PSO Ver.2 Dreamcast Image Released!

Treamcaster wrote:Yeah, shcthacks IP as always. There is something strange. I went to the JPv2 and JPv1 PSO browsers and a message showed up, telling me I didn't setup teh Dreamcast modem. I used the JP bba disk, and it was configured with schthacks IP on teh DNS field.
Everythings correct... dunno why I can't access those menus, may this be the cause to the problem=? Shit.. if only CB recognized the disk...
Btw, I been seeding all day, this is not fair. feck..

He might not redirect EUv2, you should run your own DNS server and see if that works.

@ Caboose

Well I guess that proves that the NPC bug is related to how you burn and has nothing to do with the disc? We both burned the same image and I have no bug but you do...

Just to be sure I tried it again but with my other burner (same media though). FSOD upon entering forest in Gran Squall =\

It looks like only people who are lucky enough to have magic media and a magic burner get to avoid the NPC bug? There seems to be no rhyme or reason behind when it occurs and when it doesn't.

You said you FSOD in Mine 1 online. You mean when someone tried to join, right? Online FSOD bugs only occur when somebody joins a team you're leading in my experience.

Yeah... I.. hate that. Often times have to switch up with a PC host, DC doesn't like PC players Dx

Schthack's server doesn't like European players, either. Even if they use legitimate discs, their high latency causes problems when people join their teams. Only the person joining the team and the leader will be in good shape, the other players will be stuck on the "Player is joining" screen forever.

Yeah, when I said FSOD in mines1 it was when a player was joining.

Aleron Ives wrote:I have completed and released my selfboot image for PSO DC. You can grab it from the downloads section of the site. To save me the trouble of re-typing a lot of text, here's a copy of the README.

Code:

Phantasy Star Online Ver.2
PAL-E Selboot
Aleron Ives Edition 1.0
November 11, 2008
http://psopalace.funurl.com

===

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. How to Burn the Disc
III. Changes Made
IV. Dreamcast PSO FAQ
V. Credits

===

I. Introduction

Welcome to Aleron Ives's Dreamcast PSO Ver.2 selfboot installation. Thank you for downloading. I would like to ask you to keep seeding the Torrent once you're finished downloading so that other people will have the opportunity to download the game, as well. I have spent a lot of time trying to perfect this disc as best I can for the time being, so I hope you enjoy it.

===

II. How to Burn the Disc

The disc image is in Padus DiscJuggler format (*.cdi). I believe Alcohol 120% may be able to burn CDI images, but I recommend using DiscJuggler. I have been  using version 4 to rip and burn Dreamcast images, but this is no longer the current version. The current version can be downloaded from the official website at:

http://www.padus.com

If you want to use the same version I use, I have it in the Dreamcast downloads section of my site.

If you are unfamiliar with burning Dreamcast images, I have this burning tutorial posted on my site along with DiscJuggler 4 screenshots in the "Guides" section of my website.

1) Once you have installed DiscJuggler, run it and select "File" -> "New".
2) In the "New Task" window, select "Burn CD and DVD images" and click "OK".
3) In the Source & Destination tab, click the disc on top of the white sheet icon which has a tooltip saying "Browse". Select the image "PSO_DC_Ives_EUv2.cdi" (duh? =P) and click "OK".
4) Click on the "Advanced" tab.
5) Change the "Mode" box from Audio to "Mode 2".
6) Under "Misc", check the "RAW write" box, and ensure that "Add post-gap to 3rd party images" is also checked. No other boxes should be checked.
7) Under "Method", change the speed to 4X (see note below).
8) Click Start to begin burning.

-NOTE-

In the DiscJuggler trial, burning speed is automatically limited to 4X as one of the demo's restrictions, so it doesn't actually matter what burning speed you select. If you have the full version of the program with no restrictions, it is very important to select 4X recording speed. Discs that are burned at high speeds are more difficult to read than discs burned at low speeds. Modern optical drives do not have problems reading discs that have been burned quickly, but the Dreamcast's GD-ROM is not good at reading such discs. If you burn the disc too quickly, it is very likely that it will be unreadable in the Dreamcast. As such, burning at 4X is imperative for a good disc. It will take approximately twenty minutes to burn the disc at 4X, so go grab a snack or watch television or something while you wait. =P

Once the burn process is complete, try the disc!

===

III. Changes Made

Several changes have been made to this disc.

Removed/altered content to make the game fit on CD-R and accomodate upgrades:

-The French, German, Spanish, and Japanese intro movies have been removed. The English intro movie will play regardless of which language you select, but it is still at full quality.
-The French, German, and Italian Dream Key language files have been removed. The Dream Key will always operate in English.
-The character texture AFS archives have been compacted.

Improved quality content due to extra space from the above changes:

-Many of the audio files on PSO Ver.2 are sampled at 32Khz, but the Xbox version contains higher quality BGM at 44.1Khz. I have upgraded several BGM files from 32Khz to 44.1Khz as a result:

-A Song for Eternal Story (Title Screen)
-Prenotion (Options & Character Select)
-Image of Hero (Character Creation)
-Day Dawns (Lobby)
-Pioneer 2
-Crossing3084 (Hunter's Guild)
-Healing (Hospital)
-Chaotic Bar (Shop)
-Codes of Silence (Principal's Office)
-Growl, From the Depths of Earth (Dragon)
-From Seeing the Rough Wave (De Rol Le)
-The Crazy Program (Vol Opt Form 1)
-You Have Nowhere To Go (Vol Opt Form 2)
-The Nearest Place to Heaven Part 1 (Dark Falz Intro 1)
-The Nearest Place to Heaven Part 2 (Dark Falz Intro 2)
-Pray, for "IDOLA" the Distorted (Dark Falz Form 1 & 2)
-Cry, for "IDOLA" the Holy (Dark Falz Form 3)
-Versus 1 -Tricktrack- (Spaceship Battle Rules)
-Versus 2 -A Longing to Ancient Times (Palace Battle Rules)
-Valentine (Valentine's Day Event)
-Easter (Easter Event)
-Jinglebells (Christmas Event)
-Open Your Heart (Sonic Adventure 2 Event)
-Zarathustra (Twenty-first Century Event)
-After the Story 1 (Happy Quest Ending)
-After the Story 2 (Sad Quest Ending)
-Can Still See The Light (Piano Version)

In addition, I have replaced the La-la ending music "Can Still See the Light" with the lyric version of the song, also upgraded to 44.1Khz.

-Fast loading

I am very pleased to say that this version has improved character loading times, so the horrible grinding of the Dreamcast when characters load is greatly reduced in all circumstances and gone during certain load occasions. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the Dreamcast's GD-ROM drive the character load times cannot be made flawless, but this optimized disc offers a vast improvement over the load times of the original.

-Patches

I am also proud to say that I have finally been able to bring my Ultimate Mode Technique Resistance Mod to Dreamcast users for the first time with this release. Forces will now be able to enjoy dealing useful damage with their Techniques in Ultimate mode for the first time on the Dreamcast. Ult Resist Mod 2.0 is included in this disc. To learn more about it, you can visit my site.

-Bugs

PSO doesn't seem to like being put on a CD-R, and when it's played this way certain bugs occur that do not occur on official GD-ROM copies of the game. Currently nobody knows how to fix these bugs (or the people who do refuse to release the information), so it's important to know what they are and how to avoid them if possible.

1) Offline Quest NPC Bug

When playing the offline quests that contain NPCs, talking to NPCs like ASH in Battle Training can cause the game to BSOD (Black Screen of Death) which forces the Dreamcast to be power cycled. The quest can also FSOD (Frozen Screen of Death) when entering Forest 1 initially. I do not know if this FSOD problem is due to a specific problem with my disc, or the fact that my Dreamcast is old, but I don't think the FSOD problem occurs for other people. The BSOD problem, however, does occur in all CD-R copies of PSO Ver.2. The cause for this bug is unknown.

-How To Avoid The Bug: Set a Telepipe/cast Ryuker, return to Pioneer 2, then return to the area before talking to the NPC that causes BSOD.

This strategy will work if loading Forest 1 works, but for people who FSOD upon entering Forest 1 like I do, this strategy will obviously be unusable. In quests that disable piping, this strategy may also not work. It is best to avoid playing the offline quests with a CD-R copy of the game; since GD-ROM copies can still play offline, it is much better to use an original disc to play these quests safely.

This disc allows for online and offline play outside of quests, and it allows playing quests that do not contain NPCs in the field that appear on the map.

2) Online FSOD Bug

When players join your team online, it is possible for you to FSOD immediately after they join under certain circumstances.

-How To Avoid The Bug: There are two ways to avoid this bug.

The semi-risky way: When you create a team, have the other players join while you are still on Pioneer 2. During my tests, other players were able to join my team when I was on Pioneer 2, as well as when I was in the first room of Forest 1, Cave 1, and Ruins 1. I would always FSOD when players would join when I was in Mine 1. Whether only the Mine causes problems or if other problems exist is unknown as some of the FSOD bugs are rather random, but if you want to play it safe, have everyone join before you leave Pioneer 2 and/or have players send you a Simple Mail before they join so you can return to Pioneer 2 before they enter the team.

The safe way: Do not create your own teams; join teams that other players create. The FSOD bug only occurs when you are leading a team. As long as someone else is leading, you will not FSOD regardless of where you are. If you want to verify that you are not leading the team, talk to the Guild Counter. If you are told that only the leader can select / confirm a quest, you know that someone else is the leader and you are safe.

The odd thing about this bug is that it seems to occur in all CD-R copies of the game. Versions with optimized loading seem to FSOD more frequently, but versions that load slowly like the original GD-ROM are not safe, either. They FSOD less, but it still happens when you lead teams.

Um... can I say something? Open our Heart is not in Sonic Adventure 2... it's in Sonic Adventure, period. 2 is Live and Learn. Sorry for the... correction...

Edit: Damn! You mean the Sonic event in the middle of PSO? Like, Sonic's Anniversery? (Probably spelled that wrong)

Open Your Heart was from Sonic Adventure yes, and it was used in the Pioneer 2 event which Sega created for the purpose of promoting Sonic Adventure 2 when it was released.

Thanks for clearing that up.

I kind I gave up trying to get this to work as MY PAL Dreamcast just goes into a forever trying to load sequence. Just noticed that there is a repack of a fastload release with a Schthack connection hack available on underground gamers so I may try that instead to see if that solves my issues later although I'm not sure if your "Aleron Ives Edition 1.0" is based on this release or not.

Repack Notes:

When we first released this disc some days ago, people were complaining
about the long loading times and the fact that it could kill their DC's
Gd-Rom unit! So we made a repack with a better sorting of the files!
This one should load faster and be better for your beloved Gd-Rom unit!
To avoid random bugs, please burn this disc a the slowest possible speed
your drive can burn at, thanks to LingXioayu for that info! Offline quest
*should* works then.

And since we were making a repack, we also improved the quality of the
intro movies, using variable bitrate to take advantage of the text in the
videos, all of that to acheive better compression along with best looking
pictures! Clever ain't it?

Our discs are unrelated. If your Dreamcast can't load it, it's probably time for a new one lol.

Aleron Ives wrote:Our discs are unrelated. If your Dreamcast can't load it, it's probably time for a new one lol.

I doubt it is my Dreamcast at all. Everything else works/loads fine just this image doesn't for me. Still It's not like I really need an EU v2 as I already have one anyway. Was curious to see what the mods brought to PSO if anything. This other version without your Technique Resistance Mod is a tad uncanny in it's resemblance mind.

Quick question. I'm purchasing a Dreamcast (hooray). If I were to purchase PSO v1 US and play through it without going online, then download this version and put it into my Dreamcast, would I be able to play online, since I hadn't entered serials first, or does it form a serial automatically (highly unlikely). Just want to make sure, thanks.

But, if I'm understanding correctly, I can't play online with v1 if I want to play online later with EU v2?

If you want to use both Ver.1 and Ver.2, you need an EUv1 unfortunately. Maybe I should make one? XD

To be honest, the sole reason I bought a Dreamcast was PSO. I saw one on ebay for about 50 dollars with four controllers and four VMUs and confirmed working, and that pretty much sealed the deal right there. Of course, the, "It's too good to be true" factor is starting to kick in and drive me insane while I wait for it, but...anyways.

That would be epic. =D

To be honest though, I most likely won't be online too much to start, as dial-up is a huge pain in the rear. I might just stick with PSO v1 anyways, because there's always PC for v2.

Yes, I did primarily buy a Dreamcast for PSO. Yes, I am slightly insane. x_x While I'm at it though, are there any offline splitscreen FPSs that I could look into? I'm looking for a few games to furnish my system. I'm looking at Grandia 2, Shenmue, Sonic Adventure, maybe Sonic Adventure 2 (as I already own the GC one, but I'd like to see the changes), MDK2, and Power Stone. Any reccomendations for anything would be great.