"Return to Zork": support for different versions?

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Uka
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"Return to Zork": support for different versions?

Post by Uka »

"Return to Zork" had many different versions on many platforms. As far as I know, only two of them are currently supported: PC floppy and PC CD. There is also a rumor that the support for the Macintosh version is in the works?

However, I would like to ask about the rather better PC MPEG version. Is it possible to add the support of it? After all, the support of MPEG2 videos in "Zork: Grand Inquisitor - DVD" has already been implemented - maybe recognizing MPEG1 videos is easier?

In fact, there are as many as five different versions of "Return to Zork" on PC and Macintosh alone:
  • PC floppy - the most simple version practically without videos;
  • PC CD - CD music and videos are added: there are 84 PMV files with total of 98 MB;
  • PC MPEG (ReelMagic / REALmagic) - there are 558 MPG-videos of 603 MB: not only the videos are of much better quality, but all the static screens have been converted into MPG as well, so they are not pixelated and feature thousands of colors instead of just 256! It took me a lot of efforts to get this version running on an old PC :)
  • Macintosh CD - there are 439 MMV videos of 380 MB, and the screens feature better resolution of 640x480 instead of 320x200 in PC versions - although the pictures look rather pale, there are less dialogues and sounds, and the music has been stripped from CD Audio (in PC CD version) to simple MIDI;
  • Macintosh MPEG - I can't run this one, but there are 358 MPG videos of 587 MB, which look identical to those in PC MPEG, although no static screens seen as MPG.
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Uka
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Re: "Return to Zork": support for different versions?

Post by Uka »

Uka wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:11 am
  • PC MPEG (ReelMagic / REALmagic) - there are 558 MPG-videos of 603 MB: not only the videos are of much better quality, but all the static screens have been converted into MPG as well, so they are not pixelated and feature thousands of colors instead of just 256! It took me a lot of efforts to get this version running on an old PC :)
If anyone is interested, this (probably, the best) version is now playable for everyone thanks to a special DOSBox fork!
It is still work-in-progress though: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=86635
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Longcat
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Re: "Return to Zork": support for different versions?

Post by Longcat »

Thanks for the info, that's amazing!

I really hope this helps getting it implemented in ScummVM one day :) For now, I will finally try out some of my ReelMagik games that have just collected dust over the years <3
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Uka
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Re: "Return to Zork": support for different versions?

Post by Uka »

Longcat wrote: Wed May 04, 2022 3:45 pm For now, I will finally try out some of my ReelMagik games that have just collected dust over the years <3
Nice! And what are those games you have? :)
Anything rare per any chance?
I have the list of ReelMagic games here: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=962231#p962231
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