Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Discussion of programming and development for the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
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MottZilla
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by MottZilla »

Here you go. Both GH's and my own fixes.
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Great Hierophant_smartcard_fixes.zip
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sc_mzfix.zip
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jjelo
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by jjelo »

Thank you very much, MottZilla! :beer:
AudioMan612
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by AudioMan612 »

MottZilla wrote:ROMHacking.net might have some information on hex editors. If I ever get around to it, I'll put together a tool for save extracting and perhaps insertion too. But I sure thought someone metnioned having already made one for it.
I'll look into it when I have some free time, thanks!

A tool would definitely be awesome.
Nitro
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by Nitro »

First I'd like to thank for creating MottZilla manager saves for EMS. I need help to run a game unlicensed CGB, I think it's worth because the quality of play is remarkable.
The rom works perfectly on emulators for PC, but to play it on the EMS only shows a blank screen.
I have checked the values ​​of the header and look correct including checksum. Note that the ROM includes the header data before position 100, which I think is unusual.

I know it's not common, but being an unlicensed game and very difficult to get, add a link to the ROM, extracted from Pirated Games Central Forums.


https://mega.co.nz/#!IBQXDK4I!PlC-7yIH4 ... p4fLvr6W-g
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MottZilla
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by MottZilla »

The attached IPS should fix it for you. It purposely had code to crash the program if running on a flash cartridge. That game is funny as it uses music from Mega Man Xtreme 2 I believe.
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DRAGON BALL Z FIGHTING 2005 (C) (fix).ips
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Nitro
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by Nitro »

Thank you very much, MottZilla! I've tried it and it works great. I understand that the protection used is attempting to write to read-only zone. Might you explain how I do the debug ROM, and using programs. I guess you run the ROM step by step until you see an attempt to write an unsupported area, write down the offset and edit the ROM modifying instruction for NOP (0x00). I would like to learn how, using this game as an example.
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MottZilla
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by MottZilla »

You need a write breakpoint set to a region of memory. You're looking for any writes to $6000-$7FFF basically. If any game writes to this area (there is no reason to) it will mess up the EMS cartridge. There are some other things that cause incompatibility too. Odd writes to the Program Bank register can cause issues. Donkey Kong Land 3 is another game that writes in the $6000-$7FFF range on purpose to mess with Flash cartridges.
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MottZilla
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by MottZilla »

It was brought to my attention that Mega Man Xtreme crashes on hard mode in Morph Moth's stage. This patch should fix that problem.
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Mega Man Xtreme (U) [C] (fix).ips
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Nitro
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by Nitro »

MottZilla wrote:You need a write breakpoint set to a region of memory. You're looking for any writes to $6000-$7FFF basically. If any game writes to this area (there is no reason to) it will mess up the EMS cartridge. There are some other things that cause incompatibility too. Odd writes to the Program Bank register can cause issues. Donkey Kong Land 3 is another game that writes in the $6000-$7FFF range on purpose to mess with Flash cartridges.

Thanks, using the debugger of the BGB, I managed to see as trying to write at position $70003. I followed step has step program execution until I saw who was trying to write to that area. The process seems a bit tedious, although I understand that BGB should be allowed to add a breakpoint when attempting to write to a specific range. I'll try to get to know BGB.

Thank you very much again.
AquaKitty
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by AquaKitty »

I'd hate to bump this topic after 6 months just to point out a game that needs to be fixed, but I'm a complete n00b at assembly, a search for "Pac man ems" turned up nothing (but this post), and I just want to point out that Pac-Man Special Color Edition's Pac-Attack game distorts then white screens when a piece should be spawned. I've tried several different copies of the rom and different menu versions with the same result, so it's surely Pac-Attack's code conflicting with the smart card. The Pac-Man game worked wonderfully though, but I have the b/w version of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man flashed, which are each 1/4 the size of SCE, so I could use the bank I have designated to color roms for other games. A patch, or at least isolating the Pac-Attack game to run on a single bank, would be very much appreciated.
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MottZilla
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by MottZilla »

Here is a fix I just made. Try it and tell me if it works for you.
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Pac-Man Special Color Edition (U) [C] (Fix).ips
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AquaKitty
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by AquaKitty »

The patch works great, thank you so much MottZilla!
venom1000
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by venom1000 »

hi to all,
I'm a fresh new user of gb smart card & I'm searchin how to apply the patchs.
I'm sorry to asking you that but I can't find the right words to find the tutorial or something like that.
I appreciate your hard works guys.

thanks !
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MottZilla
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by MottZilla »

You can use any IPS patcher. I use Lunar IPS. http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/240/
venom1000
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Re: Fixing ROMs for EMS 64 GB Smart Card USB

Post by venom1000 »

thanks a lot MottZilla ! You have made a lot of things for GB fans.
thanks again
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