From the Decoding CD-i audio files thread:
But look what I cooked up by reverse-engineering the password generator code:
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C:\Tmp>dimopass
Usage: dimopass PASSWORD ...
Function: Calculates Dimo's Quest level passwords from samples
Written by CD-i Fan <cdifan@gmail.com>
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C:\Tmp>dimopass.exe QAPUDUNE GUGIKENE
Too many possibilities, provide more PASSWORD samples!
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C:\Tmp>dimopass.exe QAPUDUNE GUGIKENE BEDYZIKU
02: QAPUDUNE
03: GUGIKENE
04: BEDYZIKU
05: PYTOFERA
06: CUGUMEJU
07: COCEXUZY
08: ZIZYFEFU
09: KOZYKUKE
10: RUFOJELU
11: LUKEDULI
12: VYPIGALY
13: WYNIHEHI
14: BEZIBAGO
15: HIQICEGU
16: MAJEWICY
17: JAPIPIZO
18: CEHIBAMI
19: QOMAGEPY
20: DEVIDIMU
21: HOBEMUSU
22: HIKUDYDI
23: SEQEDEPE
24: FECIZYGU
25: BIRALEWY
26: BYPOJYDA
27: DEVILEKA
28: QAJUKUCI
29: CUXEFOZI
30: KIPYPUZE
31: HUHIQYCI
32: GAHENYHE
33: HIDITURO
34: FESAJAGA
35: DUCUHESA
36: MIZIJADI
37: LISAKOCO
38: WEBOTULE
39: DIMITUJI
40: BYVIWANY
41: WYFOLYNU
42: CIMUNYPO
43: FEHAMABU
44: CAVIKILI
45: DEHYCEXU
46: CICEBIHI
47: GIREBYHE
48: GAKIGIQU
49: PIDEBILE
50: ROLUHYSI
51: KYHIZAVE
I've known this for years and wondered if a few passwords leak enough info to allow reconstruction of that random value?
It turns out that the answer is yes; the minimum required number of passwords seems to be three.
So you can play the first few (usually three) levels and use those passwords to generate a full password list.
This should answer all concerns about full playability of Dimo's Quest without a working NVRAM.
NB. It is also possible to use CD-i Link and a CD-i null-modem cable to save the NVRAM file before turning off the player, and restoring it after turning the player back on. This has the advantage of restoring your highscores as well...