[Player Lin]

 Nieh, on 20 October 2013 - 08:56 AM, said:

Another game Chinese name called "人間道之少年燕赤霞" ,English name "TAO" published in 1998,Taiwan.

Oh, I saw this game's advertisements on the game magazine many years ago... this game using the same engine? Whoa...

And I found a lot of download resources about TAO......from many China sites...

[Marphy Black]

 Ronan, on 20 October 2013 - 07:14 AM, said:

any videos that you know of?

I was curious to see what this game was like seeing as it uses the MARS 3D engine, so thanks to Player Lin's link, I was able to record a video:



This is certainly a more ambitious title than MARS 3D. There's a Hexen vibe going on with the inventory system and the six unique characters ranging from a slow, tough melee-focused warrior up to a light, frail old magic guy (also, there are Hexen textures and sprites being used). The overworld map select screen is kind of neat, although there's no real strategy involved with the choice since the order you play the levels in doesn't matter. There even appears to be a leveling system, although I couldn't tell if it had any effect. Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is quite weak. The chase camera is awkward to handle, especially in small, cramped areas which there are plenty of. The enemies are pretty braindead and can defeated simply by walking up to one and holding the melee key. While a few maps look nice, most are blocky and plain designs with a lot of obvious copy-pasting and confusing switch and key hunts. There's also some terrible platforming required.

If there's one saving grace, though, I have to say that the music is a pleasant surprise. The game uses CD audio, so the tracks are in high quality format and quite nice to listen to.

[torridGristle]

Converted the 3DHERO MAD to WAD using Mozai's script. http://pastebin.com/UuB1uDSA

It has the MARS3D graphics inside of it as well and the palette inside is only for the MARS3D graphics, not sure which palette is used for the unique 3DHERO graphics.

https://www.dropbox....ln7/HERO.WAD.7z

Also here's the MARS3D demo MAD converted to WAD.

https://www.dropbox....MARSDEMO.WAD.7z

Edit: Here is the palette and a contrast / gamma corrected palette. https://www.dropbox....TAO-Palettes.7z Rename to PLAYPAL, drag into the WAD, and use Existing/Global in the palette dropdown in Slade.

[Lunick]

 RinyRed, on 21 October 2013 - 10:36 AM, said:

I was curious to see what this game was like seeing as it uses the MARS 3D engine, so thanks to Player Lin's link, I was able to record a video:

>video<

You're MarphitimusBlackimus?

[torridGristle]

Found a rip of Tao without the CD audio https://www.dropbox....1bssnj9/TAO.rar

And here's Tao's MAD file converted to WAD https://www.dropbox....i8tb/TAO.WAD.7z

Edit: Here is the palette and a contrast / gamma corrected palette. https://www.dropbox....TAO-Palettes.7z Rename to PLAYPAL, drag into the WAD, and use Existing/Global in the palette dropdown in Slade.

[Marphy Black]

 Lunick, on 21 October 2013 - 03:19 PM, said:

You're MarphitimusBlackimus?

Yes, I am.

And thanks for converting the MAD files to WAD format, torridGristle! I was just about to suggest that this be done. The color palette for 3D Hero is kept loose in the main directory as "GAME.PAL". Looking through the WAD file, it looks like there aren't any hidden multiplayer-only maps like MARS 3D had. Seems there are some test maps in the Episode 4 slot, but otherwise, everything looks accounted for.

Also, thanks for providing the Tao rip. I assume the source didn't have a full CD image as well? I tried searching for a full CD image for Tao myself, but I only came across eMule links. Nonetheless, the game without the music still seems pretty interesting. A glance at the WAD file suggests that the levels and enemies are much more varied over 3D Hero, so I'll have to take a deeper look.

And this is a bit embarrassing, but I just realized now that 3D Hero and Tao both possess a first person view mode. You have to press F10 multiple times which cycles through the transparency of your character's sprite and then puts you into first person. However, 3D Hero doesn't have any first person weapon sprites while Tao does.

[torridGristle]

 RinyRed, on 22 October 2013 - 08:18 AM, said:

The color palette for 3D Hero is kept loose in the main directory as "GAME.PAL".

Thank

[Player Lin]

I guess 3DHero was meant to be a 3rd-person shooter by its design...F10 didn't mentioned in the help screen and the help screen(for input keys) already changed to F9 for some reasons...the key press in 3DHero still not changed too much like MARS 3D, but one or two key has been changed...

Ctrl = spell attack (by default, the first spell will choose for every one of characters), unless you choose no spell by select the blank block in the spell selection box, it will do melee attack(out of MP too). Also, not all characters has all spells, someone only had 4 spells, and most one had 9.

Z = melee attack, whatever you choose any of spell, you can use this to do close-range attack if you don't want waste your character's MP.


I guess I have to find some time to search TAO full image......

[faked]

 Player Lin, on 23 October 2013 - 08:57 AM, said:

I guess 3DHero was meant to be a 3rd-person shooter by its design...F10 didn't mentioned in the help screen and the help screen(for input keys) already changed to F9 for some reasons...the key press in 3DHero still not changed too much like MARS 3D, but one or two key has been changed...

Ctrl = spell attack (by default, the first spell will choose for every one of characters), unless you choose no spell by select the blank block in the spell selection box, it will do melee attack(out of MP too). Also, not all characters has all spells, someone only had 4 spells, and most one had 9.

Z = melee attack, whatever you choose any of spell, you can use this to do close-range attack if you don't want waste your character's MP.


I guess I have to find some time to search TAO full image......

I think you've done quite well on everything you've done.Good job!

[Player Lin]

 Player Lin, on 04 September 2013 - 06:01 AM, said:

True, but common forum rules about warez(and it sure is) would be the problem I think.



OK, IT'S WAREZ, USE THIS WITH YOUR OWN RISK and click the spoiler, better not repack this shit with any reasons!

Spoiler

I only had M$ skydrive for this...

http://sdrv.ms/1a3J2Fe

The main game exe had CD check, you needed the image and use it on your first CD/DVD drive or the game doesn't works, I use the game on C:\MARS\ and the image mounted on D: in DOSBox, and it works. You may needed some tries I guess...don't know if my setup will work or not on other computer... good luck with it.

Since stupid M$ break the link and didn't worked anymore, I just update the link.

Spoiler

https://1drv.ms/u/s!...3tDrLu?e=0DXxRJ

Warning : If you can, and the site allowed you(it should could not if not login or not with my own M$ account but sometimes M$'s site went shit so I don't know! lol)...you may saw some weird shit if you try to check the other public directories in my Skydrive/Onedrive and I'm sorry about that.

[Angel Of Nemesis]

I apologize for bringing up the topic. I found the site of a certain person who calls himself che@ter and makes various fixes to old games. I found an installer for Mars 3D, which remove the disk check (makes the game portable) and converts the Mad game resource to a Wad-compatible format (opens in Doom editors). If someone want this patch NoCD, google it "che@ter Mars 3D installer" and clik on Troubleshooting - che@ter (his site in Russian), then find Mars 3D No-CD installer. Oh, this is the man who made Powerslave Dehacker and Dark Forces Dehacker! Also Build Mouse Fix is an absolutely amazing thing! Waiting and hoping someone will make NoCD for 3D Hero and TAO.

[Player Lin]

No surprise about Russian made NoCD patch...
And not sure if that Russian guy would be interested in making 3DHeros and TAO patch...

===

Warning : Below spoiler shit contains WAREZ site(s) that contains so many damn games, both old and new as it's "Database" style of site.

Spoiler

You can find both 3DHeros and TAO (of course MARS 3D too but I don't think you needed lol) here, both installed "Full Demo" and CD image "ISO Full Demo" if you really can't find a place to get the game, use the site on YOUR OWN RISK!

Legends World
www . legendsworld . net

I don't make the link clickable because it's not good idea.

If admin think this is bad idea, feel free to remove the spoiler messages about the WAREZ site.

[Angel Of Nemesis]

Yes, the Russian community fans of old games is quite extensive, new ports for games, modifications, etc. are being created. I know many sites.
These games have the potential to become one of the modifications for Doom, especially since the port for Mars is already on the engine from Doom, but I think it is possible to redo (the resources themselves, not the port) for GZDoom. GZDoom is able to read the converted mad into wad from Mars 3D, you can walk in the maps, but all enemies and objects are shown with errors, because the port does not know about them. What would be the improved versions of Tao and Hero 3D can only be imagined!
Nocd for TAO is quite simple, that's who needs it:
27АВ6 data: 75 -> EB

[Player Lin]

 Angel Of Nemesis, on 04 August 2022 - 06:45 AM, said:

GZDoom is able to read the converted mad into wad from Mars 3D, you can walk in the maps, but all enemies and objects are shown with errors, because the port does not know about them. What would be the improved versions of Tao and Hero 3D can only be imagined!

Actually, the format that Mars 3D using just the DooM engine spec, and made from scratch so that's why if one converted the MAD archive format to WAD format and the source port of DooM can read that(hence the shared spec data), since most of them still based on DooM engine spec but still most of engine things from Mars3D had nothing to do with DooM engine anymore(have to port them to get the game works).

Well, someone in DooM community already made a source port for Mars 3D, using DelphiDoom as base.
https://github.com/jval1972/Mars3D
(Well, Jval1972 is the author of DelphiDoom so yeah.)

For Hero3D and TAO, maybe needed some people have time to translate the both games to English first because it still have lot of Chinese-only thing in both games and it would be then likely being properly ported, I haven't see someone interested yet.

[Angel Of Nemesis]

Here is the NoCD for 3D Hero:
2A06B Data: 53 -> C3
2A2E0 Data: E81DF60400 -> 9090909090
This only works in DosBox, but not in pure DOS, since a mess with the drive letters in the exe.

[WhiteMagicRaven]

found official site of this game https://web.archive.org/web/19981201090513/http://www.vr3d.com/



googled this site and found even more interesting stuff http://www.vr3d.net/

site says that it is engine called "T3DFX Real-Time 3D Engine" and there is even more games!!



3d hero and tao also uses this engine, i tried to read every string founded in tao and i found that engine probably is decompiled from some version of heretic (raven software) because there is tons of items , monsters, any kind of strings - that only belongs to Heretic! a lot of Doom also here.



The other games:
1. Legend of Eastern
2. 斷劍傳說
3. 九英雄物語

Should be more, not all games mentioned

[MrFlibble]

 WhiteMagicRaven, on 27 September 2022 - 05:57 AM, said:

found official site of this game https://web.archive.org/web/19981201090513/http://www.vr3d.com/

Nice, thanks for sharing!

The Mars3D page mentions a downloadable demo, has anyone been able to find that one yet?

[WhiteMagicRaven]

Can some one Translate Tao and 3D Hero to English?
if it done the jval a mars3d source port developer , might try to make ports of these games too.

there is MAD2WAD
https://www.doomworl...timate-fighter/

and by using "Tile Molester"
for easy editing of CHIN16.FNT i use "Tile Molester" and use Codec->1bpp linear and Mode->2-Dimensional (and shift size to 2 step wide )

but there is STATE.DAT (for example on mars 3d chinese and english versions they differ)

i asked on community-releases about how they translated and they rude XD

got answers from "mr-edit":

"The tool you need named „hex editor“ . Good luck with the translation."
and
"As i said: Hex-Editor is your new best friend. By the way: you must also edit the *.exe, it is not enough just to change the dat-file.

I had already looked at the other two games at the time. There is much more text to translate there.

Also, the translation of Mars3d was only possible due to a trick and because there wasn't much text to translate.

Unfortunately, this is not possible with the other games. But you might get it "

lol very funny XD

[WhiteMagicRaven]

ok , he helped me:

"
That's too long ago for details. But you need someone to read the chinese characters INSIDE the files and save the correct strings.

For MARS3D I found this video from the user "PlayerLin" ->
https://youtu.be/3aDckM-PaxE

In the description he uploaded a text file with the name -> "MARS3D_Translate.txt".



PlayerLin shows how the Chinese characters stay in the dat and exe files (see attached screenshot).

Only with this knowledge does one have a chance to translate the other games.

Images

"

[mr-edit]

1. I wasn't rude
2. the MARS3D translation was realized with a hex editor, believe it or not
3. maybe you should learn more about the translation thematic before you tell here that you are were "rude"
4. you could have asked your questions directly here at the duke4 forum

very funny XD

[WhiteMagicRaven]

i am sorry , i was rude than.

Because i know on how to hex-edit and short obvious answers without details for me as new registered user, lead me to think its not pleasent to see me here.
As Ukrainians we call that situation "Captain Obvious " on persons who tell short obvious answers - it sounds rude.

accept my apologies. I am sorry for that, the later answers more detailed and i glad , they sounds friendly and helpful.
Versus early short and unfriendly, unwelcome.

i several times get faced with peoples unwilling to share their knowleages. In oposite side , i always love to share my.

if i get answer like "sorry man, i can't reveal that knowledge" i accept

but silly answer like "to translate just translate", "press alt+f4, it fix problem", "to edit text use notepad", sounds for me rude, like "back off"

sorry i being wrong, I am sorry, accept my apologies , you seemed to me not the way you are.

Now i know you friendly and helped me.

[WhiteMagicRaven]

 Player Lin, on 04 August 2022 - 06:45 PM, said:

Actually, the format that Mars 3D using just the DooM engine spec, and made from scratch so that's why if one converted the MAD archive format to WAD format and the source port of DooM can read that(hence the shared spec data), since most of them still based on DooM engine spec but still most of engine things from Mars3D had nothing to do with DooM engine anymore(have to port them to get the game works).

Well, someone in DooM community already made a source port for Mars 3D, using DelphiDoom as base.
https://github.com/jval1972/Mars3D
(Well, Jval1972 is the author of DelphiDoom so yeah.)

For Hero3D and TAO, maybe needed some people have time to translate the both games to English first because it still have lot of Chinese-only thing in both games and it would be then likely being properly ported, I haven't see someone interested yet.

I am interested. can you do text as you done for Mars3d_translate.txt

[WhiteMagicRaven]

Hello PlayerLin, I want to try to translate the other games from Engine Technology. It is possible for you to helping me to find out the text strings of all chinese characters in the game *.exe and *.dat files like you did this for MARS3D? That will be great.

[WhiteMagicRaven]

based on work of mars3d translation i done partial 3d hero translation only in hero.exe, state.dat, chin16.fnt



https://fex.net/s/dcbakxf



image remains - graphical, i need someone to recognize these symbols.

[Player Lin]

 WhiteMagicRaven, on 27 September 2022 - 05:57 AM, said:

found official site of this game https://web.archive.org/web/19981201090513/http://www.vr3d.com/

googled this site and found even more interesting stuff http://www.vr3d.net/

I think that site was from the engine guy, good find.
===
No, I don't have time to help, too busy with my other things...you're on your own, sorry.

Since the 3Dhero and TAO should still using Big-5 as encoding, wouldn't too much different like MARS 3D(unless the game did some extra encoding to its data file).

Good luck for that.
EDIT: Maybe I could check when I have time in future and I still remember this thread, but I can't give promise.

===

Tried to find the 3 games for T3D v2(Quake-like engine; MARS3D, 3DHero and TAO were the T3D v1 DooM-like engine)...but it seems I can't found them but few play videos or just screenshots...

Legend of Eastern : not sure, the only thing I found just the auction page with shots of package. Could be like TAO.

斷劍傳說：Search the Chinese name could found some play videos on YouTube. Looks like it's strategy game like Final Fantasy Tactics.(I know what game more like but that's other Chinese-only game)

九英雄物語: RPG game, D&D inspired style I guess...I found some nasty news when google the Chinese name, it seems Engine Techology did tried copying elements from famous books like The Lord of the Rings and others for their game, just use the character names and other lore related things. That was happened before the game release and changed since then, still some "copycat" remains existed on final game.
For the game itself, I can't found anything beside some info or auction site pages...

 MrFlibble, on 27 September 2022 - 09:16 AM, said:

The Mars3D page mentions a downloadable demo, has anyone been able to find that one yet?

It seems the link to the MARS3D demo already dead and Wayback Machine never archived that.(It's linked to an old Engine Techology site:https://web.archive.org/web/19970429194758/http://www.gpc.net.tw/engine/index. htm)

[WhiteMagicRaven]

Hello a little bit offtopic, your help makes possible of translation to english.
The game 3D Hero now have English translation about 95% is translated. Can't do more =)
https://fex.net/s/folbvpk
after installing Chinese version 
copy content from my archive to directory where you installed the game, overwrite files.
This is final translation, further can be only a reconstruction to make full cd-rom version. (will not do it my self)

the link will be live about 7 days, so re-upload it.

the next plans is TAO.

[MrFlibble]

MrFlibble, on 27 September 2022 - 09:16 AM, said:

Nice, thanks for sharing!

The Mars3D page mentions a downloadable demo, has anyone been able to find that one yet?

Player Lin, on 20 October 2013 - 07:01 AM, said:

On the CD, it also has a demo version of MARS 3D in the MARSDEMO directory.

Alrighty, I found the 3D HERO CD ISO and grabbed the demo off it. I suppose it should be legit to distribute: MARSDEMO.zip

The instructions on the demo download page suggest there might have been an installer with the downloadable version, but that's not really super important at this point.

BTW, there was a fully-featured English language site for the game on the devs' website.