|
Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
#307900 - 04/27/13 04:53 PM
|
|
|
Hey guys
I have a friend with a SS2 board and the timekeeper has died.
His is a Japanese board so the timekeeper from mame will not boot the game as it's the UAA version so gives us a "security code error".
Now I changed the value in the timekeeper dump to match his region (JA) but still we get a security error. I'm going to assume the 4 bytes after the region code are in fact this security code, can anyone tell me what they should be or at least point me to where the game compares this value from?
These Konami boards are such a PITA 
*EDIT* It seems either the timekeeper dump or the way it's hooked up in MAME is incorrect to start with as it can't seem to figure out what version/game it is by default! This doesn't make things much easier..
Edited by RetroRepair (04/27/13 05:19 PM)
|
http://www.youtube.com/retrorepair
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: RetroRepair]
#307904 - 04/27/13 06:49 PM
|
|
|
Did you try reprogramming his program roms to the region in mame and then see if the mame timekeeper dump works?
|
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: Smitdogg]
#307905 - 04/27/13 07:15 PM
|
|
|
We haven't got that far yet. I do hope he can dump at least the program rom though.
I'm a bit confused by the way MAME boots this game at the moment. By default you get a hardware error 8B which I don't think is related to the timekeeper and if you modify the timekeeper rom THEN you get the expected 11B error. Either way though it doesn't know what the game or region is.
SS2 will work on SS1 hardware and that boots so not sure what the problem is with MAME.
I am starting to see a trend though with these NVRAM files, the first few bytes are the game ID, then the year (this has to match too btw) then the region, then what seems to be a security code. Only the first byte of this seems to change depending on the region, 9 for US, A for Europe and therefore I assume 8 for Japan? We will see I guess.
|
http://www.youtube.com/retrorepair
|
|
| R. Belmont |
|
Cuckoo for IGAvania
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reged: 09/21/03
|
|
Posts: 9711
|
|
Loc: ECV-197 The Orville
|
|
|
|
Send PM
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: RetroRepair]
#308102 - 04/30/13 05:54 PM
|
|
|
Konami NVRAMs have a checksum. You can't alter the values willy-nilly and have it work.
|
|
|
| Embryoice |
|
I am the Master Warrior!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reged: 12/30/12
|
|
Posts: 74
|
|
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
|
Send PM
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: RetroRepair]
#308104 - 04/30/13 05:59 PM
|
|
|
> We haven't got that far yet. I do hope he can dump at least the program rom though.
>
> I'm a bit confused by the way MAME boots this game at the moment. By default you get
> a hardware error 8B which I don't think is related to the timekeeper and if you
> modify the timekeeper rom THEN you get the expected 11B error. Either way though it
> doesn't know what the game or region is.
>
> SS2 will work on SS1 hardware and that boots so not sure what the problem is with
> MAME.
>
> I am starting to see a trend though with these NVRAM files, the first few bytes are
> the game ID, then the year (this has to match too btw) then the region, then what
> seems to be a security code. Only the first byte of this seems to change depending on
> the region, 9 for US, A for Europe and therefore I assume 8 for Japan? We will see I
> guess.
I think Error Code 8B relates to the LAN Board (where you hook up two SS2 units that Ville planned in his TODO list in order to boot the game properly) or some security that prevents the game from running, better wait for Ville's solution or someone else to make this work.
Edited by Embryoice (04/30/13 06:02 PM)
|
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: Embryoice]
#308118 - 04/30/13 08:55 PM
|
|
|
Yeah I realized this about the network board. They are per region and if it's not properly emulated then that's why I guess. Needs those eeprom/flash dumps from the network board ideally.
I know racing jam doesn't check for CRC (I don't think SS1 does either actually) so I assumed this would be fine. Apparently not!
I've since tested the jap timekeeper dump anyway and it works so I guess at the very least that can be included in the next update.
|
http://www.youtube.com/retrorepair
|
|
| Embryoice |
|
I am the Master Warrior!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reged: 12/30/12
|
|
Posts: 74
|
|
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
|
Send PM
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: RetroRepair]
#308125 - 04/30/13 11:13 PM
|
|
|
> Yeah I realized this about the network board. They are per region and if it's not
> properly emulated then that's why I guess. Needs those eeprom/flash dumps from the
> network board ideally.
>
> I know racing jam doesn't check for CRC (I don't think SS1 does either actually) so I
> assumed this would be fine. Apparently not!
>
> I've since tested the jap timekeeper dump anyway and it works so I guess at the very
> least that can be included in the next update.
Well, let's come up with a better plan and send those info to Ville so that we can emulate this game sooner. Anyway, you're getting the hang of it! Konami changed their minds of checking CRCs by Network Board that was pretty unique on that time, or was it?
BTW, I read Ville's TODO list and says that SHARC code gets corrupted from the PPC, do you have any idea what it is? Sorry for the unrelated programming topic on this post.
Edited by Embryoice (05/01/13 12:04 AM)
|
|
|
|
Re: Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
[Re: RetroRepair]
#309726 - 06/03/13 02:50 AM
|
|
|
> Only the first byte of this seems to change depending on
> the region, 9 for US, A for Europe and therefore I assume 8 for Japan? We will see I
> guess.
Usually you get a checksum at the end.
|
|
|
Index 
Threaded 
Silent Scope 2 Timekeeper Data
Reply
[Re: 