Karateka versions

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David
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Karateka versions

Post by David »

Here is a list of all the KARATEKA.EXE files I could find.
Yesterday I went through about a hundred different abandonware sites (plus archive.org).
The lists below have much fewer links than that, because many sites don't have Karateka, or it's not the DOS version, or the site exists only on web.archive.org and the downloadable file was not archived.

I've included the CRC32, the file size, the timestamp, some notes, and places where you can find a version of Karateka using that EXE file.
(New!) means that it was not in Norbert's list.

Most versions of Karateka can display its version number.
To display it, press Ctrl+V during the "Broderbund Software presents" screen.


CRC32 = 3B5A5077, 79814 bytes, 1986-01-30. (New!)
  • This is an unfinished debug version.
  • The speed of the game depends on the speed of the computer (i.e. the DOSBox cycles).
  • Ctrl+Q doesn't work.
  • The left/right arrows don't work, you need to use 4 and 6 instead.
  • There is no intro, so you can't use Ctrl+V.
Where to find it:
CRC32 = 3CBC4F4B, 86070 bytes, 1986-02-26.
  • The speed depends on DOSBox cycles.
  • Ctrl+Q doesn't work.
  • Ctrl+V: V 1.0
  • [Added on 2020-08-24] In Hercules mode, this version can't properly display the intro text, the screen becomes garbled.
Where to find it:
CRC32 = C7A533CF, 87990 bytes, 1987-05-30.
  • This is the most popular/widespread version.
  • This is the only version where Ctrl+Q quits the game.
    • This is a hacked version; and I think Ctrl+Q was added as part of the hack, in place of the disk check.
    • This explains why the tamper check verifies the code which checks for Ctrl+Q.
    • The manual doesn't mention Ctrl+Q either. (You can find a manual which includes the IBM version on myabandonware.com or gamesdatabase.org.)
  • Ctrl+V: V 1.0
  • TITLE.BCG is missing from some downloads, which causes the game to lock up with an error early in the intro if you don't interrupt it.
  • [Added on 2020-08-24] PRNGAL is also missing from many downloads, which causes the above-mentioned error when you enter the Princess's room after you've beaten the end boss (Akuma).
Where to find it: (long list!)
CRC32 = C6DA17A6, 87958 bytes, 1987-07-01. (new!)
  • This one stops with an error right after you start it: "make sure your karateka / disk is in drive a. / press any key to continue".
  • Extra file: OLDPAL
  • The 127CB4B8 version is an in complete crack of this version.
  • [Added on 2020-08-24] Since the game won't start, I couldn't use Ctrl+V, but the disk image contains the volume label "Karateka1.1".
Where to find it:
CRC32 = 127CB4B8, 87958 bytes, 1994-03-27.
  • This is the "1994 version".
  • The folder must be mounted to A:, otherwise the game locks up at startup. (And the first half of the first line of the text screen becomes black.)
  • This EXE is an improperly hacked version of C6DA17A6.
    • The hack triggers the tamper protection which disables controls after you enter the castle.
  • Ctrl+Q doesn't work.
  • This version comes with extra files: IBMBIO.COM, IBMDOS.COM, README.1ST, OLDPAL
  • Ctrl+V: V 1.1 (displayed with a nicer font than V 1.0!)
  • [Added on 2020-08-24] In Hercules mode, this version locks up.
    • The EXE contains a message for this case, but it doesn't appear on the screen.

      Code: Select all

      >>> Press the F1 key if you have a monochrome graphics <<<
>>>    system and Karateka is not visible on screen.   <<<
    • Pressing F1 doesn't do anything.
Where to find it:
CRC32 = 1C0B68A8, 88000 bytes, 1996-12-24.
  • It's a hacked version of C7A533CF (with some trailing zero bytes added). Or rather, both are hacks of a third version which I don't have.
  • Ctrl+Q doesn't work.
  • Ctrl+V: V 1.0
Where to find it:
[Added on 2020-08-24]
CRC32 = 5920FE99, 87990 bytes, 1997-08-12. (new!)
  • The folder must be mounted to A:, otherwise the game stops with an error at startup.
  • Ctrl+Q doesn't work.
  • Ctrl+V: V 1.0
Where to find it:
Last edited by David on August 30th, 2020, 2:58 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Reason: Added a few more links.
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Norbert
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Norbert »

Comprehensive.

I see the unfinished debug version was uploaded by Jason Scott, who, among other things, is known for working at the Internet Archive. I wonder if he received that alpha build directly from Mechner.
David wrote: ↑August 22nd, 2020, 10:31 pmThe hack triggers the tamper protection which disables controls after you enter the castle.
Quoting from here:
XCALIBRE wrote:I lose Keyboard function after entering the house and hitting space bar to go to fight mode. Right after the cutscene... any ideas?
So, I guess we could suggest to Myabandonware.com, Abandonwaregames.net, and Old-games.com they replace their downloads, right?
In your opinion, would it be better they provide the "most popular/widespread version" or the 1C0B68A8 version?
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David
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by David »

Norbert wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2020, 8:37 am
David wrote: ↑August 22nd, 2020, 10:31 pmThe hack triggers the tamper protection which disables controls after you enter the castle.
Quoting from here:
XCALIBRE wrote:I lose Keyboard function after entering the house and hitting space bar to go to fight mode. Right after the cutscene... any ideas?
Yes, it's the same thing we ran into here: viewtopic.php?p=30220#p30220

Norbert wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2020, 8:37 am So, I guess we could suggest to Myabandonware.com, Abandonwaregames.net, and Old-games.com they replace their downloads, right?
In your opinion, would it be better they provide the "most popular/widespread version" or the 1C0B68A8 version?
Yeah, it would be good if people didn't run into a version which becomes unplayable halfway.
(While at it, PoP 1.4 on Myabandonware.com could be fixed as well: viewtopic.php?p=26999#p26999 )

However, two of those sites, Myabandonware.com and Old-games.com already offer another, finishable version for download as well.
  • Myabandonware.com has 1C0B68A8 (second download, Quader's Release).
  • Old-games.com has C7A533CF (first Download). Since it's the first download, it's likely that most people download only this version.
    • However, TITLE.BCG and PRNGAL are missing from that download. This is a frequent problem with copies of the C7A533CF version. In my list I noted which sites miss these files.
    • The missing TITLE.BCG causes the game to lock up with an error in the intro after the Broderbund screen: "Make sure your Karateka disk is in drive A. Press any key to continue".
    • You can still play the game if you press a key during the Broderbund screen.
    • The missing PRNGAL causes the above-mentioned error when you enter the Princess's room after you've beaten the end boss (Akuma).
  • Old-games.com has 1C0B68A8 as well (the Easy Setup download). On second thought, maybe most people will download only this?
Meanwhile, I found another site which has the 1994 version: https://16bit.pl/gra/karateka
This site has the same ZIP as Abandonwaregames.net.
In fact, Abandonwaregames.net loads all of its screenshots and downloads from 16bit.pl (that's how I found the latter), which probably means that they are made by the same people.
This also means that it's enough to report the problem only on of them. (Preferably on abandonwaregames.net because it's in English.)
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David
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by David »

David wrote: ↑August 22nd, 2020, 10:31 pm Here is a list of all the KARATEKA.EXE files I could find.
I've added a few more links and notes to the first post.
I even found a new version (5920FE99).
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Norbert
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Norbert »

It's crazy just how many of these websites provide broken packages, such as the missing PRNGAL which makes winning impossible.
I've contacted Myabandonware.com, Abandonwaregames.net, and Old-games.com, but that's all I'm willing to do...
David, perhaps you could put together a ZIP file with Karateka that you believe contains the best, most accurate, playable, collection of files.
I could then add the game to the https://www.popot.org/get_the_games.php#Other section, which would make it easier to point other websites to a place where they can download a proper package.
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Thenasty »

Norbert, here a complete ZIP file for the the game (original EXE CRC C7A533CF)



Don't see the option to attach file ( I could on the other thread).

I'll put it in my One Drive.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Avwtoy46uUKFgQ9jdvI ... J?e=tAsvJj



Let me know if you haved downloaded it.
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David
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by David »

Norbert wrote: ↑August 24th, 2020, 9:27 pm David, perhaps you could put together a ZIP file with Karateka that you believe contains the best, most accurate, playable, collection of files.
The file posted by Thenasty looks good to me. (Although it's a 7-Zip file, not a ZIP.)
Only the ALLPAL.BAK file is missing from it. I don't think the game uses it, though.
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Norbert
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Norbert »

Do you folks also have the experience that cutscenes play too fast, at least with DOSBox defaults?
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Thenasty »

if you need the allpal.bak file, lmk. I can look at the other copies I made and I'm sure it's there. Like you said, I think the file is not needed.

Yes the cut scenes are instant. If that can be fixed, that would be great. I run the game in PURE DOS.

I have not pass the first gate inside the castle, it keeps killing me. I am doing something wrong.

I need to look at some youtube clips to see how I pass that impaling gate (do I need to run or walk slowly?).

If you need a PKZIP version, I'll redo it and I will include the BAK file.
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Thenasty »

here is a DOS PKZIP version with the BAK file included

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Avwtoy46uUKFgRDTl_u ... 7?e=69oJWI
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by atrueprincefanfrom18 »

I think you should play and practice Karateka first... After learning PoP, if you try to apply the movements into that game, oops, you would definitely lose. I tried to use the down key, to stop the character, and then I got punched and died. :D
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Norbert
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Norbert »

Norbert wrote: ↑August 24th, 2020, 9:27 pmI could then add the game to the https://www.popot.org/get_the_games.php#Other section, which would make it easier to point other websites to a place where they can download a proper package.
Done.
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David
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by David »

Norbert wrote: ↑August 26th, 2020, 12:50 pm Do you folks also have the experience that cutscenes play too fast, at least with DOSBox defaults?
Yes, unfortunately some parts of the game run faster on faster machines, because they use delay loops instead of proper timing.
This affects not just cutscenes, but also sounds and music.

For this reason, some downloadable versions of Karateka include a dosbox.conf with a fixed cycles value.
Quader's Release (from myabandonware.com) and "Easy Setup" (from old-games.com) use cycles=600.
You could try this value.


And since I mentioned music: The "player died" music in Karateka sounds much like the "died in battle" music of PoP.

Thenasty wrote: ↑August 26th, 2020, 3:06 pm Yes the cut scenes are instant. If that can be fixed, that would be great. I run the game in PURE DOS.
There are some programs (for DOS) which can slow down the running program.
You could try one of them, for example Mo'Slo.
Mo'Slo is apparently still sold, but they have an evaluation version.

I've tried it now (in DOSBox with cycles=3000), and the results are ambivalent.
The cutscenes indeed became slower, but the music turns into creaks played in staccato instead of properly slowing down.
I guess Mo'Slo doesn't know where to insert delays. (How could it know?)

With the /m2 option (method #2) the music is somewhat more similar to what it should sound like, but it's still terrible.

EDIT: The proper way to slow down Karateka including its music will probably require hex editing, but that might not be easy to figure out.

How important would it be to hear the music and sound of Karateka correctly?
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David
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by David »

Norbert wrote: ↑August 27th, 2020, 8:40 am
Norbert wrote: ↑August 24th, 2020, 9:27 pmI could then add the game to the https://www.popot.org/get_the_games.php#Other section, which would make it easier to point other websites to a place where they can download a proper package.
Done.
I've noticed something about the timestamps in ZIPs:
* In ZIPs made by you, all the files have the same timestamp; probably the time when you made the ZIP.
* In contrast, most ZIP files from other sources keep the original timestamps of the contained files.

I'm curious: Why are your ZIPs like that? Is this simply the default behaviour of the ZIP archiver which you use?
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Norbert
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Re: Karateka versions

Post by Norbert »

David wrote: ↑August 28th, 2020, 8:55 amWhy are your ZIPs like that? Is this simply the default behaviour of the ZIP archiver which you use?
I understand your curiosity. As you know, timestamps can potentially give clues as to when files were last touched. I have the general tendency to hide my tracks, unless I specifically choose to disclose things (or at least don't mind). For this reason, many years ago, while creating new releases of my own software, I started using the "touch" command on all files before packaging them. This behaviour of mine turned into a habit. I did contemplate, long before you posted your question above, whether or not this might destroy potentially useful information about the origin (e.g. release dates) of files such as executables. However, I've too often ran into timestamps that did not correctly match the actual, original distribution/creation dates because someone - such as the webmaster - had touched them years ago. Needless to say, timestamps cannot be trusted anyway, because computer clocks can be deliberately manipulated or simply improperly set.
Thenasty wrote: ↑August 25th, 2020, 12:38 amDon't see the option to attach file ( I could on the other thread).
Did you first go to "Full Editor & Preview"?
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Last edited by Norbert on August 28th, 2020, 5:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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