Gaming Tutorial: In-Game PNG FAQ Viewing

[IBNobody]

Tutorial: Full-Screen PSP In-Game Text Readers

Preface

I am a FAQ junkie. I like to get every last morsel out of a game the first time I play it. Because of this, I like to have my FAQs on-hand. Prior to today, I had been using CWCheat, but it has a common problem among all PSP in-game readers: It would only display 60 lines of text and word wrap the rest. This would mess up any FAQ maps or formatted tables.

That was until today!

This guide will show you how to convert a text FAQ into a DAT file which consists of a series of PNG images. This DAT file is readable by two different in-game cheating programs.

Software Required

PSP with Custom Firmware (5.50 GEN B-2, preferred)
IceTea v1.3
FreeCheat v1.0.12.18-EN
Cheatmaster Fusion RC21 EN (Does NOT work on 5.50 GEN B-2)

FreeCheat / Cheatmaster Fusion Installation

To install FreeCheat:
1. Extract the "FreeCheat" directory to the root of your Memstick.
2. Add "ms0:/FreeCheat/fc_3xx.prx 1" to the top of your "\seplugins\game.txt" file,

To install Cheatmaster Fusion:
1. Extract the "FreeCheat" directory to the root of your Memstick.
2. Add "ms0:/CheatMaster/CheatMaster.prx 1" to the top of your "\seplugins\game.txt" file.

If you do not have a game.txt file, create a blank one.

If you are using 5.50 GEN B-2, you must enable Game PRX's in the Recovery menu.
1. Turn on your PSP and hold the R button until the recovery menu appears
2. Select "Advanced ->"
3. Select "Advanced configuration ->"
4. Select "GAME plugins (currently: Disabled)

IceTea Procedure

NOTE: IceTea can create a manual from image files, but this isn't covered in this tutorial.

1. Extract and Launch IceTea. Then select "\Manual\Create Manual From Text File" from the menu bar.

Spoiler

2. Either copy/paste your FAQ into the dialog box or click the "Open text file" button.

3. Select a game ID from the drop-down list. Any game ID will work.

4. In the empty box next to the game ID drop-down (see the red box), enter 5 numbers. "12345" works.

Spoiler

5. Make sure "Delete generated Images" is checked.

Spoiler

6. Click the "Save as Manual" button. IceTea will prompt you to save your DAT file. DO NOT SAVE IT DIRECTLY TO THE MEMORY STICK. It can take quite a while to complete.

7. When complete, the DAT file will contain images that look something like this...

8. Copy the DAT file to your memory card.

If you are using FreeCheat, put your DAT file here:
\PICTURE\

If you are using Cheatmaster Fusion, put your DAT file here:
\Cheatmaster\DAT\

In-Game Procedure

1. Launch your game.

2. Wait until the Memstick access light is not flashing.

3. Push the NOTE key and release it.

4. A menu will pop up.

5a. For FreeCheat:
1. Select "PIC Viewer" and press O.
2. Select your DAT file and press O.

5b. For Cheatmaster Fusion:
1. Select "Picture Viewer" and press X.
2. Select "PSX DAT" and press X.
3. Select your DAT and press X.

6. Enjoy!

FreeCheat DAT Controls

SELECT = Rotate Screen
SQUARE = Change Size
X = Exit to FreeCheat
START = Exit to Game

L or LEFT = Page Down
R or RIGHT = Page Up
U = Scroll Up
D = Scroll Down

 

[xist]

Did you try using LineBreaker to format your txt files? Once done CWCheat works pretty much fine with my guides.

 

[Raika]

Sweet application, this is definitely going to help people who need a lot of help in games.

 

[IBNobody]

Did you try using LineBreaker to format your txt files? Once done CWCheat works pretty much fine with my guides.

Any line breaker/wrapper application butchers text files, especially ones with 80 character tables. This DAT manual approach, on the other hand, produces better results.

Plus, FreeCheat and CMF are better cheat programs than the venerated but outdated CWCheat.

EDIT: Also, if you use Cheatmaster Fusion and still want to view text files, you can change the line width from 53 characters (CWCheat's default) to 72 characters.