Patched PAL games

[fredco]

Two PAL-games I've patched with a PPF-file (Magical Racing Tour and Speed Freaks) stop loading when the games should begin. Does this have anything to do with PAL? Or are they just not yet supported? By the way: they behave exactly the same when not patched AND they work like a dream in ePSXe (without patching).

[Ultima]

Patching games can cause unexpected behaviors in emulators, simply because the patches might take advantage of something specific to the PSX hardware that the emulators aren't emulating correctly/accurately.

[fredco]

Still, when NOT patched, the games don't work either. They go past the startup screens, but when the game actually begins, the screen stays black. Is it a coincidence that they are PAL-games, whereas all other non-PAL games I've tried work perfectly?

[Ultima]

That's because games that require patches to work on PSX are copy protected, and they don't work for the same exact reason.

[patrickp]

Are you patching on the fly, fredco, or patching an image?

The same copy protection that prevents you playing a game can also prevent you ripping a good image. It's a good idea to use applications for ripping copy protected games that can deal with this, such as CloneCD, from www.slysoft.com/en/, or CDRWin from www.goldenhawk.com/.

Also, of course, the fact that you can successfully patch a good image still doesn't necessarily mean you can play the game successfully: the emulator may still have issues with it.

Edit: no, the fact that they are PAL games is unlikely to have anything to do with it, apart from the fact that a much higher proportion of PAL games seem to be copy protected than NTSC games. I have PAL games that run perfectly well in pSX - I'm particularly pleased that my PAL version of Wild Arms now runs beautifully in v1.6; it didn't in previous versions.

[fredco]

Thanks for the input guys.
I've patched the images of the games. They ARE protected, but strangely enough they run UNpatched in ePSXe... I think you are right patrickp, the emulator probably simply doesn't run these games (yet). O well, just have to wait for a new release. Someday they will run, I'm sure.

[smegforbrain]

I believe ePSXe has been coded to deal with the copyright protection situation, whereas we're still hoping pSX Author can do the same with pSX.

[Ultima]

The next version should reduce these problems greatly, though my guess is that subchannel reading might not be enough. I had always thought ePSXe had some hacks (specific code) to make some games work, but I was (and still am) not sure.

[psicomaniaco]

smegforbrain said:

I believe ePSXe has been coded to deal with the copyright protection situation, whereas we're still hoping pSX Author can do the same with pSX.

Don't worry, he can do anything. In fact, he is the only man in the world who can kill Chuck Norris.

[Gamesoul Master]

Maybe, but he'll never beat Chuck Norris at Oregon Trail!