmm But to a previous comment, I do keep back-ups of all my 3DO games on a hard drive in case something happens. KT on DC...

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:50 pm
by Rincewind
I don't doubt KT would rock on the DC. My only beef with that system, besides the dumb idea of the GD-ROM, is it's controllers. Honestly the controllers just plain suck. After about 15 minutes of playing Sonic Adventure, my hands just feel really strained.

Soul Calibur on the DC was just garbage as well, and that was due to the controller. Same with Power Stone another great game, just ruined by the DC's unwieldy controller.

Yea, the PC version of KT should be burned. Still if you at least HAD the sources from the 3DO version, at least it would be SOMETHING to work with, rather than reverse engineering the damn thing.

Assuming the code is C/C++ anyways, it is a matter of rewriting ARM to x86... But perhaps that is too simplistic, and I know that any game written for whatever platform, PC or console has bits of assembler(C++ assembly traps) (because certain game routines need VERY fast calculations), so it would also be a matter of translating ARM to x86 assembler.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:54 pm
by Scarlettkitten
Rincewind wrote:Soul Calibur on the DC was just garbage as well, and that was due to the controller.
I disagree, I love Soul Calibur on the DC and the controllers 8)

Killing time on Dreamcast would be awesome.

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 8:27 pm
by 3DOKid
oooh now here's a thread I'll keep out of...

DC you say?

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 9:22 pm
by tinman
Re: dreamcast controllers
Honestly the controllers just plain suck
Crap controller=PSX (PSone) controllers. Have these changed through the various Playstation iterations?? I honestly don't know as I've never sullied myself playing PS2 or PS3. :evil:

Sorry....off topic :oops:

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 9:30 pm
by Rincewind
PS1 and PS2 controllers are the same, you can use both in either console. The PS3 is wireless, but overall has the same shape. I don't care about the PS3 though. It is a DRM'd POS.

-edit

I would prefer the PS1 or 2 controller anyways, especially with the USB adapter, makes a great controller for emulators, particularly the SNES, and yea the PSOne emulator.

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 2:43 am
by 3DO Experience
I really don't understand why some people hate DC controllers so much. Maybe they were meant for those of us with smaller hands? But there are third party controllers....

My only beef with the PS controllers is the second set of Left and Right buttons. If you want more buttons put them in a more logical place. Oh and WHY do you need two analog sticks? The only time I used them was in a rowboat section of a game and that got boring real fast.


Image

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 9:14 am
by Austin
3DO Experience wrote:I really don't understand why some people hate DC controllers so much. Maybe they were meant for those of us with smaller hands? But there are third party controllers....
Yeah, I found them comfortable and easy to use. I also like the analog stick more than what some other consoles have to offer. And in inclusion of third party controllers, there are PSX controller adapters for it too, not to mention keyboard + mouse support for many of the first person shooters.

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 9:18 am
by Vance
Will...

Buddy.

Demented Customers.

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:01 am
by 3DOKid
I must be a minority of one on the planet. I don't remember ever picking a controller out of a box and actually giving a damn. Generally, it has to be pointed out to me that's supposedly pad. I've heard people moan about the N64 pad, the PS1 pad, the 3DO pad, the DC pad. But I'm blessed with opposable thumbs and an adaptive brain, which I often suspect was left out of later models. When I was deep into a game, and on the DC that was Crazy Taxi and Shenmue (Sorry Lance) I don't even remember the controller. Weird.

That said, I remember looking at the Jag pad and thinking that's a lot of buttons. I did ponder on a 'telephone function'. And the CDi, i remember thinking I might break it.

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:22 am
by Vance
Go pick up Shenmue (you`re sick etc) and go running. Now without stopping, look aroud. Go ahead!

Moan moan bitch sob i hate Sony (various cocksucking noises)

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:30 am
by 3DOKid
Vance wrote:Go pick up Shenmue (you`re sick etc) and go running. Now without stopping, look aroud. Go ahead!

Moan moan bitch sob i hate Sony (various cocksucking noises)
Isn't that the official christmas (sorry Sonicmas) ritual performed by all die hard DC fans? The huddled masses in their sonic PJs, stood in the rain, clinging tightly to Ltd.ed Sonic Adventure, praying to the decaying signs of the now closed Sega World? Or at least that's what i thought they were doing ;)

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:43 am
by Austin
:lol:

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:47 am
by Vance
You know, I really do like Sega, and I kind of liked their consoles, but I spotted how the Dreamcast would end before it launched. And the hell of it is... it was the biggest "We quit" statement ever. Even 3DO kept devs supported after they stepped back. If Sega followed that lead, we'd have had Outcast and Half~Life in our collections.

Seriously, the place was run by Howard, Fine, and Howard.

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:44 pm
by Lemmi
Vance wrote:. If Sega followed that lead, we'd have had Outcast and Half~Life in our collections.

Seriously, the place was run by Howard, Fine, and Howard.
i have half-life in my collection :shock:

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:06 pm
by 3DOKid
Lemmi wrote:
Vance wrote:. If Sega followed that lead, we'd have had Outcast and Half~Life in our collections.

Seriously, the place was run by Howard, Fine, and Howard.
i have half-life in my collection :shock:
Are you aware that piracy is a crime? And you should not accept it? You should always demand authentic software from your supplier. Who was your supplier? Lemmi, it's time to do our civic duty.

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:10 am
by Vance
Who needs a bootleg when you can play a refined version for the PC? Ain't worth it even as a curio.

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 1:09 am
by Lemmi
3DOKid wrote: Are you aware that piracy is a crime? And you should not accept it? You should always demand authentic software from your supplier. Who was your supplier? Lemmi, it's time to do our civic duty.
Are you aware that piracy is a crime? And you should not accept it?
nope i thought thats just what pirates do
Who was your supplier?

Torrents, so good luck taking them down :P

also i hate the Half-Life game on any platform, and i think there were real half life games pressed after the torrent was leaked back in 2003
but if you love constant and long ass loading times then you will love
Half Life for the DC ;)
i bet it doesnt even work anymore, i havent tried it since 2003

time to take a break

GoodBye

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:21 am
by Rincewind
Yarr! Avast ye scurvy dogs! Shiver me timbers and what not!

Anyways, I still wonder if Trip has the IP to Studio 3DO.

I really would like to see Killing Time resurrected... *sigh*