French translation of Captive

Yes, I just remembered that the letters W/E (O/E) was with the pointer.
Thank you for your help.

I will test the game tomorrow.

 

Hi,

I would like to move the word "SANTE" to right for center it.
I found the values to change color or font.
But I can not find the value to move this word to right.

 

I found the value to move the word "SANTE" (HEALTH)... But it also moves the other two words (DRAINAGE and HIT-POINTS).

 

Hi,

There are many bugs in this game. I would like to know your opinion.
Is it possible to fix these three bugs?

1) The 'Vision corrector' optic has annoying red horizontal bars just like the 'Visor'

2) A map dropped by an encounter will always be "Basic"...

3) The price of mines increases too quickly and ends up being overpriced.
On the left is the beginning of the game (level 0 of mission 1). The middle image is level 1 of mission 1. The image on the right is level 4 of mission 33 (I don't have an older save). The price is 33168. I'm at mission 114 and the price is still 33168. And it's impossible to buy twenty mines (for example). (screenshot mine)

--- добавлено 1 дек 2022, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 1 дек 2022 ---

PS:
I forgot the screenshot, sorry.

 

Hi,
@ oFF_rus,
I put the patches (versions 1.06 and 1.09) online, here:
Captive, traduction française. - Abandonware Forums

Here is the game in French thanks to you:
Captive vf

Is it possible to fix bugs in this game?
You were able to fix the bug in the game "Don't go alone".

Good week-end.

 

Do you have savegames to see these bugs?

 

Hi,

The blue robot has visor.
Here is save:
CAPTIVE9

 

Hi,

These three bugs can be fixed, please?

 

Error, sorry.

 

I did screenshot of the screen with active visor.
In graph editor "picked" color from red lines (red 0xA2, green 0, blue 0).
Converted 8-bit red to 6-bit red (0xA2 / 4 = 0x28).
Found this color in games pal (wich I earlier found for PL5<=>PNG converter) at index 9.
Found constant 909h in games code (when programmers in DOS epoch filled screen/framebuffer with solid color they usually did this with "words", so for this red color word should be 0909h):

Код:

seg000:145F loc_145F:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_138A+2Aj
seg000:145F                 mov     ax, 909h
seg000:1462                 jmp     short loc_1466
seg000:1464 ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
seg000:1464
seg000:1464 loc_1464:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_138A+34j
seg000:1464                 xor     ax, ax
seg000:1466
seg000:1466 loc_1466:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_138A+D8j
seg000:1466                 mov     di, seg seg002
seg000:1469                 mov     es, di
seg000:146B                 cmp     cs:byte_13, 0
seg000:1471                 jnz     short loc_1486
seg000:1473                 mov     di, 0A0h ; 'á'
seg000:1476                 mov     bx, 38h ; '8'
seg000:1479
seg000:1479 loc_1479:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_138A+F9j
seg000:1479                 mov     cx, 50h ; 'P'
seg000:147C                 rep stosw
seg000:147E                 add     di, 0A0h ; 'á'
seg000:1482                 dec     bx
seg000:1483                 jnz     short loc_1479
seg000:1485                 retn

Here we see how framebuffer (seg002) is filled (rep stosw) with 0909h or with 0000h ("xor ax, ax" effectively assigns 0000h to ax). And now we know where game decides to write those red (0909h) or black (0000h) lines:

Код:

seg000:13AD                 cmp     byte ptr ds:9294h, 0
seg000:13B2                 jz      short loc_13B7
seg000:13B4                 jmp     loc_145F
seg000:13B7 ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
seg000:13B7
seg000:13B7 loc_13B7:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_138A+28j
seg000:13B7                 cmp     byte ptr [di+0C0h], 33h ; '3'
seg000:13BC                 ja      short locret_13C1
seg000:13BE                 jmp     loc_1464
seg000:13C1 ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
seg000:13C1
seg000:13C1 locret_13C1:                            ; CODE XREF: sub_138A+32j
seg000:13C1                 retn

So, we can remove those two jumps to loc_145F and loc_1464, but there is some questions to you:

1. what are black lines used for?
2. how this thing really should work? maybe you have videos from Amiga/Atari versions with active "Vision corrector" and active "Visor"?
3. you wrote than those red lines should be active for "visor". Can you provide savegames with "visor"? I need it to investigate how it works internally to understand how to fix one without broking another.

 

Hi,

Happy New Year 2023 to all!!!

I could not remember the red lines in the Atari version.
I do not know exactly. I have to find a black zone and a false wall to test these two objects with the Atari version. I just started the game. It might take a while to find a black area...

I send you videos: "Captive PC"/"captive ST", "CAPTIVE1.SAV" and the latest "CAPPO.EXE":
videos captive_1.zip

I thank you for your help.

 

Do you mean "black lines"? Because red lines are present in your video "captive ST.avi".

needRedLines flag is set here (FFh = true):

Код:

seg000:C906 ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
seg000:C906                 jnz     short locret_C95B
seg000:C908                 call    sub_C106
seg000:C90B                 mov     ds:needRedLines, 0FFh
seg000:C910                 lea     bp, word_106C0[di]
seg000:C914                 add     di, 2590h
seg000:C918                 jmp     short loc_C932
seg000:C91A ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
seg000:C91A                 jnz     short locret_C95B
seg000:C91C                 call    sub_C106
seg000:C91F                 mov     ds:needRedLines, 0FFh
seg000:C924                 lea     bp, word_11980[di]
seg000:C928                 add     di, 12D0h
seg000:C92C                 mov     ds:word_F7CC, 0FFFFh

First one for "Visor", second one for "Vision Corrector". After patching second place red lines for "Vision Corrector" are not shown anymore. Patch:

Код:

Difference(s) between cappo.exe & cappofix.exe
CAPPO.EXE
0000CBF3: FF 00

You should test this patch because needRedLines flag used in some places besides place from my previous post, and now for "Vision Corrector" it is not active - behavior of some game code could be changed or broken.

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 1 янв 2023 ---

It was really annoying to select VGA/SB/SB every time I run the game, so I created program to save chosen options and load them on game start.

SETUP.EXE - program (source code in src folder)
CONFIG.BAT - file to configure game
CAPT.BAT - file to start game using preconfigured values.

Some tech info.

INTRO.EXE asks user which hardware to use - VGA/EGA, SB/Adlib/Roland/PCSpeaker. Chosen values are saved to "Intra-Application Communications Area (ICA)" ( 0:4F0h Intra-Application Communications Area (ICA) )
Then CAPTIVE.BAT runs FILEPLAY.EXE (intro animation, works only for VGA mode) and CAPPO.EXE (main game executable file) which will read config from ICA.

In CONFIG.BAT my program is run right after INTRO.EXE. My program reads chosen values from ICA and saves them to cappo.cfg.
In CAPT.BAT my program is run instead of INTRO.EXE. My program reads previously chosen values from cappo.cfg and loads them to ICA for game to be able to read them there.

 

It is excellent...

I thank you very much for your help.

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 1 янв 2023 ---

I did not know there were red lines in the Atari versions.

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023 ---

Yes you are right.

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023 ---

In CONFIG.BAT my program is run right after INTRO.EXE. My program reads chosen values from ICA and saves them to cappo.cfg.
In CAPT.BAT my program is run instead of INTRO.EXE. My program reads previously chosen values from cappo.cfg and loads them to ICA for game to be able to read them there.


Ok, I was able to configure at the start of the game.
This is a error on my part, sorry.

 

Execute "CONFIG.BAT", select configuration (1-2-2) and it will be saved.

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 1 янв 2023 ---

Red lines after activating "Visor". 00:00:23 in your video.

 

Yes, you are right. I have not played on Atari (steem) for over 20 years. I had forgotten those red lines.

Thank you for your explanations and help.
A bug that you fixed, thank you.

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 1 янв 2023 ---

It is really handy what you did.

 

Can you provide savegames for other two bugs? And some info?

What is Map Basic and how it differs from other maps?
Do other maps exist in PC version? Is there savegame with them?
How random are this items? If you replay level will the same items drop from "encounters"? How are levels generated? Do they random or not? Do they have some sort of random "seed" to generate level in new game with known structure?

For mines - provide several savegames with different prices, i will try to find where game gets price.

 

1) For maps:

There are five maximum levels (maps) per planet. It is random. A planet can have 1 level or 2 level, 3 level, etc.
It is difficult to explain. But when you arrive on a planet, the levels (maps) are defined and do not change... EXCEPT, if you restart the game in EGA with a save before entering the base. There will always be the same number of levels (maps), but the scenery may change (doors, ladder and objects). It is also a bug. For example in a base: A door is missing at the start of the game when playing in VGA... If you restart the game in EGA with a save before entering the base... The door is present. Just save and restart the game in VGA and load this save to continue the game.
This game is full of bugs.
I do not know if you will understand my explanation, because my English is bad.


The cards are named as follows:
Level 0 --> MAP BASIC
Level 1 --> MAP II
Level 2 --> MAP III
Level 3 --> MAP IV
Level 4 --> MAP V
But, all maps are MAP BASIC in the PC version.
The yellow player has 4 maps.

CAPTIVE4
2) For mine:

The price of a mine is too expensive "33 168". I do not know the maximum cost of a mine in the Atari/Amiga versions.
I do not have a save of mission 50 for example (There are 11 objectives for 1 mission). The price of mines is "33,168" on all saves I have. I must have saves of objectives 2 or 3 from mission 1 (the beginning of the game). I will search.


I send you the save:

--- добавлено 1 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 1 янв 2023 ---

I found a save where the locations change depending on whether you're playing in VGA or EGA:
CAPTIVE5

A site that talks about Captive's bugs... But, not all the bugs and yet the list is long...
Captive - Bugs

 

Item list is located at 0x18620 in CAPPO.EXE
Every record is 8 bytes in size.

Код:

Offset:Description
+0:unknown (key?)
+2:base price
+4:level multiplier
+6:flags

full size of list is probably 0x300 bytes (0x60 items, some records are empty)

When flags & 0x20 is not zero, the game will use this algorithm:

Код:

price = currentLevel * level multiplier + base price

If calculated (currentLevel * level multiplier) will be more than 0x8000, then final price will be capped at (0x8000 + base price).

I see only two items with flags & 0x20 > 0: "explosives" and "mine".

Код:

name:base:mult
explosives:100(0x64):100(0x64)
mine:400(0x190):200(0xC8)

So, price for mine when currentLevel grows too much will be 0x8000+0x190=0x8190=33168

You can calculate new "level multiplier" for both items to make price grow not so fast.
Or you can modify price cap from 0x8000 to some reasonable value here (if you think that mines and explosives are overpriced):

Код:

seg000:B2AD                 mov     ax, ds:currentGameLevel
seg000:B2B0                 push    dx
seg000:B2B1                 mul     word ptr [si+4]
seg000:B2B4                 or      dx, dx
seg000:B2B6                 pop     dx
seg000:B2B7                 jnz     short loc_B2BE
seg000:B2B9                 cmp     ax, 8000h
seg000:B2BC                 jbe     short loc_B2C1
seg000:B2BE
seg000:B2BE loc_B2BE:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_B28F+28j
seg000:B2BE                 mov     ax, 8000h
seg000:B2C1
seg000:B2C1 loc_B2C1:                               ; CODE XREF: sub_B28F+2Dj
seg000:B2C1                 add     dx, ax

Change both "8000h" to desired value.

--- добавлено 2 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 2 янв 2023 ---

What are these maps for? How yellow player will use these 4 maps he has?

Do items like "MAP II/III/..." actually exist in PC version? Can this bug be described as "Only MAP BASIC drops from encounters, but MAP II/III/... can be obtained from ..." or as "It is not possible for player to have any MAP except MAP BASIC"?

Does it means that in PC version planet will have 5 levels but player will not be able to enter levels 2-5 because only MAP BASIC are present in PC Version?

How this bug changes the gameplay of PC Version comparing to Atari ST?

 

Yes, there are only these two objects (explosive and mine). This is not important for explosives, because these explosives are used only once. It's different for mines. One can trap an area with mines and lure enemies into that area.

Ok, I understood and lowered the value to 0800. Where are these values: mine:400(0x190):200(0xC8)?

I have steem saves for captive game. But, I do not know how to hack a backup. I wanted to go to mission 100 to see the price of the mines. Do you know how to hack a save?

--- добавлено 2 янв 2023, предыдущее сообщение размещено: 2 янв 2023 ---

A player must hold the card in their hand and the card must be right clicked. The map will be displayed. Sorry for my forgetfulness.

We only get MAP BASIC... Not II, III, IV and V never come out.
There are four levels in this base and there are four MAPS BASIC. Instead of : MAP BASIC, MAP II, MAP III and MAP IV.

It does not change gameplay. There will be all levels. And nothing will change compared to the Atari version. These are maps II, III, IV and V that remain in BASIC. Maps are useful for finding directions.

.

 

Move to the start of item list in EXE

and search for this combination of bytes "90 01 C8 00 20"

No, especially for steem.

So, now all four display the same map. The map of first level of this base, right? And we are (in save4) at some other level, because comparing those maps with map from first "camera/tv" I see they are different, right?

How it should be? You should find MAP II on second level?
What if you killed everybody and did not found map on level II and moved to level III? What map should you find on level III?
Can you find (on Atari ST) map for level IV while cleaning level I? Are they drop in strict order or randomly?
What happens with maps after living planet