Hacking SCDS2 SFC/SNES EMU .CHT Files Needed!!

[signz]

Ok, tested a few games and while there are a few bugs (random freezing when selecting cheats or some cheats not working although they are in the correct format - example:
[exp]
Girl=E38D,7F;E38E,96;E38F,98
Sprite=E58D,7F;E58E,96;E58F,98
where Girl is working, but Sprite isn't (codes for Secret of Mana (G) btw) while
[exp]
ON=E38D,7F;E38E,96;E38F,98

[exp2]
ON=E58D,7F;E58E,96;E58F,98
does not work either
(those are the only cheats in the file)
so I tried moving [exp2] on first place and renaming it to [exp] >
[exp]
ON=E58D,7F;E58E,96;E58F,98
which DOES work)

I just came to the conclusion, that (from my experience now) only the first code in the file works and the others are kinda "ignored".
Could anyone confirm that please (although I'm pretty sure that's correct)?

 

[Rydian]

This format for codes is actually better than the ZSNES/SNES9X format, because it gives the ability to toggle and switch options without having to list a bunch of separate code entries... and it also lets you reset the "off" value to something specific (though requiring you to reset the code to the "off" value the user provides, and then disable it), whereas other emulators will just set it to 55h or whatever (which can cause some issues in-game). Being plaintext, it's also easy to modify by users (the ZSNES/SNES9X format isn't encoded, but it is in straight hex so you can't modify the values easily with a text editor).

I just wish the implementation wasn't so buggy right now, but I'll work on the guide.

Hell, if I have some more free time after that I'll make a converter, run the current BSNES cheat pack through it (since it's another plaintext format and will be easy to re-arrange), and upload it to filetrip. It's not exactly a perfect collection of codes (it's large but there's a few quality control issues as it's just a compilation), but it's hell of a lot better than nothing.

I just came to the conclusion, that (from my experience now) only the first code in the file works and the others are kinda "ignored".
Could anyone confirm that please (although I'm pretty sure that's correct)?

From what Sixty reported, codes after the first one works, but they're hit or miss (like the first score code I originally gave had three options and only the middle one would apply).

 

[mechagouki]

Just going to bed so no time to read this whole thread, but I do know that the XSnes9X emulator on the Xbox has the full Action Replay Pro and Game Genie cheat databases included in the install - should be easy enough to rip them out - I'll have a look when I have time.

 

[Animal]

Run Emucheat while Snes9x is running, ... It'll see Snes9x ...

Just for info:
That's not working with Snes9x v1.52 (but it's ok with Snes9x v1.51)

Tested with EmuCheat 2009.12.01

 

[Rydian]

Okay, I still want to see if there's a way to get Game Genie codes working, so I've made another test CHT file for Super Mario World (U), could anybody tell me if ANY of these codes work?

http://rydian.net/hosting/cht/dstwo/

 

[Another World]

the new file does not load, the gui simply returns back to the selection screen with no cheats loaded.

i have been testing the converted cheat pack and i found that many files do not have cheats or won't load. did all the original files you converted from have cheats?

here are some problem files off the top of my head:
Aladdin (USA).cht - does not load

cheat in position one looks like....
[]
On=
,

perhaps thats why its not loading?

Arcade's Greatest Hits - The Atari Collection 1 (USA).cht - contains no cheats
Castlevania - Dracula X (USA).cht - contains no cheats
Flashback - The Quest for Identity (USA) (En,Fr,De).cht - contains no cheats
Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (USA).cht - contains no cheats
King Arthur & The Knights of Justice (USA).cht - contains no cheats

the emu lacks any sort of scrolling for cheat names once they are loaded. besides a clean up of the directory for files which are blank (without cheats) perhaps there should be a project to shorten the names of cheats so that the useful information is available in the gui.

an example:
contra III
[Always have Scatter Blaster for gun 1 (disable during bonus stages)]
[Always have Missile Launcher for gun 1 (disable during bonus stages)]
etc...

displays in the gui as:
(Always have ...)
(Always have ...)

once the directory is purged of blank files i would be willing to work on cheat names/desc. once i have more time.

-another world

 

[Rydian]

1 - If the new file refuses to load then I don't know of a way to get game genie cheats working, the supercard team would need to say how it's done (if it's done at all). I can convert them to CPU addresses, the problem is getting the emulator to accept modification of a different bank. I still don't know the full format of that CHT file,

2 - I just checked the original Aladdin CHT file, and it turns out there's a stray blank line at the top of it (which it's trying to make into a code anyways). Like I said, quality control issues with the original pack. ^^; Manually checking the 596 original CHT files to make sure they're properly-formatted is not something I'm willing to do considering I don't even benefit from this conversion.

3 - Game genie codes that were found were skipped (since I don't yet know the proper format for them in the CHT files), so files that contained only those codes would be blank. I checked a handful of files, but didn't see anything particularly wrong... I guess I should have programmed it to skip making a new CHT is there were only game genie codes, whoops.

4 - I was considering shortening the names automatically, but that might cut off important info so I left them long since I assumed it would scroll.



I'll modify the converter (to detect stray blank lines at the top and skip CHT files with no PAR codes) and run it again later today, but there's only so much work I'm willing to put forth for this, of course. Writing up and testing a converter to do something new appeals to the nerd in me, but manually checking a couple hundred CHT files I don't actually benefit from is not my cup of tea. XD

 

[Another World]

if you want to turn this into a full fledged project in which you work to build the most complete compatible collection of snes codes, let me know. i will talk to sc and see about getting you a scds2 sample. i can't promise anything, mind you, but i'll make the initial contact.

just PM me and let me know and i'll see what i can get accomplished.

-another world

 

[Rydian]

Fixed and updated the current cheat code pack.

http://filetrip.net/file.php?id=22606

1.1 - Updated to the most recent CHT database from mightymo. This adds a few more games (and hopefully a few more usable codes).
Some cheat files were created even though they had no correct codes, these have now been detected and omitted.
Some files were not loading on the DSTwo because they contained a blank cheat (from a stray newline), this has been detected and fixed.

Tell me if you find any other issues with thI current pack, of course.

As for the name lengths, I thought about doing some string replacement on the descriptions (to change "invincibility" to "invinc" for example), but that might be too much work for too little benefit at the risk of making some descriptions not make sense... for example I could remove all instances of "in" (to make something like "no HP loss in lava" to "no HP loss lava", saving three characters), but that'd mess up "can fly, disable in water", changing it to "can fly, disable water", making people think the code turns off water, not that they should turn off the code when in water as it might mess up...

Trimming descriptions is a job best done manually, so I'd prefer to wait and see if I'll be getting a DSTwo sample so I know if I should just go with the automatic trimming, or just do manual when I make a modern code pack.

What's the current character limit anyways? Is it a fixed-width font or a variable-width font?

 

[haragon]

I'm starting to think this should be a sticky...

or just a sticky for CHT files in general, gba too.

 

[Another World]

i made another front page post (http://gbatemp.net/t264078-scds2-sfc-emu-cheat-codes-v1-1) and i will do some testing soon.

thanks for your efforts.

-another world