Jump to content

Getting ready to Keep NFL Challenge Alive


raiderfan2kx

Recommended Posts

  • 10 months later...
On 9/16/2012 at 11:44 PM, raiderfan2kx said:

Well I'm Trying to Bring NFL Challenge back to life forever because it is a great MS-DOS Game and is released in 1985 by XOR Software. It was notable for being one of the stronger football simulations of its time, with statistical models to not only the NFL season, but also the outcome of a single football game. Being one of the first football games for the PC it is still considered one of the best requiring 10 man-years to make and over 30,000 lines of code.

 

So if you want to Download the Game: Click this Link

 

The Add-On Disks for these seasons can be found in this attachment which consists of 1985, 1988, 1990 and 1991 NFL Seasons, but unfortunately the 1986, 1987 & 1992 NFL Season Disks are now missing as well as the Dream Season Disk in which ESPN aired a special NFL Dream Season in 1988, so if anyone has these disks and needs to upload, reply here.

 

And if you want to upload NFL Teams past and present (including homebrewed versions of the 1986, 1987 & 1992 NFL Seasons) as well as the 2012 NFL Season (including NFL Players like Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson and Tony Romo), please post it by replying here for your upload.

nflchal-add.zip

 

 

StratoNascar and RaidersFan2KX -  Here is a list of helpful links and a question. The online game download has XOR NFL CHALLENGE v2.01 from 08/08/1989, with the 320K version of the NFL.EXE.  The CURVES.NFL file revision is dated: 04/03/86

 

I remember there is another version for those who had 640K memory, which allowed the user to run off the HD and not have to access the data from floppy.  But, that is not why I seek it.

 

The 512K verson of NFL.EXE had modified code and a later CURVES file.  I remember those two XOR files addressed the excessive TURNOVER issue, and partially helped the 1-6 defense BUG or blitz cheat issue. 

 

In closing, do you know of anyone who might have a later NFL.EXE or Curves version?

 

Regards - DaSchwam

 

Helpful Links for those who do not wish to spend days on Google finding them:

 

DBGL (DosBox) it works like a charm. http://members.quicknet.nl/blankendaalr/dbgl/

 

From GJo59 MSACCESS kit for Madden 08 Roster XLS to XOR NFL CHALLENGE Roster Conversion:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/rvwqlyhyz5kaqzz/Madden_to_XOR.zip

 

From raiderfan2kx at Techmo with 85, 88, 90, 91 Team Disks, Game Situation Development System and Roster Editor: http://tecmobowl.org/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=6808

 

From stratonascar at Techmo with most seasons from 1966 - 2016 and Greatest Teams 1941 - 2015 utilizing GJo59 conversion kit: 

http://tecmobowl.org/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=15697

 

From RogerJinx at Footballidiot 2017-2018 Latest Madden 08 Roster converted from Madden 18:

http://www.footballidiot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=19457

 

XOR NFL CHALLENGE can be downloaded at:

XTCAbandonware: http://www.xtcabandonware.com/game/1896/nfl-challenge

MyAbandonware: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/nfl-challenge-68

OldGames: http://www.old-games.com/download/4791/nfl-challenge

 

Documentation:

User Guide and Playbooks: http://videofootballleague.com/docs/nflchal.pdf

Addendum for Version 2.01: http://videofootballleague.com/docs/nflchaladd.pdf

Xor Catalog: http://www.mocagh.org/miscgame/xor-catalog.pdf

 

Links to relevant conversations and docs:

http://tecmobowl.org/forum/topic/13407-getting-ready-to-keep-nfl-challenge-alive/

http://tecmobowl.org/forums/topic/68908-nfl-challenge/?tab=comments#comment-474079

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20495344/XOR-NFL-Challenge-Problem.html

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/showthread.php?t=254857#post4135457

Edited by TheSchwami
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I may still have my original disks for this game (I bought all the add-ons) but I'm not sure where I can find a 5.25" floppy drive.  :)

 

I wrote a C program wrap around for this game back in the late 80's and have recently dusted it off and converting it to run on my Mac.  I'm now using a MySQL database to hold all the info and would be interested in anything someone from the original developers has to say.  I was able to use a binary editor and tweak things in the code such as changing Phoenix to Arizona, but not much more.  

 

I remember sending in my pre-order of $50 in the early 90's for the next version of the game and they went out of business shortly afterwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I responded earlier (in 2014) with a Holy wow thinking this was the same game I remembered playing as a kid, however, the game I played was MUCH more rudimentary (and probably happened earlier in the 80s). What I recall ( I don't recall actual teams being used) was that you basically were given 4 choices on both offense and defense. Short run, long run, short pass, long pass. After you and the opponent (I played against the cpu) it would spit out the results of the play (think Gain of 4 yards, or something like that). Sounds like I played a precursor to this? Is anyone familiar with what that might be?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/4/2017 at 5:21 PM, NAXFL said:

Still heavily involved with XOR NFL Challenge. We are nearing the end of our league's ninth season and have been active since 2006. Lately we have been delving much further into the "nuts and bolts" of the game. After contact with one of the authors of the original game's college team disks, we are starting our own testing on how the skill and other attributes affect the game play. My goal is eventually to have a template into which one can paste stats for a season and convert them into skills applicable to the game, as well as a method of scaling skills and physical attributes so great teams from different eras can compete against each other.

 

I see in the addon-no2 that the rosters are 49 man rosters.   Does the game need a tweak to make this run, or does it just run with the adjusted roster file?   I'm also interested in getting ahold of updated curve or .nfl files used in the execution of the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

This evening I tried (for the first time) to run
on a/my x64 (Win7) laptop XOR-NFL¤Challenge ...
I was (of course) not able to run XOR-NFL¤C ... directly ...
NOR by configuring DOSbox  ... either ...

Unable to open a

HOWEVER, after (also) unsuccessfully trying to run XOR-NFL¤C
in my/a browser ... on a couple different archive sites (which "experimentally" offer that option)
I found/read the following:
PRE-CONFIGURED XOR-NFL¤Challenge @ Old-Games

Quote

This game has been set up
to work on modern Windows (10/8/7/Vista/XP 64/32-bit) computers without problems.
Please choose Download - Easy Setup (1.60 MB).

MUCH to my disbelief/pleasure,
the above Pre-Configured DOXbox/XOR-NFL¤Challenge
actually runs directly on my Win7x64 laptop !!!

I then proceeded to tweak the install to add the '85, '88, '90 & '91 team sets ...

Looking forward to adding ... more NFL years/teams ...
& NCAA years/teams ?!?!?!
YYSZ0yv.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greetings 😼
Yesterday I scripted & (seemingly) debugged
a tweaked the above XOR-DOSbox (x64) login script:
 

:START
@echo off
cls
echo.
echo Pick a decade for NFL Challenge to have as options:
echo.
echo Press 6 to Choose from the 1960's Teams
echo Press 7 to Choose from the 1970's Teams
echo Press 8 to Choose from the 1980's Teams
echo Press 9 to Choose from the 1990's Teams
echo Press 0 to Choose from the 2000's Teams
echo Press 1 to Choose from the 2010's Teams
echo Press G to Choose from the Greatest Teams
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:678901GX /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto START
if errorlevel = 8 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 7 goto Greats
if errorlevel = 6 goto 10s
if errorlevel = 5 goto 00s
if errorlevel = 4 goto 90s
if errorlevel = 3 goto 80s
if errorlevel = 2 goto 70s
if errorlevel = 1 goto 60s
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:Greats
cls
echo.
echo Choose an ALL-TIME GREATS team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press A to Choose from the All-Star Great Teams
echo Press H to Choose from the Historical Greatest Teams
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:AHX /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto Greats
if errorlevel = 3 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 2 goto HIST
if errorlevel = 1 goto ALLS
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:ALLS
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\greatsA -t floppy
goto RUN

:HIST
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\greatsH -t floppy
goto RUN

:10s
cls
echo.
echo Choose a 2010's team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press 0 to load the 2010 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 1 to load the 2011 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 2 to load the 2012 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 3 to load the 2013 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 4 to load the 2014 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 5 to load the 2015 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 6 to load the 2016 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:0123456X /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto 10s
if errorlevel = 8 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 7 goto 2016
if errorlevel = 6 goto 2015
if errorlevel = 5 goto 2014
if errorlevel = 4 goto 2013
if errorlevel = 3 goto 2012
if errorlevel = 2 goto 2011
if errorlevel = 1 goto 2010
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:2010
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2010 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2011
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2011 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2012
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2012 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2013
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2013 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2014
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2014 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2015
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2015 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2016
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2016 -t floppy
goto RUN

:00s
cls
echo.
echo Choose a 2000's team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press 1 to load the 2001 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 2 to load the 2002 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 3 to load the 2003 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 4 to load the 2004 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 5 to load the 2005 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 6 to load the 2006 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 7 to load the 2007 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 9 to load the 2009 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:12345679X /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto 00s
if errorlevel = 9 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 8 goto 2009
if errorlevel = 7 goto 2007
if errorlevel = 6 goto 2006
if errorlevel = 5 goto 2005
if errorlevel = 4 goto 2004
if errorlevel = 3 goto 2003
if errorlevel = 2 goto 2002
if errorlevel = 1 goto 2001
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:2001
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2001 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2002
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2002 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2003
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2003 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2004
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2004 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2005
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2005 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2006
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2006 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2007
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2007 -t floppy
goto RUN

:2009
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\2009 -t floppy
goto RUN

:90s
cls
echo.
echo Choose a 1990's team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press 0 to load the 1990 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 1 to load the 1991 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 5 to load the 1995 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 6 to load the 1996 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 7 to load the 1997 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:01567X /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto 90s
if errorlevel = 6 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 5 goto 1997
if errorlevel = 4 goto 1996
if errorlevel = 3 goto 1995
if errorlevel = 2 goto 1991
if errorlevel = 1 goto 1990
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:1990
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1990 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1991
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1991 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1995
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1995 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1996
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1996 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1997
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1997 -t floppy
goto RUN

:80s
cls
echo.
echo Choose a 1980's team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press 3 to load the 1983 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 4 to load the 1984 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 5 to load the 1985 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 6 to load the 1986 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 8 to load the 1988 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 9 to load the 1989 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:345689X /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto 80s
if errorlevel = 7 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 6 goto 1989
if errorlevel = 5 goto 1988
if errorlevel = 4 goto 1986
if errorlevel = 3 goto 1985
if errorlevel = 2 goto 1984
if errorlevel = 1 goto 1983
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:1983
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1983 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1984
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1984 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1985
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1985 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1986
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1986 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1988
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1988 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1989
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1989 -t floppy
goto RUN

:70s
cls
echo.
echo Choose a 1970's team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press 1 to load the 1971 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 6 to load the 1976 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 8 to load the 1978 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 9 to load the 1979 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:1689X /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto 70s
if errorlevel = 6 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 4 goto 1979
if errorlevel = 3 goto 1978
if errorlevel = 2 goto 1976
if errorlevel = 1 goto 1971
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:1971
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1971 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1976
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1976 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1978
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1978 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1979
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1979 -t floppy
goto RUN

:60s
cls
echo.
echo Choose a 1960's team disk for NFL Challenge to load:
echo.
echo Press 6 to load the 1966 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 7 to load the 1967 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 8 to load the 1968 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press 9 to load the 1969 Team Disk to Drive A
echo Press X to Quit
echo.
choice /c:6789X /N Please Choose:

if errorlevel = 255 goto 60s
if errorlevel = 6 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 4 goto 1969
if errorlevel = 3 goto 1968
if errorlevel = 2 goto 1957
if errorlevel = 1 goto 1966
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:1966
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1966 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1967
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1967 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1968
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1968 -t floppy
goto RUN

:1969
mount a .\games\NFLChall\nfl\1969 -t floppy
goto RUN

:QUIT
cls
echo.
choice /c: QUIT???:

if errorlevel = 255 goto QUIT
if errorlevel = 2 goto START
if errorlevel = 1 goto END
if errorlevel = 0 goto END

:RUN
cls
@cd nfl
@nfl
goto END

:END
cls
echo.
echo BYE
echo.

The above incorporates ALL of the XOR-NFL¤Challenge[Add-Ons#2] TeamSets/Decades ...
I followed certain TeamSet directory/folder (re-)naming protocols ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

And So It's Official, I've Made the Complete Edition for NFL Challenge on Google Drive, so here's the link to Download It: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t24iKOQFqfyqWvTduXLoWBz0RoR0P5IV/view?usp=sharing

 

However If you want to have any changes regarding to any sets that we have, please post and If anyone has the following NFL Challenge Season Disks for the actual XOR Version 1986 NFL Challenge Season let me know as well as the following

 

- NFL Challenge Greatest Teams Disk (1966-1988)
- NFL Dream Season Disk which features the Teams that aired on ESPN in 1989 (1951 Rams, 1953 Lions, 1955 Browns, 1959 Colts, 1960 Eagles, 1963 Chargers, 1964 Browns, 1966 Packers, 1968 Jets, 1969 Chiefs, 1971 Cowboys, 1972 Dolphins, 1976 Raiders, 1977 Cowboys, 1978 Steelers, 1982 Redskins, 1983 Raiders, 1984 49ers, 1985 Bears, 1986 Giants)
- NCAA Football 1990 Season
- NCAA Football 1991 Season
- NCAA Football Alumni Squads

 

If you have any of these Disks feel free to Upload or You Can Also Upload your own set which would consist of New College Teams and Seasons, An Updated All-Time NFL Franchise Teams Disk (with 32 Teams in this set), New NFL Season Sets from 1961 to 1965 and Pre-1960 Seasons and so on, so contribute now!

Edited by stratonascar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

Greetings, Earthlings Hiani.gif
I don't know if/when "we" will ever see
a/ny "mod/s"/enhancement/s to XOR NFL-Challenge
(e.g., TrickPlays, FakeKicks ...)


I recently came across Landry Strategy Football Deluxe
and find this "title" to be a "cut above" XOR ...
There are (currently) only teams for the 1992 and 1994 seasons;
however, I'll be (first) working backwards to create
teams for 1990, 1988, 1986, 1984 ...

 

I'm also "test-driving" the MicroSports All-American CollegeFootball "title" ...

These "titles" are rather dated; however, I find them (so far) to be "good enough" ...
and CUSTOMIZABLE ~ which matters ... to some of "us" ... "out there" 
Exclam01ani.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...