Crossed Swords 2 AES/MVS and Rom Thread.

Razoola

Divine Hand of the UniBIOS,
Staff member
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CROSSED SWORDS 2 NEO GEO CD CONVERSION
-------------------------------------------------------

Changes from the CD version
---------------------------------


Changes to make MVS/AES spec compatable.

  • Adjuested game data to suit the MVS/AES memory map.
  • Removed in game CD loading.
  • Added credit counters and made transparent where applicable.
  • Enabled centre screen messages; 'insert coin' and 'press start' for example.
  • Added an AES game menu.
  • Added a main title page.
  • Moved Crossed Swords 2 logo higher during attract mode to match the new title page.
  • Forced limited continues in AES mode (not unlimited like CD version).
  • Stopped 1up and 2up buttons fast skipping the game over sequence.
  • Removed Spanish language softDIP option as there is no Spanish language in the game.

Audio changes.

  • Taken music from Crossed Swords 1 as no complete music (with samples) available.
  • New Attract mode background music.
  • New background music for title page after inserting a coin.
  • New background music on all game play levels.
  • New background music for battle mode bonus count screens.
  • Stopped background music on bonus counts and before shop for smoother transitions.
  • Slightly delayed shop music start to make overall game flow better.
  • Adjusted attract mode character graphic timing slightly to match attract mode music better.
  • Shortened attract mode title page dislay time to account for shorter music.
  • Synced 'game over' graphic timing to match the new game over jingle.
  • Removed static popping mostly after FM sounds stop playing.
  • Removed static popping sounds in some back ground music (noticable in tune 0x14 and 0x1F).
  • Track 0x0C now uses a different sample to make it sound better.

General game play fixes.

  • Removed long delay before entering Dirios Arena near the end of Act 4.
  • Changed the way the Skeleton Worm boss level draws at the end of Act 8. I suspect there was a lift up graphical sequence removed or planned.
  • Improoved delays (shorter and longer) before some mid/end level bosses appear.
  • Removed the long delay before bonus screen tally starts in battle mode.
  • Fixed act 9 so you don't run out of Ninjas to kill so easily before the boss.

33 Sound FX additions and fixes (issues that existed in the CD version of the game).

  • Attract mode lightning.
  • Attract mode game logo lead in and display.
  • Slowed down bonus count FX so it does not trigger as often.
  • Six differnet magic spells that had no sounds.
  • Character choose and select.
  • Game mode choosing.
  • Opponent select and choose in battle mode.
  • Zain and Gimell visits during the game.
  • Building crumbling at the end of act 2.
  • Pail's fly in (act 2 end).
  • Mobile Rat weapon charge (act 2 end).
  • Mobile Rats other punch (act 2 end).
  • Kaeru Warrior growing from small frogs (act 3).
  • Kaeru Warrior spitting (act 3).
  • Kaeru Warrior spit draining energy (act 3).
  • lift shaking (act 4).
  • Devil's Eye gas attack sound priority.
  • Devil's Eye scream after death removed.
  • Blue Mage's appear from ground (act 5).
  • Scarlet Mage's warp in (act 5).
  • Mage weapon spins (act 5).
  • Mage fly attacks (act 5).
  • Cut scene at the start of Act 6.
  • Ninjas appear from ground (act 7).
  • Gold Knights appear (act 8).
  • Kathutashi's & Shibatashi's appear (act 10).
  • Gold Ninja's jump to edge of screen (act 10).
  • Zain and Gimmell dodge (act 11).
  • Scarecrows hop (after the use of magic).
  • Nausizz using magic.
  • Nausizz transformations.
  • End game temple crumble start.
  • End game temple colapse scene.

63 Graphical Fixes that existed in the CD version.

  • Now uses newer Neo Geo default font (first 0x300 tiles).
  • Edges of Nausizz in attract mode.
  • Glitching near the top of screen as Nausizz rises in attract mode (now less falling stars).
  • Color in a few tiles just under temple in the sky (attract mode).
  • Ninja character in attract mode (edges, shrinking).
  • Knight character in attract mode (edges, transparencies and bad color changes).
  • Knight character head glitch in attract mode as other characters start to shrink.
  • Improved the small Crossed Swords 2 logo that is shown during demo play in attract mode.
  • Character font allignment, caused some bad letters like 'z' of example.
  • Added 'TH' to places 5th to 9th in the high score table.
  • Incorrect Guard spelling in the FIX tiles.
  • Incorrect River spelling in the FIX tiles.
  • Game start timer position.
  • Fixed copyright text centering.
  • Fixed missing graphics on the how to play screen.
  • All character select screen information now visable.
  • Skull graphic on character select screen (eyes).
  • English text formatting on game mode select screen.
  • Female character color in lower left picture rectangle on the mode select screen.
  • Tile clipping in lower left and right picture rectangle on the mode select screen.
  • Loose round skull pallette in battle mode.
  • Map pointer during fade in and out (color is a little different also).
  • Ceneter 'ACT' messeges for level 1 to 9 at the start of a level.
  • Player knight characters sword placement after attack while moving right.
  • Some tiles and colors at the start of act 1.
  • Edges in Guards legs in act 1.
  • Nausizz jumping one pixel to the right when he appears in act 1.
  • Some tiles and colors at the start of act 2.
  • Some tiles and colors of floor and mountains at the end of act 2.
  • Partial Blank background as floor rises at the end of act 2.
  • Gammer/Kaeru Soldier character in act 3 to improove sprite shrinking.
  • A tile at the end of act 3.
  • Floor just before lift in act 4.
  • Bad shadow Knight avater fade when entering Dirios Arena.
  • Rogue pixels in various tiles in act 6.
  • Bad tiles above background trees when Gammers explode.
  • Unfinished grass between the trees at the end of act 6.
  • Some tiles and colors at the start of act 7.
  • Background mountian color next to castle in act 7.
  • Missing tiles right side of castle in act 7.
  • Bad looking floor (supposed to be lift) as skeleton Worm appears at the end of Act 8.
  • Screen blanks when the Skeleton Worm appears at the end of Act 8.
  • Rouge 8x16 transparent rectangle in act 9.
  • Missing aurora tile visible through cave hole in act 9.
  • Rouge pixels and tiles in ice through act 9.
  • Incorrect transparancy at the start of act 10.
  • Duplicated colors in the water pallette in act 10.
  • Some rock tiles at the start of act 10.
  • Rouge pixel over the second section of water in act 10.
  • Rouge pixels over the last second section of water in act 10.
  • Rouge pixels on floor just before giant waterfall in act 10.
  • Rouge pixels at the start of act 11.
  • Colors in a couple of sky tiles in the start of act 12.
  • Rouge pixels in the stairwell backbrop in act 12.
  • Nausizz health bar glitch during screen fade at the start of final fight.
  • Rouge pixels in Nausizz fight act 12.
  • Two badly rotated tiles during Nausizz devil transformation.
  • Gap in right side of temple roof as it falls in the end game sequence.
  • Missing top border during a section of the end game sequence.
  • Bad pixels in knight pictures during the end game sequence.
  • Bad edges of Nausizz during the end game sequence.
  • Bad edges of small characters during the end game sequence.
  • Placement of 'O' in 'programmer' of ending credits.

English text improvements.

  • Synced and improved English text with graphics during how to play instructions.
  • Synced and improved English text with graphics during the Karividu arena intro and end.
  • Improoved English text and timing during ingame story sequences.
  • Improoved English text in the shop.
  • Synced and improved English text with graphics during the end game sequence.
  • Fixed other English grammar here and there.

Other changes.

  • Shamless mention during the end game credits.

Known Issues.

  • Lightning spell during game can look bad at the top of the screen (happens in CD version already)
  • Samples 0xA7 and 0xA8 are not exact (unsure if they are used anyway).


A good game FAQ can be found at;

http://www.gamefaqs.com/neogeocd/578855-crossed-swords-ii/faqs/8699
 
Last edited:

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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The Rom has been released... I saw a few guys get the link and then dissappear...

xROTx

PS.... days numbered?:D
 

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
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Going by that list of bugfixes, Crossed Swords II CD sounds broken as hell.
 

Razoola

Divine Hand of the UniBIOS,
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I think some of the graphic issues were related to data corruption on the dev machines.
 

Lemony Vengeance

Mitt Romney's Hairdresser,
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Thanks for releasing this, raz. I was in chat this morning to show my support, and I'm sorry I couldn't make it for the release this evening. :)
 

erock

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Thanks a ton Raz, I unfortunately got into the Neo stuff a little too late after years of lurking... missed out on a lot... Everyone is very lucky to have folks like you out there to keep things moving. Cheers.
 

maldoror68

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+ 1000

the bugfix list kept trace of your awesome work on this release.
shame there were so much "stalkers" at the moment in the chat room. but now it's done

our sweet neo geo got a "new" game. :buttrock:

thanks again Raz :)
 

madman

Blame madman, You Know You Want To.,
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+ 1000

the bugfix list kept trace of your awesome work on this release.
shame there were so much "stalkers" at the moment in the chat room. but now it's done

our sweet neo geo got a "new" game. :buttrock:

thanks again Raz :)
Yeah if only more of the people in chat were as active as you and not there just for the ROM.
 

wyndcrosser

Baseball Star Hitter
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Raz,

Those fixes you did are impressive. Holy shit, there's always a few guys for every retro console that stand above the rest of us and one of those are you, like the Unibios wasn't enough. Enough ass kissing, thanks for releasing it.
 

StaticX

The b00bs., Z'OMG The B00BS!,
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The Rom has been released... I saw a few guys get the link and then dissappear...

xROTx

PS.... days numbered?:D

Lol damn, guess people really aren't that subtle........freeloaders.
 

wyndcrosser

Baseball Star Hitter
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So, was there anyone who actually "Got" the crossed swords 2 from NGF? Or was it proven to be total bullshit?

Just curious, I'm assuming no other copy was ever seen or reported on. I've never saw anyone else with it. I never saw anyone with Warlocks either (shown at the same time by Chris or Dion in that one picture), but Warlocks was on their lawsuit details as being able to release, if I'm not mistaken.

CrossedSwords2.jpg
 

SuperGun

Proto Hunter
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Well, maybe just like what happened with Ironclad & Bang Busters, NGF has no problems claiming AND proving they had Crossed Swords 2. LOL.

But, we know it could never fit on just 70 megs, as they're mock up box stated. And, more significantly, Raz has "other stuff" in his rom build that will always be dead give always if anyone were to try to claim they had it anyhow.

...awaiting ZinTrick now :)
 

BanishingFlatsAC

formerly DZ
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With the recent insanity of Neo Geo prices, hoarding an unreleased game doesn't even make sense anymore. Sitting on something and eventually selling it will net you less money then paying someone to produce carts for you and putting them out right. This isn't 2001 anymore. Getting these carts produced with custom boards isn't difficult. With the greed that these guys show, if they actually had these games, you'd be playing them by now.
 

xsq

Thou Shalt Not, Question Rot.,
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this is heavy. Thank you again Raz for all your incredible work on this game.

I couldn't be in chat yesterday (I know I'm not in there enough anyway), but I'll see you guys around there soon :)
 

mathieu4d

Crazed MVS Addict
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Posts
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Was in chat but a few minutes late xD
Thx for sharing your work !

...awaiting ZinTrick now :)
Same here :)
Or what would really be a dream is a 4x player for bomberman. Old idea, but why not !?

With the recent insanity of Neo Geo prices, hoarding an unreleased game doesn't even make sense anymore. Sitting on something and eventually selling it will net you less money then paying someone to produce carts for you and putting them out right. This isn't 2001 anymore. Getting these carts produced with custom boards isn't difficult. With the greed that these guys show, if they actually had these games, you'd be playing them by now.
I so much agree with this. Even more bullshit to be expected from ngf eBay account in a near future.
Grab some popcorn, and get ready to have some fun.
 
Last edited:

F4U57

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Was there word on the official release number of MVS and AES?
 

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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The rom was released...

...I'm not dumb enough to suggest it won't make it all over the nets eventually... and prob we'll see the MVS and AES "New Repro's" soon...

I did save the zipped copy onto my dropbox account... and I'll hand it out if needed... (depends on who the fook you are tbh..)

xROTx

PS. THANK YOU again Raz and Jeff for a great project... I enjoyed the ride...:)
 

mathieu4d

Crazed MVS Addict
Joined
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Posts
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...I'm not dumb enough to suggest it won't make it all over the nets eventually... and prob we'll see the MVS and AES "New Repro's" soon...

My guess is thats its already all over the net.

Using dead stuff is one thing, but taking advantage of some very lively work is quite a different matter.
If some mass "new repro" stuff was to happen, i guess it would start with someone getting in touch with raz.
Hope neither my knowledge of the scene, nor my english fail me in there ;)
 

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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Posts
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On a massive side note...

Y'all know I hate Pm's... I'll be in chat for a few days... you want the link.. I'll give it to you in there... (restrictions apply...:D)

xROTx

PS. Raz has asked that no links of the rom are DIRECTLY posted on the forum... meh... I do believe that it's pointless but I gotta respect the mans wishes on this one... just sayin' lads... that applies to all of you...
 

Macck

Edo Express Delivery Guy
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Nov 17, 2005
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Thanks Raz , all we know about your hard work on this project.

I tested the game in the new Kawaks and works great.

Need play more to feedback , by the way great game.

[ ]'Macck
 
Last edited:

uiengineer

Kasumi Todoh's Training Partner
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shit. i forgot all about getting on chat yesterday. kids don't allow me to do shit on the weekends. lol
 

kuze

Sultan of Slugs
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Congrats on the ROM release Raz! Thanks for putting it out there for everyone and for all the hard work you put into this.

Thanks Raz , all we know about your hard work on this project.

I tested the game in the new Kawaks and works great.

Need play more to feedback , by the way great game.

[ ]'Macck

New Kawaks release? I'm not seeing it at http://www.winkawaks.org/downloads.htm
 
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