Author Topic: save ram for duos  (Read 932 times)

termis

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save ram for duos
« on: March 07, 2007, 05:31:11 PM »
Anyone know of a program that shows you how much room each save file is taking up within your save ram (either built in to any games or a homebrew utility)?  I thought I saw something like this, but I can't recall where...

Reason why I'm asking is I only have 4 save files from my last rpg KO Seiki Sanjuushi, but my memory is already full!  I can't quite grasp that only 4 of these files filled up my whole bank.  I'm actually suspecting that there's some corrupted data that's clogging it up, but I can't quite verify any of that without any of the aforementioned programs above.

In fact, I don't even know how big the save ram is for the duo - anyone know off hand?


runinruder

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2007, 05:43:10 PM »
When I started playing Cosmic Fantasy 4 Chapter 2 the other day, I didn't have enough room to save so it brought up a screen displaying the game files I already had saved and I think it showed how much room they were taking up.  I didn't pay much attention to the screen, honestly; I just deleted my Chapter One file and got on with things.  But if you have CF4C2, try it. 
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ccovell

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2007, 01:01:36 AM »
If you have a flash cartridge, you could use the BRAM tool that I made here.  Valis IV also has a hidden menu that can show BRAM file sizes and let you delete files.

The PCE/Duo's BRAM size is 2KBytes on all systems.

FM-77

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2007, 03:18:16 AM »
Hey ccovell, I'm just wondering whether it would be easy to "port" your program to the cd format (excluding the backup part of course). I'm not asking you to do it, I'm just curious how much work that it would involve.

termis

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2007, 03:37:33 AM »
Ah, thanks folks.  I'll try out some of those solutions.  Dang, I knew I saw that page of yours somewhere Chris.  There is was...

I really want a flash ram card now...  I think I'll start shoppin.  Anyone know a good site?

ccovell

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2007, 04:10:44 AM »
Hey ccovell, I'm just wondering whether it would be easy to "port" your program to the cd format (excluding the backup part of course). I'm not asking you to do it, I'm just curious how much work that it would involve.
I really have no idea how easy it would be, since I still haven't looked into anything about the CD format technically.  If there's a CD loader that'll just load 128K or 256K of a HuCard ROM (adjusted for CD RAM) into memory, and jump to its reset routine, then I guess that would be useful for all my demos and my game.

The "backup part" would still be possible on the CD, since it uses the BRAM for backup storage as well.

vestcoat

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2007, 07:39:03 AM »
Reason why I'm asking is I only have 4 save files from my last rpg KO Seiki Sanjuushi, but my memory is already full!  I can't quite grasp that only 4 of these files filled up my whole bank. 


Some of those RPGs will fill up your bank fast!  Later releases like Might and Magic 3 and Dragon Slayer will take up most of your bank by themselves.

I don't know anything about flashcards, but I bookmarked this site when people were talking about them last year:
http://www.neoflash.com/
I remember the PCE flashcard on this site cost something like $150 at the time and I kind of wrote it off.

If you don't have CF4 p2 or some of those others games, Order of the Griffon will show you how much room your files are taking.

If I were you I'd just pick up a Tennokoe Bank.  It should give you all of the room you need for the time being.
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termis

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2007, 01:16:29 PM »
Reason why I'm asking is I only have 4 save files from my last rpg KO Seiki Sanjuushi, but my memory is already full!  I can't quite grasp that only 4 of these files filled up my whole bank. 


Some of those RPGs will fill up your bank fast!  Later releases like Might and Magic 3 and Dragon Slayer will take up most of your bank by themselves.

I don't know anything about flashcards, but I bookmarked this site when people were talking about them last year:
http://www.neoflash.com/
I remember the PCE flashcard on this site cost something like $150 at the time and I kind of wrote it off.

If you don't have CF4 p2 or some of those others games, Order of the Griffon will show you how much room your files are taking.

If I were you I'd just pick up a Tennokoe Bank.  It should give you all of the room you need for the time being.


Yeah, you may be right about it just filling it up with only 4 save files if the ram is only 2048 bytes.  I didn't think the duo had megabytes of save ram, but I would've guessed at least 64-128k or so.  I guess I was waaay off.  I saved all my saves from Ys I-IV & Gulliver Boy on one bank (each game taking an avg. of taking 2 slots or so), so I thought it was weird that only 4 files filled up a whole bank.

I do have a tennokoe card, but with all the RPGs I've still yet to play, I may need to invest a couple more, or just delete my old ones - which I hate doing, though I never bother ever loading them ever again. 

Edit: I d/l'ed Cosmic Fantasy 4 to get this ram editor, so I popped it in, and yup.  Each of those dang files took up 503Bytes, so 4 of them filled it up. 

BTW, did Cosmic Fantasy series go to a digital comic series more so than a traditional RPG after part 3?  That's what it seemed to be for the first 5 minutes of play... 
« Last Edit: March 08, 2007, 02:23:34 PM by thumpin_termis »

runinruder

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2007, 02:31:33 PM »
BTW, did Cosmic Fantasy series go to a digital comic series more so than a traditional RPG after part 3?  That's what it seemed to be for the first 5 minutes of play... 

It's only like that for the first few minutes.  Then it's back to traditional play. 

Same thing in CF4 Chapter 2. 
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nodtveidt

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2007, 01:34:12 PM »
I find it strange that the bram's actual size is 2k yet the hardware seems able to use up to 8k.

ccovell

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2007, 03:36:56 PM »
Kinda like how the PCE has address space for 128K of graphics memory but only has 64K equipped.   :(

nodtveidt

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2007, 05:36:15 PM »
Maybe there were plans for expansion as memory prices dropped? Dunno...

Hrm...whatsaythen...the SGX has two VDCs, I wonder if it'd be possible to equip both VDCs with 128k of ram?

vestcoat

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2007, 07:26:59 PM »
Hey nodtveidt, could you please shed some light on what that expansion port on the front of the SGX was made to handle?
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Joe Redifer

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #13 on: March 10, 2007, 08:09:54 PM »
Yes, if you press SELECT at the title screen of Valis IV, the following screen appears:



I just want to know what the 5 selections at the top of the screen mean.  Most give YES/NO choices.

Also, WTF is XZR?  I don't remember what game that is and I'm afraid to delete it.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2007, 08:11:30 PM by Joe Redifer »

ccovell

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Re: save ram for duos
« Reply #14 on: March 10, 2007, 08:50:43 PM »
The 5 commands are:
Initialize, Delete, Revive (1 file), Restore, End.

Initialize is self-explanatory, revive un-deletes 1 file IIRC, and restore restores all the files to the way they were when you entered the screen.  Changes to BRAM are not saved until you choose end.

XZR is probably "Exile", its name on the MegaDrive.