Resident Evil 1-3 - future-proofing GOG to ClassicREbirth

[annoyment]

BACKSTORY: The initial Resident Evil PC trilogy finally hit digital distribution to GOG starting June 2024, after finally getting through the thick skulls at CAPCOM that the PS1 installments are still worthwhile, even promising to go as far as having them Polacks internally do the work to bring 'em to modern 'puters - the results of this endeavour might also open more doors for collabs between GOG and other vintage publishers, among other things!
While yes, the digital distros ARE being based off of previous ports - the issue is, that said distros are (maybe due to licensing issues or something else) unable to be based off of the later SourceNext work, but instead solely using the initial ports from the late '90s (as noted from the closed-beta impressions provided by this shill); and that this wall of text will (hopefully) attempt to rectify...
By now, some of you may already be thinking "Classic REbirth" (from here on referred to as CR) by the legendary modder Gemini aka Loboto3; problem is (apart from Gemini being somehow unavailable to contribute to this bundle), this mod series only works on the very latest (aka SourceNext, from here on referred to as SN) versions of those PC ports - therefore, bridging the gap between SN and the initial CDs released in Japan, makes way to also bridge the gap between GOG and these god-tier mods!
So far, it has been understood that the GOG release of RE1 download vastly different distros depending on the language selected, and that the Japanese distro actually matches the Program Files of the last CD version released by MediaKite (Ultra2000 rerelease; since SN never picked up this installment); and it is speculated that the latter installments will follow suit (of course pre-SN)!

SOLUTION: Thankfully, all it takes is applying the latest patch (aka overwriting with the latest executables that SN officially released for free download, since their patchers essentially just did EXE swaps) to convert/migrate said Japanese installs to exactly the thing CR works with - and this holds true for RE1 and RE3Nemesis (as well as both Dino Crisis installments if GOG ever gets interested in that series), since SN focused just about all the work on appending and rewriting the executable(s) while keeping zero/minimal changes (at most, those being enhanced FMVs) to the(ir) file/folder structure!
The outlier that the rest of this rant will focus is BioHazard 2 (aka Resident Evil 2, known as "Platinum" in the US market), DIY reconstructing the structure into as close to its SN variant as possible, using solely its 2 Japanese CDs (the latter edition, the better - these two from the initial release are utilised below) and the freely available files (without needing to share any content exclusive to said discs, thus infringing on anything, unlike these mods for example), so that when that installment gets available on GOG, the end-users (shoutouts to that Italian gatso "I bumped heads with" in the 1.5 topic) would face no trouble migrating that Japanese distro to CR, keeping things as pristine and legal as possible (voimya elhamdula etc)

REQUIRED PREP: Into a new folder, copy "Common", "Gallery" and "Zmovie" folders from either JP CD, plus "Pl0" and "Pl1" from both JP CDs; then apply SN patch (EXE swap variant) and RE2CR (find valid serial "somewhere") into said new folder!
REQUIRED COMPATIBILITY EDITS: in \Common\Data\; rename (or duplicate, whatever works fer yeh) "Tit_bg.adt" to "Title_bg.adt" (both FD0C57E1), plus create a copy of "Gwarning.adt" renaming it "gw2.adt" (required solely for "Enable Japanese")!
REQUIRED FOR FMVs (Zmovie): convert (use any FOSS tool, or do some CLI DIY scripting with FFmpeg) INDEO+PCM -> MPEG+MPEG (or use premade packs from RE2SHDP, or RezaMolaee, or elsewhere at ModDB)

RESULT: SN executable verifies filenames but not checksums - either asks for DVD, or just works
Read below for tips in further reconstructing this new Program Files folder (optional - possibly worth more in case of using mods and/or total conversions)!

Replace with files from latest JP-CD patch (for identical CRC to SN - optional but still recommended):

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\Common\bin\osp.bin (0350DCD4 -> A766D830 - semi-optional)
\Common\bin\EAX.bin (8758C147 - ultra-optional)
\Common\bin\EAX_L32.bin (B686C669 - semi-optional)
\Pl1\emd1\EM14A.TIM (FAF0BAE6 -> D1273C3E)
\Pl0\emd0\EM04A.TIM (FAF0BAE6 -> D1273C3E)
\Pl0\emd0\EM05A.TIM (CCAB3694 -> B4D912B2)
copy EM05A.TIM to \pl1\emd1\ and rename it EM15A.TIM (CCAB3694 -> B4D912B2)

SN DVD CRC exclusives (no exact versions found on other CDs or elsewhere - hopefully not as important):

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\Common\bin\osp.bin (731BEC6D)
\common\file\file0fu.bin (459D8FAE)
\common\Data\tmoji.bin (F7934E06 - title menu overlay)
\common\Data\Gwarning.adt (9009BC45 - warning screen)
\common\Data\gw2.adt (6621A0FF - warning screen)

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[Scaryfun]

Awesome amount of great knowledge here!

[annoyment]

UDPATE1: RE2 just released on GOG (already at high seas too ), and its JP package uses Program Files just about identical to the two Redump'd CDs I worked with in OP (apart from GOG's injections, it is 1.00 from 1999 with zero official patches, and FMVs still being Indeo, thus one is to either "Disable Movies" or convert/swap 'em; plus all other OP rant still fits so refer to that) - so I edited it (barely; couple edits of that truckload of text always nets me a "temporary ban" per network, so hadda resort to Startpage Anonymous View ) for "presentability", and confirmed the package's compatibility with Classic REbirth; so, uh, here's a couple of notes
1. If (by any chance) nothing but the F keys work, make sure .ini files don't have the keyboard disabled, and/or refer to this topic

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KeyDef = 68 62 64 66 00 4D 00 49 00 00 4F 4A 5A 4B 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 26 28 25 27 0D 20 1B

2. Main menu's Leon/Claire scenario/story selection (like N64) is visible using Classic REbirth, but invisible (choice still present, but names aren't displayed) in case of "Enable Japanese" - maybe CR integrated its own "tmoji.bin" in its DLL, while using the external (outdated, scenario per disc, like elsewhere) file in question solely when the latter is selected; dunno, just speculating
EDIT: While everyone is linking this very mod (even though the OP's purpose is that there's no need for that much to DL, let alone bring legalities of distro'd files in question and stuff), Doze_D of "Seamless HD Project" has created a tiny fix, but that alas is yet to escape the confines of their Discord server
Windows is shutting down

[Ali Akbar]

(as well as both Dino Crisis installments if GOG ever gets interested in that series)

Who'd have thunk it, https://www.gog.com/en/game/dino_crisis and https://www.gog.com/en/game/dino_crisis_2

It is still a shame (and frustrating) that GOG did not use the Sourcenext versions of Resident Evil and Dino Crisis, they should have specified why they chose the crappy older ports, whether it was due to licensing as annoyment stated, or if localization was the big issue (due to Sourcenext versions being Japanese only), but if Gemini could do it himself, so GOG could have done it very quickly and easily due to the many resources available, being a major video game company after all.

Maybe, just maybe, a few months or few years from now, the Sourcenext versions too will be available on GOG as well, and it would be a mistake if GOG did not involve Gemini himself. And since his patch changelogs have mentioned "upcoming" improvements and bug fixes to the Classic Rebirth DLLs for quite some time, working with GOG will give him the opportunity to further improve the patches, hence benefitting everyone, but lets see!

annoyment, I trust that you'll have a guide ready for converting both GOG Dino Crisis games to Sourcenext soon

[annoyment]

annoyment, I trust that you'll have a guide ready for converting both GOG Dino Crisis games to Sourcenext soon

Unfortunately, ATM that's partly a no Japanese DC2 PC non-SN dump is considered lost (dunno if any seeders on JP P2P are active still) Thus being unable to approach the sequel with me proper due diligence
fer this newsworthy bump tho

Somebody has attempted to tackle them dinos already (and immediately having tiny issues with DC2 specifically) - so, uh, until the above prerequisite material is somehow "procured", check these writings fer nao:
https://www.gog.com/forum/dino_crisis_s ... ners_guide
https://xcancel.com/Carnivol/status/1884592176019247273 (if error then use a different working Nitter instance or something)

EDIT: Disregard the above quoted text, as that's GOG having modified files a bit to fix compatibility issues within their own release, upon which Classic REbirth throws errors (which Gemini should hopefully fix - whenever that happens)
Windows is shutting down

[Ali Akbar]

Well that sucks, fortunately I have all the Sourcenext releases of RE and DC games, acquired from an awesome site that shall not be named

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At this point it does suck to be a "legal" purchaser/owner of the GOG releases, people should come to their senses and understand that in most cases "piracy" actually benefits the gaming community, as well as game preservation and archival, and in doing so just "acquire" the sourcenext releases!

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[Scaryfun]

You are preaching to the choir.

[annoyment]

At this point it does suck to be a "legal" purchaser/owner of the GOG releases, people should come to their senses and understand that in most cases "piracy" actually benefits the gaming community

Most people (in most of the planet, anyway) do like having honestly earned their monies and then (when need be, not if) honestly acquiring the goods they purchase (and ownership of those, where applicable); and with that, having zero worry 'cause all that process was FULLY within the market-approved space(s), instead of going (or even entertaining the idea) into bits of grey areas and skirtings (for the genuine use/enjoyment of goods without any hamperings and/or senseless restrictions - case in point, digital multimedia licensing being stupidly anti-consumer as it is) so that, at no point in one's life, does one have a blemish due to which an authority would go Oblivion Guard (Germans and Japanese being well known for being such, uh, pricks) on one's arse with the iconic "Stop! You violated the law!"
Tl;dr your hidden text doesn't hold anything genuinely controversial - best refer to this vid which sums up underlying ideas on this (and related) matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIKPjHX5ABk

It is still a shame (and frustrating) that GOG did not use the Sourcenext versions of Resident Evil and Dino Crisis

There is a 'slight' chance they've actually done so for the latter, BUT that conversion to Classic REbirth MAY NOT BE FULLY "ETHICALLY" VIABLE - here's me analysis:
Dino Crisis 1 has 1:1 IDENTICAL assets between BOTH MediaKite and SN discs (the game executable being their SOLE difference) Japanese GOG distro also matches the same; EXCEPT for all the FMVs in the "Movie" folder (which SN didn't bother replacing with better ones like on BHs ) - GOG decided (for reasons unknown) to bother reencoding those from Indeo+PCM (too bad RE2/BH2 hasn't yet received such a treatment in any of its GOG hotfixes) to MPEG1+MP2 as in, they could've reencoded DVD video for best quality (since the release of that footage ain't tied to SourceNext-exclusive distribution in any way, like their both BH's FMVs were), but instead used the PC video files as source (44100Hz result when source is only 22050Hz, and bumping minor bit-starved 15fps to 24fps with duplicate frames) Methinks CR should handle such FMVs without issue, but for one's own sake either please reconvert/decimate what GOG gave yeh back to 15fps (plus Indeo if masochistic enough ), or apply some pre-made HQ videos pack or said DVD or whatever
Dino Crisis 2 GOG is just about identical to SN except for the executable (SN being lazy for those FMVs too), plus having added TWO asset files which IDK what purpose they serve (if any, AFAIK CR won't bother nor utilize them in any way) nor where did they come from (9A8B79FC.DAT and C49FC969.DAT), and TWELVE specific files:

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MF_0400.DAT, MS_0400.DAT, MS_0401.DAT, ST002.DAT, ST003.DAT, ST607.DAT, WP00A.DAT, WP02A.DAT, WP05A.DAT, WP06A.DAT, WP07A.DAT and WP08A.DAT

So, uh, where could one "ethically" source them (if one happens to not have any physical discs), so that CR can have its error-free non-conflicting dataset (Gemini did tell us to dig so ourselves ) Luckily enough, Trymedia long ago did just that, having struck deals with Capcom for their digital distro of various titles 20 years ago - meaning official freely downloadable 60-minute time-limited Trial Demos (unlockable with serial and/or online activation like dem casual gaemz, thus actually being full versions with solely main executables plagued with ActiveMARK, or bloody StarForce for some then-newer titles ) of various goodies (too bad crk'd "Fixed EXEs" for lot of them are lost to time, even for this very variant of RE3), like Dino Crisis 2 Extract or install, THEN find said twelve and copy into GOG distro's "Data" folder (and replace FMVs with better quality ones while at it; VERY recommended though not required) - granted, the Trial Demo is of the English release, but hey, stuff somewhat matches, and CR should complain no more (as long as, repeating, Gemini gets back to elbow-greasing it)
Here's the final kicker: unlike BH2 and BH3 (also analyzed its GOG just now, rather than just rely on word-of-mouth; also 1:1 identical assets to MediaKite disc, meaning even on initial distro up to the current hotfix at the time of writing, after official EXE replacement, CR plays Jillventure GOG as-is without issue ) which had its SN executables officially distributed as a free 1.1.0. update/patch on the SourceNext website; BOTH Dino Crisis titles have NEVER gotten patched, and thus NO executables for those were ever officially free anywhere (the web-pages calling those official have referenced ZERO tangible proof ATM that they indeed were obtained from any such stated viable source) and are exclusive to those rereleased discs (thus the Apple of Eden website might face "trouble" for hosting 'em outside of said discs, UNLESS Gemini or someone more knowledgeable PROVES ME WRONG - THIS IS BERRY 'PORTAN') , thus the NOT FULLY "ETHICAL" distinction

In this case I do agree with some GOG users that the initial untampered files of any kind (and no, they NEVER count as that much overhead, aka weight/size increase, unlike the examples below) should've been preserved separately as .BAK or something (even after whatever major/hotfix updates) for the sake of fallback such as this (EXEs included, since BH1's IS modded after the hotfixes, thus not fully matching with what CR expects, though thankfully Capcom's vintage official patch does exist, and it restores EXE CR-compliance; also false positive even if GOG official xD)
Could (maybe) spark a convo on whether DLL-style wrappers OR direct file modding (and/or maybe resource un/packing) is more applicable for title "refreshing" - in case of DRM removal the answer is ALWAYS the latter; StarForce (and a couple others) IS that much of a plague (same with said un/packing, it must go if utilized by DRM; worst case being SFFS, abused the most by Namco/HIP with examples such as Pac-Man World 2, kill.switch, AND AN ENTIRE CD OF PROGRAM FILES HELD HOSTAGE IN DEAD TO RIGHTS), to this day even

Windows is shutting down