Carmageddon 1 debugging symbols dumped!

[jeff_1amstudios]

In the Carmageddon Splat Pack folder, there is a file called ‘DETHRSC.SYM’, last modified 13th November 1997.

It has sat there, un-noticed and un-loved for the last 17 years, ignored by the internet...

http://1amstudios.com/2014/12/02/carma1-symbols-dumped/

Enjoy!

[QTZ]

Hey, not exactly, I have noticed that file long time ago, but my skill was/is not as good as yours to find out the file format - I have just say that some time ago here :)

[jeff_1amstudios]

Ah cool! I googled it but nothing came up except torrent links to Splat Pack! Some of the function names are really funny :)

[QTZ]

Thats because I forget the file name, just used 'sym' :)

Did you know that BRender documentation is still avialable?
Toshiba-3 have mirror on RR - look bottom.
There are also tech demos and game Broom! in pc-files \ other files section of RR :)

I think you may not have all released execs, so maybe we need to search for other execs versions. I have UK CD, PL CD and Max Pack CD and that early version with ENABLE cheat, plus few demos currently available on RR too. Plus execs from various patches (of course unmodified). There is at least few other versions :) like German for example.

[jeff_1amstudios]

Yeah, back when I was fully into OpenC1, I talked to Tosh a lot and looked at all the cool stuff on RR :) I have tried all the executables on RR, but if you want to zip up all the random executables you have and post them, I'm happy to give them a try :)

[jeff_1amstudios]

Over on the reddit discussion page, there is the guy who originally build the BRender engine. Head on over and ask him questions while we've got his attention!

Toshiba - I'm sure you have some questions that could stump him :)

https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/commen ... mbols_file

[Toshiba-3]

Hello Jeff! Thanks for posting this dump!
We indeed knew about the file from some time ago but couldn't do anything with it anyway. The Carmageddon part is the most interesting one as the BRender side is kinda known nowadays.

The developments in the Reddit discussion are awesome. I thought about contacting Sam a couple years ago about BRender files but Jez told me he doubted he'd still have them either. Hesitating about contacting him again now..:) Not sure I have any specific question to ask him directly on Reddit though, this is too technical for me!

[QTZ]

But I think I gave the link to BRender documentation to Toshiba-3 later, anyway look again there are a lot of new files :)

It's really cool that someone who participated in BRender found this topic.
I don't know what to ask about... I like to listen stories and technical stuff :) And I want source code or sdk for people like you to restore original sources of C1/SP. BRender was a great great great 3D software engine, but Carmageddon is controversial game, so unfortunately this game discussion covered BRender power.
I already know all that 'funny' 'descriptions' directly from 'sym' file :)
This about flic palette is interesting since it look like in some situation/s game using flic palette?
There is also function which say about write Crush Data!? (I mentioned this in the other forum)

Here some execs (there are no all demos, patches; file date order):

6c9f2b317aaab6c8b578dc7f7055b637 *DemoPCGamerIT21/CARMDEMO.EXE

0fb262a81c0b578657f94aca6ec34bdd *Ancient/CARMAGDN.EXE (the one with ENABLE cheat)

6742ae89f5c5c58f9390397a7832a27f *UK/CARM95.EXE
7117a2e8b76af8734b7cdd922a244513 *UK/CARMA.EXE
b18047bfb13030bc3e3ef2a3443435c7 *UK/DATA/CARMA.EXE (reading CD audio different way)

0b56c57f1253e49e6b6c674f3dbf4754 *French/Carma.exe
27a847bbc39fca1c4e53cafafe5cd0fc *French/Carm95.exe

fa81aecba967c6a66b274397efaa7b4f *SplatPack/C1 German Blood Patch 1/CarmaG.exe
402fca32639778ddf4d6c873124e476b *SplatPack/C1 German Blood Patch 2/CARMAG.EXE

84dd24f6dbafb79b65c4257a8148f4fa *PL/CARM95.EXE
a0ecb343b9b80396ec85e151bdcc799f *PL/CARMA.EXE

b83b819eff5ac164610b2407edea8166 *SplatPack/Carm95.EXE
28658a1d651a2e3586ffe501446925b9 *SplatPack/CARM95G.EXE
1004fe67cb1879181e5c6d7e98ebe6d4 *SplatPack/Carma.exe
e492ea9b332bf1b42c015c33c0ce4b1c *SplatPack/CarmaG.exe
b1cf708504e507aa69e609c778040e69 *SplatPack/carmagv.exe
2d65e95ba1d2b8349d83c64e8c496c9c *SplatPack/carmav.exe

d19b8683f8b1888a6275a0a74ff2b283 *SplatPack/C1 3Dfx/CARMAGV.EXE
6e3667db8f811a73a0d52430859d702b *SplatPack/C1 3Dfx/CARMAV.EXE

436cf18f120e03ccf9343ef521103f46 *MaxPackC1/3DFX.EXE
03f637a5e9719fe609924b65c053e001 *MaxPackC1/CARM95.EXE
5fb06a737ab02e0c6492480430ac5c3f *MaxPackC1/Carma.exe

bdad81cbf1ecd90b01ac2aabf370ad6e *HighOctane/MAINPROG.EXE

Is this 'sym' for dos / 3d / win version?

If someone have different execs (game version) please drop info here.

Edit: File list updated

[Toshiba-3]

Wait.. what? I didn't know there was a third CARM95 executable.
I suppose the one I use for the Meld Pack and Gourmet is the Max Pack one then?
I don't follow, I thought they dropped hires software mode support in the Max Pack because of the 3dfx mode, and thus the only CARM95 exe was the one from SP. Is it very different?

[QTZ]

All 95 execs support -hires. "G" means "German", so exec with "G" starting limited boring mode with different set of resources. MaxPack95 C1 exec is only one because it using password feature to start boring or full mode. Your Gourmet exec is based on Full SP (you told me that earlier and there is a SP CD check, and 90% of file match). The hd-hires execs you host are modified MaxPack95 C1 exec. So if you don't have "G" exec in SP - you have probably one with password selected mode - so another exec to try - please check the md5 sums of all your execs :)

Check your e-mails :)

[Toshiba-3]

Damn you're right, just did some hex comparisons. I thought I was using the latest executable but it was only the second one all along. This might explain the further Sled crashes, who knows?
The three base CARM95 executables seem quite different from one another, but how can we be sure that the MaxPack one really is the most updated one, aside from the date? I'll have to build up a new Gourmet exec D:

[QTZ]

The Sled as is crashing only with 95 version of C1, DOS/'3D' versions tolerating this problem. Fixed version really doesn't crash ;)

'They' say C1 execs have less powerups implemented than SP, but I hope (not really tested by me) MaxPack C1 exec have all those powerups build in, since it look like it's build after SP version. However SP 95 version have some unused resources - like password in MaxPack C1 and resolution selector which is missing in MaxPack95 C1 exec. I was used MaxPack C1 exec (with modded 'game mode selector' - no password required) with my old meld pack, but not paying attention to powerups at that time...

Note: GOG version have all those execs, but a bit modified. The DATA\ROOT subfolder is actually FAKECD folder and the execs are modified to use different file than PATHS.TXT just to use different paths for direct launch and DOSBox launch. As you know some of them are already cracked, so FAKECD is used only for the other execs (DOS based as I remember).

BTW: The ROOT name confusing people installing Meld Patch manually, sine there is instruction to copy files to 'ROOT'...

Edit:
The file creation date may not be accurate. Looking at the resources - exact same file have different date in different releases which mean they recompiled resources for each release. For example SP have unused early files with new dates. I usually looking at same files for the earlier date to determine it's real date. Execs are different in each release, so probably time is correct.

BTW: to keep PATHS.TXT file in text format add @6+ as first line in this file (It also work with other 'text' files).

PS. Sorry I repeating my self a bit, but this may be interesting for wide audience.

Edit2:
About non recognized files:
- there is a CRANEX.ACT binary file which start from MV, it is present in early version and probably in demos.
- WALLX.ACT - this file contains text and zeros, the text depend on game version (it's some info or adult content)
- few cut scene files that look like duplicates of working movies, but they are not similar to smk files and can't be played - completely unknown.
- the xmas demo searching for file, don't remember exactly, but "BOLLOX" or similar. Unfortunately I don't know what is expected in that file and what it is for or what this can unlock.
- one of BRender libraries is different in WIN95 subfolder and it is not used.

[Toshiba-3]

Well I really do hope fixed Sled is fixed for good, and that the recent crash I encountered was unrelated. Still haven't encountered the crash again (I play with the Sled every time at the moment).

About the powerups there, would it be the SP specifics Got Him In the Bollocks and uh... 8bit Mine I think it was? If the MaxPack executable can trigger them, then it should be the most updated executable for sure?! We just have to test.

[QTZ]

I was trying many times to find that "Got..." powerup, but without luck (I have even replaced the powerup pix with non transparent). If you find it please screen-shot that :)

Another interesting thing - as far as I remember game looking for brender.ini in system folder. Some tech demos using this file.
And well known PROC.ACT file when contains proper text - it allow to read human readable text files, it is also generated by game after "IWANTTOFIDDLE" code is used. So that's why I think this "BOLLOX" file may need to contains concrete text or structure. Maybe WALLX.ACT also can trigger something? No, it's not accessed by the game.
For most version of C1 there is no LOGO.SMK which can be added - in the demo it's a Interplay Logo.

Edit: Maybe we can ask about that BRender.ini file? :)

[Toshiba-3]

Well I think the Bollocks powerup was meant to appear when you drive into the devil's crotch in Hell. The other only way to activate it is via cheat codes. It has an unused icon in C2 I think or something. But as it is instantaneous it doesn't make much sense to have an onscreen icon.
I just tested with MaxPack CARM95 and the powerup activates with the CTRL+SHIFT+0 cheat, so it is a good sign :) Can't seem to get the first CARM95 to work properly at the moment.

I'll have a look for brender.ini, I noticed the game looking for it as well but didn't think much of it.
[edit] I had a look in my files but couldn't find brender.ini, found brview.ini and playthng.ini but they seem unrelated ofcourse. There's also brdrvdep.txt but I doubt it'd be similar to what we are looking for.

[QTZ]

I have read already where to find that powerup and I think I know where it is, but just can't trigger it... On the last SP track when go into the wall of some small "building" (don't remember exactly what is it) in the open, then a short drive to big place with big PC, then I'm trying to jump that place you mentioned... nothing...

Oh, I completely forget about cheat... now I remember it from SP :)

You mean 95 PL version? Try it with 'new MP' (MP with Patch) - it have all text files in text form so don't matter of encryption version build in exec, which I guess may be the issue. I will try it too.

About the ini I don't remember the files from brender demos but I think there is such file. I guess the files you mentioned come from one of the tech demo?

Another mysterious thing is "-spamfritter" command line parameter which make any noticeable difference.

Also I wonder if the cheat list we know is the full list?