[PS2] POPS stuff & POPStarter

@ AKuHAK

FR : Merci pour votre excellent travail sur uLE, le WIP7 est formidable. Merci encore.
J'ai un problème de fuseau horaire avec uLE WIP6, en France nous sommes en Horaire d'été et uLE ajoute 7 heures à chaque écriture d'un fichier. Pouvez-vous corriger ce petit problème SVP ???

EN : Thank you for your excellent work on uLE, the WIP7 is formidable. Thank you still.
I have a problem of time zone with uLE WIP6, in France we are in Summer time and uLE adds 7 hours to each writing of a file. Can you correct these minor problems PLEASE ???

By the Old Papy of France.

Algol.

 

Cool thanks.
The "backward compatibility" with POPStarter r12 installed games wasn't my top priority. I rewrote parts of the old launcher because r12 had several bugs, made it compilable and working with my updated PS2SDK, but only tested it a few times months ago... The last time I tried it was after SP193 made the PSX-special commits to the PS2SDK (for the PSXHDD).

Pastie 9400679
By the way, the TIM2 loading is not enabled by default. For activating it, you need to patch the POPStarter ELF/KELF with ENABLE_TM2_LOADING.PPF. Sorry for that. POPStarter was configured for launching POPS/games as fast as possible and to be end-user friendly. Some time eating features and Dev/Hacker things were disabled before packing the release.

You may find PATCHes for each compatibility mode here : Compatibility-Modes.zip
The instructions for making PATCH files that force compatibility modes (in the POPStarter 13 documentation) were incomplete and not very clear...

At the moment, I don't have the stuff needed for getting the "magic keys" from the pressed game discs.
There are SBIs, yes, but I don't know how to calculate the key from them for injecting it in the LC routines.
So for now, the POPStarter LC cracks are made by the reverse-engineering of existing scene patches unfortunately.

I'll publish the TROJAN file specs/property as soon as I find the time to write a decent documentation.

You're welcome.

Theorically, the GameShark Lite disc should boot in the PS2, since it seems to have a valid NTSC U/C license. Though I can't tell you that the cheat engine itself works because I didn't try it.
Some 3rd party discs won't boot in the PS2 and the PS3 because their makers messed up the license string (Action Replay v3.3 and GamaShark v3.3 for example).
I've watched the sector 4 of GameShark Lite, GameShark CDX v3.4 and GameShark v4.11 A using CDRWin and they seemed to be OK.

Glad to hear it worked. Yes, donations are more than welcome since I'm unemployed and I spend my time doing PS2 related coding/hacking. I'll give you my PayPal address by PM if you want to donate me a few bucks. Thanks very much for your kindness.

 

Thanks, that got it! Didn't realise there were WIP versions. Keep up the good work - it's much appreciated!

Got a whole load of PSX games copying over now so will be able to start testing soon.

 

Could someone tell me how I can transfer my PSX games faster to my PS2 HDD?
I'm currently putting them on a usb drive then copying them over with uLaunch. I know there a couple programs to do it, but not sure how to set them up.


Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks guys!

 

Best way is via network using Radhost Client + uLe (host function). I get around 6 min for 600MB. There is even a faster way by connecting the HDD locally in your PC and using PFS Shell program.

 

On my side I only use PFSshell with an IDE-to-USB2 adapter under Windows XP, so I can't help more in transfering VCDs via the network, sorry. There is some old posts about the PFSshell usage in this topic, like this one. If fact, most of us were using PFSshell since day-1 of POPS-00001, because AKuHAK figured that it is the fastest method available at this time (and yes, it's still).
People who can't connect their HDD to their PC or simply don't want to take it out of the PS2 use uLaunchELF and RadHostClient.


The untested LibCrypt cracks I was talking about last time :
Ape Escape (SCES-02029), German Version
Ape Escape (SCES-02030), Italian Version
... for use with an unaltered copy (not cracked).
If someone can test them, please give me a feedback and the identification files of your discs. Thank you.

 

Okay, I got my hands on the Italian version of Ape Escape. As I expected, the Paradox crack makes the emulator crash (the same way as the French, UK ans Spanish versions when they're PDX patched).
The good news is that the TROJAN file I've posted above works fine, so it will be integrated in the next POPStarter build.
I still need a tester for the German version.

That's right. B.A.D patches for both the Multi-2 and Multi-3 versions don't work (no disrespect intended to the B.A.D team and their productions at all). The only Paradox crack I could find is meant for the English/French/German version.

So I went in making two LC patches for the Spanish/Italian release of TOCA World Touring Cars (SLES-02573) :
SLES-02573_LC4.PPF is for the disc image (not for the VCD !)
TOCA-World-Touring-Cars--SLES-02573-.zip is for POPStarter (VMC folder of the game)
I hope they work... if so, I'll put that trojan in the next POPStarter...

 

Thank you very much for the compatibility modes, i will try them.

I hope in the future you can get the magic keys from the pressed discs, and be possible make
loading the games that do not have a scene patch or SBI file for the LC protection.

Wow, thanks, i go for try the LC patch for the Multi-2 version of the TOCA World Touring Cars
and see if it works.

Kind regards.

 

Good news: I tested multitap library with sony's sio2man and it now finally can recognize my joypads injected into multitap (and of course without it). It recognize 1-A joypad as first controller and 2-A joypad as second controller (if those are presented)
Bad news: POPS still doesnt recognize other controllers as inserted in multitap. So it seems that something have to be done in libpad...

I used SIO2MAN and MULTITAP version 2500 and 3100. They works fine in any combination. Unfortunately homebrew mtap doesnt work with sonys sio2man.

BTW about L3 and R3 buttons. I just realized that they already works. L3 acts as directional button (left, up, right, down) but R3 as functional buttons (square, triangle, circle, cross). When Mode button is pressed vibration is on and R3 change its mode into mirrored (square, cross, circle, triangle)

 

I tested both versions, a clean image with the trojan file and the image patched with the ppf patch,
and both worked fine, they passed the loading screen for play where it freezes due to LC,
great work krHACKen!

I have a doubt, the file needed with the IdenRip tool is needed made from a clear
image of the game?
not with the image already patched with a patch right?

About others games which have an existing scene patch for LC, then i can send
you the files of IdenRip and you can integrate the LC in the emulator like with
TOCA, or do not works in this way?

Kind regards.

 

Dance Dance Revolution Disney Rave is playable but expect the music to go out a lot during gameplay. Requires PATCH_7.BIN for the game to start up.

 

Thank you.

Yes, a clear (not patched) image of the game is prefered for generating the IdentRip file, so we can be sure that POPStarter will activate the modes/crack for everyone's copy and not just for your hacked copy.
If you don't have a clear copy of the game (for example, you've downloaded a pre-patched image of it), no problem, I accept its IdentRip file. I'll review it and check it against redump to make sure the end LBA matches the original disc.

When making an IdentRip file from an already patched copy, you may see this warning in a few cases :

Sometimes the makers of the cracks/trainers replace the "Licensed by $ony Computer Entertainment" by something else. For example, B.A.D made patches that put "Cracked by B.A.D" here.
This should not be a problem, since the critical identification data are not altered.
IdentRip says "please don't submit the obtained identification file" but you can ignore this. I take the file anyway. Just tell me that you had a warning message when you give me the file, if possible.


On a side note, PAL games that make IdentRip print this warning will fail to activate the automatic PAL patcher of POPStarter 13. Why ? Because they don't have "Europe" written to the expected area. POPStarter treats them as non-PAL games and don't patch POPS in PAL.

Yes you can. IdentRip files are always required for activating game-specific stuff in POPStarter.
POPStarter WIP 01 recognises more than 90 discs and activates modes/cracks when their VCDs are played. It means that more than 90 IdentRip files are currently embedded in POPStarter.


As for the LibCrypt cracks, this is what I will do after I get your IdentRip files :
1) I try to... mmmm, let's say "find the game somewhere";
2) I download a scene crack for it;
3) I unpack, analyse and disassemble the scene crack, then I use the "magic key" that it contains for writing my TROJAN file.

If I managed to "find the game", I do my own test to verify that my TROJAN file works.
If I didn't, I post the TROJAN file here in the hope you or someone else could test it.

The TROJAN file and the IdentRip file will be integrated to the next POPStarter build if my TROJAN file works properly.

Thanks for your report.
PATCH_7.BIN which is bundled with POPStarter forces the compatibility mode 0x06. Interesting... It means that the PS OSD shell has to be disabled for making this DDR game start up. It's pretty uncommon. The only game that needed mode 6 so far was the Japanese release of Dead Or Alive.

As for the music going out, do you use a PAL (European) copy of that game ?
The clock rate of the emulator is not accurate when running in PAL mode. It may cause the musics to go out of sync, most noticeable in rhythm/party games I guess...
[It's JPN, stupid me]

EDIT :
I've tested the following versions just now :
Dancing Stage: Disney Mix (SLES-03384)
Dancing Stage: Disney Mix (SLES-03384 Kudos)
Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix (SLUS-01281)
Dance Dance Revolution: Disney's Rave (SLPM-86667 R18)

Indeed, the NTSC J version requires the compatibility mode 0x06 to run.
And, I understand what you meant by the music going out a lot now :
http://youtu.be/dMBPU4lx8yw
Very annoying disc read error. I'm gonna see if mode 0x01/0x03 can fix it...
By the way, I don't have a clean copy of the NTSC J version (mine is a HK silver dump). Can you or someone else provide me the IdentRip file of a virgin dump please ?

EDIT :
Modes 1 and 3 don't help

 

Thank you very much, my games are mainly clean and original ones, but its good to know all
this information, then i go to search all my games for make the IdentRip files for the LC stuff.

Kind regards.

 

Bonjour Toutes et Tous.


J'ai répondu à vos messages me demandant de vous valider sur la liste officielle de "POPStarter rev13 WIP01". Tous ceux qui l'ont demandé sont validé sur cette liste.

Bon Week-End.



Hello All and All.

I answered your messages asking me to validate you on the official list of “POPStarter rev13 WIP01”. All those which required it are validated on this list.

Good Week-End.


Best regards.

 

Hi everyone.

These are my findings so far,

Donpachi (J) - works with PATCH 6, black screen without.
Street Fighter EX Plus (U) - PATCH 4 gets rid of flickering during win replay
Strikers 1945 (J) - with PATCH 4 flickering has reduce on the top of the screen but not fully.
Strikers 1945 (U) works perfectly, no PATCH needed
Star Gladiator (U) - no more slowdown with PATCH 4

On a side note Namco Museum Vol 1 (U) only one game has sound, the other 6 don't . I tried PATCH 1,2,3, but still nothing.

 

I'd like to help you with IdentRip but Chrome says the file is not to be trusted which i think Chrome is just saying bullsh*t

EDIT: I got it to download and here's the IdentRip file like asked. First kHn file named ddr_dr_indentrip_file is recognized on my PC as R18_CRACK. View attachment ddr_dr_identrip_file.zip

The second file named SLPM_86667.CUE.zip is recognized on my PC as SLPM-86667

 

Just passing by to say that i'm copying DDR 1st Mix through DDR 5th Mix as well as the NTSC U DDR games on my PS2 and will try later (8 and a half hours of transfer, i hope Windows is joking on that one)

EDIT: Alright i did my tests. DDR 1st Mix, 2nd ReMix, 3rd Mix, 4th Mix and 5th Mix all freezes on a black screen or freezes on the PSX logo and doesn't go any further even if i use PATCH_7.BIN

DDR USA and DDR Konamix either freezes on the PSX logo or freezes on a black screen, doesn't work with an NTSCU bios or with PATCH_7.BIN

So DDR Disney Rave and Disney Mix must be a hell of a lot different from the base games for those to works with music skipping.

 

driver you are the wheelman works on rev.13?

 

My Tested Games I play aprox 20 min per game

Akuji The Heartless SLUS_007.15 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Apocalypse SLUS_003.73 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Blood Omen SLUS_000.27 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
CTR SCUS_944.26 Failed BSOD HDD Internal - USB
Fear Effect 2 SLUS_012.66, 012.75, 012.76, 012.77 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Fear Effect SLUS_009.20, 010.56, 010.57, 010.58 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Gekido SLUS_009.70 WORKS (Dont use External Bios) HDD Internal - USB
Gex SLUS_000.42 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Gex Enter the Gecko SLUS_005.98 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Gex 3 Deep Cover Gecko SLUS_008.06 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Heart of Darkness SLUS_005.98, 007.41 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Jackie Chan Stuntmaster SLUS_006.84 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Medievil II SCUS_945.64 Failed (graphical glitches and bsod in loading screen) HDD Internal - USB
Medievil SCUS_942.27 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Spyro The Dragon SCUS_942.28 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Nightmare Creatures SLUS_005.82 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Omega Boost SCUS_944.49 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Pac-Man World SLUS_004.39 WORKS (PATCH_4 Reduce Little slowdowns) HDD Internal - USB
Rayman 2 SLUS_012.35 Failed (BSOD after Intro ) HDD Internal - USB
Sheep Raider SLUS_013.69 WORKS (Huge slowdowns when Willy coyote Runs) HDD Internal - USB
Silent Bomber SLUS_009.02 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Syphon Filter SCUS_942.40 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Wild 9 SLUS_004.25 WORKS (PATCH_4 FIX Slowdowns) HDD Internal - USB
Bloody Roar 2 SCUS_944.24 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
CAPCOM VS SNK SLUS_014.76 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Castlevania Chronicles SLUS_013.84 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Castlevania SOTN SLUS_000.67 WORKS, Remove the track 2 "audio" information from the cue fix the crashes HDD Internal - USB
Crash Bandicoot SCUS_949.00 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped SCUS_942.44 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Crash Bandicoot 2 Cortex Strikes Back SCUS_941.54 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Dino Crisis 2 SLUS_012.79 WORKS (Image is not centered in Ypos) HDD Internal - USB
Dino Crisis SLUS_009.22 WORKS HDD Internal - USB Remove the track 2 "audio" information from the cue fix the crashes
Einhander SCUS_942.43 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
MegaMan 8 SLUS_004.53 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
MegaMan X4 SLUS_005.61 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
MegaMan X5 SLUS_013.34 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
MegaMan X6 SLUS_013.95 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Ms. Pacman SLUS_010.18 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Nightmare Creatures II SLUS_011.12 WORKS (PATCH_4 FIX Slowdowns) HDD Internal - USB
Parasite Eve 2 SLUS_010.42 Failed ( Freezes at square logo) GOD why you hate my PE2 Games HDD Internal - USB
Parasite Eve SLUS_006.62, 006.68 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Resident Evil 2 SLUS_004.21, 005.92 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Resident Evil 3 SLUS_009.23 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Resident Evil DC SLUS_007.47 WORKS HDD Internal - USB
Silent Hill SLUS_007.07 OMG WORKS PERFECT (PATCH_4 FIX Slowdowns)HDD Internal - USB
Soul Reaver SLUS_007.08 WORKS Audio Problems and Little slowdownsHDD Internal - USB
Street Fighter Alpha 3 SLUS_008.21Works WORKS HDD Internal - USB Remove the track 2 "audio" information from the cue fix the loading crashes
Tekken 3 SLUS_004.02 WORKS (Graphical glitches)HDD Internal - USB
Alien Trilogy SLUS_000.07 WORKSHDD Internal - USB
Alone In The Dark The New Nightmare SLUS_012.01, 013.77 WORKSHDD Internal - USB
Frogger SLUS_005.06 WORKS (PATCH_4 FIX Slowdowns)HDD Internal - USB
Oddworld Abe's Exoddus SLUS_007.10 WORKS (Graphical glitches)HDD Internal - USB
Oddworld Abe's Oddysee SLUS_001.90 WORKS (Graphical glitches)HDD Internal - USB
WWF Smackdown! 2 Know Your Role SLUS_012.34 WORKS (PATCH_4 FIX Slowdowns)HDD Internal - USB

 

Hello "rufinetas" - Inscription sur la liste Officielle de la "rev13" de POPStarter

FR : pourquoi ne pas vous inscrire sur la liste officielle de cette "rev13 WIP01" de POPStarter ? Tous vos renseignements sont bons et intéressants pour tous. Là, ils sont incomplets et inexploitables par "kHn". La liste possède un formulaire qui permet de mieux identifier les problèmes et leur donner une solution par l'intermédiaire des interventions de "krHACKen" et moi-même. Les données en Anglais sont acceptées.

Bonne journée.


EN : why not register you on the official list of this “rev13 WIP01†of POPStarter? All your information is good and interesting for all. There, they are incomplete and not exploitable by “kHnâ€. The list has a form which makes it possible to better identify the problems and to give them a solution via the interventions of “krHACKen†and myself. The English data are accepted.

Kind regards.