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Author Topic: Need to extract data from Neo Geo game  (Read 2 times)
vega89191
Guest
« on: December 23, 2008, 02:21:54 am »
Is it possible to extract source data from a neogeo game cartridge?  Myself and my brother are apart of a small team that develops games for the iphone. We have a agreement with a company that had developed 5 titles for the neogeo years ago to port these titles to the iphone and ipod touch as playable apps. Well one of the games, a 2d beat em up, the company cannot locate the data disk containing the source files and etc for the game. All they have is the actual game cartridge. That game is the primary one that we want to port and basically I wanted to come on the forum to see if anyone knew if it is possible to extract necessary source files from an actual game. Source code files. If anyone knows how or has the capabilities to do so I can pay for the services.

I don't have experience in such things(code programming etc) , I am basically a graphic artist and modeller with expertise in 2d sprite work such as Street Fighter alpha games. My brother and his guys do all the programming and etc but he is away so I thought I post the question here. The package with the games hasn't arrived yet...it was sent by air mail from the company. Sorry for rambling just trying to provide all the info I can. Again I willing to pay if anyone can help. (As long as the mods and admins agree and I am not violating rules on this forum) Thanks again
Nightcrawler
Guest
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2008, 08:43:11 am »
No, it's not possible to extract source code files from ROMs. The best you can do is disassemble the code which will be pure un-commented assembly. Getting all of the game code that way is difficult at best.  Even if you successfully do that, it's definitely going to be extremely difficult to port. I don't know of any case of a game that size being ported based on disassembled code. While nothing is impossible, the man hours necessary would likely result in an unprofitable project. Wink
RedComet
Guest
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2008, 01:13:18 pm »
I'm not familiar with the iPhone's capabilities, but maybe running the games via emulator would be the best option.
Tauwasser
Guest
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2008, 02:29:31 pm »
Well are you speaking of the neo geo pocket or the neo geo cd system? If the latter then it should have at least some kind of file system, so that might help if no other option is available.

cYa,

Tauwasser
BRPXQZME
Guest
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2008, 05:12:08 pm »
Quote from: RedComet on December 23, 2008, 01:13:18 pm
I'm not familiar with the iPhone's capabilities, but maybe running the games via emulator would be the best option.
It’s capable of emulating it, given you know what shortcuts to take (just have a gander at the requirements for some of the older emulators out there!). You can cheat further and statically recompile portions if you really know what you’re doing. It’s not like someone’s gonna grade you on how accurately it emulates; it’s how the game runs that counts!

Other than that, disassembly is an intensive route that can be taken. It’s black magic to me, so I’m just going to act like it’s a process best left to the experts.

Do note that later NEO·GEO games have encrypted ROM’s. Don’t go poking in the contents without checking first....
Kitsune Sniper
Guest
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2008, 01:58:28 pm »
It would be much easier for you to develop a working emulator than port the game directly. A Playstation 2 is capable of running most NeoGeo games easily (when they're ported properly, like G1M2 has done - not like the shit Terminal Reality calls "emulation"), so I figure an IPhone is capable of doing the same. Emulate the core system, but stream the music off the hard drive instead of emulating it.

That said, five games? Are we talking Visco Games? ;p
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