Arcade card questions

[SignOfZeta]

The port of Evolution from DC to Neo Geo Pocket was pretty impressive. It wasn't really a "port" exactly since there is zero code from the original used in the NGP version. The entire game was recreated from scratch for the 2D NGP, but it was in fact the same game, not a "Magic School" sort of thing. Pretty weird, IMO.

[arromdee]

Madou Monogatari was originally an MSX game, the PCE and GG versions were both a port of that: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/puyo/puyopuyo3.htm

Game Gear fan translation: http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1502/

[majors]

It's easy to confirm simply by finding a PC Engine ROM set.  You'll notice there's no BIOS for the Arcade Card.  That's because it uses the same one as the regular 3.0 card.

I wondered about that. My Duo ACD card seemed to take a dump and I wanted to use my flash card but could not find a ROM of the Arcade Card. So it looks like I'm in the market for another ACD Duo.

Right now it will load my 3 ACD games but it seems to be missing sprites. Ex: Sapphire I get backgrounds but the ships are all big unrecognizable squares.

[soop]

It's easy to confirm simply by finding a PC Engine ROM set.  You'll notice there's no BIOS for the Arcade Card.  That's because it uses the same one as the regular 3.0 card.

I wondered about that. My Duo ACD card seemed to take a dump and I wanted to use my flash card but could not find a ROM of the Arcade Card. So it looks like I'm in the market for another ACD Duo.

Right now it will load my 3 ACD games but it seems to be missing sprites. Ex: Sapphire I get backgrounds but the ships are all big unrecognizable squares.

That means it's not in right.  Mine does that and it seems to take a while to get right.  It's annoying.

[thesteve]

could just be dirty, i have seen that before

[nat]

Arcade Cards are notorious for this problem, especially if you are playing them through a region adapter. In 99% of cases like this, the cart isn't seated correctly or has a dirty pin, like Steve mentioned.

I'm not sure why ACs are more prone to this problem than, say, the System 3.0 cards but they do seem to be.

Also, you probably couldn't find a ROM of the AC because the AC isn't just a ROM. It's also a bank of RAM. You can't emulate a bank of RAM (a physical piece of hardware) with a simple ROM image.

[arromdee]

Also, you probably couldn't find a ROM of the AC because the AC isn't just a ROM. It's also a bank of RAM. You can't emulate a bank of RAM (a physical piece of hardware) with a simple ROM image.

A 3.0 card is also a bank of RAM, but you can easily find a ROM of it.

[nat]

Interesting. It's useless, in that case, you wouldn't be able to use it on a flash cart for the same reason you wouldn't be able to use a ROM image of the AC.

That said, a ROM image of a 3.0 card and an AC would be identical since the BIOS part, which is what the ROM is an image of, is the same between the two. Obviously neither one contains the physical RAM, which is the only difference between them.

[majors]

Arcade Cards are notorious for this problem, especially if you are playing them through a region adapter. In 99% of cases like this, the cart isn't seated correctly or has a dirty pin, like Steve mentioned.

JP Duo...so no convertor. I did recently have a maulfunction with a card slot pin that I repaired. I really doubt that could be the cause but it's the only thing recent. I let a buddy with a US Duo borrow my Kisado and ACD, but he did not have any luck but I believe that to be due to what you said above. I should get it back this weekend and I can get out the isopropyl alcohol. The fact that is loads the games instead of giving you the "so sad, no correct system card found" message threw me. Thanks for the advice.

Also, you probably couldn't find a ROM of the AC because the AC isn't just a ROM. It's also a bank of RAM. You can't emulate a bank of RAM (a physical piece of hardware) with a simple ROM image.

That explains why Magic Engine and PCE.EMU have options for Arcade card, since there is no "ROM" of it other than the System 3.0

[Necromancer]

Interesting. It's useless, in that case, you wouldn't be able to use it on a flash cart for the same reason you wouldn't be able to use a ROM image of the AC.

They do work on a flash cart, provided the RAM exists on the system (i.e. - using a PCE Duo ROM on a TurboDuo for the handful of region picky games, or using a 1.0 ROM on anything to play Altered Beast).

[arromdee]

They do work on a flash cart, provided the RAM exists on the system (i.e. - using a PCE Duo ROM on a TurboDuo for the handful of region picky games, or using a 1.0 ROM on anything to play Altered Beast).

Wait a minute.  Handful of region picky games?  I knew about the Altered Beast and 1.0 cards but I didn't know about this--what are they?

[Necromancer]

Wait a minute.  Handful of region picky games?  I knew about the Altered Beast and 1.0 cards but I didn't know about this--what are they?

There's Take the A Train III, Shadow of the Beast, Bonanza Bros., and perhaps others.

[Bernie]

They do work on a flash cart, provided the RAM exists on the system (i.e. - using a PCE Duo ROM on a TurboDuo for the handful of region picky games, or using a 1.0 ROM on anything to play Altered Beast).

Wait a minute.  Handful of region picky games?  I knew about the Altered Beast and 1.0 cards but I didn't know about this--what are they?

Watch this video.  It explains about certain games needing different region cards, ect..