Smash Pack programmer wanted Echelon to release ROM Loader

[dj vectorman]

Did you even think about using the search function for any topic within this forum?

Yes. My sd reader is broke, waiting for new one. Maybe that is WHY I can't post a screenshot now. As I said to Blue and other guy, I can't do it right now if that is process. Dcp2.0 is also like ds4, but I have to wait like I said, hopefully it is as easy as that.

As per the rules you'll need to cease with comments about ripping games

Fine, I'm asking where is the "letter to Echelon from Gary" on RETAIL VERSION of SSP or proof at all Gary wrote it to Echelon. This thread also was created around a copy of that, so if OP is allowed to discuss it so am I. Again, many comment but nobody ELSE verified it with a screenshot yet.

search elsewhere for any further assistance.

"I looked and "dug deeper" on google but info is limited"

I did. I must wait for sd to arrive like I said and while looking for an alternative way (unlike Blue described) to do it like my post putting cd in pc that didn't work so I must now wait. But I was just answering "why don't you do it now vectorman !?" because how Blue described it or your link, I can't right now. I find it interesting nobody verified this story or I get slack from just asking a question about it.

DcDay can you do it ? By all means anybody reading this please post a screenshot verifying this story and I'll stop asking. A whole page goes by with no proof ? Maybe there is a reason for that.

[PH3NOM]

Hello, I apologize for bumping up this old great thread, and, I don't wish to sound negative.

Ok, this "letter to Echelon written by Gary" who made SSP as stated by the OP wasn't in retail Smash cd. It was a text file in back up iso by Echelon, again as OP says. I even double checked both discs with iso program.

So how do you know Gary wrote it at all ? Ok, there is a text file in the Echelon Smash copy supposedly of a letter to Echelon. And ? Where is the proof Gary wrote it ? Unless it is in actual retail Smash info (I checked it is not to my knowledge) so it was a email ?

And Yes I understand it is in Echelon version, but, so ? Echelon could have typed that.

So maybe just Echelon typed it, it wasn't fully pasted from a email because no reply email info time etc was in "letter to Echelon". So where is the proof ? Can someone explain.

- Gary

Out of morbid curiosity, I played around with this yesterday.

It would do you well to actually look at the Echelon release.
Why? Because ECHELON.txt is not there!



Furthermore, I tested the information contained in the letter from Gary. It is all true.

Code: Select all

LAUNCH
PATH "MDE"
EXEC "\MDE\MDE_US.BIN ANXIETY.BIN MODE2 SKIP0 SOUND0"
GDDA 4
LAUNCH_END

[DCDayDreamer]

Again, I see no evidence Gary titled a text file in retail version, copy of retail version named Echelon.txt, etc as I have both.

I should have thought of this sooner.

If it's just proof you want that ECHELON.TXT is on Sega Smash Pack Volume 1, boot up the homebrew application DCHakker and disk swap with your original GD - DCHakker will display all the files on a GD-ROM. DCHakker won't open the text file but it will show you that it's there.

[dj vectorman]

Thx to dcday and ph3nom.

I don't have that Echelon version with great Genesis box art and other cool menu art. Is that first version of SegaGen ? There is a hidden spiderman game in one of the Ech SegaSmashPack versions ? Where is it hidden on main disc screenshot you posted ? Or is it only in code form with ? :

"Code:
LAUNCH
PATH "MDE"
EXEC "\MDE\MDE_US.BIN ANXIETY.BIN MODE2 SKIP0 SOUND0"
GDDA 4
LAUNCH_END"

I'm asking because I never saw those images on my SegaGen/SSP Echelon version. I think there are 3 versions a lemec, segagen with no scroll no menu art, and a art version but I never saw the one you have ph3nom thank you for sharing.

I was mistaken because of :

"It would do you well to actually look at the Echelon release.
Why? Because ECHELON.txt is not there!"

Ok, now show how IT IS there on RETAIL smash pack version like I been asking. Show me, please.

Your right Ex-Cyber, I misread at first. Thank you. Thought screenshot was retail version at first.

[Ex-Cyber]

You have it exactly backwards. The file is on the retail release and is not on the Echelon release. If you're going to write such giant walls of text the least you could do is read other peoples' posts properly first.

[dj vectorman]

You have it exactly backwards. The file is on the retail release and is not on the Echelon release.

Ok. But I asked for a screenshot of retail version with this "Gary letter to Echelon txt file".

So far, NO proof of this.

If you're going to write such giant walls of text the least you could do is read other peoples' posts properly first.

"It would do you well to actually look at the Echelon release.
Why? Because ECHELON.txt is not there!"

Ok, I was wrong for saying it was there on Echelon version I think I mistyped that once or twice. In fact that phenom quote was from my first post in this thread. I thought OP screenshot or copy of game was a Echelon version or some other copy.

I wouldn't have to write walls of text if somebody posted the retail version screenshot showing Echelon txt file.

"So anyway, I dumped a copy of the Sega Smash Pack GD-ROM I had. " - OP

Now for 2 pages I been asking for proof of this "Gary wrote a letter to Echelon txt file" on retail version. That would be proof. Not from a "??? copy", not from a "Echelon version"...retail.

"Fine, I'm asking where is the "letter to Echelon from Gary" on RETAIL VERSION of SSP or proof at all Gary wrote it to Echelon"

I don't care about Echelon screenshots, but thx for proving it was not on Echelon version.

But I've been asking for "Fine, I'm asking where is the "letter to Echelon from Gary" on RETAIL VERSION of SSP or proof at all Gary wrote it to Echelon" for 2 pages now.

I'm not trying to be rude, but if you had time to upload 4 Echelon screenshots I didn't request, why didn't you just post the 1 retail ssp screenshot showing this "Gary letter to Echelon txt file" I asked for proving Gary did give instructions to Echelon ? I appreciate the screenshots you posted though and comments so far correcting me by everyone.

Realize be respectful, as I am too you guys and remember I'm just asking a question to verify if file exists on retail version.

"If it's just proof you want that ECHELON.TXT is on Sega Smash Pack Volume 1, boot up the homebrew application DCHakker and disk swap with your original GD - DCHakker will display all the files on a GD-ROM. DCHakker won't open the text file but it will show you that it's there."

Ok, I'll try to find that file and try that process.

[dj vectorman]

Ok, I did what dcdream suggested (however when I d/l the app he suggested it is named something else when I boot up my dc but w/e), I put my retail version of SSP in and hit rescan and hit right trigger until I found the Echelon txt file on the retail version of SSP !

So OP proved it was on his copy.

I proved it is on retail version.

It is 896 kb.

I will post screenshots later.

My simple question was answered.

Thank you to all those who answered me (esp dcdream as it was simple direct and fully answered me quickly) respectfully and tried helping out and putting up with my question posts.

Regardless of outcome as I said in post 1, this was a great story.

Hey dcdream, supposedly this app plays jpegs, but when I put my dc mag jpeg cd in it didn't work. (Works for other apps) I did same process as I did for game.

What else does app do that YOU can verify works ?

[dj vectorman]

[Ex-Cyber]

It is 896 kb.

The sizes are in bytes, not KB. main.dat alone wouldn't fit on the disc if the sizes were in KB.

Anyway, if I paste the letter posted in the OP into a text editor, make sure there's a newline at the end of the file, and recode to have MS-DOS line endings, it's 895 bytes. My guess is that the 896th byte is the traditional ^Z end-of-file marker for MS-DOS text files, which my (Unix/Linux-based) editor doesn't add but some old-school DOS and Windows editors do. That's probably as close as you're going to get to confirmation without actually dumping the file.

[dj vectorman]

It is 896 kb.

The sizes are in bytes, not KB. main.dat alone wouldn't fit on the disc if the sizes were in KB.

Anyway, if I paste the letter posted in the OP into a text editor, make sure there's a newline at the end of the file, and recode to have MS-DOS line endings, it's 895 bytes. My guess is that the 896th byte is the traditional ^Z end-of-file marker for MS-DOS text files, which my (Unix/Linux-based) editor doesn't add but some old-school DOS and Windows editors do. That's probably as close as you're going to get to confirmation without actually dumping the file.

Ok thank you for correction ex cyber. I like learning about all this kind of stuff. Hey, check this out :

"They didn't crack one game. They effectively cracked hundreds at the same time, a feat for which they bizarrely gave thanks to one "Uncle Sonic." How is this even possible? Well, they had help. From the inside.

Years later, two gamers were going through some old Sega games when they noticed something odd: a file on the disc for Sega Smash Pack titled "ECHELON.TXT." Upon opening it, they found instructions intended for Echelon pirates explaining exactly how to use the game's files to play any Genesis game on the Dreamcast. The functionality was programmed in from the start, and someone at Sega had let Echelon know all about it ... as if they knew that no new games would be made for the console and wanted to give fans something to do."

[Zealous zerotype]

Jesus fuck this guy is retarded. The fact that |darc|'s dump was verified means it is legit. I know someone finally got sick of your walls of text and proved it for you, but fuck. Seriously, using google (properly) and not just sounding like a tard go a long way. So does actually reading what people are telling you. BTW, dj vector man you didn't fucking prove anything. You know who proved it was on the retail copy? |darc| and whoever else provided the checksum for the GD dumps. I get that some people aren't familiar with this stuff as much as others, but you just were not even fucking trying. Honestly, it is really the fact that you said you proved something when you super didn't.

[cube_b3]

@ Zerotype: please stop flaming.

For the most part I enjoyed him questioning the validity of |darc|'s research and thanks to him bumping the thread I actually got a chance to read it.

Sure, this discussion could have benefited from him being a slightly better reader, it still doesn't warrant flaming.

@ DJ Vector Man: Welcome to the forums.
That image? Have you posted |Darc|'s finding somewhere?

[Calavera]

So Sega basically supported the hacked emulator for the release of Sega Smashpack, but 13 years later it is still taboo to discuss on here?

[BlueCrab]

Just because someone in the process wanted it to be hacked doesn't make it legal to do so, nor does it mean that the corporation that holds the copyright wanted it to be done either.

[Calavera]

Just because someone in the process wanted it to be hacked doesn't make it legal to do so, nor does it mean that the corporation that holds the copyright wanted it to be done either.

I completely understand, it's just odd that the rules are so strict on what is basically a dead forum.

[mankrip]

DCEmulation is also a development website, from where some of its members went on to create commercial games. So, it's also a matter of ethics.

For example, I never felt 100% proud of working with QuakeDC, because it violated the GPL.The fact that it was leaked in a way that couldn't result in legal charges against us doesn't matter. Feeling clean about our work and about our (sort of) workplace is better.

Everyone may be morally ambiguous, but their work doesn't need to be. So, it's not a matter of trying to be morally above others -- it's a matter of each one keeping his moral ambiguities to himself.

[Christuserloeser]

We definitely should loosen the rules and do allow talk about hacks and Katana homebrew. And WinCE. Allowing free debate on these should not be confused with endorsement and we should make that point crystal clear to everyone.

[mankrip]

That would only work on a strict case-by-case basis, not as a general rule. Just a suggestion.

[BlueCrab]

Distributing Katana or WinCE homebrew would be illegal. I'm not sure what benefit allowing discussion but not distribution would do (plus some court cases have equated linking to and distributing in the US when discussing copyrighted software, IIRC).

I don't see why allowing discussion of Katana or WinCE homebrew is helpful at all, and at worst it is disrespectful to those who have spent countless hours on reverse engineering the system to make a legal, open SDK available to everyone.

That said, this is getting REALLY off-topic. Everyone knows my position on this by now, and I really don't want to start another argument over it.

[BananaXman07]

wild discovery