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Well, even with comparing the two versions (was has de bit flipt and the other not and knowing the offset. Two hours of looking at it in various ways in different programs (hex and binary editor's) I still don't have a clue... Dyslexia really gets in my way here...

first:
my mcga.exe is minor/micro different to clvn's version - i think he used a different EXEPACK unpacker - the file are nearly the same - except a block of ~100 Null-Bytes at the exe header-end (is padding, not functional relevant) - will recheck that after my vacation - which starts in 4h
UPDATE: UNP.EXE gives the exact same result as clvn - i was using a different exepack-unpacker (also filed a bug report)

second:
i know the code position where the check is for the mcga.exe (~some bytes early as clvn's said - due to my different sized exe-header)
by in need to analyze the other gfx versions - there is not a easy searchable hex pattern due to relocation (the normal dos exe loading process involves patching of segment adresses in code based on the exe-header-relocation table - which is complete different for the exes) - its the same code but not equaly placed in the executables

the mcga version is basally the same as the game.exe from "bypassing load.exe" right?
the one that you added the game_ad.exe to for sound support..

Thats right

Can that be hex edited? Or do they have to be recompiled?

Removing the check never involved recompiling, or reassembling, its just a byte in hex editor
Its already know for the mcga variant, need to look for the offset, but should be also easy to find for the other gfx version, as it is still the same code but at a different position

you can select every sound driver with /s[DRV-PREFIX]

/sPC
/sMT
/sAD
/sTD <- never tested - needs change machine= in dosbox config to support tandy stuff

attached are the stunpack-unpacked-exepack-unpacked-combined cga,ega,mcga and tandy executable (create with the execombiner) of stunts 1.1
hercules is the cga code with some patching to activate the hercules code pathes in the cga.exe - need to analyze the load.exe to get a real hercules.exe

there is another thing besides preventing the exepack-bug under real-dos to skip the load.exe: the start of the game is much faster if there is not multiple unpacking and combining in ram involved

this is the content of the SETUP.DAT for each grafix selection

Code Select Expand


MCGA<---
rem 4 2 -1 -1 -1 -1
load.exe /u MCGA  /std
Stunts
disk 'B'
disk 'B'
tdy.cod

EGA<---
rem 2 2 -1 -1 -1 -1
load.exe /u EGA  /std
Stunts
disk 'A'
disk 'B'
tdy.cod

TANDY<---
rem 3 2 -1 -1 -1 -1
load.exe /u TDY  /std
Stunts
disk 'B'
disk 'B'
tdy.cod

Hercules<---
rem 1 2 -1 -1 -1 -1
load.exe /u CGA /h /std      <--- only the /h Parameter is different to CGA code path stuff
Stunts
disk 'A'
disk 'B'
tdy.cod

CGA:
rem 0 2 -1 -1 -1 -1
load.exe /u CGA  /std
Stunts
disk 'A'
disk 'B'
tdy.cod


(leaving out hercules) the original load.exe based process needs 421kb space on disk, the complete uncompressed pure exes needs 859kb
so it could be really a size thing

Some DSI games are released in multiple floppy formats - maybe the load.exe is only needed for 360k floppies

I've also saw that before, It seems that EA did not used this splitting process on the exe (which is used in many DSI games), they've got the exe for each graphics card but still dynamic sound driver loading

Skid

super-self-facepalm!

"skid" is a english word that also means sling, slide, spin - like, for example, a too fast car on the street

I'm getting the feeling that STUNTS was named SKID when developing started.

and then the marketing guys entered the room

Unpacking packed 1.0 files (if they are packed with DSI own packing tool) might be difficult to unpack..

your killing me with your sentences

what tool other then DSI own packing tool should have packed the stunts 1.0 files beforhand?

its impossible to unpack it with 1.1 algorithm if the 1.0 algorithm is different

I know that stunpack was recreated by comparing unpacked 1.0 files with packed 1.1 files.

But I could be that 1.0 packed files are different.

according to dstiens github page: https://github.com/dstien/gameformats/tree/master/stunts/stunpack

Code Select Expand

Stunts 1.0 files are not supported.

the VCEs contain ascii strings

example:
ADENG1.VCE: STOPSTARENGIBLOWSKIDSCRABUMPCRAS (stop,star(t),engin(n),blow,skid,scra(tch),bump,cras(h))
GREENG.SFX: BLOWBUMPCRASSCRASKI2SKIDSTARSTOPMTIN (blow, bump, cras(h), ski(d)2,skid,start,stop,mtin?) <-- seems to be some sort of VCE
TDENG1.VCE: STARSKIDSTOPCRASBLOWENGIBUMPSCRA (start,skid, stop,cras(h),blow,engi(n),bump,scra(tch))

Skid

super-self-facepalm!

"skid" is a english word that also means sling, slide, spin - like, for example, a too fast car on the street

what i've know so far:

these are the files that i seem fit together

3.571 AD15.DRV <- adlib sound card driver
1.152 ADENG1.VCE
3.008 ADSKIDMS.VCE

1.750 MT15.DRV <- 100% revesed into C code and i know what the thing is doing
  976 MTENG1.VCE
1.184 MTSKIDMS.VCE
1.271 MT32.PLB <- Engine Sounds/Crash Sound etc.

2.227 PC15.DRV <- pc speaker driver
1.049 PCENG1.VCE
1.232 PCSKIDMS.VCE

2.993 TD15.DRV <- tandy sound driver (special tandy sound chip?)
  912 TDENG1.VCE
2.528 TDSKIDMS.VCE

4.303 SKIDOVER.KMS <-- over-what?
8.612 SKIDSLCT.KMS <-- selection/menu music?
2.590 SKIDTITL.KMS <-- title music?
4.221 SKIDVICT.KMS <-- victory music?

i think the *ENG1* are engine sounds
no idea what *SKIDMS" means

https://moddingwiki.shikadi.net/wiki/Stunts

*.kms "Kris' Music System Format" - Music
https://moddingwiki.shikadi.net/wiki/Kris%27_Music_System_Format

*.vce "Kris' Music System Voice Format" - Instruments for background music
https://moddingwiki.shikadi.net/wiki/Kris%27_Music_System_Voice_Format

Not all versions. Only the latest of stunts and the latest of 4D sports.
But the difference between the earlier 1.1 versions is very small. (There is a game comparison on the wiki)

for me only the "unmodified thing" is relevant, and the unpack algorithm of stunts 1.0 is different - so could be that the VCEs etc. also using different packing/format etc.
its only for getting a full analyze base - even if the game itself is not that relevant

@Daniel3D which versions are these?

4D Sports Driving (ID 558)
is the red sector cracked version of 4D sports driving 1.1 OF 13 DECEMBER 1990

4D Sports Driving (ID 1111)  [720KB - 2 disk version]
UNCRACKED version of 4D sports driving 1.1 OF 25 FEBRUARY 1991

4D Sports Driving (ID 1112)  [360KB - 4 disk version]
UNCRACKED version of 4D sports driving 1.1 OF 25 FEBRUARY 1991

Stunts (ID 1354)  [720KB - 2 disk version]
UNCRACKED version of STUNTS 1.1 of 12 FEBRUARY 1991

Stunts (ID 1355) [360KB - 4 disk version]
UNCRACKED version of STUNTS 1.1 of 12 FEBRUARY 1991

------
aside of the first one the others seem original

a download link to all versions with original image files and the unpacked files
plus a txt with the information from the site.
to save downloading and unpacking separately and stuff.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qmubl16hkf55jtl/morestunts.zip?dl=0

so there are unmodified floppies of all second editions available, sadly not the 1.0 variants