ISO Loader 0.8.x Beta + preview of DreamShell v4.0 RC 5

[pcwzrd13]

(11.12.2023 08:55)SWAT писал(а):  

(07.12.2023 16:16)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Regarding the network time sync, it'd be really cool to have an option to automatically sync on boot if it detects a BBA and a connection.

You can add this to startup.lua:

PHP код:

os.execute("net --init");
os.execute("ntp --sync"); 


Or add sync to Ethernet.lua script in the Main app scripts.

Nice! That works! Although for some reason I'm not getting the right time. It seems to get GMT time. Is there a way to change the time zone?

[pcwzrd13]

Did some more testing with the 1800 block VMU. Found something really interesting. While I haven't tested all of them, every Capcom game I've tested so far supports it. In addition to GigaWing 1 & 2 that I tested earlier, Cannon Spike, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Power Stone 2, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 all allow you to save and load from it fine.

[fanhais]

(11.12.2023 21:30)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Did some more testing with the 1800 block VMU. Found something really interesting. While I haven't tested all of them, every Capcom game I've tested so far supports it. In addition to GigaWing 1 & 2 that I tested earlier, Cannon Spike, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Power Stone 2, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 all allow you to save and load from it fine.

how I can make 1800 block VMU? on Emulator is with notpad++ ?

[megavolt85]

(11.12.2023 22:59)fanhais писал(а):  how I can make 1800 block VMU? on Emulator is with notpad++ ?

Emulator don't support it.
if you rewrite source and add support to emulator, use BIOS menu for format big VMU

[fafadou]

(10.12.2023 07:02)SWAT писал(а):  - 4 Wheel Thunder.
Put the loader to 0x8cfe0000/0x8cfe8000, Heap to 0x8c004000 and disable DMA for game data transfer. CDDA mode default, IRQ enabled.
It's works for me with this settings. Seems I should a bit tune auto Heap mode.

Works for me too

Still cdda distorsion with this config, and no boot with some games like deep fighter that needs very high memory preset.

I'll try the same preset with looney toons
But no luck...
Actually it doesn't boot, even without cdda, it boots only for me with 0.6.11_se.
There is something strange about compatibility here.
0.6.11_se does 22ko size and 0.8.36 does 24ko, maybe it's due to CSO and wince functions...

[SWAT]

(11.12.2023 19:47)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Nice! That works! Although for some reason I'm not getting the right time. It seems to get GMT time. Is there a way to change the time zone?

Timezone is not supported yet. But I'll add it in future.

(11.12.2023 22:59)fanhais писал(а):  how I can make 1800 block VMU? on Emulator is with notpad++ ?

My empty VMU dumps you can get here:
https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell/tr.../resources

(12.12.2023 04:14)fafadou писал(а):  I'll try the same preset with looney toons
But no luck...
Actually it doesn't boot, even without cdda, it boots only for me with 0.6.11_se.
There is something strange about compatibility here.
0.6.11_se does 22ko size and 0.8.36 does 24ko, maybe it's due to CSO and wince functions...

Looney Toons works only from 0x8c004800, so no CDDA possible in this case, only regular loader.
CSO support I keep only for regular SD loader.

[SWAT]

New test build: https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell/re...0.0RC5-T37

I managed to save few extra bytes of memory by changing the version string from "beta.37" to "RC.1"
And I succeeded because... I fixed most of data transfer issues!!!
All WinCE works perfectly now, also some KATANA like MSR, prototypes and so on. All these games loading faster and without issues for me.
Also fixed DMA with IRQ in some games like Expendable and 4 Wheel Thunder, now these games works good with true async DMA and IRQ.
But some games still doesn't like IRQ due to out of stack I guess. MSR doesn't like it.

There is some changes for UI fade effects and console show/hide.
Also I changed scrolling method by joystick for FileManager widget. It doesn't work super stable, but I think it will be more common this way.

[fafadou]

Fantastic !!!

[pcwzrd13]

Major improvements with this one @SWAT! Did a bit of testing and here are my results.

These games now work great:
GET!! Colonies - No longer shows the disc error.
Nightmare Creatures II - No longer freezes at the first loading screen. Not sure when it uses CDDA though as the game doesn't really have BG music.
Rainbow Six - No longer freezes after the opening cutscene. (Need to use 0x8c001100 loader memory or music will skip)
Sega Rally 2 - No more random freezing!
Sno-Cross Championship Racing - No longer freezes at race loading screens!
Spirit of Speed - Boots now!

These games are improved but still not working great:
Bust-A-Move 4 - Boots now but randomly freezes at some loading screens.
KISS Psycho Circus - Boots now but the music gets very distorted and the right audio channel cuts out.
Roadsters - Now well works with DMA & TMU1 but music is very distorted and right audio channel cuts out.

Edit: This issue with the right channel audio cutting out seems to be affecting other games as well now. Unreal Tournament has this problem too. It doesn't fix itself either, even if you exit back to the main menu. Not sure if this problem was introduced with this release or one of the previous ones.

Non-CDDA games:
Ooga Booga now works without low-level!
Floigan Bros. now works without low-level!

The NBA 2K and NFL 2K games still require low-level.

Other notes:
Strangely Worms Armageddon won't boot for me anymore. No matter the settings, I just get a black screen, even with CDDA disabled.

Unreal Tournament no longer works with "DMA & TMU2/TMU1". It worked previously but without sound effects. Now it just freezes at the main menu.

Deep Fighter is strange as it will get stuck in a loop at the "Loading executable..." stage. Maybe that's a clue as to why it's not working.

[SWAT]

(13.12.2023 20:04)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Ooga Booga now works without low-level!

Settings?

(13.12.2023 20:04)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Unreal Tournament no longer works with "DMA & TMU2/TMU1". It worked previously but without sound effects. Now it just freezes at the main menu.

This game is never worked normally with AICA DMA, only with SQ.
I think this happens from prev version, because I changed AICA DMA IRQ handling that fix AICA DMA in Expendable.

(13.12.2023 20:04)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Edit: This issue with the right channel audio cutting out seems to be affecting other games as well now. Unreal Tournament has this problem too. It doesn't fix itself either, even if you exit back to the main menu. Not sure if this problem was introduced with this release or one of the previous ones.

Got it and fixed. I broke this in previous version. I'll make an updated build soon.

(13.12.2023 20:04)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  The NBA 2K and NFL 2K games still require low-level.

Seems these games rewrite the loader in memory. But i'm not sure.

[pcwzrd13]

(14.12.2023 05:51)SWAT писал(а):  

(13.12.2023 20:04)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Ooga Booga now works without low-level!

Settings?

Just default settings.

[SWAT]

New test build: https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell/re...0.0RC5-T38

- Fixed CDDA channel checking.
- Fixed IGR.
- Added auto selection for loader memory by some settings.
- Tuned scrolling file lists by x + analog stick.

Now default addresses:

Regular loader: 0x8c004000
CDDA/VMU loaders: 0x8c001100
Full loader: 0x8c000100

[fafadou]

(13.12.2023 15:00)SWAT писал(а):  I managed to save few extra bytes of memory by changing the version string from "beta.37" to "RC.1"
And I succeeded because... I fixed most of data transfer issues!!!

Be sure I'm happy for you that you found this issue, what a pain removed and what a delight for us.

is it possible to save more bytes by simply uses 0.8.38 instead of v0.8.0.RC.2 ?
For me it's more accurate with the beta number, and most important, it's shorter.

I'm not at home, but I'm terribly impatient to try the last releases

[SWAT]

(14.12.2023 13:54)fafadou писал(а):  is it possible to save more bytes by simply uses 0.8.38 instead of v0.8.0.RC.2 ?
For me it's more accurate with the beta number, and most important, it's shorter.

I'm not at home, but I'm terribly impatient to try the last releases

I was kidding, it doesn't matter. This is now a release candidate, not a beta version.
Release is closer. And release will be clean v0.8.0. After which the version will grow with modifications.

[pcwzrd13]

Good news and bad news with the new build. Good news is that KISS Psycho Circus is now working without issues.

Bad news is that Unreal Tournament no longer works. It causes the Dreamcast to reset when loading a level with the same settings I was using before: 0x8c000100 loader memory + SQ & TMU2. With 0x8c001100, the Dreamcast resets even before it gets to the main menu.

Also tested Roadsters. The right channel cutting out is fixed but now there's a loud ticking noise coming from the left channel.

To end on some good news, the NFL 2K and NBA 2K games do work without low-level after all! Just had to change the loader memory to 0x8c004000. :-)

[fanhais]

(14.12.2023 18:38)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Good news and bad news with the new build. Good news is that KISS Psycho Circus is now working without issues.

Bad news is that Unreal Tournament no longer works. It causes the Dreamcast to reset when loading a level with the same settings I was using before: 0x8c000100 loader memory + SQ & TMU2. With 0x8c001100, the Dreamcast resets even before it gets to the main menu.

Also tested Roadsters. The right channel cutting out is fixed but now there's a loud ticking noise coming from the left channel.

To end on some good news, the NFL 2K and NBA 2K games do work without low-level after all! Just had to change the loader memory to 0x8c004000. :-)

for me NBA 2k2 or NFL don't work
maybe because my setup is IDE to sata can make some conflit but NBA 2k2 was working on 0.6.11 and on low mode is the same the games go to trailer video and then black screen

[fafadou]

Just some quick tests :
Sega rally 2 pal jap, run almost well for me, i can't be able to clear the arcade mode due to freezes, first the cdda starts to be out of Sync then freeze... Maybe i didn't use the good preset.
But i could see how the improvements are huge

Virtua cop now run like a charm !

The flinstones doesn't boot same thing for unreal and ooga booga, what's your preset please ?

[SWAT]

I think @pcwzrd13 means exactly 2K not a 2K2.
But Ooga Booga works not for all by some reason. Presumably due to the command being aborted.
2K2 doesn't boot by GINSU reason, need fix this. If replace 1ST binary to MAIN.BIN on this disc's, it's works.
GISNU also used for launch browsers from games menu like Internet.

[pcwzrd13]

(15.12.2023 06:11)SWAT писал(а):  I think @pcwzrd13 means exactly 2K not a 2K2.

Nope. I mean the whole 2K series including 2K2. I just use default settings with 0x8c004000 loader memory and it works fine.

I should note that I'm currently using a HDD as my CF card died. Not sure if that makes any difference. I have a new CF card coming tomorrow so I'll test it again on that when I get it.

[SWAT]

(15.12.2023 06:43)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  

(15.12.2023 06:11)SWAT писал(а):  I think @pcwzrd13 means exactly 2K not a 2K2.

Nope. I mean the whole 2K series including 2K2. I just use default settings with 0x8c004000 loader memory and it works fine.

I should note that I'm currently using a HDD as my CF card died. Not sure if that makes any difference. I have a new CF card coming tomorrow so I'll test it again on that when I get it.

HDD? I think it's make sense now. Because we have differences. I can't boot 2k2 and Ooga Booga from CF.

Edit:
Yeah this is abort command issue, I research it.
BTW I found something else. All games that uses GINSU to boot main binary, doesn't works from 0x8c000100 because GINSU going to syscalls directly. So need use 0x8c001100 for this games.
And this is Q3, 2k2 and so on, and also internet options.