DARKSOFT Games Fixed to work with DIMM

[MetalliC]

so, what exactly you expecting ? you've already was told:
- you need JVS IO board with enough outputs, no chances mahjongs will be playable with Capcom I/O
- Idol Janshi 3 game protected, in a smartass way - game may be netboot but it will become unplayable within time (cant remember how exactly, it was >5year ago when I was looking how protections works in this game).

 

[twistedsymphony]

But remains the problem than capcom I/O may occure an error with that kind of adaptator, on the picture from psikyobabble its a common sega i/o :

There is more problem than just an error.

Capcom IO IS MISSING THIS CONNECTOR:

 

[wasspat]

thanks dudes for your comments, I guess it's more understandable now

indeed It seems than some wires are connected to extra boutons on sega i/o

as per my previous pictures, mahjong adapator is connected to sega i/o to on extra input CN

4 - P1 button 6
5 - P1 button 7
6 - P1 button 8
7 - p1 button 9
8 - p2 button 6

And as per Capcom Converter doesn't have those extra boutons it doesn't work.
Alright, I'm sad but I understand .

 

[twistedsymphony]

Yes and No...

Sega IO can change IO port for Input OR output. (set by jumper)

When using with Mahjong it is OUTPUT. Capcom does not support Output.

Mahjong is very different from normal joystick controls.

With a normal joystick there is 1 input per button.

Mahjong has many buttons, there are not enough inputs for all buttons.
So it uses outputs to turn on only a few buttons at a time.

In the wiring grid on psikyobabble, the left column is for outputs, and the top row is for inputs. When one output is "ON" then only the buttons for that row will work, then the game turns that output "OFF" and turns "ON" the next output/the next row to read those buttons. etc.

This is slower, too slow for fighting game, but fast enough for mahjong

But that's why outputs are needed.

 

[MetalliC]

And as per Capcom Converter doesn't have those extra boutons it doesn't work.
Alright, I'm sad but I understand .

you seems still not really understand it, the important part: Sega 838-13683 I/O have jumper to configure CN3 function - input buttons or output lines (required for mahjong games).
Capcom I/O have an connector for "extra buttons" too, but they can not be configured to outputs.

and btw, not all NAOMI mahjong games uses same wiring, Idol Janshi 3 uses slightly different wiring than other 2 games.

 

[wasspat]

When using with Mahjong it is OUTPUT. Capcom does not support Output.

Mahjong is very different from normal joystick controls.

With a normal joystick there is 1 input per button.

Mahjong has many buttons, there are not enough inputs for all buttons.
So it uses outputs to turn on only a few buttons at a time.

I thought it was the purpose of the pcb under the panel :



With Hot Taisen Gimmick 3 (psikyo pcb), the panel MJ pcb was connected to the psikyo pcb with adaptator to fit with the psikyo pinout

Mahjong_Multiplex__Pinout.png

As i understand the scheme (it's hard to explain with my poor english, sorry for that ... ), the choice of the bouton, for example KAN, appears when the panel pcb send the signal for light purple and orange in the same time (A & S on the solder side of the adaptator), I think it's the way to define many inputs, the two signals sent define the input from mj panel, in this case the KAN

On sega Naomi multiplex, indeed the second "signal" is defined by sega I/O board CN Pin 3-4-5-6-7. I regret only than capcom converter was not designed to allow the Mahjong pinout, it seems possible but not defined.

I didn't know than sega i/o was able to send input and output, I learned new things today .

So, Idol Janshi will be not avalaible for me and my capcom conv... for Yamashiro Mahjong Hen, you think it's possible?

 

[MetalliC]

for Yamashiro Mahjong Hen, you think it's possible?

you can not play any of NAOMI mahjongs using Capcom IO

 

[twistedsymphony]

I thought it was the purpose of the pcb under the panel :

nope

With Hot Taisen Gimmick 3 (psikyo pcb), the panel MJ pcb was connected to the psikyo pcb with adaptator to fit with the psikyo pinout

See those pins labeled "COM" those are all OUTPUTs.

or example KAN, appears when the panel pcb send the signal for light purple and orange in the same time

How can the game send the signal to the panel PCB if there are no outputs?

 

[wasspat]

thanks for your replies dudes, I think the informations will be interesting for other people interested in arcade mahjong

 

[wasspat]

Hi guys,

Thanks again for your information dudes, my mahjong wiring on Naomi is now good and functionnal

I can play Usagi mahjong on netboot



Now, my pleasur would be to play with Idol Janshi III (this game looks so nice) and as said MetalliC it seems to be a pain in the ass to convert this game on netboot.
I've try to compiled a rom with the mame rom but I've got a beautiful glitch after the i/o board test (who is successfull with sega JVS-Jamma converter).



Do you think any masterbrain on this forum can try to resolve the problem of this game ?

Thanks by advance

 

[MetalliC]

Do you think any masterbrain on this forum can try to resolve the problem of this game ?

but why ? "any masterbrain" may try to resolve the problem if it's really wanted by community. but, in this specific case, looks like you are the only person on this planet during decade who are interested to play Idol Janshi 3 :/

 

[wasspat]

I just ask man, keep cool.

I don't think I'm the only person interested (during decade) and I planned to make some tutorial to encourage people to try the mahjong games because I think it's a nice arcade experience. I understand you don't care, but for this point you're not the only person on earth and maybe some people could be interested by the challenge

 

[MetalliC]

I understand you don't care

chill out man, I'm just say how it is

but for this point you're not the only person on earth and maybe some people could be interested by the challenge

but, speaking of this specific topic and its 1st post with games list - sorry to say, but there was only one "fairy" interested to fulfill such type of people's wishes.
sure, it's not a rocket science and in this world many thousands of engineers who can do this, it just nobody (else) cares.

 

[twistedsymphony]

The Cart for Idol Janshi 3 is not very expensive usually <50 I would recommend just buying that.

 

[wasspat]

The Cart for Idol Janshi 3 is not very expensive usually <50 I would recommend just buying that.

yes, I'm still looking for the cart

So, the idea is still on the air if someone want to work on it, I can afford my help as best I can.


concerning the interest of this game : some really strange games are avalaible with netboot (with special hardware like Rythm tengoku, Tokyo Bus, Typing of the dead, dynamitebaseball ....) so why not Idol Janshi who is just a common mahjong game?

 

[MetalliC]

some really strange games are avalaible with netboot (with special hardware like Rythm tengoku, Tokyo Bus, Typing of the dead, dynamitebaseball ....) so why not Idol Janshi who is just a common mahjong game?

- some games not protected at all (Typing of the dead)
- some games uses M4-type carts trivial to decrypt (Rhythm tengoku)
- some game protected in very dumb way and trivial to crack (Tokyo bus)
- other games use encrypted&compressed game resources, most PITA category, require some amount of brainfuck to make cracked version - Janshi 3
so...

 

[Jockel]

Uh sorry if that's a stupid question, but what's the password for puyo fever?

 

[Benimaru84]

Just found this thread, great work!
Unfortunately I can't get my Arduino whatsoever device (Naochitri from Arcademodbios) to load the HotD2 bin file. Anyone has an idea what to do?

 

[bobbydilley]

Does anyone here know lots about converting M4 games over? I thought I'd just write out what I've been trying to do and people can see if they can offer any suggestions:

I'm trying to convert Manic Panic Ghosts! to netboot. It's an M4 game, similar to others such as Akatsuki Blitzkampf Ausf. Achse you can view all of them here: https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/naomi.cpp#L700

I took the working version of Akatsuki and then tried to build my own from the mame roms so I could work out the process

Things I've worked out are different from the mame roms vs the working netboot version

- The first 0x800000 are decrypted in the working version
- The working version has the region flag set to FF (all regions)
- The working versions load the game and test binaries from a slightly different location (0x40 / 64) bytes less than the game on the cart

You can view all of the naomi header info here: https://github.com/DragonMinded/netboot/blob/trunk/docs/naomi.md (looks like @MetalliC heavily contributed to this, so thanks very much - it's been such a good resource!)

In the original roms of Akatsuki it loads the game from 0x00000040 and the test mode from 0x00004040

In the working netboot version, the person has just taken 0x40 away and so it loads the game from 0x00000000 and the test mode from 0x00004000

0x00000000 refers to the start of the game rom where the header starts

So by this logic, I apply the same thing to Manic Panic Ghosts:
- Decrypt the first 0x800000 of the game
- I just left the region flag, and turned my naomi to the region it wanted (USA / Export)

Then this is the problemanic bit, the game executable does the exact same thing, loads from 0x00000040 and so I set it so 0x00000000 and the game loads fine (up to the CALL THE ATTENDANT part)

But the test mode loads from 0x00003000

I've tried taking 0x40 away from this number to get 0x00002FC0, but that doesn't work (you select test mode and it just crashes)

It's also worth noting that the game executable starts loading from 0x00000040 and loads a length of 0x00003000 bytes
What's strange about this is that it would then overlap into the test mode executable by 0x40 bytes on the original game? You'd expect the test mode to start loading at 0x00003040 but it doesn't!?

I suspect it's a long shot to get anyone as interested as I am in this, but if anyone can see any mistakes I'm making here I'd be more than happy to hear what you've got to say!

It's mostly done as a learning exercise, and I appreciate that Manic Panic Ghosts requires some IO to work.

 

[stj]

interesting document - it will take some time to read.
so, does the test-mode load on demand or is it pre-loaded?