Dreamcast Widescreen Hacks

We really should get a loader/patch disc for these codes

I know it would take a while and probably be a work in progress for a long time. But it should be done

 

Yknow whats so weird I run my Dreamcast VGA to my Sony Bravia, an older model now I guess about 7 years now but still love it. It puts all my games in full widescreen doesn't look stretched but I imagine it must be, but it looks amazing and love playing it this way. Nothing at all is cut out either like in zoom mode on my blu rays of TNG you can tell there's stuff cut out. Everything every game fits perfectly its just incredible I don't know why but it somehow does that on my tv its just great for dreamcast.

 

Will these codes work with a retail copy of GameShark CDX? I know GameShark codes are different than other code breakers

 

Works on Action Replay CDX, that is the EU version, but you should try it.

 

Some codes worked for me and some didn't with Gameshark. I can say for sure a backup disc Gameshark worked with the retail GDR of Blue Stinger perfectly in widescreen. I was pretty blown away by the results.

I wonder, since Demul has partial support for Windows CE titles, would it be possible to do a code for Half-Life?

 

Is Action Replay encrypted? I know GameShark codes are. All of these codes are unencrypted I think, am I right?

I have not seen a CodeBreaker disc on eBay lately, it seems pretty rare. I know that is unencryped

 

Codebreaker also supports encrypted codes. All of the PSOv2 codes are encrypted, for example. Gameshark, Action Replay, Codebreaker, X-Terminator, and Xploder all share the same code types. One of Codebreaker's advertised features was that it was compatible with GameShark codes, they did this on purpose.

Action Replay did use encrypted codes, but I wouldn't be surprised if unencrypted ones work too. Either way, there's an application called GSCrypt that will encrypt / decrypt the codes for you. I'm not sure if Gameshark and Action Replay can work without enable codes like Codebreaker can though.

 

Just to verify a couple of games (I'll make a verification column on the spreadsheet tomorrow when I get some time), the Sega Rally 2 (JP) code works fine, and I can verify that the Quake III Arena code works. Though I will say that the Quake III Arena code needs modifying, though I don't know exactly how yet, will run some tests.
Basically the widescreen works, especially for single player but I think it is a little over-stretched, and when you do a local multiplayer the ratio is off - you end up with large side borders and even thinner characters. I've tested all of these on a PAL Dreamcast, using a CD-R burned CodeBreaker disc using the regions of games that I have. Quake III Arena is the USA version, and I've figured out that the Crazy Taxi code works for the USA edition too (I'm using the Sega All Stars edition)

 

Seaman v1.001 (2000)(Sega)(NTSC)(US)
Widescreen

Code:

024AA4DC
3F400000
022B4E30
3F400000

 

ChuChu Rocket! v1.014 (2000)(Sega)(PAL)(M5)

Code:

022D2D40
3F400000
022D2D70
C2700000

 

Hey Esppiral, what happens when you try to force 16:9 in games that can't go widescreen in any way like Resident Evil 3?

Does it just adds black borders?

 

Esppiral, you are a total legend! Thank you

I received my monthly influx of DC games, based on the games you guys have found work best for Widescreen and have tested them, as I stated above with Quake III Arena (US). I've added a small box to the chart (attached to this post) that shows a colour for whether or not the game's Widescreen code has been tested and its results. I don't own many of the games on this list, but wherever you guys have found and tested the codes, I've verified them automatically as I trust you guys as a source. Some codes have been flagged yellow to show they've not been tested (These are codes found on lists off of this message board which I've not got the game to test) and about 3 in red to show that the region is not the best version to use because either the code doesn't work or (usually) that region of the game doesn't play over VGA cables.

I'll keep testing the Quake III Arena code to find the best version.

 

Resient evil 3 is a psx port, I havent succeed making any direct (lazy) psx port widescreen...

Dino crisi
Re 2-3
Toy story 2
Urban chaos
Nightmare creatures2
Etc


I found a value for Alone in the dark it made every 3d object "widescreen" the backgrounds still fill the whole screen but this can be changed too.

So I guess a workaround could be found to make games with prerrendered backgrounds widescreen.

 

Oh wow, I just got Half-Life working in the latest version of Demul! Do you guys think it would be possible to look into seeing if widescreen codes could be made? It isn't running very damn fast, but it renders everything enough to be able to test widescreen codes. Might be worth testing other Windows CE games on it like 4x4 Evo as well?

Edit: Disabling Auto Sort seems to make it run just about full speed for me! Internal resolution set to 4x and max layers at 8. Sound still is a bit wonky, but it is actually playing it in HD on my machine at 1080p.

 

I wonder if the Windows CE games run on similar code (in regards to screen ratio) or if they're as varied as regular titles. Worth a punt. I did try the Jet Set Radio widescreen code on the Japanese copy and it made the game error on the title screen by looping the first couple of seconds of the song repeatedly and then crashing. So codes, even for the same games, can be different enough region to region to be unstable.

I will have to look into Demul to more effectively help out (Doing code tests on real hardware is too long to be practical), my laptop can easily handle it.
Earlier in the topic someone suggested a How To guide to help others join in the hunt for codes. If anyone has written something up it'd be a big help for me.

 

Did you try it on the regular or De La Jet Set version?

 

The PAL code works, I don't have the US version and the JP version I have is the original (with Beat on the cover instead of Gum).
I'll have to look into getting De La Jet Set Radio and the US version too, as it has region exclusive tracks.

TL;DR - The codes definitely crash Jet Set Radio (JP) but are untested on De La Jet Set Radio.

**EDIT**
Done to prevent double posting, but I wanted to make an update on Quake III Arena.
I can verify the code works on real hardware, but I hadn't played QIIIA for a long time. I've only just tested it with and without the code for comparison, and the code actually works better than I initially thought.
SINGLE PLAYER: The aspect ratio is correct, and works perfectly well. There are new problems that arise, however. Specifically that there are moments of image tearing (Tier 1: Stage 2 shows this in the room with the armour in the mouth, in the main room, if you look into the centre from the side corners, triangular white blocks appear from the ceiling to your gun in specific places. These tears appear elsewhere in small quantities.
The skybox above the level can glitch badly too. Even looking directly at it shows strange issues, perhaps a clipping issue that we can try and resolve.

MULTI-PLAYER: I thought it added black borders but this is actually an issue when played without the codes! The code corrects the aspect ratio of the 3D objects on screen, but I'll have to try and find a way to zoom in or remove the black borders at the left and right of the screen for multiplayer.

 

Dead or Alive 2 v1.000 (2000)(Acclaim)(PAL)

Code:

022E5530
43700000

 

Suzuki ALSTARE Extreme Racing v1.000 (1999)(Ubi Soft)(PAL)(M5)

Code:

02CD8950
3F111111

 

WWF Royal Rumble v1.000 (2000)(THQ)(PAL)

Code:

02247920
3F400000
022478F0
43F00000

@Roareye since you mentioned the extra screen space for 4 players I leave 2 more codes with wider fov, so you can actually see what's happening outside the ring (note the guy with the barrel on the bottom left.)

Code:

02247920
3F400000
022478F0
43A00000

Code:

02247920
3F400000
022478F0
43700000

The codes hadn't been tested on real hardware so please let me know if it works.