Monthly Archives: May 2013

Bounty Bob Strikes Back

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Bounty Bob Strikes Back by Big Five Software.

This title is know in the C64 world as one of the hardest to copy disk out there.

bountybobstrikesback

The only thing thought I knew of that could copy it was Jim Drew’s SuperCard+ and a custom copier.(Version 3 of the Supercard-Plus.)

There are also different version of this disk.
It is also reported that Big Five software never used mass duplicators.

Jim Drew reports that this used completely aligned half-tracks.

C64preservation.com reports that most tracks are in custom GCR format offset 1/2 on each halftrack. Lower-grade version of Spiradisc-like protection from Apple II

 

21 Second Back up – Spiral track protection

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A new format of C64 copy protection found 25+ yrs after it’s release?

Most of use know that Bounty Bob was likely to be the hardest C64 game out to copy. But have you tried to copy 21 Second back up? Well it pretty much impossible to copy also. It wasn’t until just recently that Jim Drew (interviewed here) maker of the SuperCard got his hands on an original copy of it. Here is Jim’s Quote from his post on LEMON64,

“Because this disk uses true spiral track protection.
Tracks 10, 10.5, and 11 contain valid data that was written WHILE the head was stepping.
So, the data (which is 10 x 512 bytes long) is written on an ‘arc’ as the disk spins
and the head steps between tracks 11.0->10.5->10.0->10.5->11.0″

Goto the Lemon64 link above to learn more!!

 

Nibtools updated

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There has been an update to Nibtools. In case you haven’t heard of Nibtools it is used to image a Commodore disk to your PC and to write a disk image (D64, G64) back out to a real Commodore disk. I use it with CBMXfer program. Nibtools has options to read/write out to track 40, half track, fix short tracks, reduce gaps, and more.

This update includes a number of fixes.
Can deal with Half-Tracks better
Now creates Standard G64 files
Patch the drive code foe use the a Zoomfloopy
The update is build 587 and can be found on the C64 Preservation Page

 

Time Crystal by Sachs

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Time Crystal

Here in this ad there is a side note from Jim Sachs claiming that the delay in the release of his next game ‘Time Crystal’ will have to be delayed because of the rampant copying in the C64 industry.  They need this time to raise more capital and investigate more sophisticated protection techniques.

There was a demo/preview released of this game. See a screen shot below. But the final game was never released?
Why? I always had the feeling that the above was just a passive aggressive attack on software pirates. When they really need to buy time to get the game finished. OR was it just a publicity trick?

BUT what is the truth? Has Jim Sachs ever commented on this? Why not use RapidLok, V-Max, Vorpal, Fat Tracks, etc, some of these protection schemes had been out at this time. Or even the dreaded dongle?

Time_Crystal

Saucer Attack by Jim Sachs

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Saucer Attack! got my attention and many others in 1985 because of the amazing high resolution graphics for time.  Here in this ad there is a side note from Jim Sachs claiming that the delay in the release of his next game ‘Time Crystal’ will have to be delayed because of the rampant copying in the C64 industry.  They need this time to raise more capital and investigate more sophisticated protection techniques.

As for their Saucer Attack game the protection was ‘checks e11 on t5. tracks 5 and 35 are all e11 (id mismatch).’ Credits to: c64preservation.com

Saucer Attack