Gaming Phantasy Star Collection trouble on microSD Supercard

[Nikokaro]

With this flashcart the first game (the 8bit one) of the collection doesn't work, it doesn't even start (black screen) while the other 2 work perfectly. Does anyone have any idea why? I've tried both activating restart/save states via its patching software and without them. I also applied SRAM patching via gbata, but in vain.

Can anyone tell me if using EZ Flash Omega, EverDrive GBA or other flashcart (if any) has the same problem?

Thank you.

 

[metroid maniac]

Supercards are known for having poor GBA compatibility.
I just tested this game on my EZ Flash Omega and there are no issues. Frankly, I wouldn't expect any modern GBA flashcart to have an issue with a game.

 

[Glyptofane]

Holy hell, I forgot all about how GBA had a Phantasy Star Collection that was missing IV which is easily the best one. I mean why? How?

 

[godreborn]

works fine for me with the everdrive gba:

 

[metroid maniac]

I found a fix for this issue and tested it on my own Supercard. This applies to the US version of the game.

If you know how to use a hex editor, perform the following patch instead of using the supercard client.
At 0x308, set byte 0x14 to 0x00.
At 0x7383dc, set byte 0x14 to 0x00.
You may then have to patch the ROM with GBATA for saving.

Enjoy!

 

[FAST6191]

If it is the 8 bit one then why not ponder a master system emulator (they are not bad)? Granted there are some differences if memory serves.

As far as phantasy star collection it does have some issues for flash carts and cheat devices -- the menu actually resets between launching games which bothers some aspects of cheat making and patching things in. It is one of the very few games that does something like this. https://doc.kodewerx.org/hacking_gba.html#psc has a bit more for the terminally bored/super curious.

If the above fix works then great. If it does not then I would probably just chalk it up to supercards not being very good flash carts. If you are not on the GBA/something with a bit more grunt then I would go for the 16 bit originals as well, or if it is an option then maybe the Saturn or PS2 stuff. Do also note there are a few nice translations of the downloadable adventures https://www.romhacking.net/?page=tr...r=&dir=&title=phantasy&author=&transsearch=Go and PS2 efforts these days, hacks too https://www.romhacking.net/?page=ha...er=&dir=&title=phantasy&author=&hacksearch=Go but not really for the GBA version.

 

[Nikokaro]

If the above fix works then great. If it does not then I would probably just chalk it up to supercards not being very good flash carts.

The modified rom as suggested works great. Thanks anyway for the advice.

 

[EvilJagaGenius]

Holy hell, I forgot all about how GBA had a Phantasy Star Collection that was missing IV which is easily the best one. I mean why? How?

I remember reading a bit of an interview saying the main constraints were time and they weren't sure how to fit all of PSIV's pixel art onto the GBA's screen. Which is understandable, though it does kinda suck.

By the way I tried making a double XP/meseta patch for this a while ago, though I haven't tested it much. If you'd like to give it a shot be my guest.

 

[Nikokaro]

By the way I tried making a double XP/meseta patch for this a while ago, though I haven't tested it much. If you'd like to give it a shot be my guest.

Thank you. This will prove very useful, assuming it works (since it would appear you haven't tested it).
But does it cover all three titles?

Note: If I remember correctly, someone released a patch for the third title on Genesis to increase the speed of the protagonist (who is unbearably slow as a snail). Do you know if that can be ported here as well?

 

[FAST6191]

I normally write 3 off entirely.

Outside of straight emulation (which this is not) one does not tend to port patches (for the curious https://www.romhacking.net/?page=ha...e=20&order=&dir=&title=&author=&hacksearch=Go , and I think there are some ongoing projects too) as much as remake them entirely. If any hacking notes were made available then some of the memory structures might be similar or problems encounters could be similar.

Speed patches usually run
1) Overclock the machine (some do exist for the GBA) or turbo in emulator. Outside the scope of this one.
2) Fiddling with vblanks (potentially troublesome for the screen). Don't do it.
3) Mimic any in game items that provide speed boosts or nerf negative effects of speed boosts (there are some games that might drop health, stamina or increase encounter rate/radius). Making cheats for flags is harder than counters* but doable enough. If the item is free (no slots taken up or anything) but available later in the game then cheat to have that becomes a possibility if you would rather not fiddle with flags.
4) More for text but if any options exist in the game to boost things you see if they have further values (most ranges are say between 0 and 255, if high speed is 200 for some reason then see what goes if you set it higher, or if it is 0/1/2/3 then what does 4 do).
5) You alter the distance travelled -- it will fiddle with the OAM which then leads back to internal states, animations governing them and more besides which you can insert larger numbers into or delete frames of animation to get to the end quicker. Be aware that this might also be a wall no clip/walk through walls cheat.
6) If the above is walk through walls then you get to do it properly and account for collisions.

*counter being use a potion/spend some money/wait some time, check for changes, repeat, maybe throw in a round of doing nothing to use as a remain the same and find your cheat. Flags you want to equip and unequip (hopefully you can, do note you might have to back into and out of the menu), guzzle a potion and wait for it to wear off and such like. Find one flag and chances are the remaining ones will be nearby.

 

[Nikokaro]

@FAST6191 , thanks for the umpteenth technical and comprehensive response, but just reading what you wrote I got a headache, let alone put it into practice: you expect too much from a simple (and lazy) gamer with no technical knowledge (and I do not even want to have any, life is already too short to waste it further ...).
Maybe some good and kind soul will take on this thankless task for me.

 

[EvilJagaGenius]

Thank you. This will prove very useful, assuming it works (since it would appear you haven't tested it).
But does it cover all three titles?

Note: If I remember correctly, someone released a patch for the third title on Genesis to increase the speed of the protagonist (who is unbearably slow as a snail). Do you know if that can be ported here as well?

It should double all three games, it just doubles the XP/meseta values in the monster tables. Doubling the walk speed would require fiddling with some ASM, which I don't know how to do for this game.