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[exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
#345320 - 09/19/15 07:48 PM
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I noticed that exzisus is very different than its clones. Since it's the parent set, one would probably assume that exzisus is later than exzisusa and exzisust, or at least contemporary.
A lot of things have been changed between these versions, but some could be considered as programming choices (i.e. barrier powerups, bigger and faster enemy bullets, destroyable options, etc.). Some other things, though, seems a bit strange to be in a later or contemporary version:
- The levels are shorter; in each level you can get to the boss in approx. 2 minutes, while in the clones you need almost 3.
- Weapons (D and L icons) go straight to maximum power by getting only 1 powerup; in the clones you need at least 4 to do that, and they have to be the same icon.
- Many attack patterns are too simple, with the aliens just traveling the screen at full speed; the clones have complexer attack patterns with sophisticated trajectories.
- Some level hazards are easier. Ice poles (level 2) can be completely eliminated, and the expanding-contracting body (level 4) is slower and more predictable.
- Play area is almost unlimited, you can fly so high to cover the HUD. This can also be exploited: if you have the A(erodynamics) powerup, you can pass over most level 4 hazard without being hit (screenshot). In the clones you can't do that, the play area is limited just below the HUD.
- Level 2 boss has an obvious typo (screenshot).
- This bug.
A couple extra considerations:
- The clones exzisusa and exzisust have only one different rom (b23-11.7f / b23-15.7f) which has one different byte, used to display an alt copyright. A game is usually licensed, and changed like that, when it reaches its final version, right?
- Exzisus uses a dedicated cabinet, which is probably more expensive than a standard one. Maybe they produced some, possibly for location tests, then dropped the idea when ready for mass production?
All the above things considered, is it possible that exzisus is an earlier release or maybe even a prototype?
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: izius]
#345324 - 09/19/15 11:35 PM
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the parent set is the original release with b12 stickers
the clones are a later release with b23 stickers
as all have proper labels it's not a proto, all Taito protos we've seen have the checksums marked on the ROMs instead.
my best guess is the parent was for the fancy cabinet, so gave you a shorter game time (rather than charging the player more to play on the expensive cabinet) and the clones were for a regular Jamma setup. The descriptions we have also agree with that.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: Haze]
#345415 - 09/21/15 06:30 PM
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OK, so the parent set is an earlier release, right?
From what I'm seeing, MAME doesn't use early versions as parent sets (examples here), unless they're the only one available (like barata).
Also, in most cases the latest revisions of a game are used as parent sets - excluding obviously unofficial releases (hacks, bootlegs, Phoenix editions, etc).
MAME seems very consistent with these rules, so I think exzisusa should be changed as the parent set, if it's confirmed as later than exzisus.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: izius]
#345421 - 09/21/15 07:07 PM
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> OK, so the parent set is an earlier release, right?
>
> From what I'm seeing, MAME doesn't use early versions as parent sets (examples here),
> unless they're the only one available (like barata).
>
> Also, in most cases the latest revisions of a game are used as parent sets -
> excluding obviously unofficial releases (hacks, bootlegs, Phoenix editions, etc).
>
> MAME seems very consistent with these rules, so I think exzisusa should be changed as
> the parent set, if it's confirmed as later than exzisus.
MAME is anything but consistent, in this case I think the older set remains as the parent because it's the dedicated version, the proper version of the game, while the others are conversion kits.
See buggyboy (1985) as a parent of buggyboyjr (1986) for another example of this.
the only real policy is 'whatever the dev who worked on it feels is best' with some rough guidelines to help make that decision.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: izius]
#345442 - 09/21/15 10:51 PM
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Just out of curiousity why isnt the oldest set of a game made the parent? It would seem the first release would be labeled the parent.
No big deal just curious, unless again as haze stated its strickly up to the driver dev.
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Only here to annoy...
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: Renegade]
#345443 - 09/21/15 10:59 PM
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> Just out of curiousity why isnt the oldest set of a game made the parent? It would
> seem the first release would be labeled the parent.
>
> No big deal just curious, unless again as haze stated its strickly up to the driver
> dev.
because the oldest set is usually the most buggy.
most people run the parent sets, having a buggy version as the parent is more likely to result in false bug reports.
also with some games it's really difficult to tell where the 'prototype' stage ended and where release stage began, eg. Midway games where the first releases were essentially prototypes, unfinished games etc. using the newest known set typically avoids that problem.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: izius]
#345450 - 09/22/15 01:59 AM
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> OK, so the parent set is an earlier release, right?
>
> From what I'm seeing, MAME doesn't use early versions as parent sets (examples here),
> unless they're the only one available (like barata).
>
> Also, in most cases the latest revisions of a game are used as parent sets -
> excluding obviously unofficial releases (hacks, bootlegs, Phoenix editions, etc).
>
> MAME seems very consistent with these rules, so I think exzisusa should be changed as
> the parent set, if it's confirmed as later than exzisus.
Not when the different versions target different cabinet types. In such cases the "flagship" cabinet is the parent.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: Haze]
#345456 - 09/22/15 04:39 AM
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Cool, makes sense. Thanks haze.
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Only here to annoy...
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: Haze]
#345530 - 09/24/15 11:12 PM
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> MAME is anything but consistent, in this case I think the older set remains as the
> parent because it's the dedicated version, the proper version of the game, while the
> others are conversion kits.
>
> See buggyboy (1985) as a parent of buggyboyjr (1986) for another example of this.
>
> the only real policy is 'whatever the dev who worked on it feels is best' with some
> rough guidelines to help make that decision.
OK, I stand corrected.
I understand the reasons why exzisus is the parent, and I agree with them now. However, if I'm allowed one last objection, I don't think exzisusa and exzisust are just conversions. Aside of being on another hardware, the program code has been updated and there are lots of differences, more than those listed in my opening post.
IMHO, it should be indicated somewhere what's newer and what's older. Something like outzone and its clones, which shows nicely the timeline of releases. Any user would probably appreciate to know if clone x is earlier or later than its own parent.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: izius]
#345543 - 09/25/15 05:01 AM
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> IMHO, it should be indicated somewhere what's newer and what's older. Something like
> outzone and its clones, which shows nicely the timeline of releases. Any user would
> probably appreciate to know if clone x is earlier or later than its own parent.
Sometimes we don't know what is newer/older.
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Re: [exzisus] Documentation: possible prototype?
[Re: Smitdogg]
#345606 - 09/27/15 10:50 PM
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> Sometimes we don't know what is newer/older.
Not in this case. As Haze answered to my 1st post:
Quote:
the clones are a later release with b23 stickers
Besides that, even without access to the hardware, I provided a few evidence that both clones are later than the original. Those gameplay differences, bugs and quirks shows quite clearly what got released first.
Honestly, the word 'conversion' don't do justice to the final release of this game. It's much more than that.
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