The Usotsuki Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 A few days ago I got to thinking. I'd been watching comparison videos of various ports of Mortal Kombat II which has been one of my favorite arcade games, and it really seems like apart from the SNES, Genesis, 32X and maybe Game Boy versions...they all suck. I got to wondering, since there were CD ports, and MK1 got a Sega CD version, how far could one go in taking MK2, as it currently stands on the Genesis, and get it working on the Sega CD? (I'm not averse to coding for the record, I just don't speak 68000 - but so far as I can get a nod in the right direction, I could probably do what I'd like to do with a little help.) Here's some more particular ideas I'd want to do: Replace all the music with the correct music, if possible from the soundtrack CD, using red book. (All the stage tunes, at least, are on the CD.) Correct all the sounds, so they match the arcade machine; e.g., Liu Kang's bicycle kick should have that gibberish shout instead of just sounding like "w-w-w-wada"; Scorpion should say both "get over here" and "come here"; Shao Kahn should have all his taunts intact; Shao Kahn should also announce round numbers and player names. Make support for the 6-button pad default, rather than the Activator. Replace the Kredits system with Free Play. Add an option like on other CD-based Mortal Kombats for Shang Tsung's morphs to be unlimited (with loading), limited to the opponent's character model, or disabled entirely (because it might not otherwise be practical to implement him). Make the Noob Saibot secret take 50 wins, like the arcade, instead of 25 as currently. Add in as much of the original arcade attract mode as possible, plus make the ending as arcade-accurate as possible. If possible, change the text fonts to be more arcade-accurate. Add the "you weak pathetic fool" easter egg from the SNES version. XD A possible gotcha is that I don't speak 68000, though I kind-of speak 8088 and speak a fair amount of 6502. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 To make it an authentic Sega CD game, you'd have to make sure that before the finishing moves were displayed, there would be an awkward delay while loading from disc. Preferably with the words LOADING .... front and center on the screen. Wouldn't you rather just play Eternal Champions instead? I mean, even if you succeed, you'd still only have (yecch) Mortal Kombat. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 To make it an authentic Sega CD game, you'd have to make sure that before the finishing moves were displayed, there would be an awkward delay while loading from disc. Preferably with the words LOADING .... front and center on the screen. Might not entirely be avoidable, if the fatalities can't be stored in RAM as part of the character data. Wouldn't you rather just play Eternal Champions instead? I mean, even if you succeed, you'd still only have (yecch) Mortal Kombat. Well, it's not Mortal Kombat. (I'm actually a fan of the first 3 Mortal Kombats.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 A GREAT idea was MKII on the 32X... but of course they managed to cock it up... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 A GREAT idea was MKII on the 32X... but of course they managed to cock it up... Yeah. For one the music was STILL just as wrong as on the regular Genesis version... (e.g. Tower music ("Air Kombat") on the Kombat Tomb level)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Just curious -- how old are you -- or more specifically, how old were you when MK was big?(Testing my theory that the biggest MK fans were of a certain age when it came out. Kinda like how people born around 1970 are way more into Atari than younger people. I'm sure there's a reason I want more space shooter games but the mass market does not -- I'm sure that me being 7 when Star Wars came out has a lot to do with that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 For what it's worth, I just turned 37, so I was about 13-14 when the first MK games were in their heyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Dragon Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 http://www.grumpyoldgamers.co.uk/index.php?/topic/2658-paul-carruthers-interview/ I asked Paul (who was offered the Genesis port of MKII, but turned it down), about the Mega CD version of Mortal kombat. He described the hardware as a horrible machine for this type of game, due to the fact that getting data from the CD and into the Genesis memory, was a slow and difficult process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 A friend of mine who has a decent familiarity with the Genesis and Sega CD hardware (Puto, he's done a bit of Sonic hackery) did advise me it might be at best a very tight squeeze. I'd probably try to put as much loading as possible between rounds, preferably *before* (rather than after as is typical of the other CD ports) showing the battle plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 For what it's worth, I just turned 37, so I was about 13-14 when the first MK games were in their heyday. That makes a lot of sense. :-) I was 21 when the first one came out. I thought it was stupid fun, but it never really resonated with me. I think it's because I am old. What's the main limitation here? System RAM? Could it be done with generic characters, or lower detail, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Puto says the big problem might be system RAM (but that loading just two characters into RAM at once may suffice, as is done by other CD ports of MK games). Consider that Mortal Kombat 1 was done successfully on the Sega CD, although I do believe there was a bit of load time when you did a Fatality. Using the Sega CD to do some of the heavier lifting on the audio, or at least doing all the music as red book (this is possible in theory, since at least most, if not all, of the music is on a CD which Midway released and which the arcade cabinet promoted), would probably ease some of the RAM limitations, keeping in mind a couple seeks might be necessary for the FINISH HIM music and the end of a stage. Most CD versions of MK games offer a switch that allows you to turn Shang Tsung's morphs on entirely (requiring a load when used), limit them to the opponent's character (thus saving the need for a load), or disable them entirely. This would need to be implemented on a Sega CD version as well. ETA: I don't think I'd want to delete any characters. Though for what it's worth, the same character model is used for Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Reptile, plus the hidden characters Smoke and Noob Saibot, already; also the same model is used for Kitana, Mileena and the hidden character Jade. Edited January 31, 2017 by The Usotsuki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 For what it's worth, I just turned 37, so I was about 13-14 when the first MK games were in their heyday. I'm two years older, so 15-17 when it was in its prime. I liked to watch people play, but I never could get into the game myself. The move sets were too difficult to learn and it seemed easier to be cheesed to death by someone who knew what they were doing. I preferred Street Fighter II at the time (I was alright at that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 What if you started from a hacked version? "Mortal Kombat Revelations" or "Ultimate Mortal Kombat Trilogy" If nothing else, there's some more stuff for you to play with if you haven't already tried them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Those are based off the MK*3* engine, aren't they? Well, a few things removed or rolled back from UMKT would probably make a good version of MK Trilogy at least... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Ever played Mortal Kombat 3 on the Genesis? Sculptured Software, who developed all the SNES versions before being commissioned to develop MK3 and UMK3 for the Genesis as well, proved the Genesis by itself, sans CD and sans 32X, is more than capable of capturing all of the essentials from the arcade game. All of the characters, all of their animation, complete sets of character grunts and groans, and all of Shao Kahn's announcements are in place. I believe Genesis MK3 has only one "set" of male fighter sounds, where the arcade game had two or three, but otherwise it's all there. And this was for a game that had more characters and backgrounds than MK1 or MK2. There is a minor catch in that the digital sample quality in MK3 is lower than in MK2, but I think that would be a small price to pay. You might not even have to pay it since there are fewer elements to recreate for MK2. You just have to be willing to make the cartridge ROM big enough, which nowadays is the least of your worries. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Ever played Mortal Kombat 3 on the Genesis? Sculptured Software, who developed all the SNES versions before being commissioned to develop MK3 and UMK3 for the Genesis as well, proved the Genesis by itself, sans CD and sans 32X, is more than capable of capturing all of the essentials from the arcade game. All of the characters, all of their animation, complete sets of character grunts and groans, and all of Shao Kahn's announcements are in place. I believe Genesis MK3 has only one "set" of male fighter sounds, where the arcade game had two or three, but otherwise it's all there. And this was for a game that had more characters and backgrounds than MK1 or MK2. There is a minor catch in that the digital sample quality in MK3 is lower than in MK2, but I think that would be a small price to pay. You might not even have to pay it since there are fewer elements to recreate for MK2. You just have to be willing to make the cartridge ROM big enough, which nowadays is the least of your worries. Sculptured proved with MK2 that they were much better at this porting thing than Probe. And I've seen Genesis MK3. I just figured making a "MK2 Improved" on the same exact platform might seem a little daft. (For the record, I have a Genesis and I have the Genesis version of MK2 on cart.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Sculptured proved with MK2 that they were much better at this porting thing than Probe. And I've seen Genesis MK3. I just figured making a "MK2 Improved" on the same exact platform might seem a little daft. (For the record, I have a Genesis and I have the Genesis version of MK2 on cart.) Here's another romhack that might be more your speed: "Mortal Kombat II Unlimited" I have a sneaking suspicion another MK fan has beat you do this ... and in this age of flash cartridges and emulators, it seems nicer to keep it all solid state, no spinning discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I just figured making a "MK2 Improved" on the same exact platform might seem a little daft. Why so? Every decade or so we get a better Pac-Man on the 2600, and it's been worth it every time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Well, I guess part of what I want is to be ONLY what the original was without extra features. But I can look over MK2 Unlimited. My big beefs with Genesis MK2 are mostly related to the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 If the source code were available, I wonder how easy it would be to remove the soundtrack and enable CD playback on the Genesis version? Something like Pier Solar does, where you can play it via the cart and have a disc in the Sega CD that spits out the music. It would probably be a lot easier to do that than convert the entire game over to the Sega CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmertes Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 That makes a lot of sense. :-) I was 21 when the first one came out. I thought it was stupid fun, but it never really resonated with me. I think it's because I am old. I was around 11 when the first Mortal Kombat came out and I felt the same way about it you did. I was and still am more of Street Fighter 2 guy. The flow of SF2 just seems better. To me anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyMike34 Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I wouldnt mind seeing the 32X version get an audio upgrade with a Sega CD 32X port. It could have arcade perfect sound effects, the original soundtrack and minor graphical enhancements like a few additional frames of animation. It would be cool to see the Sega CD version of Mortal Kombat get the 32X treatment to improve the background color palette and character resolution. Maybe they could use the additional RAM from the 32X to improve Shang Tsungs morph load times too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Mortal Kombat II for the Genesis and 32X was designed by Probe, not Sculptured Software. Having said that, Mortal Kombat 3 for the Genesis WAS by Sculptured, and that was a big step up from the previous games. I'm just not sure what you would accomplish by porting MK2 to the Sega CD of all things. Although it was a strong port, it felt like Mortal Kombat 3 was asking more from the Genesis than it could provide. Look at the grainy graphics and the hollow sound, and tell me you want something like that on the Sega CD with the introduction of lengthy load times. Actually Mortal Kombat II was MORE colorful than MK3, so it has the potential to look even worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Just play the Saturn port and call it a day, or fix the 32X version instead. It just seems like too much work to make a decent game play on poor hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homerhomer Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 32x is the machine you want for this. It's just that Probe botched the port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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