Dear Arcade-Projects Community,
I want to propose an extensive, high-fidelity localization and feature-restoration project for the CPS2 Vampire / Darkstalkers series, delivered explicitly via modular .ips patch files. The objective is to inject true-to-source English translations running natively inside the Japanese parent ROM layers (vhuntj.zip and vavsavj.zip) while keeping competitive frame-data states and regional behaviors untouched.
To overcome the historic CPS2 cartridge storage limits that originally forced Capcom to split the roster, we want to explore back-porting code blocks and illustrated story endings from the PS1/Saturn home console releases (Darkstalkers 3 / EX Edition). Crucially, we also want to extract and port modern features directly out of the Capcom Fighting Collection (CFC) to give the original arcade code modern quality-of-life updates.
Project Targets & Technical Scope
1. Vampire Hunter: Darkstalkers' Revenge (vhuntj.zip IPS Patch)
Direct Script Porting: Re-route the 68000 pointer vectors to overwrite the default Japanese text data blocks. Instead of using the old, modified Western Night Warriors dialogue variations, we will port the highly literal, accurate script files directly out of the Capcom Fighting Collection repository into an IPS patch format.
Visual Integrity: Retain the original Japanese Vampire Hunter title cards and UI frameworks.
2. Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire (vavsavj.zip Unified Master IPS Project)
Capcom Fighting Collection Feature Back-Porting: We want to dissect the CFC binaries to adapt its modern layout optimizations for real hardware. This includes porting the localized English UI enhancements, custom menu text blocks, and cleaning up menu positioning vectors to match the clean presentation seen in the modern collection.
The Complete Roster Challenge: Due to arcade storage caps, Donovan, Pyron, and Huitzil (Phobos) were dropped from the base vavsavj arcade game.
EX Character & Ending Back-Port: We want to develop an assembly modification or multi-bank layout script that references code tables from home console ports and Vampire Savior 2. The goal is an IPS patch that makes Donovan, Pyron, Huitzil, and Oboro Bishamon fully playable on the standard vavsavj select grid simultaneously.
True Ending Extraction: Port the complete, localized ending story sequences from the PS1/Saturn EX Edition. When clearing Arcade Mode with these hidden console entities, the system should smoothly render their fully illustrated ending sequences and English dialog scripts without causing memory buffer overflows or hardware crashes.
Hardware Mechanics & Formatting Requirements
To ensure these modifications operate flawlessly on both digital setups and original physical arcade B-boards via standard IPS patchers (like Lunar IPS or Rom Patcher JS), all assembly additions must comply with Capcom’s architecture requirements:
Boundary Word Alignment: Modified or newly injected text banks must use structural word padding to prevent odd-byte boundary positioning, which triggers a fatal 68000 address exception crash on real hardware.
Capcom Core Terminators: The string scanning logic must explicitly employ $FF control codes to break dialogue arrays and $00 flags to return control to graphic v-blank loop timers.
Competitive Parity: Hitbox states, input-buffering registers, gray-damage curves, and native attack-recovery tables must remain 100% unaltered.
THREAD COOPERATION & MODERATION GUIDELINES
1. Zero Tolerance No-ROM Policy: Do not share, post, or link to pre-patched Capcom ROM sets, console disc ISO files, or game-extraction file directories. All community creations must be compiled and shared strictly as standard IPS patch files (.ips).
2. Unified Workbench Reference: All core hex research must target decrypted parent sets (vavsavj.zip and vhuntj.zip) to ensure the target memory offsets remain synchronized between separate contributors.
I am prepared to manage the script extraction formatting, sorting, and dialogue cleanup using the collection files. If you have experience navigating CPS2 sprite index matrices, hacking 68000 assembly, or generating stable IPS matrices for retro platforms, your expertise is highly welcome!
Thanks for looking,
Jonny Modlin
I want to propose an extensive, high-fidelity localization and feature-restoration project for the CPS2 Vampire / Darkstalkers series, delivered explicitly via modular .ips patch files. The objective is to inject true-to-source English translations running natively inside the Japanese parent ROM layers (vhuntj.zip and vavsavj.zip) while keeping competitive frame-data states and regional behaviors untouched.
To overcome the historic CPS2 cartridge storage limits that originally forced Capcom to split the roster, we want to explore back-porting code blocks and illustrated story endings from the PS1/Saturn home console releases (Darkstalkers 3 / EX Edition). Crucially, we also want to extract and port modern features directly out of the Capcom Fighting Collection (CFC) to give the original arcade code modern quality-of-life updates.
Project Targets & Technical Scope1. Vampire Hunter: Darkstalkers' Revenge (vhuntj.zip IPS Patch)
Direct Script Porting: Re-route the 68000 pointer vectors to overwrite the default Japanese text data blocks. Instead of using the old, modified Western Night Warriors dialogue variations, we will port the highly literal, accurate script files directly out of the Capcom Fighting Collection repository into an IPS patch format.
Visual Integrity: Retain the original Japanese Vampire Hunter title cards and UI frameworks.
2. Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire (vavsavj.zip Unified Master IPS Project)
Capcom Fighting Collection Feature Back-Porting: We want to dissect the CFC binaries to adapt its modern layout optimizations for real hardware. This includes porting the localized English UI enhancements, custom menu text blocks, and cleaning up menu positioning vectors to match the clean presentation seen in the modern collection.
The Complete Roster Challenge: Due to arcade storage caps, Donovan, Pyron, and Huitzil (Phobos) were dropped from the base vavsavj arcade game.
EX Character & Ending Back-Port: We want to develop an assembly modification or multi-bank layout script that references code tables from home console ports and Vampire Savior 2. The goal is an IPS patch that makes Donovan, Pyron, Huitzil, and Oboro Bishamon fully playable on the standard vavsavj select grid simultaneously.
True Ending Extraction: Port the complete, localized ending story sequences from the PS1/Saturn EX Edition. When clearing Arcade Mode with these hidden console entities, the system should smoothly render their fully illustrated ending sequences and English dialog scripts without causing memory buffer overflows or hardware crashes.
Hardware Mechanics & Formatting Requirements
To ensure these modifications operate flawlessly on both digital setups and original physical arcade B-boards via standard IPS patchers (like Lunar IPS or Rom Patcher JS), all assembly additions must comply with Capcom’s architecture requirements:
Boundary Word Alignment: Modified or newly injected text banks must use structural word padding to prevent odd-byte boundary positioning, which triggers a fatal 68000 address exception crash on real hardware.
Capcom Core Terminators: The string scanning logic must explicitly employ $FF control codes to break dialogue arrays and $00 flags to return control to graphic v-blank loop timers.
Competitive Parity: Hitbox states, input-buffering registers, gray-damage curves, and native attack-recovery tables must remain 100% unaltered.
THREAD COOPERATION & MODERATION GUIDELINES
1. Zero Tolerance No-ROM Policy: Do not share, post, or link to pre-patched Capcom ROM sets, console disc ISO files, or game-extraction file directories. All community creations must be compiled and shared strictly as standard IPS patch files (.ips).
2. Unified Workbench Reference: All core hex research must target decrypted parent sets (vavsavj.zip and vhuntj.zip) to ensure the target memory offsets remain synchronized between separate contributors.
I am prepared to manage the script extraction formatting, sorting, and dialogue cleanup using the collection files. If you have experience navigating CPS2 sprite index matrices, hacking 68000 assembly, or generating stable IPS matrices for retro platforms, your expertise is highly welcome!
Thanks for looking,
Jonny Modlin
