Maniac Mansion NES - prototype

[Tinhead Ned]

Is there any chance of ScummVM supporting the prototype NES version of Maniac Mansion? It's basically the same as the regular version, but with the bits that were cut out, such as the statue in the hallway and the posters in Ted's room, still intact. I know where you can find it online, would that help? Or do you require an actual cartridge copy to work with?

[clem]

I guess they'll require the original cartridge.

have you already tried running it in ScummVM though? maybe it works with the code for the standard version?

clem

[Tinhead Ned]

I have attempted to run it with the current release version of ScummVM. The extract_mm_nes.exe tool doesn't recognise it, and I've stripped the first 16 bytes from the rom with a hex editor and renamed it Maniac Mansion (E).prg as per the instructions but the program doesn't recognise it. I've tried the other letters where the (E) is, just to be sure as well.

[sev]

Or do you require an actual cartridge copy to work with?

Yes, at least for rent.


Eugene

[Tinhead Ned]

Ah, thanks. I could be in for a bit of a wait, then - I've never seen nor heard of a cartridge copy, ever. Although if the rom is available, at least one must exist somewhere.

[Tinhead Ned]

Oh and if it's any difference, the extract_mm_nes.exe gives this message when trying to extract the lfl files from the rom:

ERROR: ROM contents not recognised! (D737305F)!

[Adventureguy]

As the name says it, it's the prototype of the game. So I think there's only one cartridge. Finding the one who actually has it is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
edit: I think it would look like this, am I right?

Here you can read the stuff about it: http://www.video-fenky.com/features/rg/maniac.shtml

Maybe Douglas Crockford (supporter for the NES-version of MM) still has the original prototype. It's worth a try to ask him.

[Tinhead Ned]

Hmmm...I might drop him a line and ask him, and if he responds, refer him back here. I'll see what I can do!

[Tinhead Ned]

Mr Crockford replied surprisingly fast and gave me this breif message:

I don't have one. You might ask Dave Warhol at Realtime Associates.

The journey continues...

[Adventureguy]

Btw:
Dave Warhol is also known as David Warhol, if you don't find anything on Dave Warhol in your search.

[pi]

Even if this doesn't go anywhere, it's sure a fun read what they replaced, and why Thanks for the link.

[Tinhead Ned]

OK, Dave Warhol replied, but he doesn't have it either. Here's his reply:

I'm glad to hear the game is of lasting interest! I don't have any cartridges, sorry to say, but I don't understand why someone would need a cartridge if you have the ROM image. I would be surprised if the SCUMM code ran or ran well in ScummVM, as the NES had some very challenging technical issues to make it work, but I have seen it run in an NES emulator well enough. Perhaps you can track down what you require through the NES emulation community. Let me know if I can answer any questions that would help.

Best regards -

Dave Warhol

[Adventureguy]

I don't have any cartridges, sorry to say, but I don't understand why someone would need a cartridge if you have the ROM image.

Well, if it were that easy . I think the ScummVM-team isn't willing to support this prototype, then. They don't want to reenginer games they don't have the original cartridge. If they would only need the ROM image without possessing the original game, every NES version of MM could be supported, then. As long as the original cartridge isn't lend to the ScummVM team, this version is not supported either. And I don't think they make an exception, even if this gameversion was never released in public.
Doesn't anyone have this cartridge? Nintendo? LucasArts? ANYONE?
Btw.: If someone has it: Who would give it to the team since that person has no insurance that he gets it back? Maybe it's just one cartridge, an unicum? Or it could have been destroyed years ago . And where did that prototype ROM appear in the net? Maybe in tracking the dumper of the ROM it's possible to get that cartridge.
Sorry, but it sounds to me as searching for Atlantis as in Indy4 to search for this NES cartridge.
But don't give up until you know what happened to the prototype cartridge.
There SHOULD be some hints where it has gone...

[Tinhead Ned]

Aye, I shan't give up quite yet. Only when all avenues of information have been exhausted will I quit.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Maybe in tracking the dumper of the ROM it's possible to get that cartridge.

It could be dumped from the ROM, though that's not the only possibility. It also could be a copy of the file which was used to program the ROM in the first place.