Homebrew [Discontinued] TWLoader - CTR-mode NDS app

[petethepug]

Just thought of something that could probably confirm when a ROM is actually loading and freezes since the issue is common.

Basically, maybe just a loading watermark, or progress bar to indicate whether the game takes a long time to load, or it crashed .

Also wanted to add this to the list:
Super Mario 64 DS works perfectly, however there are long loading times depending on the 3ds model your using, theres also an issue with going in/underwater? Causing the frames to drop.

Starfox Command crashes (cannot acsess game.)

MK DS I have not encountered any issues as of now.

 

[StarTrekVoyager]

@Robz8 Just another question: why do the games have longer loading times and sometimes lag with nds-bootstrap since this is supposed to use the 3DS's built-in TWL mode ? I don't really know how nds-bootstrap works, so I just wanted to know.

 

[Tigroid]

Hi, I just wanted to pop-in and say thanks! You guys are making a lot of progress a lot faster than I expected!

 

[RocketRobz]

@Robz8 Just another question: why do the games have longer loading times and sometimes lag with nds-bootstrap since this is supposed to use the 3DS's built-in TWL mode ? I don't really know how nds-bootstrap works, so I just wanted to know.

Both the ARM7 & ARM9 CPUs can read the Slot-1 card slot, but since only the ARM7 (which is slower than ARM9) can read the SD card, loading times will be slow.
But, the loading speed will be improved.

 

[metroid maniac]

I hope so. I'm thinking with DSi-enchanced games, we could pick between speed (DS-mode) and enhanced features (DSi-mode).

Sucks that DSi-enhanced features probably won't be backported to flashcards so we can enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

[d0k3]

So, I finally gotten around to try this, and I had some... trouble, not a small part of it which may be due to my shitty NDS flashcart (it is one of those www.r4isdhc.com.cn ones). So. keep that in mind and take any complaints I may have below with a grain of salt.

The good:

• I like the design a lot, no need to change anything in that
• Basically all relevant flashcards are supported (even my shitty one)
• Frequent updates and steadily improving software
• For what this tool does, it is the go-to-solution, and rightfully so

"Complaints" (again, take them with a grain of salt, I'm just listing everyting that I noticed here):

• Rather complicated setup - you're lost if you don't read the wiki thoroughly (and devs are impatient, too). It may be possible to automate some (more) of that.
• Boxart was only downloaded after restarting the app ~10 times and din't show up afterwards either. If it doesn't work due to internet connection or anything like that, some kind of message woulod be reassuring.
• The boxart download progress indicator looks bad after 100 titles were processed.
• Icons didn't show up, and I doublechecked folders. Part of this problem and the above may be due to the large number of games I have set up (~300).
• The TWLoader (GUI) updater (on startup) froze for me - at least that's what it looked like. Maybe due to an unstable internet connection. Some kind of progress indicator and maybe optional cancel would help.
• Update buttons in settings (X/Y/START) didn't seem to do anything. If they check in background and detect the newest version or if they don't work due to internet failure, some kind of info would be reassuring.
• That GBA loader thingy - I assume this only works with certain flashcarts. More info would help.
• The font in settings is somewhat "blurry" (no idea how to describe that better).
• Setting my flashcart up with the provided files seems to have borked it. It doesn't properly work in the "standard" way anymore. Easily fixable with the old setup, ofc.
• Any game I started immediately lead to a "fragmented" save error. And yes, this is most likely due to a combination of full SD + subpar flashcard.

Anyways, you see, I had some trouble. Does anyone know what flashcart @Robz8 is using himself? Or other recommendatiosn for flashcards that work well with TWLoader? I guess I'll get exactly what @Robz8 has, though. I have a feeling that flashcards will always be superior to other loading methods.

EDIT: I may have to add, I set TWLoader up to load games from the SLOT-1 flashcard SD.

 

[RocketRobz]

So, I finally gotten around to try this, and I had some... trouble, not a small part of it which may be due to my shitty NDS flashcart (it is one of those www.r4isdhc.com.cn ones). So. keep that in mind and take any complaints I may have below with a grain of salt.

The good:

• I like the design a lot, no need to change anything in that
• Basically all relevant flashcards are supported (even my shitty one)
• Frequent updates and steadily improving software
• For what this tool does, it is the go-to-solution, and rightfully so

"Complaints" (again, take them with a grain of salt, I'm just listing everyting that I noticed here):

• Rather complicated setup - you're lost if you don't read the wiki thoroughly (and devs are impatient, too). It may be possible to automate some (more) of that.
• Boxart was only downloaded after restarting the app ~10 times. If it doesn't work due to internet connection or anything like that, some kind of message woulod be reassuring.
• The boxart download progress indicator looks bad after 100 titles were processed.
• Icons didn't show up, and I doublechecked folders. Part of this problem and the above may be due to the large number of games I have set up (~300).
• The TWLoader (GUI) updater (on startup) froze for me - at least that's what it looked like. Maybe due to an unstable internet connection. Some kind of progress indicator and maybe optional cancel would help.
• Update buttons in settings (X/Y/START) didn't seem to do anything. If they check in background and detect the newest version or if they don't work due to internet failure, some kind of info would be reassuring.
• That GBA loader thingy - I assume this only works with certain flashcarts. More info would help.
• The font in settings is somewhat "blurry" (no idea how to describe that better).
• Setting my flashcart up with the provided files seems to have borked it. It doesn't properly work in the "standard" way anymore. Easily fixable with the old setup, ofc.
• Any game I started immediately lead to a "fragmented" save error. And yes, this is most likely due to a combination of full SD + subpar flashcard.

Anyways, you see, I had some trouble. Does anyone know what flashcart @Robz8 is using himself? Or other recommendatiosn for flashcards that work well with TWLoader? I guess I'll get exactly what @Robz8 has, though. I have a feeling that flashcards will always be superior to other loading methods.

EDIT: I may have to add, I set TWLoader up to load games from the SLOT-1 flashcard SD.

Part of the instructions are out of date. EDIT: They're fixed.
Try updating your flashcard pack, and put the "_nds" folder that's in "flashcardroot" from the TWLoader 7z file, into the flashcard root. After you did that, try out the new "Add Games" feature.

 

[d0k3]

Part of the instructions are out of date. EDIT: They're fixed.
Try updating your flashcard pack, and put the "_nds" folder that's in "flashcardroot" from the TWLoader 7z file, into the flashcard root. After you did that, try out the new "Add Games" feature.

Well, I did. Leads to the screen flashing a few times, then freezing. This is not the best of flashcards, granted, and the SD card is rather full (~800MB of 16GB free), so that may add to this not working. What flashcard do you use (if that question is okay)?

 

[RocketRobz]

Well, I did. Leads to the screen flashing a few times, then freezing. This is not the best of flashcards, granted, and the SD card is rather full (~800MB of 16GB free), so that may add to this not working. What flashcard do you use (if that question is okay).

I use the R4i-SDHC and DSTWO flashcards.

 

[piterayo]

So, I finally gotten around to try this, and I had some... trouble, not a small part of it which may be due to my shitty NDS flashcart (it is one of those www.r4isdhc.com.cn ones). So. keep that in mind and take any complaints I may have below with a grain of salt.

• Setting my flashcart up with the provided files seems to have borked it. It doesn't properly work in the "standard" way anymore. Easily fixable with the old setup, ofc.

I'm also trying to use one of www.r4isdhc.com.cn flashcards and doesn't work, and it's not a lack of free space in the sd card, i only have 4 games and it's a 16GB card
EDIT: It's the R4 SDHC Dual-Core 2016 from r4isdhc.com.cn

 

[GerbilSoft]

Anyways, you see, I had some trouble. Does anyone know what flashcart @Robz8 is using himself? Or other recommendatiosn for flashcards that work well with TWLoader? I guess I'll get exactly what @Robz8 has, though. I have a feeling that flashcards will always be superior to other loading methods.

EDIT: I may have to add, I set TWLoader up to load games from the SLOT-1 flashcard SD.

I have an R4i SDHC "Dual Core" (DSTT clone) which works once everything's set up. I agree, the setup process is a bit convoluted, especially after the reorganization in v2.4. I don't have any idea how it could be simplified, though. There's several components:

• TWL-side portion of TWLoader
• Card-specific forwarder (on the 3DS SD card) [flashcardroot]
• Card-specific bootstrap (on the flash card's SD card) [card-specific packs linked in the OP]

If the card-specific forwarders are open-source, perhaps they could be integrated into the TWL-side portion of TWLoader?

I'm also trying to use one of www.r4isdhc.com.cn flashcards and doesn't work, and it's not a lack of free space in the sd card, i only have 4 games and it's a 16GB card
EDIT: It's the R4 SDHC Dual-Core 2016 from r4isdhc.com.cn

This is what I have. Make sure you've copied everything from the TWLoader.7z's sdroot and flashcardroot directories, as well as the DSTT pack from the original post.

 

[metroid maniac]

If the card-specific forwarders are open-source, perhaps they could be integrated into the TWL-side portion of TWLoader?

I've not been able to find open source firmwares for any of my three DS flashcards (AK2i, TTDS, Original R4) even though they all have community firmwares. People like to hoard this stuff apparently.

 

[internetakias]

I think it'd be great if TWLoader could be used as a front-end for modifying the Forwarder's config. It'd also be nice if you could create forwarders straight from TWLoader, especially since you can use it to add DS games directly from your flashcard now.

 

[RocketRobz]

I have an R4i SDHC "Dual Core" (DSTT clone) which works once everything's set up. I agree, the setup process is a bit convoluted, especially after the reorganization in v2.4. I don't have any idea how it could be simplified, though. There's several components:

• TWL-side portion of TWLoader
• Card-specific forwarder (on the 3DS SD card) [flashcardroot]
• Card-specific bootstrap (on the flash card's SD card) [card-specific packs linked in the OP]

If the card-specific forwarders are open-source, perhaps they could be integrated into the TWL-side portion of TWLoader?

If you mean the "Add Games" feature, for it to work, the flashcard (except for the original R4, AK2i, and R4iDSN/R4i Gold RTS) has to be booted first in order to enable access.

 

[piterayo]

I'm also trying to use one of www.r4isdhc.com.cn flashcards and doesn't work, and it's not a lack of free space in the sd card, i only have 4 games and it's a 16GB card
EDIT: It's the R4 SDHC Dual-Core 2016 from r4isdhc.com.cn

Ok, after trying a couple of times, i've made it work. I put the original wood in the sd card, and overwrited it with the contents of the pack provided in OP.

 

[Rizzorules]

Both the ARM7 & ARM9 CPUs can read the Slot-1 card slot, but since only the ARM7 (which is slower than ARM9) can read the SD card, loading times will be slow.
But, the loading speed will be improved.

Do you think we will be able to play them almost full speed?

 

[RocketRobz]

Do you think we will be able to play them at full speed?

Yes.

 

[metroid maniac]

Do you think we will be able to play them almost full speed?

Gameplay is full speed (faster in some cases due to TWL clock), only loading is an issue.

 

[RocketRobz]

Attention flashcard users!
The following packs are updated, so the "Add Games" feature, and the flashcard games should work now. VRAM boost should also work.

• DSTT/R4i Gold/R4i-SDHC/R4 SDHC Dual-Core/R4 SDHC Upgrade/SC DSONE
• Acekard 2(i)/M3DS Real
• Ace 3DS+/Gateway Blue Card/R4iLS/R4iTT
• SuperCard DSTWO

Will be supported in the next TWLoader release.

• Original R4/M3 Simply
• R4iDSN/R4i Gold RTS
  
• Acekard RPG

To anyone using forwarders installed to HOME Menu, the forwarder templates still need to be updated.

 

[piterayo]

Final Fantasy 3 boots up, but throws this error:

Spoiler