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Looking for Mall Breeds? Look Here! 1 | 2 | |
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Sanely Insane
RisenAngel Manager
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11/21/2014 | 5 |
A lot of people tend to ask about the state of the mall breeds, given that the Creatures Mall has been down for years at this point. In fact, it's a good contender for the most commonly asked question.
The breed packs (Bondi Norns, Hardman Norns, Treehugger Norns, Toxic Norns, and Banshee Grendels) are sadly unavailable publicly. It is currently illegal to post them for public download, although they can be shared privately and some members of the community may be willing to do so. However, if you do own the breed packs and wish to share them with others, please avoid advertising this information publicly and approach anyone who's seeking them via private message instead. Thank you!
The standalone breeds (Astro Norns, Fallow Norns, Harlequin Norns, Siamese Norns, and Zebra Norns) were released for free sometime after the shop went down. They are currently available on this page (archive).
The .agents files were intended for Linux users and Mac users will likely need them too; however, if Windows users have trouble getting the .exe files to work, the .agents files should work on Windows as well.
~ The Realm ~
Risen Angel's Creatures Blog
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Peppery One
Papriko
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11/21/2014 | 5 |
I think the description "for Linux" is confusing. It works for Windows, Linux and Mac users equally good, as it's just the breeds in plain .agents format instead of an installer exe. In fact it even might be better than the exe, as I have heard the installers sometimes have problems finding the game on new systems, or new game versions such as the GOG one.
Also, I am happy that I got the special ones (Banshee, Bondi, Hardman, Toxic and Treehugger) *wink wink*
Lets play plants! Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... |
c1anddsaddict
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11/21/2014 | |
does anyone have the .agents version of the breed packs? Not for uploading, but I've noticed that the exe doesn't seem to work on windows 7.
DS village
My TCR norns
STAY AWAY FROM THE MOLDY, DISEASED CHICKEN NUGGET STASH!!!
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Peppery One
Papriko
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11/21/2014 | |
Read my previous post
Lets play plants! Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... |
Sanely Insane
RisenAngel
Manager
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11/21/2014 | |
Edited the OP with further information about the .agents files (which are already linked to in the OP).
Haven't actually tried the .agents files since the .exe files worked just fine for me, but I don't see a reason why they wouldn't work.
~ The Realm ~
Risen Angel's Creatures Blog
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Patient Pirate
ylukyun
Manager
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11/22/2014 | |
I believe some programs (such as 7zip) can be used to extract the .agents files from the .exe files. |
creature_345
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6/11/2015 | |
Dead links, even if you replaced the ".com" with ".co.uk" in the URLs. What are the chances that these could be made available for download in another location? |
Wee Scrivener
Trell
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6/11/2015 | |
creature_345, this thread is almost a year old. Please don't post in old topics such as these.
These breeds could also be found in the Downloads section here on Creatures Caves, but the links are also down. If you want, I can private message you when we find a solution to the predicament?
Trell
"Holy crap in a casket!" |
KittyTikara
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6/12/2015 | |
The Magma Norns are archived here, but sadly the rest of them weren't.
The Mobula Ray - My Creatures blog |
3kul
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6/12/2015 | 1 |
Although this thread is dated, I just wanted to chip in and say that I am happy to help with archiving breed packs one way or another. I have the following official breed packs:
* Astro Norns
* Banshee Grendels
* Bondi Norns
* Fallow Norns
* Hardman Norns
* Harlequin Norns
* Magma Norns
* Toxic Norns
* Zebra Norns
I don't have the Siamese Norns backed up anywhere, and my backup of the Treehugger Norns appears to have somehow become corrupted over time. |
Tea Queen
Laura
Manager
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6/12/2015 | 1 |
(Welcome to the forums, creature_345!)
Archiving the breed packs will not be feasible without Gameware's permission and, as a website, we don't want Creatures Caves to fall into disrepute. That's why Ghosthande took it upon herself to try and contact Jeremy Cooke about the matter last night. We'll see if she gets a response.
Of course, anyone else can try and drop Gameware a line, but in regards to potentially rehosting the breeds here, I just wanted to let you guys know that we're on it... sort of! |
3kul
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6/12/2015 | |
I hope that Ghosthande hears back from him soon! It took me about six months to get a useful response from GW when I was trying to get permission, and then we only ended up with permission to share privately. That's obviously better than nothing, but none of the follow-up e-mails that I sent seeking an expansion of that permission were ever responded to...
I can see where you're coming from with the paid breeds (Banshee, Bondi, Hardman, Toxic & Treehugger), but surely archiving the free breeds would be okay? |
Tea Queen
Laura
Manager
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6/12/2015 | |
It's just a matter of courtesy, really. As a main community hub, it wouldn't be proper of us if we started hosting other people's property (and the free, ex-mall breeds are still Gameware's property) without their consent. Even Don had to seek permission in order to host some official downloads on AmberCreatures, so it's only right that we try and do the same first.
That's just my two cents as an administrator here though, I can't speak for the rest of the staff. |
3kul
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6/12/2015 | 1 |
That's understandable, I suppose. Here's hoping that you get permission |
the1whoscreams
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6/12/2015 | 2 |
Well, if anyone wants those free breeds, I snatched them all up sometime before the links died. I can send them to people through email if you want, but just PM me first, because I'm not going to just disclose my email in public and become easy prey for spambots. |
3kul
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6/12/2015 | 3 |
I was somewhat inspired by KittyTikara's earlier post to try some links posted on the gog.com forums on the WayBack machine. Surprisingly a few of them still work!
Astro Norns
Fallow Norns
Harlequin Norns
Zebra Norns
So long as these links, the link that KittyTikara posted (which still works) and savannahs11's kind offer stills stands, it should be relatively easy for people to access all of the free breeds that have become unavailable since Gameware's site wrapped up.
Still hoping that CC gets permission to host them though, as that feels like a more permanent solution to the problem |
Caves Dweller
Rascii
Administrator
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6/22/2015 | 2 |
If we required users to be logged in to download the breed packs, wouldn't that be considered 'sharing privately'?
Also, it's OK to revive dead forum threads as long as the reply is relevant.
- Rascii |
KittyTikara
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6/28/2015 | |
I found a few more of the tools archived on that site. Really hoping the site comes back soon.
The Mobula Ray - My Creatures blog |
Peppery One
Papriko
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7/15/2015 | |
Sooo... The mall breeds are still a no-go, but how about the freebies? Can we re-upload those at least? Preferably in agent format.
It is nice that 3kul put up the links, but the list is not complete and for any non-windows players, the .exe files are kinda.... useless, really.
Lets play plants! Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... |
deku
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7/16/2015 | |
I hope it's okay if I chime in. I recently found my old backup CD with my purchased mall breeds. It took some real digging, but I also found a backup for all of the freebie breeds as well!
It's been a while since I have picked up the series, maybe around 5 years or so, so my memory isn't as fresh as it could be. I'm seeing in a few places that there were corresponding egg .agents for these breeds.
Are those .agents special skins for the eggs, or are they merely eggs containing that breed? I'm trying to get back into C3DS, I want to put together a full backup CD of my experience with Creatures so that I can introduce my kids one day, but I have no memory of these darn egg .agents! |
xan
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7/16/2015 | |
If you mean speciically egg agents for the four breed packs (hardman, treehugger, bondi, toxic), those are eggs that contain the genome, but no sprites. (The other breeds, barring magmas which were never in the mall anyway, had no particular custom genomes.) They're for people who need to hatch norns with the genome (since it could easily be transferred anyway, through adoptions or the warp) but can't get the full pack.
If the agent is called eg. HardmanNornPack.agents, and is somewhere upward of 6 MB, then it is in fact the pack itself, including sprites/accompanying agents. |
deku
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7/16/2015 | |
Ahh, I see. Thank you, xan! That makes sense, actually.
Now I can calm my mind about finding the .agents! |
Sanely Insane
RisenAngel
Manager
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8/6/2015 | |
With the recent restoration of Creature Labs, I've updated the OP with the new page. I've removed the direct links to the .exe and .agent downloads since the new page is completely functional, but I can restore those if enough people think it's necessary.
~ The Realm ~
Risen Angel's Creatures Blog
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Wrong Banshee
Dragoler
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9/25/2015 | |
Thank you so much for this! It was disheartening to trawl through all the archived links to get everything back as a returning player, these breeds were especially hard to track down.
Creator of the TWB/TCB genome base.
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Hexx08
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3/14/2017 | 1 |
6 Official Breeds are actually available from the Gameware Europe site for free.
Siamese
Harlequin
Fallow
Zebra
Astro
Magma
http://www.gamewareeurope.com/GWDev/download_ds.php
They are listed under the Docking Station Free downloads. |
Peppery One
Papriko
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3/14/2017 | 2 |
Yup, that is well-known actually. When people nowadays say "mall breeds" they mean the other 5, Banshee, Bondi, Hardman, Toxic and Treehugger.
Lets play plants! Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... |
Lollipop Lord
C-Rex
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3/14/2017 | 1 |
Ah yes, the five breeds that Gameware are withholding from the community have not yet released. |
Norn_master
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6/1/2017 | |
And I have no clue why because they are just sitting on a way to make some potential money. They are also not doing anything with creatures except licensing it out to spil games. ( unless I am mistaken )
I could understand if they were going to do a creatures anthology or release a new game or something. They are in my opinion just as bad as Nintendo with their Metroid iP at this point.
Nintendo recently said said they will never do another Metroid game, and we should stop asking. Microsoft asked if they could buy the Metroid IP from them. Lol.
I would honestly buy the breeds in a store just to support the series.
It’s a me! Dvader0086 from the’a Discord! |
Geat_Masta
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6/1/2017 | |
You're mistaken norn_master, gameware owns the copyrights to the current games and can sell them, but they sold the trademark to spil, they didn't liscence it. |
Lurhstaap
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6/1/2017 | |
Isn't gameware basically defunct as an actual working company, anyway? I wasn't aware they had any ability to do this sort of thing even if they wanted to.
Conclude with killer catchphrase.
(Lurhstaap)
"This is not knowledge -
this is information!"
New Model Army, "Courage" |
Gulliver
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7/20/2017 | 1 |
Lurhstaap wrote: Isn't gameware basically defunct as an actual working company, anyway? I wasn't aware they had any ability to do this sort of thing even if they wanted to. The breed packs are still their intellectual property and they retain the rights to control distribution. That said the "you can share them privately but not upload them publicly" concession was a pretty good one.
I've noticed that people view GW stuff as "fair game" in a way that they don't consider third party cobblers and sprite artists' work. E.g. reusing sprites and sounds from C2 and CA is pretty accepted, but reusing another community member's work in considered a breach of ethics.
Torrents of them do exist, but are not recommended as they're .exe files from an unknown source and that carries risk of viruses etc. As per GW's suggestion, people could just ask nicely to someone who bought them the first time round if they can share them privately. |
Peppery One
Papriko
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7/20/2017 | 1 |
I genuinely do not recommend torrenting them either, but if you have the .exe files and can not use them properly for some other reason (doesn't work right on a newer system, you are on Linux/Mac OS, etc...), then 7zip can open them like an archive.
Lets play plants! Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... Photosynthesis... |
Patient Pirate
ylukyun
Manager
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7/20/2017 | 1 |
7zip is a godsend. |
Lurhstaap
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7/21/2017 | |
Gulliver wrote:
Lurhstaap wrote: Isn't gameware basically defunct as an actual working company, anyway? I wasn't aware they had any ability to do this sort of thing even if they wanted to. The breed packs are still their intellectual property and they retain the rights to control distribution. That said the "you can share them privately but not upload them publicly" concession was a pretty good one.
I've noticed that people view GW stuff as "fair game" in a way that they don't consider third party cobblers and sprite artists' work. E.g. reusing sprites and sounds from C2 and CA is pretty accepted, but reusing another community member's work in considered a breach of ethics.
Torrents of them do exist, but are not recommended as they're .exe files from an unknown source and that carries risk of viruses etc. As per GW's suggestion, people could just ask nicely for someone who bought them the first time round if they can share them privately.
That isn't what I meant. I was referring to the idea that they could produce a new Creatures game but are choosing not to. My point was that I don't think it's a case of choice. The company isn't that active anymore.
As far as the second point, that's pretty standard in my experience. Canon material is free to use precisely because it is canon. It's like people using graphics from other Blizzard games when they make a StarCraft II map. Also canon material is a more or less anonymous group effort . Whereasparty material is the work of an unpaid (usually) individual whose name or pseudonym is known.
Conclude with killer catchphrase.
(Lurhstaap)
"This is not knowledge -
this is information!"
New Model Army, "Courage" |
NeoQwerty
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8/9/2017 | |
I don't know if this is bad etiquette or not, but if someone could hook me up with the mall breeds (Bondi Norns, Hardman Norns, Treehugger Norns, Toxic Norns, and Banshee Grendels), I would be forever thankful! |
Tea Queen
Laura
Manager
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8/10/2017 | 3 |
Hi, NeoQwerty! Thanks for your query about the mall-only breeds. Unfortunately, as a website we have to adhere to Gameware's wishes. This means that publicly discussing the location of the packs can't be allowed, nor must they be posted online in any form. However, sharing them privately via private message or e-mail is absolutely okay, and another user can privately contact you about it.
I hope this helps! |