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8-bit acorn software: classic games • Exile - Unprotected Disc Images

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I've attached a file that contains a number of different disc image variants of Exile. These disc images are derived directly from four different disc release versions of the game. The different release versions all have a level of copy protection, and this protection has been stripped back in steps in the attached file. Basically, for the four different release versions the attached archive has three variants, as follows:
  • file encrypted, and novella word look up protection active (this is pretty much a file copy from the original discs, bypassing the sector protection)
  • file decrypted, and novella word look up protection active
  • file decrypted, and novella word look up protection removed
The most useful variant will probably be the last of those three, with the novella word look up protection having been removed.

The main game files (ExileB & ExileMC) are identical in all 4 variants. The changes, which are minor, are mainly in the loader file (ExileL). Some changes have also been made to the disc sector protection code, but that is not relevant here, since the disc sector protection code has been stripped out.

The copy of Exile that is most widely distributed probably comes from the STH archive. This copy appears to be based on Release V1 of the game, but with the novella word look up protection code stripped out of the main game files, and another small bit of code removed from the loader file.

It is also worth highlighting that one of the images is ADFS based, and can be loaded from a Master based system that doesn't have DFS. The ADFS directory "0.$" has been hard coded into the loader, so if you've got a HDD on your computer, which causes the floppy drive to become drive 4, the game won't load beyond the loader. Turn off the HDD to fix this. Or copy the game files to the root of your HDD and run the game from your HDD.
This version of the game won't run on a standard beeb, because the main game files load to address &1200. This space is used by ADFS on the standard beeb and causes a clash.
Exile_disc_images.zip

Statistics: Posted by KenLowe — Thu Jan 23, 2025 7:51 pm



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