The Evolution of the Dreamcast Scene

***quzar*** · May 5th, 2004, 05:53

i use cdi=>nrg for all my DC goodness... either that or elf/bin loading onto DC. plainfiles should always be hosted too!

**MetaFox** · May 5th, 2004, 07:02

[quote author=quzar link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#10 date=05/05/04 at 06:53:23]

i use cdi=>nrg for all my DC goodness... either that or elf/bin loading onto DC. plainfiles should always be hosted too![/quote]I personally use Selfboot Inducer's Inducer directory with IP.bin and plain files for all my selfbooting needs.

And to quote Wraggster from the beginning of the topic:
[quote author=quzar link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#10 date=05/05/04 at 06:53:23]Selfboot Inducer is the way forward and when each sites offers downloads we offer in Plain and SBI file flavours only.[/quote]Plain Files will of course always be offered. If you want CDI or NRG images, just use Selfboot Inducer. If you don't want a Dream Inducer disc, do what I mentioned above. It's so simple nowadays to make a selfbooting disc for the Dreamcast, there's no sense wasting bandwidth on images for Windows burning programs.

***quzar*** · May 5th, 2004, 07:06

I thought he was saying there would be a total move from mostly plain and sbi (along with nrg and cdi) to just sbi. Ok, thats good ;D

**blackpuma** · May 5th, 2004, 08:40

I agree with the good tutorials solution. Also with plain files there is the great selfboot tool that selfboots any folder with ip.bin & 1st_read.bin.

**Ian_micheal** · May 5th, 2004, 09:03

Still Sbiffy is the sbi site. Just dont see it being used like it is if every site carrys it stops it from being the place.

Fullversion home brew games are better as cdi image and also lets it look and feel better with a nice cover. Plain files Let people make an sbi of any thing. Just with curt on it. Mixed feelings there I think sites should send a link for an sbi to sbiffy not carry the files. Just makes more sence to me. It is the hub of that type of thing and it would stop a lot of hits going to sbiffy no doubt. Why go there sign up when you can just get the same files on 4 sites..

I do think sbiffy is a great site every one that knows what there doing is right there.

***wraggster*** · May 5th, 2004, 16:27

i think for small demos though cdi images arent needed

**curt_grymala** · May 5th, 2004, 17:52

[quote author=Ian_micheal link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#14 date=05/05/04 at 10:03:20]
Fullversion home brew games are better as cdi image and also lets it look and feel better with a nice cover. [/quote]

That's a matter of personal preference, and the plain files would allow people to create a CDI of it, if they wanted to, or simply burn it on a multisession disc for use with demomenu, etc.

I do think that maybe a site could even get away with simply hosting plain files, and have good tutorials on how to create CDI/NEG images from them, or how to burn multisession discs with them.

I don't see any problem with other sites hosting SBI's, except for the fiasco that we all went through when burnerO updated from v2.1 to v3.0. I believe there are still links floating around out there for v2.1 SBI's, and that can really be a hassle for people trying to use Selfboot Inducer. If burnerO does it again, when he puts out v4 (or whatever it will be called), then we are going to have a whole lot of sites that are still linking to v3 SBI's (or possibly even v2.1 SBI's).

That's one of the reasons I am trying to figure out what is missing from Sbiffy!, so that we can tell people they don't have to get their SBI's from anywhere but there. Also, it will make it a whole lot easier to update everything if v3 SBI's are no longer compatible with the new version of Selfboot Inducer. That will be a major task that I am willing to take on head first, if and when it ever comes up, but it will be a whole lot easier if there is only one site I have to keep up to date.

Maybe, instead of hosting SBI's on DCEmu UK, you can simply link to the files that are hosted on Sbiffy! instead. Maybe Sbiffy! will even get an overhaul, who knows. That might be something I suggest to burnerO next time we talk (and after I get everything with DCStuff straightened out).

**DemoniusX** · May 5th, 2004, 21:44

I like SBI's put multi things on one CD-r, don't have to use much CDs for emulated stuff is a good thing :}

**MetaFox** · May 6th, 2004, 01:47

[quote author=Ian_micheal link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#14 date=05/05/04 at 10:03:20]Still Sbiffy is the sbi site. Just dont see it being used like it is if every site carrys it stops it from being the place.[/quote]You are aware that Consolevision and DCHomebrew carry SBI files already, right? I don't see that stopping anyone from sending people to Sbiffy for SBI files. Like I said, all sites can cater to SBI files, and Sbiffy can remain the hub. It's been done before, it will continue to be so in the future.

[quote author=Ian_micheal link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#14 date=05/05/04 at 10:03:20]Fullversion home brew games are better as cdi image and also lets it look and feel better with a nice cover.[/quote]I disagree there. If you supply plain files, it's so easy to make selfbooting homebrew from plain files nowadays - it's a waste to have image files on a server. Not everyone uses Windows, and Discjuggler and Nero are Windows only programs. Selfboot Inducer is available for Linux and Macintosh, so for those people not wanting to selfboot their own programs or for a DreamInducer disc, then SBI is the format for them.

[quote author=Ian_micheal link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#14 date=05/05/04 at 10:03:20]Fullversion home brew games are better as cdi image and also lets it look and feel better with a nice cover. Plain files Let people make an sbi of any thing. Just with curt on it.[/quote]It's not easy to just make an SBI from plain files if you aren't used to it. With SBIs you just download, run Selfboot Inducer, and create an image. It's simple. If you do it yourself, you have to descramble the binary, make a DXL, make an image, zip it up with the proper directories, rename the zip SBI, then run Selfboot Inducer.

[quote author=Ian_micheal link=board=news;num=1083692146;start=0#14 date=05/05/04 at 10:03:20]I think sites should send a link for an sbi to sbiffy not carry the files. Just makes more sence to me. It is the hub of that type of thing and it would stop a lot of hits going to sbiffy no doubt. Why go there sign up when you can just get the same files on 4 sites..[/quote]First of all, you don't have to sign up at Sbiffy to download anymore. Second of all, like I said - DCHomebrew and Consolevision already carry SBIs. It hasn't stopped traffic coming into Sbiffy. Having the few remaining sites conform to this standard isn't going to hurt Sbiffy.