[PS2] POPS stuff & POPStarter

POPStarter_r13_WIP_06_OBT_20170128.zip


Seems to work now.

Though I have not tried executing POPStarter from PATINFO...

 

From what i see in this new beta 17 now there is only one POPSTARTER.ELF, then about the SetGsCrt hack is
deactivated by default and who likes use it needs write it in a cheats.txt or patch the offset 412h right?
Is not needed anymore having two separated POPSTARTER.ELF files, one for CRT Tv's and one for HDTV right?

Best regards.

 

Yes, that's right. This POPSTARTER.ELF is a CRT ELF.
Those who need the SetGsCrt hack to play on their HDTV have to patch the config table (offset 412h) or write $HDTVFIX in their CHEATS.TXT.

 

Thank you very much for confirm it and for the new version.

Best regards.

 

krHACKen, please add the best compatibility with PS1 games.

 

krHACKen , my God the Popstarter is every day better, the games running much more smooth and perfect, congratulations for the great work, the chance to hit the pause bug, which buga the audio, in Mortal Kombat Trilogy. A big hug.

 

Anyone try Final Fantasy Anthology V and VI yet ?
I meet an issue with bgm glitch and slow down when entering to battle mode and also walk in some place(Into the boat in FFV)

Have try many setting and alternate version but still the same.
Plase suggest any cheats setting or patch file ..
Thanks

 

Whoa, thank you so much, @krHACKen, I was nervous to even post about this but I’m glad I discovered something legitimate! And thanks a bunch for the quick turnaround on the patch! I’ll have to give it a try later tonight!

EDIT: Confirmed! It’s working, thanks a bunch!

 

If you want to play FF7 with POPStarter on PS2 using HDD or USB, you will need this zip I made last night.

Replace your VMC files (that POPStarter will auto-create for you the first time you launch the game), with the ones I provided here...
Once that is done, select "Continue" at the first screen... NOT "New Game" or it will crash as always.
The saves for both VMC files were made at the first save point.

Please Note:
The game is playable ONLY-IF you dont mind that the battle screens are blacked-out...
All the action/commands are still present and work properly during battle...
You just wont know who is hitting you lol.
The rest of the game played fine for me during a whole night of testing...
Enjoy!

- DOWNLOAD AT BOTTOM -

Code:

- FF7 TEST RESULTS (HDD + USB) -

During the Sony Computer Entertainment splash-screen:
Flickering/frameskipping/slow-loading (during the fade in, then it stays solid for a few seconds and looks correct, but repeats the issues during fade out).

With a matching save-file present, there is no problem starting the game with the "Continue" Button (from either save-slot) using either HDD or USB.

I had to do a fresh restart (and play PS1-FF7 on a PSP) and then convert the save from ".VMP" for it to work in POPStarter (used MemCardRex 1.7).
[Saved at the first save-point in-game, then export-import the single-saves inside the "POPStarter-created-VMC" files, launched the game previously in PS2 to auto-create those first]

I noted the same conditions as the SMB-compatibility-tester...
(Exception: I noticed no difference with any single compatibility patch, where he noted mode-4, I didnt need it for any reason noticeable to me).
Played roughly 5-10 minutes with each compatibility mode solely active.

Played just over 30 minutes straight without any compatibility modes or further issues from either HDD, nor when repeated for 25 minutes with USB...
(Exception: the previously reported action-part of the battle-screen stays black the whole time)...
I tried adjusting every setting available within game, and all compatibility patches by themselves, one at a time...
I did not however combine any of them...
If you have any tips on combining properly to debug, Id love to hear them. :)

Pause Button.
This little sucker actually will appear in the middle of the blacked-out battle-screen, with its little blue flashing pop-up button taunting me... grrrr lmao.
All action/option commands below the battle screen appear/work as they normally should.

No audio hiccups.
No gameplay studders.
No slowdowns (other than during splash-screen).
No graphical issues (other than battle-screen).

Only 1 Controller issue:
If analog button is pressed on PS2 controller, no controller input is recognized.
Without analog pressed, all controls work anyways, d-pad and stick are identical in behavior.

ALL the above results were identical between Internal HDD, and when repeated (all the same tests) with a USB (PNY-16GB) flashdrive...
(Exception: with USB, the initial splash-screen was much slower-loading and more flickering occurred, but the music never skipped a beat in any test, nor did it frameskip/studder ever in-game).

Adding my working VMCs for you now. ;) :) :D

@AlGollan84
I submitted both compatibility reports for you last night... Youve got mail lol.

DOWNLOAD BELOW:

 

Hello, I was trying to convert Tomba! 2 bin + cue to VCD with the program, but wont work... says the cue file is not supported or something like that. My question is, since Tomba! 2 has multiple tracks (apparently has one audio track) what happens If I convert only the biggest one? will the game be missing some audio if I don't include the audio track?

Thank you.

 

You need to convert all bins + cue to a single bin + cue with CDMage.

 

It gives me an error saying cannot create a temporary folder
Don't really know how to merge them...

 

= = COMPATIBILITY, RESOURCE, & HELP SPREADSHEETS = =
(Please help contribute to these lists)​

Links for Easy Viewing and Reporting for ALL Compatibility Lists:​

- For VIEWING Compatibility LINKS -

PS2 Emulation:
.. OPL 0.9.3 -IGR-GSM-VMC-RD ..
.. PS2ESDL 0821-OB ..
.. HDLoader 3.6.2 +IGR ..
.. ESR GUI R9b ..
.. Free USB Extreme ..
.. OPL 0.9.1 -IGR-VMC ..

PS1 Emulation:
.. PS1 (POPStarter) HDD ..
.. PS1 (POPStarter) USB ..
.. PS1 (POPStarter) SMB ..
.. PS1 ( PS2 PSXe ) ALL ..

PS3 Users Resources:
.. PS1 Games ..
.. PS2 Games ..
.. PS3 Games ..
.. PSP Games ..

- For REPORTING Compatibility LINKS -

PS2 Emulation:
.. OPL 0.9.3 -IGR-GSM-VMC-RD ..
.. ESR GUI R9b ..
.. OPL 0.9.1 -IGR-VMC ..

PS1 Emulation:
.. PS1 (POPStarter) HDD ..
.. PS1 (POPStarter) USB ..
.. PS1 (POPStarter) SMB ..

PS3 Users Resources:
.. PS1 Games ..
.. PS2 Games ..
.. PS3 Games ..

Quote From AlGollan84:
"Most of these lists have an entry form for compatibility reports."
"This allows a standardization of reporting, and support for data entry."
"I visit these lists very often, most times as soon as a report is made."​

 

Try again with this CDMAGE.INI file in your CDMage folder (replace the existing one).

 

Anyone managed to get original Silenthill to work?
Ive got Pal vcd on my hdd and it crashes on intro cut scene.
Tried putting mode4 bin in folder with my vmc foldwr but still crashes in same place.
Compatability list shows it as working with mode 4.
Anyone shed any light on this?

 

Greetings Rochdaleguy,
Welcome to the forum!

Yes, I can confirm it works on mine...
HDD PS2=scph-50001 (POPStarter WIP06-b16) NTSC-VCD.
I just now launched it and watched the intro without issues.

Then I played the game through a few cut scenes (to the point just after Cybil and Harry meet in the cafe)...
To where it auto-checks your map (after picking up the radio,knife,map,etc. and stepping outside the cafe).
About ten minutes of actual play with no hiccups.

Bad rip maybe?
Could you tell the board what version of POPStarter you are using, to help you better?
I checked the VMC folder, and no compatibility fixes needed to be done on my copy...
The game simply works.

 

I vaguely remember there was a problem with the intro in the PAL version...
Try skipping it, with a cheat code if it can't be skipped. Or try to open and close the lid while it's being played.

 

POPS is better everyday, good work, but... there's no fix for SFX in Um Jammer Lammy yet? :<

 

Nothing to fix Tomba! 2 audio problem? whe the song finish in the first town, it wont loop, its stops and tries to play another song from other world.. and is cracking. Thanks

 

And i'm still waiting for working Parasite Eve II on int. HDD (any region). Any hopes?