PS2 [Open PS2 Loader] Game Bug Reports

[sp193]

So how did you remedy this? Did you increase the buffer with the patch to the audio module to allow for the occasional overflow or was it some other method like limiting the transfer to 16 sectors?

I am not at all questioning your work I'm just curious and find it interesting but I don't know a lot about game debugging

No problem!

How I identified that the game was sometimes reading 17 sectors, was initially by enabling the debug messages within OPL's CDVDMAN module. I usually do that because we replace the game's CDVDMAN & CDVDFSV modules. The game goes crazy after the first 2 reads of 17 sectors. But it didn't occur to me at that point, that reading 17 sectors was a problem.

I observed that the reading errors occur due to it trying to read from an erroneous LSN, so the aim became to understand how the error started.
I studied the SOUNDREL module (and the similar SOUNDEB module, which has debug information) to locate common problems with the use of libcdvd, like failure to use sceCdSync(), not retrying etc. The game would always use sceCdSync() and retry whenever there are read errors, so the module is okay here.

Other than being downright wrong, the bad LSNs also seemed to change between boots, so something was getting corrupted. I noticed that the buffers that were used with sceCdRead() had a capacity of 0x8000 bytes (for 16 sectors), but 17 sectors is 0x8800. The game uses the 2 buffers, so it can read into one and unpack data from the other, simultaneously. Coupled with the facts that the 2 buffers are allocated back-to-back and the data read in will determine the LSN to read next, it would explain why reading 17 sectors into the first buffer could cause strange behaviour - since nearly every device we use will be faster than the processing capabilities of the IOP.

As for the fix, I made a module that will free the 2 buffers that SOUNDREL allocates, before allocating new buffers on its behalf: https://github.com/ifcaro/Open-PS2-...1e2c#diff-153cf38609a8983ab5a0003eaddcb360R60
The other code is for patching the place in the ELF where the game loads SOUNDREL.IRX, so that we can load the patch IRX after SOUNDREL.IRX.

 

[sp193]

Hey, I realized that Street Racing Syndicate (SLUS-20582) has the same bug as the Ferrari game - the developers called WakeupThread() with a threadID of 1! So it'll fail to work, once you invoke IGR at least once.
It seems to share the same developer, Eutechnyx Limited.

Does anybody have SLES-53045? I just need the SLES_530.45 ELF to get the patch location. If you have it, please PM me and we can work out something. Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I have adjusted the patch for the PAL release. Thank you all.

 

[jolek]

I tested the game Shadow Man: 2econd Coming with all this versions:

(SLUS-20413)
(SLES-50446)
(SLES-50608)

All worked fine, they don't need any Mode, textures are working.
I saw the full game demonstration and i don't noticed any missing texture.

Tested with r1266 in the internal HDD.

Currently with OPL 1266 I've only a problem through USB with Shadow Man: 2econd Coming,
through SMB & HDD game plays fine with textures.
Through USB I'm getting BSOD after passing debug colors.
I've only tested SLES_504.46.
I've tested the same USB drive with OPL 1196 and the game was booting fine.

BTW I've also notice that when I want to boot this game through USB, after:
PAL Disk PS2 Logo(checksum 0x1555AB) & PAL console match.
Console is switching off HDD.
I'm launching OPL from HDD.

 

[Peppe90]

BTW I've also notice that when I want to boot this game through USB, after:
PAL Disk PS2 Logo(checksum 0x1555AB) & PAL console match.
Console is switching off HDD.
I'm launching OPL from HDD.

Yes, HDD switch off when you play from USB. OPL should be in RAM, I think

 

[jolek]

Yes, HDD switch off when you play from USB. OPL should be in RAM, I think

Currently OPL (OP 1266) is switching off HDD when I load game from e.g. USB.
This situation was different in past.
I mean e.g. with OPL 1196 this situation was not happening or HDD will be switch off after maybe ~20 min.

Anyway I've also tried to copy OPL into MC, but unfortunately I still can't boot Shadow Man: 2econd Coming through USB with OPL 1266.

 

[Peppe90]

Anyway I've also tried to copy OPL into MC, but unfortunately I still can't Shadow Man: 2econd Coming boot through USB with OPL 1266.

I wonder if the USA version works from USB

 

[Krah]

Currently with OPL 1266 I've only a problem through USB with Shadow Man: 2econd Coming,
through SMB & HDD game plays fine with textures.
Through USB I'm getting BSOD after passing debug colors.
I've only tested SLES_504.46.
I've tested the same USB drive with OPL 1196 and the game was booting fine.

Perhaps the patch only needs to be applied to ETH and HDD MODE since the read on USB doesn't seem to overflow the sound buffers anyway?
Not sure if the arg allows more than one mode though.. looks to be all or one.

 

[sp193]

Currently OPL (OP 1266) is switching off HDD when I load game from e.g. USB.
This situation was different in past.
I mean e.g. with OPL 1196 this situation was not happening or HDD will be switch off after maybe ~20 min.

Anyway I've also tried to copy OPL into MC, but unfortunately I still can't boot Shadow Man: 2econd Coming through USB with OPL 1266.

I wonder if the USA version works from USB

Posted in the other thread:

You guys can try the new OPL build, once the patches are merged.
I noticed that sometimes, the IOP patches will sometimes select the wrong module to patch. This was why the PAL version of Shadow Man: 2econd Coming somehow stopped working via USB devices.

Somehow the module ID of the module to patch isn't always the 2nd-last. I don't know what this means, maybe I was always wrong about that. So I changed the IOP patches to always patch a specific module.

Perhaps the patch only needs to be applied to ETH and HDD MODE since the read on USB doesn't seem to overflow the sound buffers anyway?
Not sure if the arg allows more than one mode though.. looks to be all or one.

The bug doesn't discriminate, so I think it is better to patch this. Otherwise, we may end up with strange timing problems, should either the IOP lag or the USB device suddenly becoming faster.

 

[TnA]

If anyone would mind testing an OPL-revision which has the fault with going through the hacked OSDSYS causes HL to have stuttering audio, would you mind starting it through FMCB 1.8 or 1.7 for a trial?

 

[sp193]

If anyone would mind testing an OPL-revision which has the fault with going through the hacked OSDSYS causes HL to have stuttering audio, would you mind starting it through FMCB 1.8 or 1.7 for a trial?

What's your point here? It's a problem caused by the OSDSYS program and the game not initializing libsd properly.
People have booted OPL from FMCB to play this game with no issues, as long as the PS2 is never boot into OSDSYS.

 

[Grahf]

But i don't saw that there are 3 different demos, at least with the NTSC-U
version which is the one i used for check the demo, iI've seen the same
demo twice.

There are at least 3 different demos. Just let it run, but it all should work since sp193 seems to have patched the root problem.

It's a problem caused by the OSDSYS program and the game not initializing libsd properly.
People have booted OPL from FMCB to play this game with no issues, as long as the PS2 is never boot into OSDSYS.

Should we worry about booting OPL via OSDSYS? Can this have an adverse effect on other games?

 

[TnA]

What's your point here?

The idea was to test these versions as well, to see if the issue is present there... If it isn't, that could help pinpointing the issue.

It's a problem caused by the OSDSYS program and the game not initializing libsd properly.

Well, I assumed something like that and posted it in the other thread.

Regardless of that, I think this is a fix which needs to be included in FMCB/FHDB and not a program started after/from it!

People have booted OPL from FMCB to play this game with no issues, as long as the PS2 is never boot into OSDSYS.

People (@Peppe90) have also booted OPL from FMCB to play this game with no issues, even if they booted it through the OSDSYS, i.e. via booting OPL off a disc (so PS2Logo was shown there, which probably is why it worked then)!

Should we worry about booting OPL via OSDSYS? Can this have an adverse effect on other games?

There is an issue which causes OPL or some games started from it to behave differently, when the ELF is started and no PS2Logo shown...

It seems to be related to a game failing to initialize the libsd-library (for SPU2) properly after it already had been in use by the OSDSYS... So IMO a de-Init is missing or faulty...

 

[jolek]

There is an issue which causes OPL or some games started from it to behave differently, when the ELF is started and no PS2Logo shown...

It seems to be related to a game failing to initialize the libsd-library (for SPU2) properly after it already had been in use by the OSDSYS... So IMO a de-Init is missing or faulty...

I've tested Half-Life (SLES_505.04) with ESR r9b.
No matter if I boot game via fast boot with FMCB\FHDB everything should be fine.
When FMCB\FHDB browser will be shown, game have sound\music problems.

With OPL, only fast boot into OPL via FMCB seems to help to avoid sound\music issues.

I don't know when my ordered CD will arrive, If I can get them I'll also try this game with swap magic.

 

[TnA]

Do I get you correctly, that you experience the sound-stutter/issues, even when it is started through ESR and when it is started through the OSDSYS?

(Another test: ) Does this happen with both types of launching the disc, i.e. either the autostart or 'Launch Disc'?

 

[jolek]

I don't know if I can be more crystal clear?!

I've tested Half-Life (SLES_505.04) with ESR r9b.
Cold boot (FMCB\FHDB) -> fast boot (ESR) -> everything should be fine.
When FMCB\FHDB browser will be shown, game have sound\music problems.

Cold boot (only FMCB) -> E1 launch keys -> OPL -> everything should be fine.
This method do not work with FHDB (Cold boot (FHDB) -> E1 launch keys -> OPL-> game still have sound\music problems).

 

[TnA]

Does it make a difference, if you let it autostart the ESR-Disc or use 'Launch Disc'?

What does 'should be o.k.' mean? Is it o.k./working in your case from Fastboot (or button-launch), but not OSDSYS?

 

[jolek]

My disk will be launched automatically after I insert game.

 

[TnA]

Then please try to scroll to 'Launch Disc' and press it as soon as you close(d) the tray, but when the disc hasn't been recognized yet!

 

[Peppe90]

My disk will be launched automatically after I insert game.

Then please try to scroll to 'Launch Disc' and press it as soon as you close(d) the tray, but when the disc hasn't been recognized yet!

Or you can enter Ps2 Browser, insert the disc and exit

Anyway for me the problem is gone. I can boot to the hacked OSDSYS, then go to OPL and launch Half Life. The sound is always perfect

EDIT: http://www.psx-place.com/threads/open-ps2-loader-v0-9-3.13415/page-20#post-154486

 

[jolek]

I'm not sure what will it change?
If I boot disk manually or automatically.
The problem should remain the same.

Only cold boot (FMCB\FHDB) -> fast boot (ESR) -> seems to get rid of the problem.