FM Towns Stunts version test

[Krys TOFF]

I just managed to get the only FM Towns emulator existing and the "4D Driving 1.0" version (CD iso MDF/MDS format mount with Daemon Tool) made in 1993 for FM Towns computers.
I'll publish here the results of the tests, and then I'll complete the Stunts wiki entry. As Zak has a real amiga and the Amiga version, I'll let him explain the Amiga version, it will be more representative that a test under an emulator.

First, enjoy here the musics extracted from the iso, in wav (not compressed) format for the best acoustic pleasure. You'll recognize some musics, and you'll be quite surprised to discover the unique ones I think. Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/86042289/FM_Towns_Stunts_music.zip (54,5Mb)

First, I've got another exclusivity for you : there is an official Otto's track ! I'll create the DOS Stunts version of Otto's track and publish it for you all very soon.

2nd : some pictures in the next posts.

3rd : you'll get some feedbacks of my tests. Be patient, let me enjoy the fun 1st.

4th : I'll try to record a video of the intro, which is quite different from original one.

[Krys TOFF]

Intro, title screen, main screen, editor screen (use space bar to switch from track to track elements, no mouse recognized).
Main screen axplanations :
- top left : choose clock or opponent
- left : select car (same as in DOS versions, no new car sadly)
- center : race
- right : go to track selection and track editor
- top right : option panel

[Krys TOFF]

Opponents. Bernie is replaced by Masahiko, but his track remains the same.
Enjoy preview of Otto's track.

[Krys TOFF]

Other opponents. Their tracks are the same as in DOS versions.

[BonzaiJoe]

Wow, so strange to see! But the gameplay is exactly the same?

I like the opponent photographs...

[Krys TOFF]

Replay menu (I simply loaded the only available replay named Default : a lap in default track with default car, using short way without way-switching.
Option menu and graphic option menu, and a finished lap with indy at Default track, with way-switching and 1 RH management.

The scoreboard does not appear, ?I don't know if it's due to using RH or because I mount an image that is read-only. The game wants to save only at drive A: but I've got no microdisk drive at my new computer (I tried to make a track and couldn't save it because of that), maybe that's also why no .HIG file could not be saved, so no scoreboard.

Anyway, you can see that car reached 256 mph speed, although I got no powergear. Obviously, there is no powergear in this version for indy : I couldn't
reached powergear through a loop, nor with high speed and elevated roads/jumps...

Regarding car management, I'll check if keys can be modified under the emulator, because I have to accelerate with W key (Z key in qwerty) and brake with X key, while left and right are still managed with left and right arrows keys. Problem is that up and down arrows keys are for gear shifting, so an adaptation is required to play properly.

Another big difference : you have to stop accelerating/braking to change gears in manual gears mode. More realistic, but then speed for gear shifting will be important, and maybe auto gears will have an advantage, I'll have to test that too.

I just tested indy so far, but it seems that corner management is harder than with DOS version with keyboard (speed to take a large corner have to be liower than with DOS version), sliding car sound is also quite different. I'll check if my USB pad can be recognized by the emulator.

Some other features tested : way-switching bug still exists, no penalty for that. And chicane bug (no speed loss when racing on the grass) is still present too.

[zaqrack]

wow, thanks Krys! FM Towns is such a great and interesting console, I played Zak McKracken (the game, not myself) on FM towns emulator, and it is light years better than any other version.

[Krys TOFF]

FM Towns / Marty were computers first, i386-CPU based but with hardware and programs not compatible with IBM-PC. Then, Fujitsu made console based on the same system. Latest FM Towns systems were computers based on i486-CPU.

Anyway, graphics are very close to DOS versions ones, which is logical as game engine seems the same.
Main interest of FM Towns computers were the music, often much better than DOS games, even with Adlib or Sound Blaster audio cards, and the multimedia in general : all FM Towns were with a CD drive, which was not the case of PC at the same period.

When playing 4D Driving FM Towns with the emulator, there is no music, only sound. This is because, unlike DOS and Amiga versions, FM Towns version was on a CD, with an audio part on it (like Destruction Derby 2 for example, for a game of the same period on PC). So, on original FM Towns, audio tracks were "called" by the game and recorded by the CD player (remember, game was released in 1993, not in 1990 or 1991).
In order to reproduce this, you have to load with your media players the WAV files I extracted while running the emulator.

Regarding the music tracks, 1st one is obviously used for the intro, and 2nd one for the main menu page ("make your choice" feminin voice sentence at the start). Tracks 3 to 10 were used in the different menus I think, and last track (11th one) was probably for the result of the race.

I had no time to continue the tests yesterday, my wife took the computer. Maybe more tests tonight. I'll also try to run the emulator on an old Pentium 166MHz I managed to get. I'm not sure that system power will be able to run the emulator, but I'll try. Sadly, this old computer have no 3D card. If emulation uses 3D card power to emulate the graphics, then it won't work. If only CPU is used, then maybe it will work.
As this old computer has a microdisk A: drive, maybe I'll be able to perform replay saving and save tracks I create too.

I'll also give you links to get UNZ emulator, FM Towns bios (required, not included with the emulator) and the full ISO of the 4D Driving CD. And more infos about the different cars of the game, and other usual tricks/bugs we all know on DOS version that I'll have to test with FM Towns version.

More to come soon.

And don't forget to publish infos regarding the Amiga version in the wiki Zak.

[zaqrack]

I will, but I started my intensive Chinese lessons this week and have an awful amount of homework every day.

Also, I have some other Stunts plans I have to finish first

[Duplode]

A Japanese distribution of Stunts?! I have to try that out!

[Krys TOFF]

I like the opponent photographs...

I forgot to say : when you select one opponent, there is a little animation of his/her face when you select to leave the opponent page menu. I'll try to capture these animations, and those of winning/loosing a race versus them too.

[Krys TOFF]

Off-topic, but FM Towns-related. Here is a special gift for Zak.

[zaqrack]

thank you, I'm already familiar with this.
but the cover still sucks

[Krys TOFF]

Somebody want to buy a full box set of FM Towns version at e-bay ?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300226771958&ih=020&category=11988&ssPageName=STORE:PROMOBOX:NEWLIST

[CipNug]

Hi,

We have tried to export an STL file from Caption Maker NLE and import it into our new Avid version 3 software with no luck.
Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks,
al