KOV Plus is just a single eprom swap, all the other roms are the same as regular KOV.
- Thread starter 98pacecar
- Start date
Thanks for testing. That's the same behavior I got with KOV Plus too. Right now MAME only simulates the protection device for these carts as there is no dump for it, but maybe at a future time this can be revisited.
Anyhow KOVSH and KOVSH Plus would be the more "definitive" versions of this game and at least the patch works on those (KOVSH Plus yet to be confirmed, but KOVSH confirmed).
unlikely, these MCUs (IGS027A) internal firmware can't be dumped in some easy way, like put chip in some reader device.
afaik it can not be dumped in "hard way" too, even if somehow force this chip to run (homebrew) code from external ROM, owr code can't read internal ROM because that area is "execute only" or smth like that, so can not be read as data, but only executed as code.
very good protection / security I'd say.
so, the chances IGS027A type MCUs will be dumped and emulated in near future is close to zero.
Yukari Tamura
Student
I'm technically interested in this thread, and tried replacing KoV SH's program rom with an eprom that contains ddpdokblkbl's program experimentally. It boots and looks working though of course sounds and graphics are broken. So, probably once I replace other roms, it will work perfectly.
On the other hand, for other conversions, it looks bootleg roms need to be placed at 0x00000000 of the main 68k's memory space. Comments in mame's pgm.cpp says these roms in the cart overwrite the PGM BIOS that should be originally placed there, and this results in skipping the PGM splash. However, how this can be done just by replacing roms in the cart? Original donors do not map any rom to the 0x00000000, but place an original program roms at 0x00100000. As an experiment, I changed mame to keep the original BIOS rom at 0x00000000, and place latter parts of the bootleg rom from 0x00100000. It boots the PGM BIOS, but a game in the cart wasn't recognized.
On the other hand, for other conversions, it looks bootleg roms need to be placed at 0x00000000 of the main 68k's memory space. Comments in mame's pgm.cpp says these roms in the cart overwrite the PGM BIOS that should be originally placed there, and this results in skipping the PGM splash. However, how this can be done just by replacing roms in the cart? Original donors do not map any rom to the 0x00000000, but place an original program roms at 0x00100000. As an experiment, I changed mame to keep the original BIOS rom at 0x00000000, and place latter parts of the bootleg rom from 0x00100000. It boots the PGM BIOS, but a game in the cart wasn't recognized.
Just updated both Martial Masters and KOV2: Nine Dragons - thanks again @kuze!
Missing levels, shorter lengths in the SH titles...
I was hoping to pick up a copy of KOV Plus as i heard that there are significant game play differences between KOV/KOV+ & SH/SH+ (extra characters aside).
Missing levels, shorter lengths in the SH titles...
Np! I thought it was the opposite? Extra paths, more content in SH?
Would be awesome to see a full write-up on the exact differences.
oneleaf86
Grand Master
I'd be more than happy to send you a Ketsui, DOJBL and a PGM Motherboard to decipher the PAL mapping etc. Shipping to NZ is quite cheap, I'd be happy to pay the shipping both ways.
A
Apocalypse
@oneleaf86: you mean you own converted carts? That would be awesome for the community!
edwin128
Student
Hi. I posted high-res pics of two conversion carts a few pages back.
oneleaf86
Grand Master
Yes, both are PGM conversions from Joerg. PM me address details and i'll have them shipped off early next week.
A
Apocalypse
It's getting interesting, I've received 2 carts and a working motherboard from @oneleaf86, many thanks to him.
I'm going to write a tutorial on how to achieve those conversions (for Ketsui and DOJBL) the way Joerg does them then I'll see if I can reduce the number of patching wires required.
I'm going to write a tutorial on how to achieve those conversions (for Ketsui and DOJBL) the way Joerg does them then I'll see if I can reduce the number of patching wires required.
skate323k137
Enlightened
Very nice. I would have offered my ketsui as well but oneleaf was much closer. Thanks for doing this, the PGM needs the documentation if nothing else.
This would be most excellent. I've been putting this off since it's unclear which cart PCBs are viable donors and what wire patching is necessary.
edwin128
Student
skate323k137
Enlightened
If you read the 1st page of the thread he already provided some info on donor cart candidates.
edwin128
Student
Yes, I know it, but I want to use the same one as in the tutorial!
A
Apocalypse
DoDonpachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label conversion on Knight of Valour Super Heroes:
I can't guarantee there's no mistake in the information given, I don't have any donor cart to do the conversion from scratch myself.
Also file names in the MAME romsets don't correspond to the donor used here so I've tried to figure this out.
The model cart being borrowed from @oneleaf86, I don't want to mess to much with it (i.e. desoldering chips and dumping them).
Donor PCBs look like this:
Link to the needed files:
http://www.filedropper.com/ddpdojblkbl
Chips needed:
- 1 * 27C322
- 4 * MX26L6420
- 1 * MX29L3211
Burn the files in the appropriate devices:
ddp_doj_u1.bin => 27C322 (U1)
t04401w064.u19 => MX26L6420 (U11)
a04401w064.u7 => MX26L6420 (U1)
a04402w064.u8 => MX26L6420 (U3)
b04401w064.u1 => MX26L6420 (U6)
m04401b032.u17 => MX29L3211 (U4)
Hardware mod:
PROG board:
1) Pull ROMs U1 & U11
2) Install new U1 and U11 but don't solder pin 23 of U11, lift it
3) Connect lifted pin of U11 to 3.3V from left pad of U13 (see top right corner of first pic)
GF
SAMPLES board:
1) Pull ROMs U1, U3, U4 & U6.
2) Install new U1, U3, U4 & U6 but don't solder pins 23, lift them. Pin 1 of U4 must also be lifted.
3) Connect lifted pins of U1, U3, U4 & U6 to 3.3V from U13
I can't guarantee there's no mistake in the information given, I don't have any donor cart to do the conversion from scratch myself.
Also file names in the MAME romsets don't correspond to the donor used here so I've tried to figure this out.
The model cart being borrowed from @oneleaf86, I don't want to mess to much with it (i.e. desoldering chips and dumping them).
Donor PCBs look like this:
Link to the needed files:
http://www.filedropper.com/ddpdojblkbl
Chips needed:
- 1 * 27C322
- 4 * MX26L6420
- 1 * MX29L3211
Burn the files in the appropriate devices:
ddp_doj_u1.bin => 27C322 (U1)
t04401w064.u19 => MX26L6420 (U11)
a04401w064.u7 => MX26L6420 (U1)
a04402w064.u8 => MX26L6420 (U3)
b04401w064.u1 => MX26L6420 (U6)
m04401b032.u17 => MX29L3211 (U4)
Hardware mod:
PROG board:
1) Pull ROMs U1 & U11
2) Install new U1 and U11 but don't solder pin 23 of U11, lift it
3) Connect lifted pin of U11 to 3.3V from left pad of U13 (see top right corner of first pic)
GF
SAMPLES board:1) Pull ROMs U1, U3, U4 & U6.
2) Install new U1, U3, U4 & U6 but don't solder pins 23, lift them. Pin 1 of U4 must also be lifted.
3) Connect lifted pins of U1, U3, U4 & U6 to 3.3V from U13
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