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Page Revision: 2009/01/28 05:39

The classic DOS game Monster Bash was released by Apogee Software Productions (now 3DRealms) in 1993.


You can download the first episode here: ftp://ftp.3drealms.com/share/1bash21.zip


You might need DosBox to run it on the operating system that forgot it's roots. This is a lot simpler than trying to set up a boot into DOS nowady.

There is a page about Monster Bash on Wikipedia

Hacking Monster Bash

BASH1 requires NO crack. It is a free gift to you for sharing with whomever you choose.

The FAST System uses a custom method to pack data files that is based on the LZW algorithm (See LZW on Wikipedia)). C Code available here: deLZW.

"SEA, Inc." developed the original master compression algorithm and file format (.ARC). It is called LZW compression (Limpel-Ziv-Welch: the scientists who cooperated to create/invent it). "CompuServe, Inc." used LZW as the basis of their .GIF design. (I call LZW and ZIP "masterful" because they foregoe the "compression lookup table" required by Huffman encoding which was boss before LZW). This made this kind of compression king of the hill for quite a while. After I had written the resource file code for Monster Bash, the LZW algorithm was bought by "UniSys, Inc." and patented. At this time, I am pretty sure that THAT particular patent has expired.

I adapted the LZW algorithm for FAST somewhat, but a "standard" decoder for it might decompress the files to the form that they are used internally by MB. Note that, in addition, each of the file types has it own compression/interpretation scheme also (adapted to the particular type of data). MB is actually a HUGE game. Incredible that we managed to squeeze each of the chapters onto single floppies. (toot, toot!)

In order to get to the compressed data you'll have to extract it frm the resource file first. See http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/DAT_Format_(Monster_Bash).