Predator - Fast and Slow versions

[Joker1974]

Greetings folks! Long time lurker, first time poster... kudos to all for creating and keeping this excellent project and community alive

Now, to business. Being a big Predator fan ever since the movie, the 64 game always confused me... and I'm sure many other people had the same problem... how to drop that damn log on the Predator??

We've had a bit of a discussion on Lemon64 regarding it, and to cut a long story short, there are two different versions: the Slow and Fast. I can't remember which software house did each version though, or even if they were both released.

The only version I'd ever seen (the unbeatable one) was the Fast version, which seems to be the most common release. So after the Lemon64 discussion, I tried the newly-found Slow version - and the difference between them both is huge! The Slow version seems the most 'official' one... as it's got nifty Predator cloaking effects, more special items, and the log raises and drops just the way you'd expect it to... but it's got terrible sluggish speed issues. (It runs better with the emulator speed set at 250% tho).

Perhaps that's why the Fast version is more common... maybe was it a stripped-down version of the Slow one, to increase the speed (but bugging it in the process)? Or maybe there's an NTSC and PAL difference? I can't work out which one came first, or which one is classed as the official release. Gah.

So, can anyone out there shed any light on this game? It's bugged me for over two decades now, and I'd finally like to know the history of it. Thanks!!

[Rough]

Which version is the Fairlight crack? The fast one?

[Joker1974]

Yes, the Fairlight version (in the GB64 collection) is the "fast" version. I think Fairlight even mentions something in the scrolltext about the fast and slow games, but I can't remember the wording exactly.

This is the link to the "slow" version:
http://web.externet.hu/sk/c64/games/p/pred-dsd.zip

If you've only played the Fairlight version, try this one and you'll notice the differences!

[Rough]

Yes, the Fairlight version (in the GB64 collection) is the "fast" version. I think Fairlight even mentions something in the scrolltext about the fast and slow games, but I can't remember the wording exactly.

This is the link to the "slow" version:
http://web.externet.hu/sk/c64/games/p/pred-dsd.zip

If you've only played the Fairlight version, try this one and you'll notice the differences!

I recently read the text of the Flt crack. They mention that this is the fast version. But they meant that their crack was a quick one (to first release it, which is "the kick" for most pirating group), probably intended to do a second version with more trainers and levelpacked, but I never saw it, so it probably doesnt exist.

DSD is, unlike Fairlight, an American group, so their crack is probably the NTSC release, I didnt check it, but looking at the credits the game is a co-production of British and American software people and maybe the American added some additional functions before it was released in the USA. Also DSD cracked the game years after it was released.

The PAL release flickers on NTSC, so there must be some changes on the American release.

[Joker1974]

That sounds logical... I guess I should compare the two versions/cracks side by side and see if they're US/UK releases.

You could be right about the FLT crack being a fast or slow release, too - although if you play the two versions, you can see that there's definately a difference in game speed.

I guess that could be due to PAL/NTSC though... that would affect game speed too, wouldn't it?

Thanks for your help thus far, Adam

[Rough]

Thanks for your help thus far, Adam

Glad to share information.