PS2 hugopocked Fixes for Popstarter 11.08.2023

[Peppe90]

I have never played Vib Ribbon, but according to reports the incompatibility must be at the SPU level.

What I've been doing these days is debugging Speed Punks, it crashes at the recompile level, the bad is a headache to find the origin, I have to translate the recompiled code to look it up in the game code it's the only way the current PS2 debuggers are buggy, the problem is that the code that I have to translate is very common, nothing special that has few coincidences.

And I was seeing that some games have crackling or stuttering sound in their videos especially when Pal is forced to NTSC the example of Suikoden II, I was able to optimize the buffer a bit and it was enough to correct these problems but I have to create a conditional activation only on videos since the sounds are broken.

Greetings.

Speed Punks, I remember I saw that game on a magazine, I never played it.

Vib-Ribbon has a problem on loading tracks other than the first one. Similarly to Air Combat and Tomb Raider 1/2 (r. 1.1 onward) games. Hopefully knowing the cause it would be possible to do a single patch that allows all the problematic multi-tracks games to correctly read all their music tracks.

Also some weird ones which I have come across are the Doom games. They work, graphics are quite good but performance are so low that the games are unplayable. Overclock doesn't help. Those games should be light enough for the Ps1 hardware. For example there's Quake 2 that's an incredibly heavy game and it runs with perfect performance on POPS.

 

[hugopocked]

Speed Punks, I remember I saw that game on a magazine, I never played it.

Vib-Ribbon has a problem on loading tracks other than the first one. Similarly to Air Combat and Tomb Raider 1/2 (r. 1.1 onward) games. Hopefully knowing the cause it would be possible to do a single patch that allows all the problematic multi-tracks games to correctly read all their music tracks.

Also some weird ones which I have come across are the Doom games. They work, graphics are quite good but performance are so low that the games are unplayable. Overclock doesn't help. Those games should be light enough for the Ps1 hardware. For example there's Quake 2 that's an incredibly heavy game and it runs with perfect performance on POPS.

Speaking of Doom from the same creators, Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown I did tests in this game and the compatibility modes that I have released correct all the graphical defects and Slowdowns it is better than in Real Hardware, but the game crashes in specific places on some maps, I would have to sit down with all the patience in the world to see if I can fix that.

I checked Doom some time ago and it seems to have one of these two problems:

1# Some of the Timers in charge of synchronizing CPU and others, I think this causes looping Interrupt request of the recompiler which slows down the emulation.

2#Maybe the CD buffer has too much byte transfer rate and this slows down the emulation at some point, I have noticed that this problem occurs in some games example in the Suikoden II videos.

I don't know which of the 2 problems it is but it sure is one of those 2 lol,

 

[Peppe90]

Speaking of Doom from the same creators, Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown I did tests in this game and the compatibility modes that I have released correct all the graphical defects and Slowdowns it is better than in Real Hardware, but the game crashes in specific places on some maps, I would have to sit down with all the patience in the world to see if I can fix that.

I checked Doom some time ago and it seems to have one of these two problems:

1# Some of the Timers in charge of synchronizing CPU and others, I think this causes looping Interrupt request of the recompiler which slows down the emulation.

2#Maybe the CD buffer has too much byte transfer rate and this slows down the emulation at some point, I have noticed that this problem occurs in some games example in the Suikoden II videos.

I don't know which of the 2 problems it is but it sure is one of those 2 lol,

I have all Duke Nukem games on the HDD. I didn't knew about those problems on the first one, I never advanced much playing with POPS. I use some of the old MODES on one or two of them (otherwise you don't see textures, so it should be patch_7) I don't remember I'll check it.

 

[Moonwalker]

Hi, i was trying to play FFVI anthology and there is some lag on audio and battles, is there a fix i can use to solve this? thanks.

 

[hugopocked]

I have all Duke Nukem games on the HDD. I didn't knew about those problems on the first one, I never advanced much playing with POPS. I use some of the old MODES on one or two of them (otherwise you don't see textures, so it should be patch_7) I don't remember I'll check it.

Hahaha I never install something that I know doesn't work, I have that little perfection syndrome, that's why I always test the games thoroughly and only leave the ones that I know work decently, of the ones I tried and I know don't work:

Duke Nukem Land of the Babes // I don't remember well but at the moment of the cinematics they skip or hang I don't remember, then when you get on the elevator it is impossible to open the elevator door on the first level, I think that these things I can fix if I feel motivated one day, I know what is the cause of all the defects at least.

Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown
Graphics Black textures and missing some textures, Slowdowns worse than PS1, and finally crashes that prevent you from enjoying and advancing on the maps.

I have not tried the other Duke Nukem.

Hi, i was trying to play FFVI anthology and there is some lag on audio and battles, is there a fix i can use to solve this? thanks.

I have a correction for that but at the moment I am not going to release everything, if you write to me in private I could make an exception.

 

[Moonwalker]

Hahaha I never install something that I know doesn't work, I have that little perfection syndrome, that's why I always test the games thoroughly and only leave the ones that I know work decently, of the ones I tried and I know don't work:

Duke Nukem Land of the Babes // I don't remember well but at the moment of the cinematics they skip or hang I don't remember, then when you get on the elevator it is impossible to open the elevator door on the first level, I think that these things I can fix if I feel motivated one day, I know what is the cause of all the defects at least.

Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown
Graphics Black textures and missing some textures, Slowdowns worse than PS1, and finally crashes that prevent you from enjoying and advancing on the maps.

I have not tried the other Duke Nukem.


I have a correction for that but at the moment I am not going to release everything, if you write to me in private I could make an exception.

ok, do you have discord? if you do, send me your id to add you

 

[60fpshacksrock]

@hugopocked

Is is possible to force dynamic recompilation of certain code when enabling conditional (button command) GameShark ASM codes?

For instance: This code for MegaMan Legends [SLUS-00603]

Walk Through Walls L2 Up On/L2 Down Off
D00C0C02 FEEF
8004B45A 2400
D00C0C02 FEBF
8004B45A 0C01

The only way to make these work as-is, is to hold the button combination when loading into different areas.

 

[Peppe90]

Hahaha I never install something that I know doesn't work, I have that little perfection syndrome, that's why I always test the games thoroughly and only leave the ones that I know work decently, of the ones I tried and I know don't work:

Duke Nukem Land of the Babes // I don't remember well but at the moment of the cinematics they skip or hang I don't remember, then when you get on the elevator it is impossible to open the elevator door on the first level, I think that these things I can fix if I feel motivated one day, I know what is the cause of all the defects at least.

Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown
Graphics Black textures and missing some textures, Slowdowns worse than PS1, and finally crashes that prevent you from enjoying and advancing on the maps.

I have not tried the other Duke Nukem.


I have a correction for that but at the moment I am not going to release everything, if you write to me in private I could make an exception.

I checked, yes it was on the first, total meltdown I put patch_7.bin to restore the textures. I played a good while and everything is perfect, also performance seems very good. Those are the worse issues, when all seems perfect then it freezes when you don't expect it anymore (like Koudelka).

Land of the babes, it plays the first in engine cut-scene correctly. The game works fine but as you said it skips other in engine cut-scenes. Also if you skip the first one, your characters will start the level outside the map (too high) and you cannot play. So you must watch the first cut-scene entirely.

Time to Kill, everything seems perfect.

Also one bad bug I know on a game that's given to work is Parasite Eve. I finished it on POPS years ago. Everything works perfectly but when you finish the game, it is supposed to start the new game ex. You only get BSOD though. I have the savagame just before the final boss if you'd ever want to check it.

Note: I was playing from internal HDD with patch_4.bin enabled.

 

[hugopocked]

I checked, yes it was on the first, total meltdown I put patch_7.bin to restore the textures. I played a good while and everything is perfect, also performance seems very good. Those are the worse issues, when all seems perfect then it freezes when you don't expect it anymore (like Koudelka).

Land of the babes, it plays the first in engine cut-scene correctly. The game works fine but as you said it skips other in engine cut-scenes. Also if you skip the first one, your characters will start the level outside the map (too high) and you cannot play. So you must watch the first cut-scene entirely.

Time to Kill, everything seems perfect.

Also one bad bug I know on a game that's given to work is Parasite Eve. I finished it on POPS years ago. Everything works perfectly but when you finish the game, it is supposed to start the new game ex. You only get BSOD though. I have the savagame just before the final boss if you'd ever want to check it.

Note: I was playing from internal HDD with patch_4.bin enabled.

Duke Nukem Total Meltdown the bad thing about using the 0x07 mode is that it inverts the color of the textures, apart from not offering dynamic colors, darkness and so on, that is perfectly corrected by the GTE Fixes Rev1, Besides that always at some point in the scenarios there will be a lack of textures for that you have to play the game in depth, the game has very strong slowdowns at certain points, and hang up for what you could see.

Duke Nukem Lan of Babes I repeat, you cannot even complete the first level at the end when you have to go up some stairs the animation skips and therefore the Elevator door never opens, and the same problem recurs throughout the game for sure.

Parasite Eve that has a solution is a problem originating from the translations, I think the one in Spanish corrected that, I have no idea if your language team offered the same support.

 

[hugopocked]

@hugopocked

Is is possible to force dynamic recompilation of certain code when enabling conditional (button command) GameShark ASM codes?

For instance: This code for MegaMan Legends [SLUS-00603]

Walk Through Walls L2 Up On/L2 Down Off
D00C0C02 FEEF
8004B45A 2400
D00C0C02 FEBF
8004B45A 0C01

The only way to make these work as-is, is to hold the button combination when loading into different areas.

Yes that could be done, but every time the recompile code will be updated you would hear a crackle.

 

[bigdog0717]

Duke Nukem Total Meltdown the bad thing about using the 0x07 mode is that it inverts the color of the textures, apart from not offering dynamic colors, darkness and so on, that is perfectly corrected by the GTE Fixes Rev1, Besides that always at some point in the scenarios there will be a lack of textures for that you have to play the game in depth, the game has very strong slowdowns at certain points, and hang up for what you could see.

Duke Nukem Lan of Babes I repeat, you cannot even complete the first level at the end when you have to go up some stairs the animation skips and therefore the Elevator door never opens, and the same problem recurs throughout the game for sure.

Parasite Eve that has a solution is a problem originating from the translations, I think the one in Spanish corrected that, I have no idea if your language team offered the same support.

Im new to this but i bought a fmcb memory card and tried using it but it keeps on saying cant formart when i plug it in so i was woundering if you knew anything about it

 

[hugopocked]

Im new to this but i bought a fmcb memory card and tried using it but it keeps on saying cant formart when i plug it in so i was woundering if you knew anything about it

Here only topics about emulation restore fixes and reports about Pops are discussed, that maybe they can help you in a post regarding that topic or in Discord.

 

[60fpshacksrock]

Yes that could be done, but every time the recompile code will be updated you would hear a crackle.

I figured when I have seen that slight short stutter that was what was going on. Would it be possible with maybe a trojan file?

 

[hugopocked]

I figured when I have seen that slight short stutter that was what was going on. Would it be possible with maybe a trojan file?

Yes in fact I have something better than that, the reason why it doesn't recognize you Gameshark codes that modify the ASM code of the game is, the recompiler to save cpu cycles scans the 2MB of emulated ram due to code changes but it doesn't scan every byte it uses a piecewise read method, to save resources.

 

[60fpshacksrock]

Yes in fact I have something better than that, the reason why it doesn't recognize you Gameshark codes that modify the ASM code of the game is, the recompiler to save cpu cycles scans the 2MB of emulated ram due to code changes but it doesn't scan every byte it uses a piecewise read method, to save resources.

Better than a trojan file?

Also, thanks for the detailed explanation, which I figured part of it already about dynamic recompilers only reading the recompiled/converted CPU code.
I noticed some emulators will recompile user-input code while others won't. I also know that interpreters while slower, are more accurate by scanning all code constantly.

I also wonder how much is actually PSX on PS2 emulation considering both are MIPS, though I know the PS2 MIPS is newer and closer to the N64's MIPS CPU.
I know how to hack codes for both PS systems among others like the 6502-FC/SFC, M68K-Mega Drive, PPC-GCN/Wii and maybe a little bit of ARM for NDS.

I would like to hack PPC for PS3 but I can only run an old 2018 version of RPCS3 and most games that do run on it are very slow on my PC, except stuff like the SM64 port.

 

[Peppe90]

Parasite Eve that has a solution is a problem originating from the translations, I think the one in Spanish corrected that, I have no idea if your language team offered the same support.

I played it clean (USA version) no translations or any other mod.

 

[hugopocked]

I played it clean (USA version) no translations or any other mod.

When I saw that problem, it was years ago, I don't remember if I solved it with a compatibility mode or if it was a problem with an old version of Popstarter, I would have to check my hard drive and download some save game at the end of the game, Because I really don't remember, if you can do the test with the latest version of Popstarter and if it doesn't work for you use the modes 1/2/3/5, since I have enough.

Better than a trojan file?

Also, thanks for the detailed explanation, which I figured part of it already about dynamic recompilers only reading the recompiled/converted CPU code.
I noticed some emulators will recompile user-input code while others won't. I also know that interpreters while slower, are more accurate by scanning all code constantly.

I also wonder how much is actually PSX on PS2 emulation considering both are MIPS, though I know the PS2 MIPS is newer and closer to the N64's MIPS CPU.
I know how to hack codes for PS both systems among others like the 6502-FC/SFC, M68K-Mega Drive, PPC-GCN/Wii and maybe a little bit of ARM for NDS.

I would like to hack PPC for PS3 but I can only run an old 2018 version of RPCS3 and most games that do run on it are very slow on my PC, except stuff like the SM64 port.

PS2 debugging when emulating is very buggy, I have not tested for the PS3 but you could expect it to be worse, but I imagine it should be enough for debugging games native ports or for creating cheat codes, but to debug emulators running on PS3 I imagine it must be impossible, because it would be a recompiler recompiling other recompiled code lol XD
About the TROJAN that I have to force the recompilation of the code if you want it, write me privately for your personal use because it is something that I am not going to share with the public.

Greetings.

 

[Peppe90]

When I saw that problem, it was years ago, I don't remember if I solved it with a compatibility mode or if it was a problem with an old version of Popstarter, I would have to check my hard drive and download some save game at the end of the game, Because I really don't remember, if you can do the test with the latest version of Popstarter and if it doesn't work for you use the modes 1/2/3/5, since I have enough.

I imagine it, lol

I wasn't requesting anything, it was just to make you (and readers) know (but you knew it already I see). Parasite Eve is the only game I actually played thoroughly on POPS.

 

[60fpshacksrock]

When I saw that problem, it was years ago, I don't remember if I solved it with a compatibility mode or if it was a problem with an old version of Popstarter, I would have to check my hard drive and download some save game at the end of the game, Because I really don't remember, if you can do the test with the latest version of Popstarter and if it doesn't work for you use the modes 1/2/3/5, since I have enough.



PS2 debugging when emulating is very buggy, I have not tested for the PS3 but you could expect it to be worse, but I imagine it should be enough for debugging games native ports or for creating cheat codes, but to debug emulators running on PS3 I imagine it must be impossible, because it would be a recompiler recompiling other recompiled code lol XD
About the TROJAN that I have to force the recompilation of the code if you want it, write me privately for your personal use because it is something that I am not going to share with the public.

Greetings.

Check the Walk Through Walls code at the bottom of the page for the emualted Ocarina of Time on GameCube:
https://gamehacking.org/game/54174
Not easy to make for an emulated MIPS to PPC.

Also, I will send you a pm about the POPStarter GS trojan. Thanks a lot.

And when I said PS3, I meant making ASM codes for PS3 games instead hacking PS1 on PS3.

Though I do wonder where the emulated PSX RAM address starts on the PS3.

 

[Maciek303]

Hi, which bin should i use to fix sound issues in FFVI and Chrono Trigger?