PowerPak 1.32b mappers

[thefox]

I can't get these mappers to work. After the logo it goes directly to game loading screen (where I can enter Game Genie codes etc) with all codes filled with AAAAAAAA. Apparently it reads last game info from LAST.TXT even though the file is filled with zeroes?

I'm using this version: http://www.retrousb.com/downloads/POWERPAK132103.zip

EDIT: Bleh, my bad, it always tries to load info if START is pressed on intro screen, any other key goes to the menu. Although I must say some of these UI choices are not to my taste. =)

[bunnyboy]

Scrolling acceleration is a good idea, and likely a simple addition for both NES and SNES.

Full name display probably isn't happening, would need far too many boot ROM changes.

Hiding the '.' folder also won't happen, and one reason has been mentioned. It helps with the TV safe area Moving the cursor might be a possibility.

[mic_]

My biggest complaint about the interface is that the cursor scrolls one(?) pixel at a time, instead of skipping directly to the next entry in the list. I fail to see when it would be useful to place the cursor in between two entries.

Maybe there's some button-combination to get around this that I've missed?

[joe1088]

Would it be possible to reset to the menu from a game using a button combination like A+B+Select+Start? Many GBA games do this. It would be a nice touch.

[Bregalad]

My biggest complaint about the interface is that the cursor scrolls one(?) pixel at a time, instead of skipping directly to the next entry in the list. I fail to see when it would be useful to place the cursor in between two entries.

I fully agree.
Also, if the SNES PowerPak could play SPC it would be a NICE touch, and if the Power Pak NSF player would support extra audio it would be great as well (I tried the music of CV3 and Gimmick japanese by their respective sound tests).

[deksar]

My biggest complaint about the interface is that the cursor scrolls one(?) pixel at a time, instead of skipping directly to the next entry in the list. I fail to see when it would be useful to place the cursor in between two entries.

Same here..

Would it be possible to reset to the menu from a game using a button combination like A+B+Select+Start? Many GBA games do this. It would be a nice touch.

I totally agree! It'd be great. I got bored resetting the console all the time..

[MottZilla]

Would it be possible to reset to the menu from a game using a button combination like A+B+Select+Start? Many GBA games do this. It would be a nice touch.

You'd have to start being like Pro Action Replay and hooking a routine like the NMI routine to do that which would break compatibility with certain games. Besides is it that hard to press the reset button?

[tepples]

There are reports that the latest mappers on retrousb.com break Crystalis menus and put repeating garbage on the title screen of M.C. Kids.

[thefox]

Said this on IRC already but in case you missed it...

Code: Select all

22:11 <+thefox> bunnyfood, i think there's a bug in the last.txt handling in the latest mappers
22:12 <+thefox> bunnyfood, it seems it's not loading the save file if it's saved in last.txt, tested with zelda1
22:14 <+thefox> i.e. i load zelda1, select a empty save file, play some, reset, save, power off, power on, press
                start on intro screen, save file and rom is automatically displayed, i press start game but the
                save file isn't loaded

[bunnyboy]

Are you doing the auto save or file pick save? Have you checked if the save file is actually saved?

[thefox]

Are you doing the auto save or file pick save? Have you checked if the save file is actually saved?

If I select the save file manually ("file pick save") it loads OK.

[deksar]

There are reports that the latest mappers on retrousb.com break Crystalis menus and put repeating garbage on the title screen of M.C. Kids.

bunnyboy, could you please, check it?

[bunnyboy]

There are reports that the latest mappers on retrousb.com break Crystalis menus and put repeating garbage on the title screen of M.C. Kids.

Same MMC3 has been used starting with v1.3, nothing about it was changed for the last few versions. Is there a previous version that works for you?

[tepples]

NovaYoshi reports that after I upgraded the mappers on his CF card for him, the games worked less well than on the version that he had been using. MMC5 stopped working too. He didn't remember exactly what versions of the menu and mappers he was using, but he mentioned something about having used loopy's mappers at one point. Do you want me to try anything like the following procedure next time I have access to his CF card?

1. Delete the /powerpak/ folder.
2. Reinstall a given version of the menu and mappers.
3. Photograph the screen of each affected game.

[poopoo]

I can confirm I'm having the graphic issues with Crystalis too, but I'm also unable to save in-game. I save, then go to check in the menu screen and nothing has been saved. This is with 8 different dumps, including a known good one. Perhaps the two issues are somehow connected? Does anyone else encounter this issue?
It's not an issue with saving in general, as all my other games save fine, both in game and on the Powerpak.
I'm thinking something small might have been changed with this mapper release, and perhaps Crystalis does something unusual that has caused this? (or maybe it never worked at all?)