[PS2] POPS stuff & POPStarter

@blueheaven - Zero Divide running from SMB, as you note the commentator has no sound (with or without the $MUTE_VAB cheat). Good catch. Still appears to be playable (minus all sound except background music unfortunately, tried all sound-related modes).

 

It would be such a shame to stop development in this project ! Please reconsider.

I am fairly new to the scene so i don’t know what has happened previously...but I just hope relationships can be salvaged and this can continue.

I would very much like to get involved with the development of popstarter but I feel it wouldn’t be the same without KrHACKen at the helm...

Please please please reconsider!

 

I created an account here as I've recently learnt that popstarter isn't going to progress much further

Firstly, massive thanks to the PS2 dev's who's tireless efforts have helped maintained interest in the Playstation 2 in 2017 and helped to bring many dusty ps2 consoles out of the cupboard and back into the lounge room in just about every corner of the globe (where they rightfully belong might I add)

While i'm also contributor from the site referenced earlier (having written a few of the ps2 tutorials, PopSTARTER setup guides, fixing broken hardware guides - as i learn it myself etc etc) - krHACKen your work on this piece homebrew in particular has been nothing short of brilliant and has developed a large following of playstation enthusiasts across many ps2 site who are keenly following and testing each and every one of your releases (your earlier PAL fixes were very much appreciated from those of us with PAL consoles!). Please don't stop now!

Having only joined this community just over a year ago, I'm only now just starting to appreciate that there is a bit of 'history' in the scene. Irrespective of the what lead to this in the past, I'm wondering about what ways can those of us who are PS2 homebrew 'consumer' types can better support the ps2 dev community overall (btw just to add while i'm here - @sp193 - your work on the sega picodrive emulater was superb).

We all greatly value the work being done here - and we're all keen on seeing the ps2 hardware continue to be unlocked piece by piece.
If there is still hope, let us know what you need and the best way the community can support projects like these going forward.

dek

 

An idiot called Jay-Jay

 

Before you go, I must ask: does I/O take place from a higher-priority thread from the sound thread? Do you know if that is correct?
If it is true, then perhaps the additional error-handling code within USBHDFSD is making I/O a bit heavier (and perhaps, this is a limitation of the design by SCEI).

Ah, I see.

He just does not know when to stop. So OPL was blocked because of what he did, he somehow still finds it totally okay to work around a ban? Does he not know what a ban is?

Deliberately going against the wishes against the developer is really unforgiveable. Does he not realize that such projects are difficult to work on, and a volunteer (particularly a solo) developer is giving away huge chunks of his own time and resources? As such, the developer is also the proprietor of the work. But yet he thinks he can somehow override the decisions and wishes of other project developers. Even those that he has no jurisdiction over.

Sorry to hear that. It is unfortunate that it had to happen.

It is a shame that you have made up your mind, but thank you for your contributions to the community.

 

@kHn (@krHACKen) I've tested few games FMV with two thumb drives.

With new USB driver crackled sound exist in:
Tomb Raider 2 (Core Design),
MediEvil 2 (intro, after ~5sec),
Colin McRae Rally 2.0 (intro after ~25sec),
Die Hard Trilogy (Fox Interactive),
Grand Theft Auto (DMA, Visos).
There might be other games that have this problem, but I don't have time for more tests.

With an old USB driver crackled sound do not exist it these titles.

I have only a problem with Mortal Kombat 4.
With one thumb drives FMV plays nice (old USB driver),
with other thumb drives FMV (old USB driver) has less crackled sound (but still exists) than new.

Tested on SCPH-50004.

 

Just wondering if using another bios would make some difference/improvement.
Within my setup i could only run the JP version (SLPS-00083) with an alternative bios (i think i used SCPH-1000.BIN), but still no commentary. The US version runs without alternative bios btw. I tried the JP game because it's the only version that was officially released on PSN as a PS ONE Classic.
I already tested debug DTL-H1001.BIN and development board DTL-H2000.BIN and bios from PS2: SCPH-18000.BIN, but the game would'nt start at all with those. I might test this with other bios files to see if commentary will work.
Setup for this game is HDD and POPStarter_r13_WIP_06_PROTO_20171008

 

Most likely, it will have no effect. Using a BIOS doesnt improve compatibility / solve issues (maybe never had). It's only useful if you want to use the MC manager or listen to the CDDA tracks of a game.

 

Por favor, isto é somente uma opinião pessoal, nada mais.
Existem várias opções para executar um arquivo “.ELF”: uLaunchELF, Open PS2 Loader, o menu do Free McBoot, etc.
Algumas pessoas gostam de usar o uLaunchELF, outras gostam de usar o Free McBoot, outras gostam de usar o Open PS2 Loader, etc.
Eu joseri, particularmente gosto de executar meus arquivos “.ELF” usando o Open PS2 Loader, é mais prático para mim, eu raramente uso o uLaunchELF ou qualquer outro programa.
Agora falando especificamente do POPSTARTER.ELF, quando ele não pode mais ser executado pelo Open PS2 Loader, eu fiquei meio desanimado, porque, eu gosto de usar o Open PS2 Loader para fazer isso, eu não tenho PS2 Fat, somente o PS2 Slim, eu não executo nada pelo USB, uso somente SMB, desta forma, eu acho que o Open PS2 Loader é o melhor programa (ao menos para mim) para executar o POPSTARTER.ELF pelo SMB (existe outras opções, mas, eu acho que esta opção, é melhor do que as outras).
Obs: Eu não estou usando a alternativa que foi divulgada para trapacear o bloqueio do POPSTARTER.ELF (POPStarter POOF Project), atualmente, estou esperando que o POPSTARTER.ELF volte a ser executado pelo Open PS2 Loader para que eu possa voltar a jogar os meus jogos pelo SMB (repetindo, existe outras opções, mas, eu acho que esta opção, é melhor do que as outras).

Sobre a decisão do krHACKen em abandonar o desenvolvimento do POPSTARTER.ELF, eu acho que ele já fez muito e pode fazer mais, mas, se ele já decidiu, o que resta a mim é aceitar e desejar muita sorte nos seus atuais e futuros projetos. Este é um desejo de um grande admirador do nosso velho e imortal PS2.

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Please, this is just a personal opinion, nothing more.
There are several options for running an “.ELF” file: uLaunchELF, Open PS2 Loader, Free McBoot menu, etc.
Some people like to use uLaunchELF, others like to use Free McBoot, others like to use Open PS2 Loader, etc.
I joseri, I particularly like to run my “.ELF” files using the Open PS2 Loader, is more practical for me, I rarely use uLaunchELF or any other program.
Now speaking specifically of POPSTARTER.ELF, when the program can no longer be run by the Open PS2 Loader, I was kind of disappointed because, I like to use the Open PS2 Loader to do this, I do not have PS2 Fat, only the PS2 Slim, I do not run anything through USB, I use only SMB, this way, I think the Open PS2 Loader is the best program (at least for me) to run POPSTARTER.ELF through SMB (there are other options, but, I think this option, is better than the others).
Note: I am not using the alternative that was advertised to cheat the blocking of POPSTARTER.ELF (POPStarter POOF Project), I am currently waiting for POPSTARTER.ELF to be run again by the Open PS2 Loader so that I can replay the my games by SMB (repeating, there are other options, but, I think this option is better than the others).

Regarding krHACKen decision to abandon the development of POPSTARTER.ELF, I think he has done a lot and can do more, but if he has already decided, what remains for me is to accept and wish for much luck in his current and future projects . This is a wish of a great admirer of our old and immortal PS2.

 

Launching POPStarter through OPL in a PS2-H0M3 way is stupid. Even the OPL developers don't appreciate that ELF Loader bulls***. I'm supporting kHn's decision to block this trash in prototypes and it would be nice to block it in the last official beta.

Do you really think guys that renaming all the POPStarter ELFs to match the VCDs, editing conf_elm.cfg, maintaining zillions of POPStarter ELFs is better than launching games in a simple way by uLE_kHn? You have to lie to say yes.

 

The PlayStation 2 ROM is different from the PlayStation's. Even if the IOP is backward-compatible with the PlayStation's CPU, it is still not exactly a PlayStation.

Just my 2-cents here: it's got nothing to do with whether that is a stupid idea or not. If you insult their work, they're probably going to start being defensive and it is not surprising because that feature is what they are rooting for. Honestly, I think it could have been a good thing, but the way they think that they can make demands is wrong. The actual problem now probably goes beyond the idea itself.

I read their posts yesterday and I think I am getting rather triggered. I feel like signing up on their website again, just to set the record straight. It's so upsetting, but correcting them will not bring me (nor anyone) joy though.
I initially wanted to rant here, but that isn't the right thing to do. I've been putting up with their insults, which I feel that nobody else deserves to endure. Sorry, but I had to write this somewhere.

 

Oh him, yeah he forked one of my projects, made idiotic changes and then massively promoted it & wouldn't listen to reason about why his changes were harmful and unnecessary (to anyone other than him with his corrupt install of windows). I just walked away in the end and abandoned it, he needs to be nuked from the scene. Unfortunately he has friends who protect him, who don't understand how harmful he is.

 

It's just my personal opinion. The idea of launching it from OPL is very good, but the way how it's done is not. It should be implemented like in uLe_kHn with auto retrieving VCDs. Clean, foolproof, easy way to deal with it.

Since this thread is about POPS stuff, I'm only talking about the all ELF Loader trash. I'm not talking about individuals and etc.

 

Eu respeito sua opinião.
Mas, se você leu atentamente o meu comentário, você viu que eu executo os meus jogos pelo SMB, e para mim, o uLaunchELF não é o melhor programa para fazer isso (por favor, não entenda mal, é só minha opinião).
Sobre Open PS2 Loader reconhecer nativamente os arquivos “.VCDs” do POPSTARTER seria ótimo, mas, acho que isso nunca vai se torna realidade, principalmente agora.
Sobre ter muitos arquivos “.ELF” para vários jogos, eu sinceramente nunca achei isso um problema, porque, um simples arquivo “.bat” resolve o mesmo.
Eu não defendo pessoa “A” ou pessoa “B”, eu apenas procuro um melhor meio (ao menos o que eu joseri, acho que é melhor para mim) para executar os meus jogos.

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I respect your opinion.
But, if you read my review carefully, you saw that I run my games through SMB, and for me, uLaunchELF is not the best program to do this (please do not misunderstand, it's just my opinion).
About Open PS2 Loader to natively recognize the “.VCDs” files from POPSTARTER would be great but, I guess this will never come true, especially now.
About having many “.ELF” files for various games, I honestly never found this a problem because, a simple “.bat” file solves the same.
I do not advocate “A” person or “B” person, I just look for a better way (at least what I joseri, I think is best for me) to run my games.

 

I've been thinking recently about USB driver for POPStarter, since we're getting closer to last build.

What to choose?
Maybe something can be done with them (tweaked)?

In these days, it's easier to buy new 2TB drive, so the new driver will work with them.
If someone will have a problem with FMV than he\she can copy (old) drivers to MC.
Unfortunately this method may not work with larger disks and an additional space on a MC is required (~110 kB).

What option is better, compatibility or performance?

 

Maybe i didnt read the release notes well, but i thought that pops version of Ule was just for creating pops partions for hdd users. I didnt realise you can sort of use it as a front end for running POPSTARTER on usb disks!

I mostly use popstarter via smb as well but have tried all modes. The OPL elm mode is workable (with tweaking the batch file) and its nice to have the cover art, to give it that 'video store' scanning the box covers feel.

issues aside - popstarter could benefit greatly with its own visual menu /cover flow menu. The opl elm method is workable for a lot of users but inefficient with all duplicate elfs etc. So it would be good to find a more optimal way to achieve this, so the average gamer can just load popstarter, select the game, and play.

@sp193 - let me know what /if any support i can provide to assist. gotta figure out a way to move forward without the past getting dredged up on years old disagreements (nothing is black and white), or newbies having take sides. There is a huge respect for what you guys do.

Unfortunately i cant code more than ms office macros so will do what i can to help get that passion in the dev scene back - before going back to another round of point blank 2 or crash team racing

dek

 

I had a discussion with Maximus32 regarding its performance on psx-scene, so I would like to mention this here; USBHDFSD appears to make very small reads each time (4KB). There is a possibility of improving performance by rewriting the cache system and to make longer reads... but that is also a problem on its own. So perhaps, someday... it would be possible to get better performance, while yet having the necessary error-handling code.

Thanks, but the thing here is that I am not even involved in the development of POPStarter.

If you must lend your support, please lend your support to the developers behind the projects that you do care about. That means kHn, even though he is not always around here to write replies.

Sometimes, support does not always mean that you need to code. Sometimes, even supporting the user base by writing good guides or packages would probably help some projects..

 

That's the main point of uLE_kHn. We don't need this version to create the __.POPS(#) partitions, we can do it since uLE_evil (and it's now included in main uLE repo).

 

Is there any chance of implementing the SMB /CFS file access protocol from opl into that ULe version (ie so it shows up as another storage location to a pre- defined network share)? if so that will provide a front end to cover most scenarios and possibly help to move forward with all this.

In fact, I could possibly think of a few ideas on how to write a batch script to create a bunch of ule config files based on .vcds to show cover art as background art in ule while the user navigates vcd files ( based on some other great examples ive seen in customising ule to make a visual menu).

Will test it out on usb and report back.

 

New wiki page - since I could try and make it work for myself : [DS3] Use DualShock 3 Controller with POPStarter