Hacking Driver San Francisco hangs on load screen

[Kirbeast]

thank you.
I didn't know that game had a protection fix using cheats
it will help me help other users.

Yeah, but the cheat is only for the pal version. Do you know how to change the cheat from pal to ntsc?

Geckos Multi Dol Hook Protection Fix [Thomas83Lin]
04487254 4E800420
*Allows for Debugging and codes to be uploaded in Geckos*
*For now Asm codes without a switch will still trigger the protection*

I don't know what the things in * are about

 

[Cyan]

There's no easy method to covert it.
someone need to look at the memory and see what this code is doing, which function it's patching, etc., then look for that same function in the NTSC game version to get the new address.
I don't know if there are a lot of users capable of doing it. Maybe you could ask Thomas83lin, if he is still active at geckocodes.

 

[Thomas83Lin]

The code shouldn't be needed if your just playing. The game contains MetaFortress protection, its checking for any modifications to the boot.dol. The code is only removing the multi dol hook that was being used in Geckos which made it work well enough to debug on Geckos. So if my memory serves me correctly just turn off anything that is patching the game and it should play correctly. that means ocarina\wiird\hooktype\multi dol hook, use default language settings exec.

edit:
I'm not sure what the multi dol setting is called in USB Loader GX but I suspect its the Alternate DOL setting which needs to be "Off". I tested with the default settings and got the freeze after the training tutorial. Then messed with the settings and got the game working fine without any codes. Not exactly sure what all settings causes it but heres mine with the game working fine.

Spoiler: My game settings

Video Mode =System Default
VIDTV Patch =Off
Sneek video patch -Off
Aspect Ratio -System Default
Patch Country Strings -Off
Game language -Console Default
Ocarina -Off
Parental Control -0
Hooktype -None
Wiird Debugger -Off
Game IOS Use global
Error 002 fix -Yes
Return To-USB Loader
Block IOS Reload -Off
Nand Emulation -USE global
Nand Emulation -Use global
Alternate DOL -OFF
Select DOL offset -Not required

EDIT:
Ok I'm still getting freezes, Its looking like USB Loader Gx is still applying the Multi Dol Hook?? It really needs a option to turn it off. But I can't tell maybe its because I'm activating the VBI Hooktype and Debugger to check. I'll try making a Region Free Multi Dol Hook Remove in the mean time

Edit2: think I'll give up.lol On Usb Loader GX rev? I just can't get it to work correctly no matter what, it always freezes at some point. Its a very touchy game.lol I'm not really sure whats causing it, well more than likely the MetaFortress is still causing it, just from the Wiird hooks.

Heres the region free version of the code for anyone to play around with but I haven't tested to see if its actually region free\works on the USA copy and it doesn't really seem to help with the Usb Loader GX problem, but you can play around with it and different settings and see if you can get something to work. That's all from me, I spent a couple hours playing with it. What this game really needs is nothing making any patches to it at all. Only reason the code existed was to bypass were the protection was hitting on Geckos.

F6000003 80008100
80010014 7C0803A6
38210010 4E800020
00000000 38000001
5A010000 FFFFFFF8
14000000 4E800420
E0000000 80008000

Spoiler: My Game Settings Used

Video Mode =System Default
VIDTV Patch =Off
Sneek video patch -Off
Aspect Ratio -System Default
Patch Country Strings -Off
Game language -Console Default
Ocarina -on
Parental Control -0
Hooktype -VBI
Wiird Debugger -Off
Game IOS Use global
Error 002 fix -Yes
Return To-USB Loader
Block IOS Reload -Off
Nand Emulation -USE global
Nand Emulation -Use global
Alternate DOL -OFF

Last Edit:
My last attempt to try, is patching out the Multi Dol hook and any other patches with codes then clearing out the code handler when I'm done, if I got something working I'll post it, but dont count on it.

UPDATE: Ok well I compared against Neogamma and Usbloader GX, and besides needing to patch out the Multi Dol Hook in both, I see no differences in the games main asm section between the two, but I do see alot of differences\patches early in mem, between 80000000-800018A8. any one of the changes could cause it. If anyone wants to see the protection in action on the PAL version just put a read break on address 80487254 "muti dol hook" or 80497e88 "VBI Hook" play the game and eventually it will break. The multi dol hook hits more often then the VBI hook.

Here's whats reads the Multi dol hook - 80062324

nothing I can really do about it, my code does help with neogamma, but other loaders seem to be doing things differently therefore the code wont help. and some loaders may play correctly without needing anything.

 

[Kirbeast]

The code shouldn't be needed if your just playing. The game contains MetaFortress protection, its checking for any modifications to the boot.dol. The code is only removing the multi dol hook that was being used in Geckos which made it work well enough to debug on Geckos. So if my memory serves me correctly just turn off anything that is patching the game and it should play correctly. that means ocarina\wiird\hooktype\multi dol hook, use default language settings exec.

edit:
I'm not sure what the multi dol setting is called in USB Loader GX but I suspect its the Alternate DOL setting which needs to be "Off". I tested with the default settings and got the freeze after the training tutorial. Then messed with the settings and got the game working fine without any codes. Not exactly sure what all settings causes it but heres mine with the game working fine.

Spoiler: My game settings

Video Mode =System Default
VIDTV Patch =Off
Sneek video patch -Off
Aspect Ratio -System Default
Patch Country Strings -Off
Game language -Console Default
Ocarina -Off
Parental Control -0
Hooktype -None
Wiird Debugger -Off
Game IOS Use global
Error 002 fix -Yes
Return To-USB Loader
Block IOS Reload -Off
Nand Emulation -USE global
Nand Emulation -Use global
Alternate DOL -OFF
Select DOL offset -Not required

EDIT:
Ok I'm still getting freezes, Its looking like USB Loader Gx is still applying the Multi Dol Hook?? It really needs a option to turn it off. But I can't tell maybe its because I'm activating the VBI Hooktype and Debugger to check. I'll try making a Region Free Multi Dol Hook Remove in the mean time

Edit2: think I'll give up.lol On Usb Loader GX rev? I just can't get it to work correctly no matter what, it always freezes at some point. Its a very touchy game.lol I'm not really sure whats causing it, well more than likely the MetaFortress is still causing it, just from the Wiird hooks.

Heres the region free version of the code for anyone to play around with but I haven't tested to see if its actually region free\works on the USA copy and it doesn't really seem to help with the Usb Loader GX problem, but you can play around with it and different settings and see if you can get something to work. That's all from me, I spent a couple hours playing with it. What this game really needs is nothing making any patches to it at all. Only reason the code existed was to bypass were the protection was hitting on Geckos.

F6000003 80008100
80010014 7C0803A6
38210010 4E800020
00000000 38000001
5A010000 FFFFFFF8
14000000 4E800420
E0000000 80008000

Spoiler: My Game Settings Used

Video Mode =System Default
VIDTV Patch =Off
Sneek video patch -Off
Aspect Ratio -System Default
Patch Country Strings -Off
Game language -Console Default
Ocarina -on
Parental Control -0
Hooktype -VBI
Wiird Debugger -Off
Game IOS Use global
Error 002 fix -Yes
Return To-USB Loader
Block IOS Reload -Off
Nand Emulation -USE global
Nand Emulation -Use global
Alternate DOL -OFF

Last Edit:
My last attempt to try, is patching out the Multi Dol hook and any other patches with codes then clearing out the code handler when I'm done, if I got something working I'll post it, but dont count on it.

UPDATE: Ok well I compared against Neogamma and Usbloader GX, and besides needing to patch out the Multi Dol Hook in both, I see no differences in the games main asm section between the two, but I do see alot of differences\patches early in mem, between 80000000-800018A8. any one of the changes could cause it. If anyone wants to see the protection in action on the PAL version just put a read break on address 80487254 "muti dol hook" or 80497e88 "VBI Hook" play the game and eventually it will break. The multi dol hook hits more often then the VBI hook.

Here's whats reads the Multi dol hook - 80062324

nothing I can really do about it, my code does help with neogamma, but other loaders seem to be doing things differently therefore the code wont help. and some loaders may play correctly without needing anything.

Thank you sooo much!!! Thank you for trying to make the game work and all of your knowledge on the problem. Ill mess around with the region free code to see what I can do.

 

[Cyan]

Its looking like USB Loader Gx is still applying the Multi Dol Hook?? It really needs a option to turn it off.

Thank you for taking the time to look at the issue.
I didn't know about the multi dol hook, I could take a look but I'm not very good with memory management and patches.
I'm the last (less) active developer for that loader, I could add an option for multi dol hook.

 

[Thomas83Lin]

Thank you for taking the time to look at the issue.
I didn't know about the multi dol hook, I could take a look but I'm not very good with memory management and patches.
I'm the last (less) active developer for that loader, I could add an option for multi dol hook.

You could but, I don't believe it would completely fix it. It seems its also triggering on something else as well.

 

[Cyan]

We noticed that USBLoaderGX 2.2 is working with that game, but we (old developers at least) never understood what broke this game.
checking the memory from v2.2 and updating each revision one by one is maybe the way to find the issue, but it's a lot of work. Also, reverting to very old version we have to take in account all the improvements and compatibility (is fat32 still working? etc.)

 

[Kirbeast]

We noticed that USBLoaderGX 2.2 is working with that game, but we (old developers at least) never understood what broke this game.
checking the memory from v2.2 and updating each revision one by one is maybe the way to find the issue, but it's a lot of work. Also, reverting to very old version we have to take in account all the improvements and compatibility (is fat32 still working? etc.)

Would finding the revision when the game stopped working help with finding the problem that caused the game to stop working? If it would I could find it for you

 

[Thomas83Lin]

looks like the problem is between 2.2-2.3. maybe unrelated but the geckoos debugger stuff got added in 2.3

 

[Kirbeast]

We noticed that USBLoaderGX 2.2 is working with that game, but we (old developers at least) never understood what broke this game.
checking the memory from v2.2 and updating each revision one by one is maybe the way to find the issue, but it's a lot of work. Also, reverting to very old version we have to take in account all the improvements and compatibility (is fat32 still working? etc.)

Could it be possible to make a special dol file that uses the alternate dol to launch the game in usb loader gx 2.2?

 

[Cyan]

That game use multiple dols ? I thought alt dol was possible for a long time (before 2.2) but maybe I'm wrong. the loader changed a lot and quickly when it was an active project.
adding alt dol is maybe possible, but working on an old revision in hope to only add one feature and keep everything else the same is not always easy (you need to use the old SDK version to be sure it compile the same way).
I don't know which version of all the libraries were used at that time.

I think on old version, there were maybe not a "load alt dol" feature, but there were a "load external dol" feature.
put the dol you want to boot in a /dol/ folder on your SD card, and set the path of "extern/alt dol" in the settings.
rename the dol with the TitleID.dol

At launch it will load that external dol insead of the original main.dol from the disc.
The "load dol from disc" was added later, but I don't remember which version.

 

[Kirbeast]

That game use multiple dols ? I thought alt dol was possible for a long time (before 2.2) but maybe I'm wrong. the loader changed a lot and quickly when it was an active project.
adding alt dol is maybe possible, but working on an old revision in hope to only add one feature and keep everything else the same is not always easy (you need to use the old SDK version to be sure it compile the same way).
I don't know which version of all the libraries were used at that time.

I think on old version, there were maybe not a "load alt dol" feature, but there were a "load external dol" feature.
put the dol you want to boot in a /dol/ folder on your SD card, and set the path of "extern/alt dol" in the settings.
rename the dol with the TitleID.dol

At launch it will load that external dol insead of the original main.dol from the disc.
The "load dol from disc" was added later, but I don't remember which version.

So I put usb loader gx 2.2 dol on my sd card in the main directory (because it won't let me select a folder), renamed it to the TitleID, set it to run the alt dol, and launched the game and if froze. It didn't load the dol

Update: I tried a special dol I made for brawl and it loaded it just fine, I tried cfg usb loader dol and it didn't load. So I'll make a special dol for DSF and see what happens.

 

[Cyan]

I don't remember the old settings very well, but I think there was a setting to set the path to the altDols.
at that time, the alt dols were loaded externally.
It's the altDol for Driver that you need to rename and put inside the sd:/dol/ folder, not the USBLoaderGX dol

 

[Kirbeast]

I don't remember the old settings very well, but I think there was a setting to set the path to the altDols.
at that time, the alt dols were loaded externally.
It's the altDol for Driver that you need to rename and put inside the sd:/dol/ folder, not the USBLoaderGX dol

Alright! I think I found a way of getting this to work, hear me out. So the only usb loader that works with this game is Usb Loader Gx 2.2 r1100. So what Ill do is rename usbloader_gx (updated version) to something else. Then put usb loader gx 2.2 r1100 in the apps folder. Then Ill create a dol that forwards straigt to the game, it looks for boot.dol in usbloader_gx folder. In usbloader_gx ill set the alt dol to the dol I made that boots Driver San Fransisco in usbloader_gx. But there is one problem both usbloader_gx (3.0,2.2) share the same config file on the sd card so when I boot the game it boots usbloader_gx 2.2 straight to Driver San Francisco It boots again with the same boot.dol I created, thus creating an infinite loop.I'm useing WiiGSC to create the forwarder, do you know how to make the boot.dol look for usbloader_gx on USB instead of SD.

 

[GreyWolf]

I tested this game for about an hour with no problems last night. (With saves redirected to EmuNAND)

- d2x v10 beta52 IOS249[56]
- USB Loader GX r1260
- Private server patch > OFF
- Return To > OFF

 

[Thomas83Lin]

Thats a interesting fix, I'm assuming you have all other opitions off like all the debugger\wiird stuff as well.

 

[Cyan]

If it's only a "Return to" issue, maybe I could add a check and force disabled that setting for Driver and Sand of time.
or display a warning if any patches are enabled, but I don't like that idea as cheatcode can be used to disable metafortress, I can't disable cheats.

 

[Kirbeast]

Yey, I got it to work!!!

I figured out a way too make the game work while still using the latest USB Loader GX. I tested the with wiiflow r374 and It worked, I just needed to change the setting block ios reload to on. Then the alt dol I made would start Driver San Francisco in wiiflow, so when I start the game in USB Loader GX it runs the game with wiiflow r374.

 

[matt!]

Old but useful thread, thanks.

I'm currently playing this from external USB using USBLoaderGX r1268

I'd prefer to play it from internal SD, but I've been unable to prevent the black screen issue using either CFG or WiiFlow.

 

[Kirbeast]

Game doesn't freeze with:

- Latest USB Loader GX (r1272)
- d2x-v8-final installed with base 57 in slot 249