Emulation Discussion
- Thread starter Lex
- Start date
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
seeing one of the raspberry pi machines gave me the idea but i don't know enough about making stuff to know what's possible
Cthulhu
Administrator
- AKA
- Yop
IIRC the Raspberry Pi can do N64 games too, albeit (the one I've seen) a bit crappily.
As for emulators, they basically take instructions that are called by the source code, and try and replicate what the underlying hardware would do. Like, when a game goes "store these bits in memory at address xyz", the original console would do it in its specific way, which isn't the same as on a PC. The problem / challenge off course is figuring out what exactly the hardware did. This just got progressively more complicated, which is why functional ps3 emulators aren't yet a thing (afaik / iirc)
As for emulators, they basically take instructions that are called by the source code, and try and replicate what the underlying hardware would do. Like, when a game goes "store these bits in memory at address xyz", the original console would do it in its specific way, which isn't the same as on a PC. The problem / challenge off course is figuring out what exactly the hardware did. This just got progressively more complicated, which is why functional ps3 emulators aren't yet a thing (afaik / iirc)
Lex
Administrator
Apparently a PS3 emulator exists now
IIRC there were two major issues with PS3 emulation: 99.9% of emulators rely almost entirely on the CPU for the majority of their tasks, and the cell architecture the PS3 used was comparatively difficult to emulate. The Cell processor was apparently 7 cores at 3.2GHz, so even by today's standards an emulator would have to be intensely optimised to run any games satisfactorily (bear in mind GHz means comparatively little these days, power is measured in FLOPS due to architecture etc).
IIRC there were two major issues with PS3 emulation: 99.9% of emulators rely almost entirely on the CPU for the majority of their tasks, and the cell architecture the PS3 used was comparatively difficult to emulate. The Cell processor was apparently 7 cores at 3.2GHz, so even by today's standards an emulator would have to be intensely optimised to run any games satisfactorily (bear in mind GHz means comparatively little these days, power is measured in FLOPS due to architecture etc).
ForceStealer
Double Growth
Hey guys, think anyone can help me with this?
So I stumbled upon this "Ted Woosley Uncensored" FF6 hack which sounds pretty perfect for me. It fixes bugs, fixes spelling, undoes the Nintendo censoring, and touches up the translation but otherwise leaves the Woosleyisms, which I really favor. However, I have to apply the hack/patch to the ROM and it's not cooperating.
So, I have a Final Fantasy 3 (V1.1) (U).smc rom. Then I have the "Floating IPS" utility for applying the patch file (itself a .ips). I select the ips file, select the rom, and it says that it was successful.
However, when I load try to load it in ZSNES or snes9x, the checksum fails, it says "bad rom," and nothing comes up. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks!
So I stumbled upon this "Ted Woosley Uncensored" FF6 hack which sounds pretty perfect for me. It fixes bugs, fixes spelling, undoes the Nintendo censoring, and touches up the translation but otherwise leaves the Woosleyisms, which I really favor. However, I have to apply the hack/patch to the ROM and it's not cooperating.
So, I have a Final Fantasy 3 (V1.1) (U).smc rom. Then I have the "Floating IPS" utility for applying the patch file (itself a .ips). I select the ips file, select the rom, and it says that it was successful.
However, when I load try to load it in ZSNES or snes9x, the checksum fails, it says "bad rom," and nothing comes up. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks!
Hrmm. I just tried running the patch myself through Lunar IPS. Bad Checksum does come up, but it also loads just fine otherwise in SNES9x V1.53.
Try using https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/240/ and see how that works for you?
Try using https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/240/ and see how that works for you?
ForceStealer
Double Growth
I actually started with that one and when it didn't work I tried floater ips. It looks like I snes9x 1.52, I'll have to give it a shot with 1.53
If you want to reach me on skype, I can pass you my copy of the patched file, to see if there's a difference between our systems as well.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
Hm, actually found 1.54, but no dice. I will take you up on that 
Lulcielid
Eyes of the Lord
- AKA
- Lulcy
For anyone who has been keeping an eye on RPCS3 recent developments:
Statement: Atlus U.S.A. attempts to shut down Nekotekina’s & kd-11's Patreon page for RPCS3 development
Statement: Atlus U.S.A. attempts to shut down Nekotekina’s & kd-11's Patreon page for RPCS3 development
Lulcielid
Eyes of the Lord
- AKA
- Lulcy
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
https://github.com/kootstra-rene/enge-js
http://atomicrhino.net/enge-js/
this is a browser based ps1 emulated made in javascript that apparently works pretty well, although i've not tried it
http://atomicrhino.net/enge-js/
this is a browser based ps1 emulated made in javascript that apparently works pretty well, although i've not tried it
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
does many have any resources or experience with making like an emulator micro console? let a little raspberry pi machine that can run games? this was something i was already thinking about but in light of recent news, i thought i would get more proactive about it. i am thinking mainly disk based consoles from ps1/saturn to ps2/dreamcast/gamecube era. i am sure i have seen ones on sale but also feel like trying to make one myself, although my technical skill and knowledge might make that a dumb idea but i think it would be a fun project. plus i would have to connect my laptop to the tv if i wanted to play things on the big screen
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
local shop had a second-hand slim ps2 for sale, and in a fit of not thinking it over i bought it. because it takes up less space than the old fat ps2, it has a uk plug so i don't have to use the stepdown converter my other ps2 needs, and also it looks really cute (i was this close to getting the little round psone but i stopped myself)
thing here is, this is a pal ps2 and a lot of my games are ntsc-j. so i am looking into some kind of softmod for it to hopefully run other region's games and possibly running games from a usb if it's things that i don't have on disc and are very expensive to acquire. i have wanted to play kuon for a long time but it sells on ebay for upwards of £80 for a japanese copy (which is the one i'd want anyway, and english copies are even more expensive), so that is something i would look for an iso of. or i could burn a disc, i think my laptop can do that.
remember burning dvds? i used to do that all the time, i'd make my own discs for films and stuff with menus i designed myself.
i don't particularly want to do anything physically with the hardware, so i am currently looking into the following topics (that i have mostly just seen the names of):
- free mcboot
- freedvdboot/self booting discs
- opl
- mc2sio/mx4sio
- fortuna/funtuna
- mechapwn
my main goal would be making it region-free, with a secondary aim of playing games off something other than the proper discs. usb seems to work but with laggy performance when it would be reading from the disc (fmv and loading screens) since it's usb 1 and slow. i have seen a kind of modified memory card using micro sd cards which seems much better, but it needs a specially modded memory card. but i am fine with using discs to start out. i have seen things like snes emulators but i'm not too fussed about that right now, but maybe in the future.
most of what i see seems to suggest i'm going to need a memory card with something installed on it? but i'm getting a bit overwhelmed with all the new info right now and trying to find what is up to date.
(almost forgot to add what model i'm using, it's a pal/uk scph 70003)
thing here is, this is a pal ps2 and a lot of my games are ntsc-j. so i am looking into some kind of softmod for it to hopefully run other region's games and possibly running games from a usb if it's things that i don't have on disc and are very expensive to acquire. i have wanted to play kuon for a long time but it sells on ebay for upwards of £80 for a japanese copy (which is the one i'd want anyway, and english copies are even more expensive), so that is something i would look for an iso of. or i could burn a disc, i think my laptop can do that.
remember burning dvds? i used to do that all the time, i'd make my own discs for films and stuff with menus i designed myself.
i don't particularly want to do anything physically with the hardware, so i am currently looking into the following topics (that i have mostly just seen the names of):
- free mcboot
- freedvdboot/self booting discs
- opl
- mc2sio/mx4sio
- fortuna/funtuna
- mechapwn
my main goal would be making it region-free, with a secondary aim of playing games off something other than the proper discs. usb seems to work but with laggy performance when it would be reading from the disc (fmv and loading screens) since it's usb 1 and slow. i have seen a kind of modified memory card using micro sd cards which seems much better, but it needs a specially modded memory card. but i am fine with using discs to start out. i have seen things like snes emulators but i'm not too fussed about that right now, but maybe in the future.
most of what i see seems to suggest i'm going to need a memory card with something installed on it? but i'm getting a bit overwhelmed with all the new info right now and trying to find what is up to date.
(almost forgot to add what model i'm using, it's a pal/uk scph 70003)
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
i am really interested in the mc2sio/mx4sio thing (a modified memory card with a micro sd slot that can run games), but the main people who make them don't seem to ship to the uk and the uk seller they recommend don't have it in stock 
the best i can find is listings on ebay shipping from america. so maybe i will wait on that one. you can make one yourself
maybe you can, but i can't. so i guess that is on hold which is a shame because that was shaping up to be my number 1 choice
i hadn't thought about network storage (using the ethernet to a networkable storage) which i might have to look into. i have seen a raspberry pi mentioned, which is something i wanted to try out anyway so if i could make one of those with some kind of storage medium that might be useful. idk if that will be too advanced for me though
i am finding the idea of using the expansion bay on the original model more and more tempting, even though i specifically got this slim one to tinker with lol (and because it looks cute and smol). i guess i don't really need a massive library of games on a hard drive to play at will, i'm fine with having to shuffle around files as and when i want to play something specific.
mechapwn, which i was originally keen on, i've sort of gotten hesitant about since it requires changing something with one of the internal chips. i think you can reverse it if you save the backup file it creates, but i'm still a little iffy there. plus it involves pulling the power cable out while it's on? i don't like the sound of that
i guess the first step i'm going to try is getting fmcb onto a memory card somehow. so either using free dvd boot (but i don't think i have had any blank dvds in years unless i find an old rewritable one to reuse?), or just find a memory card with it preinstalled on ebay.
the best i can find is listings on ebay shipping from america. so maybe i will wait on that one. you can make one yourselfmaybe you can, but i can't. so i guess that is on hold which is a shame because that was shaping up to be my number 1 choice
i hadn't thought about network storage (using the ethernet to a networkable storage) which i might have to look into. i have seen a raspberry pi mentioned, which is something i wanted to try out anyway so if i could make one of those with some kind of storage medium that might be useful. idk if that will be too advanced for me though
i am finding the idea of using the expansion bay on the original model more and more tempting, even though i specifically got this slim one to tinker with lol (and because it looks cute and smol). i guess i don't really need a massive library of games on a hard drive to play at will, i'm fine with having to shuffle around files as and when i want to play something specific.
mechapwn, which i was originally keen on, i've sort of gotten hesitant about since it requires changing something with one of the internal chips. i think you can reverse it if you save the backup file it creates, but i'm still a little iffy there. plus it involves pulling the power cable out while it's on? i don't like the sound of that
i guess the first step i'm going to try is getting fmcb onto a memory card somehow. so either using free dvd boot (but i don't think i have had any blank dvds in years unless i find an old rewritable one to reuse?), or just find a memory card with it preinstalled on ebay.
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
the uk seller of the mc2sio card had it in stock today when i happened to look at the site again
so i ordered one
even though i placed an order yesterday (got a hdmi adaptor for the ps2 and a protective 3ds case because the hinge on my 3ds is broken so i'm hoping this will stop the screen from falling off)
guess i'm placing two orders in two days.
i think i still need a memory card with fmcb on it? idk if i should just buy one of those too
so i ordered one
even though i placed an order yesterday (got a hdmi adaptor for the ps2 and a protective 3ds case because the hinge on my 3ds is broken so i'm hoping this will stop the screen from falling off)
guess i'm placing two orders in two days.
i think i still need a memory card with fmcb on it? idk if i should just buy one of those too
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
(the 3ds case didn't help with supporting the top screen at all, but at least helps a bit with keeping it more in place so it's not flying off but it needs like a wedge or stopper to hold it at a good angle, boo. i wanted to try out some homebrew 3ds stuff but wasn't sure about using this console since it's a japanese model and i was thinking of saving it but the fix for the broken hinge seems too complex for me so i might just try it at this point)
i now have the micro sd adaptor. i have a few micro sd cards lying around, so i go to check them out and... i have two 2gb cards and one 4gb card. i thought i had more larger ones but i guess not. i know i said i didn't mind swapping out files and wasn't bothered about having every game i'd want to play on a single file storage thing but like... i wanted at least a half dozen or so lol. there's some games i wanted to try like kuon that would fit so it's not so bad. also i think the files can't individually be over 4gb anyway so that saves me some effort. i ordered a memory card with fmcb installed because i cba putting one on myself, it should be here tomorrow (by which i mean later today because it's 1:40am).
finding downloads of stuff i don't own on disc is more tricky. i wanted to play xenosaga 1 in japanese (i have a japanese copy, but only the reloaded version with english voices so i want to try the original) but i haven't located that yet.
i now have the micro sd adaptor. i have a few micro sd cards lying around, so i go to check them out and... i have two 2gb cards and one 4gb card. i thought i had more larger ones but i guess not. i know i said i didn't mind swapping out files and wasn't bothered about having every game i'd want to play on a single file storage thing but like... i wanted at least a half dozen or so lol. there's some games i wanted to try like kuon that would fit so it's not so bad. also i think the files can't individually be over 4gb anyway so that saves me some effort. i ordered a memory card with fmcb installed because i cba putting one on myself, it should be here tomorrow (by which i mean later today because it's 1:40am).
finding downloads of stuff i don't own on disc is more tricky. i wanted to play xenosaga 1 in japanese (i have a japanese copy, but only the reloaded version with english voices so i want to try the original) but i haven't located that yet.
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
so i have everything i should need. console, purchased a memory card with fmcb installed, mc2sio, micro sd card, iso for kuon. fmcb loads up (i'm using a hdmi adapter so i had to change the video output by just pressing the buttons and hoping i got the right option), i have opl installed. but i don't see anything. i've heard it needs a specific version, so i have changed version. still nothing. i will try to change the version of fmcb, but i need to take a break
the only problem is i can think of, if trying a different fmcb version doesn't work, is one of two things. one is that there's just something wrong with this mc2sio card. idk what to do if that's the case, do i try and get a replacement/refund, or get a cheaper one off aliexpress and see if that works.
the other is that this micro sd isn't compatible, even though i tried to find one that said it would be compatible. i also didn't have the option to format to fat32, only exfat. idk if that's a problem??? idk man.
i just want to play xenosaga episode 1 again
ForceStealer
Double Growth
A worthy goal.
I have successfully played it on a PC emulator (using the real disc), but I've never attempted the console modding scene.
I have successfully played it on a PC emulator (using the real disc), but I've never attempted the console modding scene.
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
tried a different microsd that is only 4gb and can be formatted to fat32, didn’t work either. but is it a sandisk card, which i have read are a mixed bag compatibility wise. i have one more sandisk one, and another but it’s not labelled and it’s only 2gb (which i think might be good enough for kuon but not much else). haven’t tried updating fmcb yet and i have interviews and appointments to worry about tomorrow so it has to wait
this sucks, hurts so bad i just wanna see her again
i tried kuon from an iso on pc (using ps2x something? forgot the name already). the opening video skipped too much for me to enjoy it, and given how much of xenosaga ep 1 is videos as opposed to ingame scenes i don’t know how well it would run on my laptop with no dedicated graphics card
i might explore wii modding (so i can play baten kaitos and skies of arcadia from the gamecube) and 3ds stuff (so i can play xenosaga 1+2 without having to find the physical game from wherever i left it)
this sucks, hurts so bad i just wanna see her again
i tried kuon from an iso on pc (using ps2x something? forgot the name already). the opening video skipped too much for me to enjoy it, and given how much of xenosaga ep 1 is videos as opposed to ingame scenes i don’t know how well it would run on my laptop with no dedicated graphics card
i might explore wii modding (so i can play baten kaitos and skies of arcadia from the gamecube) and 3ds stuff (so i can play xenosaga 1+2 without having to find the physical game from wherever i left it)
ForceStealer
Double Growth
I've never played that 3ds port... adaptation...thing. But damn I love the original
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
i am back, being a dumbass
so i decided to try to install the different version of fmcb that’s meant to be compatible with this microsd thing. but first i had to do something about the previous. since i bought this card i guess it was a multi-install so it would work with any console, so to start i had to downgrade it to a regular install. then uninstall. then i went to reinstall it, but it told me there wasn’t enough space on the card. so i backed out of the installer and went to the browser to look at what i could get rid of, like there’s a crash bandicoot 3 save on here for some reason and i don’t know why. there is a codebreaker app which maybe i could get rid of (but i started looking at the cheats before and thought maybe for the games i might replay), so i back out into the regular ps2 browser screen
the problem might be noticeable now
backing out into the browser means the installer stopped running. but since i hadn’t reinstalled because there wasn’t enough free space, that means there’s no fmcb to boot up. so i just have this memory card with some programs on that i can’t use because the thing that boots them up is gone
and now i don’t know how to get it back
lol
the site that makes the microsd adapters also sells a memory card with the right programs on, but they don’t ship to the uk but man. i wish i could just pay someone to do this for me because i am a dumb fuck. just let me purchase everything i need so it isn’t susceptible to my foolishness
so now i have to look up instructions for installing, which will probably require buying something. i might try to dig out a burnable disk and see if i can rewrite it, which would be the only free way i know of so far
so i decided to try to install the different version of fmcb that’s meant to be compatible with this microsd thing. but first i had to do something about the previous. since i bought this card i guess it was a multi-install so it would work with any console, so to start i had to downgrade it to a regular install. then uninstall. then i went to reinstall it, but it told me there wasn’t enough space on the card. so i backed out of the installer and went to the browser to look at what i could get rid of, like there’s a crash bandicoot 3 save on here for some reason and i don’t know why. there is a codebreaker app which maybe i could get rid of (but i started looking at the cheats before and thought maybe for the games i might replay), so i back out into the regular ps2 browser screen
the problem might be noticeable now
backing out into the browser means the installer stopped running. but since i hadn’t reinstalled because there wasn’t enough free space, that means there’s no fmcb to boot up. so i just have this memory card with some programs on that i can’t use because the thing that boots them up is gone
and now i don’t know how to get it back
lol
the site that makes the microsd adapters also sells a memory card with the right programs on, but they don’t ship to the uk but man. i wish i could just pay someone to do this for me because i am a dumb fuck. just let me purchase everything i need so it isn’t susceptible to my foolishness
so now i have to look up instructions for installing, which will probably require buying something. i might try to dig out a burnable disk and see if i can rewrite it, which would be the only free way i know of so far