Mednafen Saturn core?

Libretro Cores
#43

[QUOTE=TrueMotion;45369]I wanted to do the same with some Shining Force 3 files my brother has. He completed the 3 games and I wanted to consolidate all saves on RetroArch now.

I manage to get it to work with a tool called Sega Saturn RAM backup parser ( https://github.com/hitomi2500/ss-save-parser/releases/latest ). It seems that SSF backup saves get doubled by the SH2 (1megabyte file instead of the native 512KB). After importing the SSF file, I exported the backup dump in raw format with the 512KB expected by mednafen.

Eventhough the save was for a translated image, it loaded fine on a original dump of the Scenario 3.

Unfortunately my own HDD died 4 months ago, or else I could load my completed Panzer Saga save. :([/QUOTE]

So you’re saying that I can use that tool to convert my save and make it work for Mednafen?

#44

That’s what I said. I took the ExternalBackupRAM.bin and InternalBackupRAM.bin from SSF and used the tool to convert to [gamefilename].bcr (external save memory) and [gamefilename].bkr (internal save memory)

… Converting the save manually thru a HEX tool would take too much time. Basically, what is needed is to remove every other blank byte (00) from the file, resulting in the raw 512KB save. This could be implemented on the core, but I guess not many people need it.

#45

[QUOTE=TrueMotion;45381]That’s what I said. I took the ExternalBackupRAM.bin and InternalBackupRAM.bin from SSF and used the tool to convert to [gamefilename].bcr (external save memory) and [gamefilename].bkr (internal save memory)

… Converting the save manually thru a HEX tool would take too much time. Basically, what is needed is to remove every other blank byte (00) from the file, resulting in the raw 512KB save. This could be implemented on the core, but I guess not many people need it.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for taking your time explaining this to me.

But could you provide a more detailed description how exactly you used this tool? Because I just tried it and got a file that’s in the same size as my InternalBackupRAM.bin, 64kb and nowhere near 512kb as you mentioned.

#46

Well, saves in SSF can be stored in two files:

[ul] [li]InternalBackupRAM.bin (64KB - the internal memory)[/li][li]ExternalBackupRAM.bin (1024KB - the backup save cartridge)[/li][/ul] You need to check where the desired save is stored first. With the Backup Parser, you just load one of the files (in SH2 mode, the one used by SSF) and then save it in RAW mode (used by Mednafen). The resulting file is half the size (32KB and 512KB, respectively).

Then, rename the resulting file according to the name of the CUE file with the correct extension: [ul] [li]BKR (internal, 32KB)[/li][li]BCR (external, 512KB)[/li][/ul]

#47

[QUOTE=TrueMotion;45391]Well, saves in SSF can be stored in two files:

[ul] [li]InternalBackupRAM.bin (64KB - the internal memory) [/li][li]ExternalBackupRAM.bin (1024KB - the backup save cartridge) [/li][/ul] You need to check where the desired save is stored first. With the Backup Parser, you just load one of the files (in SH2 mode, the one used by SSF) and then save it in RAW mode (used by Mednafen). The resulting file is half the size (32KB and 512KB, respectively).

Then, rename the resulting file according to the name of the CUE file with the correct extension: [ul] [li]BKR (internal, 32KB) [/li][li]BCR (external, 512KB) [/li][/ul] [/QUOTE]

Thanks, got it working! Have now switched emu for good (R.I.P. SSF 2006-2016) and are now only using the Libretro core instead of the standalone version of Mednafen I first used.

You sir deserve a life saver medal.

#48

I’d like to thank you for this tip, mdapt works really great with a NTSC S-Video shader I use and the transparency is looking phenomenal in Dracula X.

#49

Awesome!

I’m eagerly awaiting the 3D pad and auto BIOS time stuff being hooked up. I was comparing the Steam PC release of NiGHTS to the original running in stand alone Mednafen. PC has a large analog deadzone and doesn’t seem to have any range when you move around in 3D as one of the kids. In Mednafen there’s no noticeable deadzone and there’s definitely range from walking to running. Control of NiGHTS feels a bit smoother and snappier in the original too. And the PC release is missing stuff from Christmas NiGHTS like Sonic into Dreams and the karaoke mode. I can’t say I prefer the upgraded graphics either, so the originals emulated through Mednafen are superior IMO.

#50

I’m glad that after 10 years be able to switch to another Sega Saturn emu that’s actually better then the one I have used all this time. For the longest time SSF have literally stood still in development, yes there have been several test versions from time to time with nothing really new or major improvements though.

For all us Saturn fans these are most interesting times to be living in!

#51

I have updated to the latest core and that has fixed the missing CDDA in Galactic Attack. I saw some commits for CDROM stuff in the github, so that appears to have done it. What an awesome core this is already shaping up to be!

#52

Updating fixed some patched isos not running for me.

My only fear regards the saves file format changing. So I’m trying to keep backups.

[edit] Oh yeah, forgot to add that fast forwarding wasn’t working on one of the earliest versions, and now it is.

#53

Mednafen standalone got updated:

http://forum.fobby.net/index.php?t=rview&goto=4465&th=1333#msg_4465

A relatively minor release. Among other changes, fixes problems with the following Sega Saturn games: “Astal”, “Hi-Octane”, “Panzer Dragoon”, and “Panzer Dragoon 2”.

#54

[QUOTE=Tatsuya79;45702]Mednafen standalone got updated:

http://forum.fobby.net/index.php?t=rview&goto=4465&th=1333#msg_4465[/QUOTE]

So I guess we can expect these updates/changes to be included in RetroArch/Libretro too relatively soon?

#55

Great news, been hoping Astal gets fixed. I personally didn’t notice a problem with Panzer Dragoon 1 but I couldn’t get PD2 to boot, so that’s cool too. Hope this stuff can be integrated into the libretro core easily.

[QUOTE=Tatsuya79;45702]Mednafen standalone got updated:

http://forum.fobby.net/index.php?t=rview&goto=4465&th=1333#msg_4465[/QUOTE]

#56

Panzer Dragoon 2 worked fine. I’m hoping we get 3d pad analog controller support soon :slight_smile:

#57

Ditto to that. Sega Rally kinda sucks without it.

#58

One thing that will be missing compared to stand alone for awhile even after the 3D pad is hooked up is analog trigger support. Currently the RetroPad only supports digital inputs for triggers. Radius mentioned how he’d like the input spec to be upgraded to support analog on all inputs eventually. Guess that’d also be useful for the pressure sensitive buttons on PS2 if a core for that crops up one day :smiley: (though I don’t know if even original DualShock2’s with USB adapters support analog buttons…).

#59

I’ve been testing this against my US/JAP collection…

I’m getting an “Un-corectable data at sector 0” (or something like that) on some games as a retroarch message, then it loads up the BIOS and goes straight into the music-player menu.

#60

[QUOTE=SkyHighGam3r;46127]I’ve been testing this against my US/JAP collection…

I’m getting an “Un-corectable data at sector 0” (or something like that) on some games as a retroarch message, then it loads up the BIOS and goes straight into the music-player menu.[/QUOTE]

Got it too with some CD images. Then I got some different images for the same games and now they are working.

Usually the bin + cue or CCD biggest ones are fine, while those ape/mp3/ogg you have to change into wav seem problematic.

Mednafen is probably more strict than other saturn emus.

#61

[QUOTE=Tatsuya79;46129]Got it too with some CD images. Then I got some different images for the same games and now they are working.

Usually the bin + cue or CCD biggest ones are fine, while those ape/mp3/ogg you have to change into wav seem problematic.

Mednafen is probably more strict than other saturn emus.[/QUOTE]

I’m not sure about the ape/mp3/ogg in general, whenever I see ANYTHING that was a CD-ROM that isn’t in bin/cue format I used Daemon Tools to mount and IMGburn to rip it back to the disc as bin/cue.

I’ll have to check another source I guess.

#62

Un-corectable data at sector 0 errors can be fixed in a couple of possible ways. First, check the file names of your cue + bin, long file names with lots of odd characters can cause it, simplifying the name can fix it. Second, if your images contain mp3 or wav files, mounting the disk in a virtual drive program like Daemon Tools Lite and then using ImgBurn to generate a new cue + bin can fix it. If they are Mp3s you will need to convert to wav first and adjust your cue sheet accordingly. Third, load the disk image into CDMage and save it out as a new cue + bin. I have fixed more than a few disk images using these methods.