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The only thing I can suggest is to make sure you press and HOLD the start button down for a few seconds after inserting coins. I did a couple of tests, and if the start button isn't held for long enough, the screen colour doesn't change after the next power cycle. You don't have to re-enter the code again. I did a couple of power cycles before holding start down. Next time, it changed colour and I then progressed to the next code.
You know what, my games are on freeplay, maybe that's the secret, need the coins? I'll mess with that, and trying your hold suggestion too, thanks!
 
Can one of you guys do the code unlock on mame and send me the nvram file generated by mame? If possible with all the regional variations for me to see if anything changes per region. Then I would have a idea of what to look into the game code.
 
Can one of you guys do the code unlock on mame and send me the nvram file generated by mame? If possible with all the regional variations for me to see if anything changes per region. Then I would have a idea of what to look into the game code.
See if this link works: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/227626/Shared/eeprom

That's the nvram for Alpha 3 US 980904 after getting the red screen, confirmed I could load Balrog.

Didn't work the first time, did the second, going to try with my Darksoft setup with same ROM now.
 
IMG_5547.PNG
 
Looks like that start button tip is the secret. I'll try and verify the exact steps. Thanks!!
 
Thanks! Have a beautiful Neo Candy 29, if only someone would make a really slick multicart for it ... :whistling:
 
Save data is only 30 bytes saved twice with the coin counting as the last 20. Location tests had bigger NVram/Epproms to count how much a character was used and the time said character lasted as well the average time of a match.
 
Save data is only 30 bytes saved twice with the coin counting as the last 20. Location tests had bigger NVram/Epproms to count how much a character was used and the time said character lasted as well the average time of a match.
I meant finding where the program ROM store (within itself) the default values it put in the EEPROM after the game detects a mismatch ID and wipes the EEPROM. By modding that we would get everything unlocked after a game swap, without hassle.
 
Alright, then it's usually in the first 0x10000 bytes i think in A3 it's in the 0x2000~ 0x3000 range and they have 1 for each region
 
If I figure out where the game store the NVRAM defaults, I'll try to mod it to set all unlocks by default and you won't need to do that anymore.
That would be awesome!

Edit: Just to be clear, that nvram I posted earlier isn't complete, it just has the first level of code put in, didn't try going all the way. So don't use it as the basis for any final solutions. :)
 
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Then please put out one with all unlocks. I'll swap that out with the game original default data...
 
Okay, managed to get all of the codes working on Alpha3 US 980904

Man, it's a giant pain in the ass to enter those codes, utterly random, across both controls, you'd be doing us a huge favor if you could make them just on by default!

Here's the nvram:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/227626/Shared/nvram/alpha3-980904/eeprom

Note that I also have demo sound off and free play on, since those are my standard settings, and I wanted to confirm it all worked with those on.
 
I got all the codes entered, and I was able to play as Balrog, but I could never get any of the other codes to work, despite the successful code entry message appearing on screen. I'm going to mess around with it more but I was wondering if the save ram stays even after loading other games. Like if I load up Puzzle Fighter, do I need to enter the unlock codes again after reloading SFA3?
 
I got all the codes entered, and I was able to play as Balrog, but I could never get any of the other codes to work, despite the successful code entry message appearing on screen. I'm going to mess around with it more but I was wondering if the save ram stays even after loading other games. Like if I load up Puzzle Fighter, do I need to enter the unlock codes again after reloading SFA3?
if you change games you'll have to reinput the codes.

Also, this may be of interest:

:sfa3:62000000:000000:00000000:00000000:Select Color Unlock (NVRAM):To update NVRAM, enter in test mode, turn cheat ON, do a memory test then exit, reboot; now the setting is permanently unlocked (reboot again with cheat OFF to verify...)
:sfa3:00010000:FF0CE1:00000000:FFFFFFFF:Cream:Default
:sfa3:00010000:FF0CE1:00000001:FFFFFFFF:Red:Unlocks Classical Mode
:sfa3:00010000:FF0CE1:00000002:FFFFFFFF:Green:Unlocks Balrog, Juli, and Juni
:sfa3:00010000:FF0CE1:00000003:FFFFFFFF:Blue:Unlocks Mazi Mode and Saikyou Mode
:sfa3:00010000:FF0CE1:00000004:FFFFFFFF:Light Blue:Unlocks Survival and Dramatic Mode
 
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