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Suxen
August 31st, 2005, 15:21
So after so far wasting 6 CDs, I get the feeling I have no idea what I'm doing :D

Here's what I'm looking for, and what I've tried.

- I'd like to use VMU emulation because the real things eat up the batteries pretty fast. I'll start of by mentioning I have a Nexus card, which is great.

So, a VMU emulator I can run on either the Dreamcast or PC, but my preference is more towards the PC. What I've noticed with PC based VMU emulators - unless I've missed something - is that they don't save any data back to the VMS file, they can just run it read-only style. Example: I transferred Chao Adventure to my PC, emulated it, named my chao and such, closed the program. When I run the program again, the file is exactly like how I originally transferred it - those several hours of Chao Adventure play aren't too much use if I can't save progress and transfer it back to my Nexus card for use on the DC again.

Now I believe I read something that said SoftVMS 1.9 does support saving progress data/etc back to the VMS files, but is this only the DC version? No-one has compiled SoftVMS 1.9 for Windows, not that I can find anyway and compiling is something I'm not particularly good at myself. :S

I'd say I am more in favour of a PC based VMU emulator, because I can transfer a game file to my PC and be running it while still playing the main game on my DC, and then transfer the updated file back later. Maximum play in the smallest space of time! :D


I have attempted a few DC based VMU emulators, just because as a last measure I'd still be okay with it even though I'd reallly prefer a PC based one. No luck down that avenue either. Using BootDreams, I went through the process of turning vmoo.elf into a bootable CD. But on trying to run it, I just get a black screen from my DC. Similar thing with SoftVMS, only the DC would reset around the time the program should run rather than just give a black screen.

I've had a look at VMU Backup, which looks nice - but what I couldn't find was an easy way to load game I have stored on my VMU into the emulator. Maybe it's because I'm new to this I missed the obvious, for which I apologise.



Well... hope someone can give me some advice. :)

RockinB
August 31st, 2005, 15:32
If drained batteries are the main reason, try the More Power MOD (http://www.rockin-b.de/vm/VM-MoPoMOD.htm).

Suxen
August 31st, 2005, 15:37
Ah, sweet. Thanks, shall try to that one :D

Pavlik
August 31st, 2005, 16:17
Use unscrambled bin by Pavlik :D : http://www.dcemu.co.uk/softvms.shtml

Suxen
August 31st, 2005, 17:08
Actually that's the one I tried making into a bootable image, but I think maybe I did something wrong :D

Pavlik
August 31st, 2005, 19:45
Use BootDreams. It will scramble unscrambled softvms.bin and make a selfbootable cdi image from dir files. For first rename softvms.bin to 1st_read.bin and go step by step with BootDreams (0.5.1 - link for app is in dcemu news).