Stunts 1.1 Mod 1.0 | A new original | an other STUNTS 30 years edition.

[Daniel3D]

Since the project is mainly focused on executables, what about "ExStunts" or "XStunts"?

This release is.
But the idea is a new start. Mods and Modifications are planned.

[KyLiE]

Projects grow and change.  As long as you name it something sensible to start with, the name will become synonymous with the project as time goes on, regardless if it remains relevant or not.

[Daniel3D]

It's also a byproduct of the re-engineering proje?ct.
So ReStunts is fitting.

But ReStunts implies that stunts itself was reversed engineered in some way but that did not happen, no game related code in your package was reverse engineered

Btw: i like your Stunts 1.1.1 idea, because its repackaging + better setup and fewer problems

Stunts 2, XStunts etc imply to much a real game change - my feeling

I feel so to.
The change is the way the game is executed. The end result is basically the same. It is still STUNTS 1.1,
But it is also a continuation, so version tracking might be necessary. Therefore V1.1.#
As long as Replays are compatible with old 1.1 and vice versa that counter can keep going.
(I fear that may be for ever)
If it not anymore (and we managed to actually change the game engine) we reached V1.2.0
But it is still STUNTS.

Legally, I don't expect trouble. And if so. I'll deal with it when it comes. All for the love of the game.

[Daniel3D]

A suggestion: I would name this work something else than "Stunts 1.1.1".

The dot-dot version number puts the whole thing in a corner, from which it would have trouble growing, and calling it just "Stunts" is bound to cause confusion — and in the very unlikely situation that someone takes legal interest in the thing, trouble.

A clearly different name (I don't know, "Stunts - something edition", "Stunts[/i] mod", "Stunts Enhanced", "Patchy Stunts" ?) with its own version numbering, would let you create your own, clear path.

I've reread your post and I think I know what you mean now.
And it is a good point (if I understand correctly).

For this first, it's the same apple but differently grown, so I still believe that just STUNTS V 1.1.1 is fitting.
But if this version would be applied to the Ferrari edition, then the name would be something like:
STUNTS | Ferrari Edition version 1.1.1F (or 1.1.2)
Something like that. A name for recognition and a version number to show linage.

I think straight descendants would follow the numeric path. 1.1.2 / 1.1.3 etcetera.
For side branches like the Ferrari edition that has repositioned menu buttons and a different default car.
A letter as additive could indicate that it is a variant of the version. Like 1.1.1F

I do not expect a lot of different versions in the near future. But if changes are made, they will likely fit in this system, whoever makes them.

[Cas]

We've already talked about this over Telegram, but I'll post my ideas here for the community to see.

I don't have a problem with 1.1.1. In a way, it does make a lot of sense, because it keeps the "1.1" reserved for the original development of the game. I would not like it very much for the first two version levels to be changed, as that would sound like DSI-level modifications. On the other hand, other people might want to make their own variants of Stunts and, if they use the same scheme, you'd be colliding with them. Besides, while I also think legal problems are unlikely, there is some degree of recognition to the original game makers if we leave their original version number intact.

I can think of a number of solutions to this, in case you would like to take this into account, although, as I said, I'm OK with 1.1.1 too. You could:

• use a dash to separate the main game version number from the project version number like this: 1.1-1.0 better with a project ID, like for Mod Edition, it could be "me", so then 1.1-fe-1.0 or 1.1-1.0me
• simply keep the two things separate like: Stunts 1.1 - Mod Edition 1.0
• just leave the original version number out: Stunts Mod Edition 1.0
• maybe use dates for version number as well

[llm]

"Stunts 1.1 - Mod Edition 1.0"

that is really a great idea

[Daniel3D]

"Stunts 1.1 - Mod Edition 1.0"

that is really a great idea

We're getting somewhere.
------------------
           STUNTS 1.1
Modification 1.0 + date
--------------------

Modification 1.0 in place of version 1.1

[llm]

sound good - but Ferrari Edition sounds for me as there would be forks of this release - so there will be modification without the Ferrarie Modifications in the future -
i would just say "Modification 1.1" with a history file that describes that with 1.1 Ferrarie Stuff was added and that will be also in 1.2 etc.

[Daniel3D]

sound good - but Ferrari Edition sounds for me as there would be forks of this release - so there will be modification without the Ferrarie Modifications in the future -
i would just say "Modification 1.1" with a history file that describes that with 1.1 Ferrarie Stuff was added and that will be also in 1.2 etc.

That's a valid point.
Every edition has a readme.inf with explanation about the version and linage.
And it can be that the ferrari editon gets an update. So "modification 1.0F" for that edition is better.
it's not definitive, but I feel were getting to a solution that everyone can be content with.

It depends on the modification that I will use for the branch.

Edit: afterthought..
Mod linage is for technical adaptations.
The letter addition is for content changes that affect game file's.
Loose mods like zappers engine sound will be tested and be available as add-on if compatible.

I'll make a graphic or spreadsheet to make it more clear.
I'll add a few possible future update ideas in it as well to show possible linage.

[Daniel3D]

STUNTS 1.1 MODIFICATION 1.0
IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

@those running old hardware 286, 386 and 486 computers. Will you test it please?

You can find it on my mega, link below.
-- UPDATE 24 OCT --  Zipfile added to first post ---

[llm]

>IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

providing a zip file seems to be better then a folder

[Daniel3D]

>IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

providing a zip file seems to be better then a folder

You can download as zip, but ill place a zip file beside it. So you can always download individual files if needed.

[Daniel3D]

Uh oh.. Minor UPDATE. 

With some help an addition to the README.
It has some additions about the history before my time here.
I have updated the download package, but you can also (if you care) read it here,
or download the single changed file below.

The file is mostly intended for people new to the game and community.

Code Select Expand


--------------
WHY THIS VERSION.
ORIGIN STORY.
GAME-FILE ORIGIN.
GAME ADAPTATION.
SETUP.
--------------
WHY THIS VERSION.
--------------
The Idea is to create some sort of "official" Community edition that will
contain the best version of the game combined with community extensions
that real stunts driver could need for everyday driving :)
--------------
ORIGIN STORY.
--------------
>10 years ago the ReStunts projects was born witht the indent to reverse
engineer the complete game to allow port it nativly to todays platforms,
fixing of bugs or extending the game.

the MCGA version of the game was completely reverse to assembler code and
the very exact game binary can be produced from this source base - also
huge parts of the code are already ported to C - but the huge mass of 16bit
assembler code (around 2MB or +230.000 lines) still needs to be done. This
is a huge workload - even for very experienced developers so the project has
been more or less in "The Sleeping Beauty" mode for quite some time now.

But some of the helper tools that were developed over the time overcome other
existing problems of the current releases that are lurking around.

1. The original Game executable is not a typical DOS executable:

Originally each graphics-version (EGA,CGA,MCGA) was its own executable.
Due to the small floppy disks of that time the Developers of the game
invented a way to reduce the needed space. Each exe contains the same
gaming-code but different graphics-code and the developers build a program
that splitted the game code and graphic code into several compressed files
(*.CMN, *.DIF, *.COD, *.HDR) for the floppy release. The program LOAD.EXE is
responsible for re-combining the correct parts (based on the SETUP information)
in memory and starting the game. This space optimization is not used in later
releases of Distinctive Software games.

2. The original game does not start without problems under native DOS on
modern hardware:

LOAD.EXE produces a executable in memory which itself is compressed with a
popular executable packer of that time called Microsoft ExePack - the containig
ExePacker unpack code inside the game is a very old version that relies on
ancient A20-Gate and x86 Memory flip behavior that is not given with todays
hardware (or virtual machines) - it could work for you but its not guaranteed
to work

3. The game loading takes more time:

Uncompressing serveral files and also running the ExePack uncompressor just
takes some time to start

4. At last: Reverse engineering of dynamically loaded code is not easy

So a developer of ReStunts created the program exe_combiner that completely
reveses this splitting/uncompress process producing the original executables,
which do not need uncompression, Exepack or cracking.

These executables are called SKI(CGA|EGA|MCGA|TDY).exe in the community package
the executables are clean DOS executables that are equal to the executables that
the developers used before releasing on floppies.

All the *.CMN, *.DIF, *.COD, *.HDR, LOAD.EXE and crack executables are not needed
anymore and removed from this package - the SETUP.EXE is replaced with a simpler
but similar looking program that produces a STUNTS.BAT with the correct sound settings

With these new executables the game starts faster, without flaws under plain DOS,
takes less memory to load and are the most original game executables available

if the GOG guys will every make a official release of stunts they will use this
versions :)

another thing:

The MT32 sound driver functions less in the 1.1 version of STUNTS than in the 1.0
version of stunts. The STUNTS MT32 Sound driver called MT15.DRV - also known in other
Distintive Software games. This package uses the much better working Stunts 1.0 MT15.DRV
There is also a reverse engineering project called ReMT15 that show the difference in
timing behavior of the two versions
--------------
GAME-FILE ORIGIN.
--------------
All original game files and the new executables are based upon;
Broderbund Stunts 1.1 of February 12, 1991.
The original disk images can be found here: https://archive.org/details/001354-Stunts
SHA-1 Hashes:
b77d10c20c5daa5318ba74836b079dc8c0e60253 / disk1.img
06095fffee95369d00f0eecce77337ce4b510642 / disk2.img
--------------
GAME ADAPTATION.
--------------
The executables LOAD.EXE, STUNTS.COM and SETUP.EXE are removed or replaced.
Also, all graphics driver files (.COD, .DIF, .HDR, .CMN) are now integrated in the new executables.
A new SETUP.EXE was written that creates a new start batch file.
--------------
SETUP.
--------------
Upon running SETUP.EXE it will create 2 files if they are not present. SETUP.CFG and STUNTS.BAT.
With STUNTS.BAT you can run STUNTS with the video and sound settings set in SETUP.EXE
SETUP.CFG also contains that information.
Upon distribution STUNTS.BAT is configuerd with VGA graphics with soundblaster sound settings.
If running the game in DOSBox, changing these settings is not nessecary.
--------------
http://www.stunts.hu/
http://forum.stunts.hu/index.php


[Daniel3D]

Versions and changelog.

Mod 1.0 | Rebuild executables to remove the need of load.exe and a new setup program to go with it.
Planned:
Mod 1.0F | Aditionally repositioned main menu buttons and custom default car.
Mod 1.1 | Setup is extended with a car manager

[Daniel3D]

-- UPDATE 24 OCT --  Zipfile added to first post ---