Hacking USB Loader GX Force PAL Issues

[Yar2084]

Hey guys,

sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but, I've looked around the net and on forums and cant find what I'm looking for.

Basically, I'm having issues with running some NTSC games in force PAL 50. So far I've tried running four games through the loader, all set to PAL50; Super Paper Mario and Red Steel 2 run fine where as Lost in Shadow and Pikmin 2 leave me with a black screen and I have to hard reset. These games DO run fine when not running in Force PAL. I've looked over compatibility lists and I dunno, perhaps I'm just being stupid, but Im just a bit stuck?

 

[Yar2084]

Sorry admin, just found the USB loader thread, feel free to delete this.

 

[Cyan]

Why do you want to force PAL if the game works fine with default video mode? why not use a working mode ?
Why use NTSC game region if you have a PAL console/TV/Output?

There's an option to force a video mode inside a game (enable Dol video patch, set it to ALL or full). But it's not 100% working.
Some games don't have all video mode compatibility. some games even have different compatibility based on the region.
For example, you can force Mad world USA to 480p, but Mad world EUR can't (black screen).

 

[Yar2084]

Thanks for replying,

I'm trying to force PAL due to the ISOs I have being NTSC and my machine and television are both PAL. What I meant by the games run fine in default, is they run fine but being NTSC they are black and white, or grey and white if you prefer.

 

[Cyan]

the black and white issue is due to your cable.
You are using composite (yellow) instead of component cable (red/green/blue).

Maybe your TV doesn't support component? but if you have LCD/LED/flat, it should support component.

I know that it means you will have to buy a new cable, but it's better and games will output in 480p.

If you can't afford such a cable, try what I said : select Force PAL50 and enable the video dol patch option in the game settings. not sure it will work, but it's worth a try.

 

[Yar2084]

Thanks again,

I am using composite yes, my tv is a CRT from 1995. I will try what you're suggesting, I've also been told to try setting the language to English? The thing I don't understand is that I have Super Paper Mario and Red Steel 2 running in force PAL 50hz and they run fine, no issues whatsoever

 

[Yar2084]

Ended up fiddling with various video and region settings in Pikmin 2 and it now runs in colour with no issues to report yet. Thanks for your help @Cyan

 

[Cyan]

each game are designed to work on one or multiple video mode. The developers are adding a list of "possible" video mode directly in the game.
When you boot the game, the game checks the Wii current video setting and the game pick the better video mode from the dev list to match your console.

If you are in PAL50 576i and the game is not meant to work on PAL50 (the devs didn't include that mode because NTSC don't need it) then the game will pick the best video mode from the available list : it will pick the lowest NTSC interlace to match your interlace console and will render in NTSC instead of PAL.


USBLoaderGX has two video options :
Video mode : this only patch the console's current video before booting the game. if you set it to PAL50, then the console will tell the game "my current setup is PAL50, do you have a compatible mode in your list?", the game will check "no I don't, but I have NTSC 480i which is the best compromise" and will render in black and white.

Video dol Patch : This option is replacing the list of compatible mode inside the game with the same Video mode you select in the video mode option. if your game doesn't have PAL50, the loader will add it ! the console will tell the game "do you have PAL50?" and the game will see "Yes, I'm compatible with PAL50! let's use it"


It's not because developers didn't add PAL50 to the list that the game is not working in that mode, it's just they didn't feel like adding mode which would not normaly be used on NTSC territory.
But the contrary is possible too (like Mad World), a game could be incompatible with some video mode, even if you add them in the list.

 

[Yar2084]

Well I turn all the patches on etc and that sorts it for most games. I find the bigger games 5/6 Gb give me the most issues.