5 ms·

It would be great if this could be done for games where the source code was lost. Like Panzer Dragoon Saga.

mburns 7y ago
This decompile was done without the original source code, just the released game, which is effectively the same as being ‘lost’.
- codesushi42 7y ago
  I meant where the source code does not exist anymore, anywhere. Nintendo still has the source to SM64.
  - mburns 7y ago
    Maybe I misunderstood you. I’m saying this same decompile process could indeed be done to any released game where the source code is lost, because that is effectively what happened in this case.
    - filoleg 7y ago
      I think you misunderstood what the parent was saying. On the technical level, you are correct in that in both scenarios the end result would be the same, as you are going from compiled code to decompiled code. What I believe the parent is saying, is that applying this to Panzer Dragoon accomplishes more (on the human level), because devs of that game don't have the original source code anymore, while Super Mario 64 devs do.
      - jolmg 7y ago
        Maybe the confusion could have been avoided if instead of: > It would be great if this could be done... codesushi42 would have said (emphasis mine): > It would be great if this would be done... Not that I think it was incorrect as it was, just a little ambiguous, I guess.
        filoleg 7y ago
        Not a native english speaker, but this seems like a nitpicky non-issue to me. How is it not the same as "could you please pass me a glass of water" vs. "would you please pass me a glass of water"? Both indicate a request rather than talking about actual physical ability to perform the action. Also, I would agree more with your point if the parent said "It could be great if this could be done..." instead of "It would be great if this could be done". The first "would" seems to indicate to me pretty clearly that the parent was talking about a request rather than ability.
        sigstoat 7y ago
        > Not a native english speaker, but this seems like a nitpicky non-issue to me. How is it not the same as "could you please pass me a glass of water" vs. "would you please pass me a glass of water"? Both indicate a request rather than talking about actual physical ability to perform the action. in the case of something like the glass of water, "could" makes the sentence more indirect, and more polite. the original post is "it would be great if [huge task undertaken by unspecified persons] could be done". this native speaker would not attempt to polite-ify a request for something like that (and i don't think other native speakers would either), so the original post can't be making a request. it is expressing a hope that the thing is possible. mburns (reasonably) then explains that it is possible. then codesushi42 sort of goes on the rails, and i can't figure out what they're attempting to convey at this point.
        codesushi42 7y ago
        Huh? I wasn't making an appeal to anyone, so your point is moot. Context is important. Why bother decompiling a game if you have the source already? Of course I meant decompiling games for which there is no source code available on any machine. Nintendo has the source for SM64. What a ridiculous load of pedantry.
        torstenvl 7y ago
        It isn't pedantry. Expressing a wish that something "could" be done is ambiguous. "Could" is both used as you originally intended and as an expression of ability. It's not pedantry to misunderstand, and it's not pedantry for GP to explain why the misunderstanding occurred. A misunderstanding occurred. The misunderstanding was clarified, acknowledged, and explained. I'm not sure it contributes anything to make accusations of pedantry.
- temac 7y ago
  The reversed SM64 binary was compiled without optim IIRC though. Of couse you can reverse an optimized binary, just launch IDA and start to have fun to get an idea of the work. Doable, but of course harder.
echelon 7y ago
How was the source code lost? Did the company that produced the game go out of business?
- codesushi42 7y ago
  Sega is still in business, but the code was lost. Disks fail. Machines are thrown away. Who knows how it happened, but it isn't a rare event, sadly.

This decompile was done without the original source code, just the released game, which is effectively the same as being ‘lost’.

codesushi42 7y ago
I meant where the source code does not exist anymore, anywhere. Nintendo still has the source to SM64.
- mburns 7y ago
  Maybe I misunderstood you. I’m saying this same decompile process could indeed be done to any released game where the source code is lost, because that is effectively what happened in this case.
  - filoleg 7y ago
    I think you misunderstood what the parent was saying. On the technical level, you are correct in that in both scenarios the end result would be the same, as you are going from compiled code to decompiled code. What I believe the parent is saying, is that applying this to Panzer Dragoon accomplishes more (on the human level), because devs of that game don't have the original source code anymore, while Super Mario 64 devs do.
    - jolmg 7y ago
      Maybe the confusion could have been avoided if instead of: > It would be great if this could be done... codesushi42 would have said (emphasis mine): > It would be great if this would be done... Not that I think it was incorrect as it was, just a little ambiguous, I guess.
      - filoleg 7y ago
        Not a native english speaker, but this seems like a nitpicky non-issue to me. How is it not the same as "could you please pass me a glass of water" vs. "would you please pass me a glass of water"? Both indicate a request rather than talking about actual physical ability to perform the action. Also, I would agree more with your point if the parent said "It could be great if this could be done..." instead of "It would be great if this could be done". The first "would" seems to indicate to me pretty clearly that the parent was talking about a request rather than ability.
        sigstoat 7y ago
        > Not a native english speaker, but this seems like a nitpicky non-issue to me. How is it not the same as "could you please pass me a glass of water" vs. "would you please pass me a glass of water"? Both indicate a request rather than talking about actual physical ability to perform the action. in the case of something like the glass of water, "could" makes the sentence more indirect, and more polite. the original post is "it would be great if [huge task undertaken by unspecified persons] could be done". this native speaker would not attempt to polite-ify a request for something like that (and i don't think other native speakers would either), so the original post can't be making a request. it is expressing a hope that the thing is possible. mburns (reasonably) then explains that it is possible. then codesushi42 sort of goes on the rails, and i can't figure out what they're attempting to convey at this point.
        codesushi42 7y ago
        Huh? I wasn't making an appeal to anyone, so your point is moot. Context is important. Why bother decompiling a game if you have the source already? Of course I meant decompiling games for which there is no source code available on any machine. Nintendo has the source for SM64. What a ridiculous load of pedantry.
        torstenvl 7y ago
        It isn't pedantry. Expressing a wish that something "could" be done is ambiguous. "Could" is both used as you originally intended and as an expression of ability. It's not pedantry to misunderstand, and it's not pedantry for GP to explain why the misunderstanding occurred. A misunderstanding occurred. The misunderstanding was clarified, acknowledged, and explained. I'm not sure it contributes anything to make accusations of pedantry.
temac 7y ago
The reversed SM64 binary was compiled without optim IIRC though. Of couse you can reverse an optimized binary, just launch IDA and start to have fun to get an idea of the work. Doable, but of course harder.

echelon 7y ago

How was the source code lost? Did the company that produced the game go out of business?

codesushi42 7y ago
Sega is still in business, but the code was lost. Disks fail. Machines are thrown away. Who knows how it happened, but it isn't a rare event, sadly.