Hacking AKAIO v1.0 Officially Released

[Smiths]

Yeah yeah, we teased. R44Life can go to hell. I punished him.

Anywho:
http://gbatemp.net/index.php?download=2826

There's the official release of AKAiO v1.0

Disclaimer:
We never intended for it to not get released; we just were done 'developing' it. I think now we're just kinda done running under the guise of 'supporting the AceKard team' with our development. At least I am. I'm simply still compiling and working on this as a hobby to myself, and because with release come nice ideas from a community that I can play with and see if I can "do".
Normmatt has his reasons for continuing work, and they may differ from mine (I dunno if they do, just saying "don't lump").

As far as I am concerned, this is my official AceKard forum for comments, suggestions, etc. I am no longer using Acekard.com's BBS.

On with the readme!

AceKard All-In-One (AK-AIO) v1.0 - Initial Public Release
---------------------------------------------------------

Credits
-------

By Normmatt (http://normmatt.com), normmatt234 \AT/ gmail \DOT/ com
By bliss (http://bliss.hanirc.org/blog)
By Smiths of Emuholic (http://www.emuholic.com), smiths \AT/ emuholic \DOT/ com
By Moogle
By gelu (http://code.google.com/p/acekard-3in1/)
By kzat3 (http://kzat3.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/)

What is This?
--------------
AKBBS has been usurped thanks to amazing efforts of Normmatt!
AK-AIO is custom system software for *BOTH* the AceKard RPG and AK2, using all the features from the latest release of AKBBS(1.99) as a base. One file, two cards.

Base features
-------------
For those unfamiliar with all the additions the AKBBS (now AIO) software has in comparison to the stock firmware, here's a sampling of the bigger changes:

* Cheat Improvements - R4/XML Cheat File processing
* Plug-ins for TXT/MP3/etc.
* Multiple Save Slots per title - with copying between slots
* Slot-2 Integration - EZ3in1 (w/GBA Patching) and older FlashAdvance carts
* Shortcut tweaks
* Multi-page Start Menu
* Filetype-based external icon support
* Per-Rom settings for soft-reset/download play/cheats
* Copying/Cutting/Deleting SAV files along with NDS files
* Several improvements to 2byte language support

Version History
---------------
AK-AIO 1.0
+ Runs on both AK2 and AKRPG
+ Uses gelu's latest AKRPG rom loader
+ Uses latest AK2 4.07a16 rom loader
+ Contains everything from AKBBS1.99
+ Future support for larger than 4mbit save types (only supports 64mbit at the moment)
+ Applied Bliss' AR Engine fixes to the AKRPG
+ Hopefully fixed most of the soft reset issues with the AKRPG

Special Notes
-------------
Seeing as this release has experimental support for saves ranging all then way up to 128mbit, please err on the side of caution and backup your saves before using this firmware.
The "__RPG" and "__AK2" directory is now simply called "__AIO"
Existing users should make sure to rename their system directory, and update globalsettings.ini to reflect the new hidden directory.

Known Bugs
----------
Plugins have not been fully tested on both cards. Potentially could be broken.

ToDo
----
* Add Slowmotion
* Add Acekard+ support
* Fix any bugs that crop up

Also
----
Cheats included are from Rayder's awesome compilation at GBATemp, now maintained by Narin, and are current as of the date of this release.
For the most up-to-date files, check GBATemp's release site (http://cheats.gbatemp.net/)

 

[Sephi]

Sounds like a pretty good CFW, too bad I can't test it

 

[coolbho3000]

Finally! Now if only my Acekard 2 worked.

I think there should be an open source (including the hardware diagrams) flashcart, made by homebrewers, for homebrewers. Kind of like YAOSM is to Wii modchips.

 

[g3p3nk]

whoa! i thought this might never get released anymore!
thanks alot! *now d/l ing it!*
>D

 

[Baroque Obama]

Who exactly is R44Life?

Edit: Apparently, its just a joke account.

 

[Smiths]

Who exactly is R44Life?

He's the Korean side of me that doesn't exist cuz I'm a cornbread cracker.

 

[R44Life]

Who exactly is R44Life?

He's the Korean side of me that doesn't exist cuz I'm a cornbread cracker.

Go to hell, Yankee.

 

[Bri]

Works great!

I noticed that it has the slow-motion code back in. How do you use it? I turned it on, but it didn't seem to do anything. Is there a button combination you have to press to turn in on in-game?

-Bri

 

[Smiths]

There's no slow motion. the option is there but it is only a tease. We're not nice.

 

[Joey90]

There's no slow motion. the option is there but it is only a tease. We're not nice.

I didn't know what the FAS1 and sRAM button did... but I worked it out

Also, the rumble now works

 

[ciropizza]

hi there.

thanks for your work again - i always preferred merged love to bliss one

, but some problems of merged love force me to change to it.
so now i'm happy you came out with a new firmware.

but, i had a problem

-i made the original post on acekard bbs, but i saw you'll never use it, so, here's a repost.

exactly with dump 1968: advance wars, dark conflict.

i used Bliss firmware till i switched to AKAIO today; i start to play with that dump and i see that the game now didn't recognized the sav file that i was using.
even if i set the correct save file dimension (2M) in game properties, the game didn't see the save file at all and i have to play from the beginning again.

why this happened?

[EDIT]

i tried other dumps and i had the same problem (save file not recognized), for example with, 2339 - LEGO indiana jones - the original adventures (euro), but not with 0111 - advance wars: dual strike (euro), whose save file was originally created with merged love, latest version.

this is dued to compatibility issuees between bliss and akaio? it's a bit strange, isn't it?

moreover, as usual there are errors in save file dimension (eg. 0705 - phoenix wright - ace attorney, euro) so the game delete the save. i already asked for an automated savelisteditor -Normmatt created one for me- using advanscene XMLs, but i get no response from Normmatt :| - it will be much simplier, in my opinion, that edit game per game properties - or, discover the problem only when you lose your save game.

[EDIT END]

thanks in advance,
ciroops

ps. just for curiosity: why you, smiths, shouldn't use anymore acekard bbs?

 

[Devante]

You guys aren't listing all of the new stuff that comes with AIO!

Here are some thing I've noticed:

1) Now the menu goes back to whatever folder you were in last, regardless of if you loaded a game or not.

2) The cheat menu is much nicer! Easy to read and understand when something is activated (there's a check next to the item) and the "extra comments" are now placed in a bottom frame rather than lumped in with the cheat.

 

[whydoyouneedtokn]

I tried this on my acekard2 and had a problem. The menu was working just fine, so I loaded a rom and shut down the ds. upon starting it up, the top screen was blue, the bottom screen was black, and the Flash Memory icon showed up on the top menu. when i tried to select the flash memory, nothing happened. when i tried to select the micro sd card (an A-data 4gb class 6) or the slot 2 card (my ez flash 3-in-1), a box that said "text" would show up, this could be dismissed by pressing the "A" button. I had to put the original system files back on the micro sd card to get it working again.

Keep up the great work, I can't wait to see what the future holds for this custom menu. I'm especially excited about the prospect of having slow motion on my acekard2.

 

[lurbi]

There's the official release of AKAiO v1.0

Thank you very much for the release!!

Some suggestions:
Could you make the cheats menu a little more accessible?
Like maybe put an additional link to the properties.

Maybe you could also put copy/cut/delete/paste behind the more link, and cheats and help directly into the start menu?
Maybe put 3in1 to system options?
PS: what is fas1??
and what is ram/sram for 3in1?

When I set 3in1 rumble to low the AK is no longer able to boot the slo2 gba mode.
(there is no device in slot-2)
Maybe it would be better to activate rumble via rom properties, only for those roms, that have rumble, instead of activating it at startup.

Would it be possible to have x go to cheats on ak2?

Maybe it would be possible to implement direct nes/gbc/gb loading like in ysmenu??
(they load the emulator and the rom into PSRAM of the 3in1)

Thank you again for AKAIO!!!

 

[Monster On Strin]

it was a tough desicion but I had to go with waffles.

 

[dib]

Sweet, I just noticed that in the downloads section because I was about to search for an older Bliss version. The final one doesn't seem to work with cheats any more--at least for me. Previous version they used to work, latest they just stopped.

I hope it's a good build because we're all going camping and I won't be able to do anything that requires a PC and/or internet.

Nevermind, went to load Final Fantasy Tactics A2 to see how the cheats were working and it doesn't even find my save on my RPG. Good thing I back these things up, ouch! Anyway, nice cheat menu with the little icons and I appreciate the buttons making sense. The whole Bliss 'push X to toggle' was bizarre. Hope the bugs get sorted out, hasta lluego.

 

[Smiths]

It's a good build and I'm drunk.
Spent hours making Norm's little ".SAV vs .NDS.SAV" compatible with copycut savs with files + save slots....
gonna throw in "alternate AK2 loader" support as well tomorrow but now i'm pooped with the whole "programming all case scenarios for morons".

not any of you, but understand coding is basically programming something that works.. then spending hours making sure all scenarios are accounted for.

 

[Smiths]

Some suggestions:
Could you make the cheats menu a little more accessible?
Like maybe put an additional link to the properties.

Maybe you could also put copy/cut/delete/paste behind the more link, and cheats and help directly into the start menu?
Maybe put 3in1 to system options?

I won't. I'm a dick. I like it on the sub-menu. ROM.. start.. up... A..down.. A
3in1 deserves its own spot. I don't hide in sub-menus unless needed.

PS: what is fas1??

and what is ram/sram for 3in1?
Flash Advance cart support... old GBA Flash cartridges. Basically, I own one, I love mine. Pogoshell is god, and I wanted to add in-menu support for it. FAS1 is the standalone FlashAdvance program.. it's integrated.

It's 3in1 support. That's 100% ported. I don't use mine. and i don't think Norm owns one. so our support is limited. (I only requested mine for review when I thought I bricked my FlashAdvance)

When I set 3in1 rumble to low the AK is no longer able to boot the slo2 gba mode.
(there is no device in slot-2)
Maybe it would be better to activate rumble via rom properties, only for those roms, that have rumble, instead of activating it at startup.

See previous 3in1 comment.

QUOTE

Would it be possible to have x go to cheats on ak2?

Maybe it would be possible to implement direct nes/gbc/gb loading like in ysmenu??
(they load the emulator and the rom into PSRAM of the 3in1)

Not by me, I'm too content.

Norm loves ysmenu.


I'm not really a total dickhead... I just really have like an ease-of-use thing for AIO in my head.
And I'm drunk, so like seriously...

 

[Bri]

Smiths,

As a programmer, I completely sympathize with you! Thanks for all your hard work!

-Bri

 

[Cermage]

damn doesn't work for me =\ for top screen i get a blue screen. bottom screen i get 3 icons, "flash Memory" "MicroSD card" and "Slot 2 card", no skin when i press start it freezes. I try to go into MicroSD card and a popup comes up and says TEXT and slot 2 just boots into the game i have on NOR on my 3 in 1.
i've cleared my microsd out put just the AIO(_aio and akmenu4.nds on it) along with 1 game. i still get it. i tried just copying the akmenu4.nds file over and renaming the files that should be hidden (added _aio to globalsettings.ini). still doesnt work