Homebrew FlashbackDS

[alekmaul]

Flashback DS is based on REminiscence engine (http://cyxdown.free.fr/reminiscence/). This game was made by Delphine Software and released in 1992. More information can be found here : http://www.mobygames.com/game/flashback-th...st-for-identity .

You will need the original game datafiles of the PC (DOS or CD) or Amiga release. You can use french, english, german or spanish version. Here is the required list :
FB_TXT.FNT
GLOBAL.ICN
GLOBAL.FIB
GLOBAL.SPC
*.OFF
*.SPR
*.MAP
*.PAL
*.ANI
*.CT
*.MBK
*.OBJ
*.PGE
*.RP
*.TBN
*.CMD
*.POL
*CINE.*

If you have a version distributed by SSI, you'll have to rename the files and drop the 'ssi' suffix (ie. logosssi.cmd -> logos.cmd).

To hear background music during polygonal cutscenes with the PC version, you'll need to copy the .mod files of the Amiga version :

mod.flashback-ascenseur
mod.flashback-ceinturea
mod.flashback-chute
mod.flashback-desintegr
mod.flashback-donneobjt
mod.flashback-fin
mod.flashback-fin2
mod.flashback-game_over
mod.flashback-holocube
mod.flashback-introb
mod.flashback-jungle
mod.flashback-logo
mod.flashback-memoire
mod.flashback-missionca
mod.flashback-options1
mod.flashback-options2
mod.flashback-reunion
mod.flashback-taxi
mod.flashback-teleport2
mod.flashback-teleporta
mod.flashback-voyage

To hear voice during in-game dialogues, you'll need to copy the 'VOICE.VCE' file from the SegaCD version to the FLASHBACK directory.

These files are copyrighted and can not be distributed with this release.

Controls :
* Direction pad : the joystick ...
* A : draw/holster gun
* B : talk / use / run / shoot
* X : use the current inventory object
* Y : Jump
* R : display the inventory / skip movies
* L : display the options

Vidéo :


Some screenshots :

Download : FlashbackDS V1.1

Source code : FlashbackDS V1.0

* Update *

V1.1


* Fix save/load problem
* Invert A & X buttons, R instead of Y for inventory, Y to jump
* Add confirmation before switching back to menu
* Some speed improvments
* Fix brightness problem when an error occured
* Remove zlib include, useless for this version
* Remove assertion with flag NDEBUG

 

[Buleste]

How different is this to DSREmeniscence?

 

[alekmaul]

Don't know, some guys told me to port it, so I port it.
If you have old version, try it and you will see

Certainly compatible with new linkers and a nice sound too.
Based on last version of Reminiscence and not DS port.

 

[Mbmax]

Thanks Alek !!

No one can stop you.

PS : linkers=flashcarts

PPS : any news about the snes stuff ?

 

[Xuio]

Working great here, thank You!

 

[koimayeul]

oh my .. thanks so much u on a roll alekmaul first another world now flashback

by the way, congrats for your prizes on the gbatemp homebrew bounty and happy birthday i see it's today on the banner!!

so thanks tons for all your active contributions and those to come im sure. take care man, big respect

 

[Mbmax]

Alek, i can start it on my iEvo in DSi mode, but i can't in DS mode. The intro movie freeze.
I'm using amiga .mod and my cd version of flashback PC.

Any idea ?

 

[alekmaul]

strange, don't know why this hangs in ds mode ...
Will try to post a new version soon to debug this pb

 

[Another World]

alek,
thank you for making this port! i probably will not be able to play around with this until next weekend. i'll be sure to let you know what problems i come across.

have you tested the pc cd cut scenes? they were given support in v0.2.0 and i was curious if the higher-res scenes worked on the ds.

edit::
- if using the floppy version make sure you have an "installed" copy so you can grab the correct files
- if using the *.SEQ cd quality cut scenes you do not need the amiga mod audio files, sega-cd voice file, or the *.POL dos cut scene files. the *.SEQ files contain voice, audio, etc, already
- if using just the traditional dos files then you do not need the *.SEQ files, but you will need the *.POL files and the amiga mod audio files.

How different is this to DSREmeniscence?

DSREmeniscence was last updated around 2007 and was based on version 1.9 of the REmeniscence engine. Alek's version is based on the more recent sources from 2011. updates since then were just a few minor sound bugs, support for the pc cd cut scenes, and support for the amiga data files. i would think that most everything else would feel as if it was the same old engine. the most important difference, however, is that alek is activly updating this new release for now. so we can probably report bugs and they will get fixed!

http://cyxdown.free.fr/reminiscence/

-another world

 

[stanleyopar2000]

omgomgomgomg!

Never got far in the game as i got stuck

first Another World now this!! Marvelous!!

 

[RexNebular]

Cool. I didn't know Reminiscence was updated this year. Nice to see a DS version that doesn't use SDL and compiles with the latest devkit.

 

[Rayder]

Well, I setup this newer version....the custom deluxe setup with the extra AMIGA and SegaCD files as specified in the readme. Seems to run well on a CycloDS.

I had the older DSREmeniscence version installed previously.....this new version sounds better/clearer and runs a little faster, so that's a bonus and makes it worth replacing the old version, which I did.

 

[Another World]

finally got this set up with the dos files, amiga sound files, sega cd voice file, and the pc cd SEQ cut scenes. the intro runs at the correct speed (both the DOS and PC CD versions). holocube seems to be running fast as well. music sounds great so far, i need to play more of the game but so far no bugs. i really love how the bottom screen dims after the game starts. i hope you add that to the another world port. the voice in the PC CD cut scenes seems to be fine, it doesn't sound perfect but it plays and i am able to understand it.

bugs/issues:

• once you click the bottom screen there seems to be no way to cancel out. you are forced to start a new game, load a game, or view the credits. i have accidently clicked it while playing.
• when using the *.POL dos cut scenes (not the *.SEQ pc cd) there should be speech on the holocube cut scene, correct? i do not hear it and i'm assuming the ds might not be fast enough to play back the cut scene audio? if so is the sega cd voice file required?
• if you have both the dos cut scenes and the pc cd cut scenes the engine defaults to using the cd *.SEQ files. it would be nice if there was an option to choose which ones you want to use so that it would be possible to leave both in the flashback directory. the only alternative right now is to have two directories but that eats up almost double the storage space. perhaps a config file would allow the user to pick which to use?

please allow a way to use the following control settings, they would work much better:

• D-Pad - the joystick ...
• A - draw/holster gun
• B - talk / use / run / shoot / Cancel bottom screen selection, go back to game
• X - use the current inventory object
• Y - Jump (same as UP)
• L - display the options
• R - display the inventory / skip movies

perhaps you could add a way for us to make custom control set-ups using a config file or a .txt file?

-another world

 

[alekmaul]

ok, will update with your comments.
Also, Another world was updated (but not yet released) with same features (and better sound).

 

[LuigiBlood]

• when using the *.POL dos cut scenes (not the *.SEQ pc cd) there should be speech on the holocube cut scene, correct? i do not hear it and i'm assuming the ds might not be fast enough to play back the cut scene audio? if so is the sega cd voice file required?
• if you have both the dos cut scenes and the pc cd cut scenes the engine defaults to using the cd *.SEQ files. it would be nice if there was an option to choose which ones you want to use so that it would be possible to leave both in the flashback directory. the only alternative right now is to have two directories but that eats up almost double the storage space. perhaps a config file would allow the user to pick which to use?

Even the original REminiscence didn't had that. I'm sure of that.

The second thing i quoted would be a great idea.

 

[Rayder]

ok, will update with your comments.
Also, Another world was updated (but not yet released) with same features (and better sound).

Sounds good! I've been playing (and enjoying) that release lately and would really appreciate the sound update.
Question; other than the .nds file, will any other files need updated once you release it?

 

[Another World]

thank you alek =)

the bugs are minor and just things to complain about, lol. it is the controls that i would really like to see updated. the layout i typed just seems more fluid to me but i am not sure everyone will agree. this is why i suggested adding a config file (or another way) to allow users to map custom button setups.

• when using the *.POL dos cut scenes (not the *.SEQ pc cd) there should be speech on the holocube cut scene, correct? i do not hear it and i'm assuming the ds might not be fast enough to play back the cut scene audio? if so is the sega cd voice file required?

Even the original REminiscence didn't had that. I'm sure of that.


i grew up with the snes version and i can not remember in-game speech. what voices were included in the sega cd version? the pc cd cut scenes have their own audio, voices, etc. if you use those cut scenes you don't need to have the amiga music files, the *.POL dos cut scene files, or the sega cd sound file in the "flashback" directory. i played a bit of the normal dos setup (without the *.SEQ files) and i could not hear or remember where the game had voices. i'm assuming that the sega cd audio, which is supported by the pc engine, isn't supported by alek's nds engine port. either that or i am completly off and the voice file stores the grunts and sounds the characters make?

i should probably just install gens32 surreal or kega and grab the sega cd version. =P

edit:::
http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/threads/6...ll=1#post454533

QUOTE

Copy your VOICE.VCE speech file from sega cd american version, copy it into the Data directory and then the character will have speach with the text when talking to Conrad. Also I forgot to put in the readme.ds Left trigger brings up the savestate menu.

Troy(GPF)
http://gpf.dcemu.co.uk

i looks like that holocube scene should have voices with the sega cd voice file. it looks like GPF had it working in his updated REminiscence ds port, he also mentions in that thread that he is using streaming sound. interesting... =)

-another world

 

[Another World]

the amiga version support update never had a supported file list published. i know the amiga support was experimental, as were the *.SEQ cut scenes. has anyone tried an unpacked amiga disk copy?

the files i am looking at are:

cine dir:
*.cmp

data dir:
*.ani
*.cmp
*.ct
*.lev
*.mbk
*.obc
*.pal
*.pge
*.spc
*.pro
*.rpc
*.sgd
*.spl
*.spm
*.spr
*.tbn
*cine*.txt

music dir:
ascenseur
ceinture
chute
debut
desinteg
donneobj
fin
game_over
holocube
intro
journal
level4
logo
memoire
missions
missions2
options
planettexplo
reunion
taxi
voyage

sound dir:
this dir is empty

edit::
put all the files on and i got an error "can't open 'font8.spr' !

i'm assuming my files are incorrect or amiga support isn't working =P

-another world

 

[Rayder]

Hmm....not sure about the Amiga support thing. Was this experimental deal for the DS? I'd be interested in that. I did add the mod.* files listed in the readme for this release. I just searched for first file in the list "mod.flashback-ascenseur" in Google and found them all packed together by searching for just that one file. Somehow I don't think that's exactly what you meant though, is it?

I managed to get the Amiga version of the game (4 disks apparently) but it's in .adf format and I don't currently have an Amiga emulator installed (never really explored Amiga stuff myself) or know of an easy way to expand those files to see what they contain. I stopped searching after finding the mod.* files separately though.

Other than booting this game and checking it out for a minute or two to verify that it works, I haven't gotten into this yet. I've been playing through Another World mostly.....when I actually play a game, which isn't nearly as often as I'd like.

 

[Another World]

the amiga support was added into the pc port which is what alek ported to the ds. the files should work i'm just not sure what i actually need and what i do not. i'll probably just throw it all into the flashback directory when i get a chance to mess around with it.

unadf is the only application i can remember that will extract .adf files
http://lclevy.free.fr/adflib/unadf.html
http://filetrip.net/f25764-unADF-1-0.html

there are some other programs for sending the .adf back to an amiga disk but i think most are actual amiga files. they may work in an emu, but that is something i have not messed around with.

-another world