Using the latest snapshop from 2016-08-09 along with the Archive.org copy of the serpentbeta, I received the attached error. It reads:
Assertion failed!
Program: C:\Program Files\Exult-2016-08-09\Exult.exe
File: shapes/vgafile.cc
Line 323
Expression: w == c_tilesize && h == c_tilesize
I am running Vista 32-bit.
I don't remember if I had SI or BG setup before trying the beta, so it may not have had another good shp file to pull from.
Marzo, per your suggestion to check shape 0 of Sprites.vga, I exported from the SI release and put it in the Beta. It was able to get as far as the opening speech in the Beta and then tried to save the game. It crashed. The error logs are attached.
It looks like the save is okay, I was able to load it without error.
AFAIU the issue is because of missing BG/SI when you tried? Still an issue with these setup?
MAYBE we need a check for when you start a SIbeta game that it needs a BG or SI game setup.
Would including a patched shape of a single new, non-Origin frame allow this to work without needing any of the others setup first?