21 replies to this topic

[Starcat]

Hi Guys !

I'm a bit confused about Phase Zero...

There have always been rumors that the Source Code was destroyed, because the developers were ripped off by atari...

I read that Songbird Productions got the rights to PZ.
Did Carl also get the source code ? Or *just* the official rights to release the proto on cartridge ?


Regards, Lars.

[JagMX]

[b]from what i understand ( i could be wrong ) he is working on a full version.... i think

[Gaztee]

Hi Guys,

From what I understand, Carl got the rights to publish the demo cart, & if they guys who originally started to develop PZ can find the source code then he can have that too. Meaning that he will be able to finish the game. I am sure Carl will correct us at some point

Later

Gaztee

[Starcat]

Hi Guys !

Having a complete version of Phase zero would be incredible :-)
especially with that network feature (which doesn't work in the demo) and more levels. It could become the 2nd best network game on the Jag, after BS :-)

Regards, Lars.

[Songbird]

Here's what I can tell you:

* The developers of Phase Zero were quite surprised that anybody cared about their game nowadays or even thought it was that good (the PZ demo is more fun than several published Jag games IMHO).

* They believe the demo that has been floated around is probably very close to the last version they had worked on. They didn't have a copy of the game or even a binary of it, so I sent them a free cartridge.

* They gave me permission to do "whatever I want" with Phase Zero on the Jaguar, although they are retaining copyrights.

* They are positive they have the complete source and dev tools somewhere on a CDR, but it's been at least 5 years since they saw it. If they can find it, they will send it to me.

While making the demo available to Jag fans is a good start, of course my long-term hope is that I can get the source and build a bunch of new missions. And if they actually had the network code running / close to running, even better.

But naturally there are no promises in any of this, so please don't assume a new version of PZ is coming out in the near future. Even if I get the source AND it's a complete archive, it will likely take a year or more to properly finish the game.

[JagMX]

[b]Oh well, at least we can hope in the future
for now do you still have that special with the PZ demo cart and that JagCD pic disk?

[Thunderbird]

The guy who actually WROTE most of Phase Zero (and also happened to be the guy who STARTED the company that developed it by using money he was awarded in a lawsuit against another person who nearly killed him with an automobile) was kicked out of his own company some time ago and had nothing nice to say about his former employees.

Among other things he said about their business practices, he said that they discarded the computer containing the source and it was gone forever. He also said that networking never was even started. This is backed up by the fact that they were trying to get the BattleSphere network code from me a very short time before they quit working on the game. At one point they even tried to get Atari to get the source from us under some technicality that they needed to inspect it to make sure we were doing it properly. LOL!

Oh the tales we could tell!

[Gunstar]

So, Thunderbird, I know from the past you haven't exactly been a fan of these people, IIRC, but was it anyone in particular that you had a bone to pick with; like the guy who started the company, the people that kicked him out, or just the whole bunch in general?

It was basically because they degraded your team and the Battlesphere project wasn't it? That I find hilarious; not the fact that they did this, but the fact that you guys completed your game(s) in a professional way and have the best game(s) on the Jag and that they never even completed the one game...guess you guys showed them who the professionals are... :wink:

I do still think that Phase Zero could have been a top rated Jag game too, going by what is completed, it, like Battlesphere, really shows off some Jaguar computing power and it's still better than many so called "completed" Jag games...

[tst89]

Hi Carl,

if you got all the things from the former developer of PZ, on which medium (catridge or CD) would you bring us the finished Phase Zero?

Regards,

TST

[JagChris]

I wonder if Carl ever got the source code to this?

[Sauron]

Was bumping this thread really necessary? Would not starting a new thread while leaving an old thread dead and buried be better??

[JagChris]

Sauron, on Sat May 5, 2012 1:28 PM, said:

Was bumping this thread really necessary? Would not starting a new thread while leaving an old thread dead and buried be better??

Why is this such a Taboo? I dont get it. This thread has the relevant information on the subject. Everyone can read the above few posts and be brought up to speed on what was said etc.

[ls650]

I don't see much difference between adding new info to an old thread versus creating a second newer thread that doesn't include the history.

BTW I am fairly certain the answer is NO the source code has never turned up.

[save2600]

As a big fan of what's happened in the past, I think old thread bumping is great. Gives you a chance to read something you missed, plus... it's kind of a form of recycling. :-) Anyway, It'd be nice if Phase Zero was enhanced and finished, Especially the networking feature.

[Austin]

JagChris, on Sat May 5, 2012 2:42 AM, said:

I wonder if Carl ever got the source code to this?

I think if he did, we would probably know.

[JagChris]

Austin, on Sat May 5, 2012 6:35 PM, said:

JagChris, on Sat May 5, 2012 2:42 AM, said:

I wonder if Carl ever got the source code to this?

I think if he did, we would probably know.

I dunno about that. He's been pretty tight lipped in the past.

[JagChris]

Sauron, on Sat May 5, 2012 1:28 PM, said:

Was bumping this thread really necessary? Would not starting a new thread while leaving an old thread dead and buried be better??

OK in the future I'll post a link instead or something. Dunno why everyone gets their knickers in a twist over this.

[sh3-rg]

JagChris, on Sat May 5, 2012 7:12 PM, said:

OK in the future I'll post a link instead or something. Dunno why everyone gets their knickers in a twist over this.

If you read Albert's post from last week, you'll see there have been a few issues with AA that he's been trying to eradicate (the size of the posts table in the db seems quite large and there is a possibility that old posts are going to be archived - I'm not sure of those plans are still in place or not after the server upgrade). Maybe while you're having fun trawling through 10+year old posts (it can be fun, I've done it myself), how about you start up a single thread, something like "JagChris' Jaguar Post Archaeology"? Post links in there to the old posts that interest you and that you want to discuss. That way it'd keep current topics easier to spot & keep the whole forum tidier and hopefully everyone happy.

[remowilliams]

JagChris, on Sat May 5, 2012 6:59 PM, said:

Austin, on Sat May 5, 2012 6:35 PM, said:

JagChris, on Sat May 5, 2012 2:42 AM, said:

I wonder if Carl ever got the source code to this?

I think if he did, we would probably know.

I dunno about that. He's been pretty tight lipped in the past.

And if he did get the source code and was willing to say so, he probably would have done something other than bumping an ancient thread for no reason.

[JagChris]

It was NOT for no reason.

[Songbird]

Sorry, guys, I tried to get the source for several years but to no avail.

[Willard]

buddybuddies contacted one of the devs a little while back (maybe a year ago) and got the same answer, something along the lines of no source yet but the devs would be glad to share it if it were found. Really too bad considering the presence of numerous unfinished levels in the ROM... can't say for sure that anyone would actually do something significant with it anyway.

always was impressed with the phase zero demo, the resolution was a little low and the interface was a little rough, but it was def. a fast game with some nice looking graphics.