[PS2] POPS stuff & POPStarter

Couldnt the game fixes be applied to BIN+CUE on PC side, during the BIN+CUE to VCD conversion ?
Could save you a lot of headaches maybe.

 

Unfortunately no. The game fixes get hooked to the POPS code by POPStarter, are EERAM resident (outside the area which is mapped for the PS1 virtual memory) and have dependencies with the POPS threads. Patching the VCDs with those fixes isn't possible.
There might be a way to inject the "fix" data into the higher sectors of a VCD header and redesign the disc swap helper so it loads the "fix" data into POPS, but such hacky thing will certainly crash the emulator. Not to mention that it would use DMA and impact the virtual CDROM drive timings randomly.

EDIT : I had a look at all the game fixes I've done so far. The only multi-disc game that has a fix is MGS (to skip the cutscenes which crash POPS), and it's only for disc 1. So no problem for now. All I have to do is to also make POPStarter load the disc 1 fix when the user runs the disc 2. So if the user runs the disc 2 and inserts the disc 1 in-game (to start a new game or load a save), the fix will be active.

 

This sounds nice, good that from now only one game have one game fixe and you can give a solution to it.

The patch.bin files of compatibility modes they are not affected right? they still work for each disk?

Best regards.

 

im trying to force ntsc on pal games (i like the 60hz) my steps 1 i use gsm and set ntsc put patch 9.bin in the game that i want. but the screen is became smaller in vertical i also try all gsm versions.

 

Use only the GSM v0.23x and is needed configure it.

Best regards.

 

thanks elpatas

 

The compatibility modes will remain active after you change the disc, even if the next disc you "insert" does not need them.
There is no way to deactivate the compatibility modes in-game or to activate another. Same for CHEATS.TXT.
The files (CHEATS/PATCH/TROJAN/VMCs...) that are in the VMC folder of the disc you launch will be used with the disc you insert in-game.

Edit : @truemaster1 and normally, with GSM v0.23x, you'll not need to use PATCH_9. POPStarter should disable its PAL patch by itself (a GSM v0.23x detector was implemented to do so).

 

thanks

 

Oh dear... I completely forgot that compatibility codes 1, 2, 3 and 5 poke the CD status -_- . The lid open/close mechanism does that too, to fake a drive ready/busy/idle state according to the shell open/closed status.
POPS and the compatibility modes should stop updating the CD status as soon as the lid is opened, which is fine, because leaving the cd status to its last state allows you to close the lid then. But if for some bullshit reason either POPS or a compatibility mode update the CD status while the lid is open, it will put the virtual CDROM drive into a boggus state, making the mechanism unable to close the lid.

I've done some tests with Tekken 3 just now. Opening the lid when the disc is busy (ie. in the character select menu) does a lot of crap.
Opening the lid in Theatre Mode/Disc option when the disc is probably stopped, the lid open/close mechanism seems to respond correctly as the CD status doesn't get updated by POPS and the compatibility mode 0x01. Although, I had issues changing discs like my disc swap system is faulty... As if that is not enough, select button = go back, in Tekken; and it messes up my testings -_- .

 

Ufff...this not sounds good, at the end if you can't guarantee that this compatibility modes can work 100%
with the lid and the changing discs method, i prefer keep the modes and give up the changing discs, at last
the multi discs games which can't be played without the save games are few.

Well, maybe make something for be sure that the compatibilitly modes do not updates the cd status would be
the adequate, i hope you can find all the ways, keep the good work, all my support.

Best regards.

 

I need more detailed tutorial. Everythings seem normal but I didn't deal it. I change the disc but still have wrong disc error. For example show me what place you put the game and game's vmc directoy and what's the discs.TXT file index with tutorial video or screenshots. Besides I'm not using debug mode.

 

Iı didn't work. I'm trying change disk but no luck. Lid open close feature ok but when I press select+L2+R2+up to change disk 1 and then close lid and press start still it's saying change the disk and put disc 1 in metal gear solid game.

 

Dude, this is still WIP, it's not in the last build...

 

mmm i havent try it yet. metal gear and all multiple discs game generate 2 diferrent vmc. put the discs.txt in both vcd folders

 

This emulator has improved a lot since my last checks due to extreme lack of free-time (nowadays desease). Which compatibility rate do you say it has now, people? I'll bet it's 90% (always talking of playable status) or at least the 90 per cent of the good games. More than satisfying.
Let me do a compatibility report via this channel, I know it's not the official way but this is quite hard to describe for me.
Clock Tower: The First Fear has slightly improved it's perfomance in last beta with $COMPATIBILITY_0X04 activated in plain text file.
1. normal boot and PSX logo appear. then an abnormal loading time to me for the HUMAN INC logo and game FMV intro loads in normally.
2. Here's the difference with WIP 05: now you hear sound effects in the background while main menu stays blank. Doin' some "guess & hit" will make the menu appear clearly on TV while displayin the message "No Clock Tower data on MC1 found" (more or less thats the message) and blanks out again when the message fade off.
3. Starting a new game will show the original SNES introduction with some blinks here and there.
4. I reached until the game start, the mansion hall. One of the girls says "It's a big house" and when the footsteps sound effect start to sound, screen goes blank once again and forever to me.

I thought previously that this game has a problem with the tilemaps, but it looks more a sound problem now because FFVII has those blank battles with the action actually happening background... both games has sound effects and music in .vb sequences... but Popstarter modes for sound-fix doesn't seem to work here.
Your opinion ladies & gentlemen?

 

You are right. Patches didn't work in Space Hulk, Tomb Raider I and II and Theme park games. These game are still have sound glitches or no sound. But COMPATIBILITY_0X04 patch is solving slow down problems like I.s.s and I.s.s pro evolution 2. COMPATIBILITY_0X07 is solving color problems Tomb Raiders 3,4,5 (Surely krachken didn't finish it and he must. Games is still so bright. ) But sound patches not working.

 

Bonsoir vous tous.

Lisant difficilement l'Anglais et ne m'exprimant pas en Anglais, je vous demande humblement de m'excuser pour mon Français. Je ne fais pas confiance au traducteur de Google et je suis âgé.

kHn travaille énormément sur son projet et il parviendra à fournir un bon "POPStarter". Il est très difficile de supprimer toutes les tares de POPS mais POPStarter est bon et gratuit ce qui n'est pas le cas du "PS-IO" très cher et lui aussi pas complètement finalisé. Je fais confiance à krHACKen depuis longtemps, il nous donnera un beau bébé bien finalisé, j'en suis sûr.

Suivez les listes officielles et remplissez-les avec vos rapports, kHn et moi-même vous en remercions par avance (TIA).

Algol "le papy", votre ami à tous.

 

Comes more news in the next update.

 

I have a doubt that the krHACKen can answer, as it works to swap disc HDDOSD?

 

Hi,

Oh man, swap disc function and also Parasite Eve 2 fix! I can't wait for next update! Thanks a lot to all people involved in this awesome project!

Greetings.