Dreamcast Update

So, the "big update" is finally ready.

It is now possible to go online with all Dreamcast PSO discs again.

CodeBreaker codes have been made to disable the Hunter's License check on JPv1, JPv2, and USv2, which means that it is finally no longer necessary to import EUv2 to go online, and you can use your original serial numbers and access keys from USv2 to make new characters and go online with them.

If you don't want to use codes, BlueCrab also made a special loader disc that will patch PSO to connect to Sylverant and disable the Hunter's License check automatically. Furthermore, the loader will also apply the Ultimate Map Fix to JPv2, USv2, and EUv2, which will enable them to play FAMITSU-MAXIMUM ATTACK- in Ultimate mode.

For the CB codes and the link to the loader, see the main site.

It looks like I need to unlock Ultimate for DC in FMAv2 now...

cool, i don't play DC but im glad to see you got this done. you've worked real hard on it!

Thanks to everyone!!! I really appreciate this. Serena especially appreciates! (so does Usagi)

Tried the loader...There are some issues. I have US V.2. Serena has lvl 30 Rafoie and Shifta, Deband. After using the loader, Rafoie doesn't seem to work at all. also went to play with usagiiiii, and s/d is only cast on self. Did not cast on Usagi at all. Also, my dreamcast reset while opening some boxes, resulting in Serena's loss of all her money and various unequipped items. (My wife will be ticked at this one! She don't know yet.) Oh well, I guess next I will try the codebreaker codes and see if there is any better result. Just thought you would like to know...

...

That sounds a lot like the problems that happen when you use the Utopia boot disc, but BlueCrab and I didn't find anything like that.

Are you sure your Dreamcast is all right? Considering it FSODs with a CD-R at times when other people don't, it makes me wonder if it can't read discs properly anymore or is having problems with overheating. Strange things happen in PSO when your Dreamcast is in bad shape. If that's the case, I have a feeling you won't have much better luck with the codes.

I hate to imply that this is somehow your fault, but I find it truly strange that two people would test the loader on every PSO version without problems and then someone else would report a glaring problem like this that, theoretically, would have been easy to spot during testing. I don't suppose you have a second Dreamcast you can try, do you? If this truly is a problem with the loader, I don't see how we can possibly track this down, considering it didn't happen to either BlueCrab or myself when we were testing...

ouch sorry for your loss usagiiiii

I have anther dc. I'll let you know. It also seems that if you plat cross platform, and the pc player leads, then the dc player fsods when trying to connect. This also happens when I use my other autoconnect disc, but not when i use the codes on all 3 dreamcasts i've used. However, I'll test some more, then let you know. Maybe I should reburn the loader.

That's why I think something is wrong with your Dreamcast, or possibly your burner, because for most people, it's the opposite of what you describe. Most CD-R users FSOD if they do lead the team, but they don't FSOD when PC leads. I don't know why it's the opposite for you, but I do find it strange.

I've tried the loader on my best DC, and Serena still can't cast rafoie. I was even on offline mode. I suggest you try this using us ver.2. I have even burned using disc juggler on both windows 7 and on windows 98, with the same result. I am sure that if I went online, I would not be able to cast s/d on my companions either. Maybe I should use windows xp. I will give that a try tomorrow.

Sadly, Usagi is correct. The loader does not work properly. It causes the same problems as the Utopia boot disc, namely that you can walk through the Guild pillar, you can't target enemies with Rafoie, and you can't hit other players with support Techinques. Sadly, I must advise nobody to download it until a solution is devised. For now, CB codes will have to do I guess.

Bah... I guess that's what happens when I try to rush things out.

Anyway, I'll take a look at it as soon as I have electricity at home again.

I hope that you did not suffer any damage from Irene, BlueCrab. The damage looks pretty bad from the news programs.

Well, I have good news and I have bad news... First the good news, I guess...

It doesn't appear that the patching part of the program is what is to blame for the strange issues. This gives me confidence that I won't have to completely redesign the patching part.

Now for the bad news. I'm not entirely sure where in the sequence the problem is caused. The issue still occurs even after stripping out all of the parts that do any patching (hence why I can say the good news part). I guess I'll continue to investigate while I have a bit of time this morning...

Also, in bug-related news, I discovered that the program won't work with a VGA box in its released form, apparently. I know how to fix this issue though (as I'm using a VGA box where I'm testing it now).

So... Early afternoon update... I think that I may have solved the issue (or at least I can't seem to walk through the pillar anymore). I obviously have more testing to do, but with any luck, I should be able to have this out soon.

Looking forward to it...

Looks like everything is working pretty soundly now. I'm going to do a few more tests, and hopefully release the fixed version on Wednesday.

Ok... I've released the updated version. Hopefully there's no more bugs!

I shall check it out tonight!

I tried the new loader and works, but I found perhaps another bug: I cannot join a team , unless I am the leader. When I try to join a team, I get fsod while attempting to join. This problem is not unique, since I get the same thing when I use DC-talks autoconnect disc as well. When I use the codebreaker codes, however, there is no problem: I can join a team as well as lead. I don't know if you can fix this. It is only a minor inconvenience.

mahkbooks wrote:I tried the new loader and works, but I found perhaps another bug: I cannot join a team , unless I am the leader. When I try to join a team, I get fsod while attempting to join. This problem is not unique, since I get the same thing when I use DC-talks autoconnect disc as well. When I use the codebreaker codes, however, there is no problem: I can join a team as well as lead. I don't know if you can fix this. It is only a minor inconvenience.

What version of the game are you using? Does it happen every single time you try (or is it more random than that)? Same for when you're using an auto-connect disc, does it happen every time, or just some of the time?

I know that last night I had no problem joining or leading a team, since I did both, as did Aleron Ives in testing...

I'm beginning to think I'm just cursed lately, or something.

I have only attempted once this evening, and once before, with your version 1.0 loader. The same effect (FSOD) was observed both times when trying to join a team. The dc-talk disc does this every single time. I thought that it was peculiar to the dc-talk disc, but since the same effect was observed with the pso loader, there must be common problem between the two discs. For the record, I connect by dial-up. Perhaps this has something to do with it? I will continue to test and report if anything different happens.

I got the disc loader to work on one of my 3 us dreamcasts. I suspect that the other 2 must have somewhat weak lasers or something. The dc-talk autoconnect disc does not work regardless of the dreamcast used. My conclusion: There is probably nothing wrong with your disc. Your luck is just fine, and I seem to be the cursed one. And I appreciate all the hard work that you put into this server project. Thanks again.

mahkbooks wrote:I got the disc loader to work on one of my 3 us dreamcasts. I suspect that the other 2 must have somewhat weak lasers or something. The dc-talk autoconnect disc does not work regardless of the dreamcast used. My conclusion: There is probably nothing wrong with your disc. Your luck is just fine, and I seem to be the cursed one. And I appreciate all the hard work that you put into this server project. Thanks again.

I'm sorry to hear that your Dreamcasts are apparently not working all that well, although I am glad to hear that it seems to be working.

I do have a possible theory as to why your Dreamcasts don't like it when you try to join a team, and that may be due to the stress caused by loading. When you make the team, the Dreamcast just loads you, whereas when you join one, the Dreamcast seems to load everyone else before it tries loading you, or perhaps it takes turns loading different files from different characters in succession, because the Dreamcast does tend to go a bit crazy when you join a full team. It's possible that the added stress of trying to deal with loading two, three, or four players at once is more than your GD-ROM drive can handle in its current state. As for CD-R copies, it is commonly held that they are more difficult to read than GD-ROM discs, especially if they are burned at high speeds. Even a 4X disc can be "too fast" for some Dreamcasts to handle.

Anyway, I've tested EUv1 and it connects fine, the Guild pillar is solid, and I can target with Rafoie both online and offline, so everything seems to be in order, not that there was much doubt that EUv1 would be different.

Also, I made a second CDI for my download page using the newer selfboot method, so if anyone has trouble getting a Dreamcast to boot the one BlueCrab uploaded to the Sylverant downloads page, you can try the one I made before reporting that the loader doesn't boot. Assuming BlueCrab used the older selfboot method (which I assume he did, since he usually does), his CDI would only theoretically be incompatible with the newest Dreamcasts.

I will try it again tonight, only this time using the codebreaker codes. Using Ives' ep disc, and the codes, I can both lead and join, no problem, using any dc. This way, I should be able to deduce whether its the disc, or the machine that is causing the problem. If it's the machine, it should also FSOD with the codes as well, right?