SSF and GameEX

[LucasBarton]

Ok, I've finally gotten SSF to work and recognize my controller so now I'm trying to get it to work with GameEX. Using the SSF config file, it is working great except for one thing. I'm trying to play US and Japanese games in SSF, and it requires changing the bios and region for each game. So, my question is, for those of you who use SSF, how do you get around this issue? I've been playing the Japanese Saturn version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for all the extras not in the US Playstation version, plus I want to play Daytona USA, Virtua Cop, Manx TT, for the US Saturn. Any suggestions?

[Brian Hoffman]

Ok, I've finally gotten SSF to work and recognize my controller so now I'm trying to get it to work with GameEX. Using the SSF config file, it is working great except for one thing. I'm trying to play US and Japanese games in SSF, and it requires changing the bios and region for each game. So, my question is, for those of you who use SSF, how do you get around this issue? I've been playing the Japanese Saturn version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for all the extras not in the US Playstation version, plus I want to play Daytona USA, Virtua Cop, Manx TT, for the US Saturn. Any suggestions?

Are you using the latest build? The new version doesnt require a bios. Also there was somthing in the relesase notes about autodetect.

[LucasBarton]

I have the lastest version and from what I've read, not using the bios lowers compatibility. I guess I can try and see how it works, but I know that when I had the US bios and region selected, it wouldn't play Japanese games and vice versa. It didn't auto detect, but I'll give it a try without the bios.

[jombee]

Many games still require a bios, so your best option is to convert or "patch" all your iso/image's to one single region, then use that one bios for all games. All games will work with whatever region you set them to as long as you use the correct bios for that region. I assume posting the program here is inappropriate, so I would try goggling "Saturn Region Patcher".

[Brian Hoffman]

Many games still require a bios, so your best option is to convert or "patch" all your iso/image's to one single region, then use that one bios for all games. All games will work with whatever region you set them to as long as you use the correct bios for that region. I assume posting the program here is inappropriate, so I would try goggling "Saturn Region Patcher".

I see no reason why posting a link to the app would be bad.. It doesnt contain any rom info correct?

[Brian Hoffman]

Well I decided to take a look at the emu. It doesnt seem to support command line switches BUT it does seem to remeber the last settings eg... I dont have to set the bios all the time or tell it to load again fullscreen. Im not sure if this is a reg or a config file yet. But I got an Idea... Not very clean mind you.

Copy the ssf.exe and support files to 3 diffrent folders one for each reigon. you may want to edit rename each verison in case it stores its info in a reg setting. This way it may create a new enrty instead of overwriting the last.

c:\emulators\console\saturn\EUR\ssf.exe

c:\emulators\console\saturn\JPN\ssf.exe

c:\emulators\console\saturn\USA\ssf.exe

Then Seperate your isos..

c:\emulators\roms\saturn\eur\

c:\emulators\roms\saturn\jpn\

c:\emulators\roms\saturn\usa\

Then set it up in gamex 3 times.. One per version.

Then set it up as an emulator group.. This way they will share one game list.

Now keep in mind I havent tried this but hey... It sounds good... right ?

Good luck!

Brian Hoffman

[jombee]

Well I decided to take a look at the emu. It doesnt seem to support command line switches BUT it does seem to remeber the last settings eg... I dont have to set the bios all the time or tell it to load again fullscreen. Im not sure if this is a reg or a config file yet. But I got an Idea... Not very clean mind you.

Copy the ssf.exe and support files to 3 diffrent folders one for each reigon. you may want to edit rename each verison in case it stores its info in a reg setting. This way it may create a new enrty instead of overwriting the last.

c:\emulators\console\saturn\EUR\ssf.exe

c:\emulators\console\saturn\JPN\ssf.exe

c:\emulators\console\saturn\USA\ssf.exe

Then Seperate your isos..

c:\emulators\roms\saturn\eur\

c:\emulators\roms\saturn\jpn\

c:\emulators\roms\saturn\usa\

Then set it up in gamex 3 times.. One per version.

Then set it up as an emulator group.. This way they will share one game list.

Now keep in mind I havent tried this but hey... It sounds good... right ?

Good luck!

Brian Hoffman

Brian, this might work fine, but I believe converting all your images to a single region, using a single emulator set-up is the best option. What I would suggest is:

1. Set-up SSF to use the US Bios (or a different one if you prefer)

2. change the region of all your non-US images to US with the "Saturn Region Patcher" (it's a very simple fast process)

You can find this program using goggle, a link to the site would not be appropriate here.

[starbuck]

I actually do all my emulators as Brian suggested. I play mainly the USA games. But some games are only available as japanese or European. Each option has its own map file and most of my games I burn to CD. This makes them portable and saves a bunch of hard drive space. Cd games are in folders and the map file displays all the games I have or don't have. The map file shows me the ones I need still and allows me to play the ones I have straight from the cd. If some one is over and wants to play a certain game,we just insert the cd and play.

[LucasBarton]

Brian, this might work fine, but I believe converting all your images to a single region, using a single emulator set-up is the best option. What I would suggest is:

1. Set-up SSF to use the US Bios (or a different one if you prefer)

2. change the region of all your non-US images to US with the "Saturn Region Patcher" (it's a very simple fast process)

You can find this program using goggle, a link to the site would not be appropriate here.

I tried using the Saturn Region Patcher and patching all my games to one region, but it seemed to make them not work at all. So, what I ended up doing was just creating seperate emus for the US and Japan regions.

[bkenobi]

That works. Then you could just combine the emus in GameEx if you want a single list.

[LucasBarton]

That works. Then you could just combine the emus in GameEx if you want a single list.

I tried that, but then the Saturn group appears with the default MAME, Emulated Games, More Programs, etc. list, instead of in the Emulated Games menu with all the other console emulators. I'm just going to leave them seperate.

[fRequEnCy]

I tried that, but then the Saturn group appears with the default MAME, Emulated Games, More Programs, etc. list, instead of in the Emulated Games menu with all the other console emulators. I'm just going to leave them seperate.

I'm sure there's a way to write a script to launch each game with the correct region. Would just take some digging into. How are your games labeled? Can maybe tell the script to use the correct region for USA, JAPAN, etc.... based off the name of the game.

[bkenobi]

I use flat menus, so I wasn't aware of that limitation. Perhaps that's something that should be added to the feature request assuming it's not considered a bug.