Why Mario Kart Arcade GP can't run with Triforce Type 1 ?

[Badi]

Hi all,

Triforce Type 1 is the most common type, and the cheaper model.
Why Mario Kart Arcade can't be played with this type ?
A friend told me the type 1 has a lack of memory.
Anyone can confirm that ?

What if I use a Net Dimm with 1GB memory + Triforce Type 1 ?

 

[lukemorse1]

The 512 ram limit and NAND rom board are 2 of the reasons why you cant run MKGP on the model 1. I think however if you were to put a NAND media board onto model 1 hardware (might need to update it as well) it should run the same.

As for net booting, Im not sure of the outcome but if you have a 1g memory stick and or just want to try it with the 512 and a rom it would be interesting to know if it says media board not acceptable or if it will boot it. Worth a shot.

 

[Finisterre]

I've been able to at least get to the IO detection screens on

Mario Kart and Mario Kart GP2 on my Triforce Type 1


I noticed about 11 months ago "mkartag2" was dumped via this tool:
https://github.com/FIX94/triforce-nand-iso-extract

I'm unsure what happens IF you can get the IO board settings happy. GP2 seems to hang if you go into the Game Test mode and disable things you'd expect to break like Card Reader, and Camera.


I've always *assumed* this list of rules was correct with regard to what would boot where, but it may be dated?

 

[Finisterre]

Mario Kart handles about the same way, you can Go in edit the settings in the Game Test menu at the very least





Even if you disable the IO it will hang for a bit, then reboot with a "Gateway not found" error.


I've never seen it go past the "Device Check" screen with one OK next to "Button" before it appears to lock up, and reboot.


"Gateway is not found" - Error 33 (flashing)

 

[Finisterre]

As for net booting, Im not sure of the outcome but if you have a 1g memory stick and or just want to try it with the 512 and a rom it would be interesting to know if it says media board not acceptable or if it will boot it. Worth a shot.

My Triforce locks up if I try to put more than 512 meg of ram in it. It will hang at "Initializing Media Board" and it never initializes.

 

[obcd]

You will need 2 512 MB sd ram sticks to upgrade your memory. Not all sticks are compatible. You probably also need to change some jumper settings if you increase the memory to 1GB. I remember that they could run the mario cart games on a normal wii with some homebrew software. Maybe that could help figuring out why it doesn't work.

On a chihiro, the model 1 and model 3 differ in partition setup. The partition used for network communication mbcom: is in a different sector range on type 1 and type 3. This could explain why it's giving you a network related error. The games probably always assume there is a working network adapter.

On chihiro, the netdimm shows up as an ide drive with different partitions. Two of those is redirected to 2 regions in a flash chip mbrom0: and mbrom1: They contain the bootup code and the basic test menu. Another one starting at sector 0 is mapped to the netdimm sdram memory. So that partition is either 512MB or 1GB in size. There is also an mbcomm partition that is somehow mapped to some memory area on the network adapter. I haven't discovered the details of that yet. Mame chihiro is capable of emulating some of it's communication to keep the startup and game code happy, but there is no network emulation yet.

 

[obcd]

Forgot to mention that a 512MB gdrom image will not run in a netdimm with 1GB and the other way around won't work either. (At least on chihiro)

The netdimm reports it's amount of memory to the firmware. That firmware calculates a different "file allocation table" size if the dimm memory size is either 512MB or 1GB

On gamecube and wii, a game image was usually a wbfs file. I forgot the details of those but I know they could be extracted to files and folders as well. If I remember well they are encrypted and the game system has a decryptor in hardware so that they can decrypt in real time.

 

[Finisterre]

You will need 2 512 MB sd ram sticks to upgrade your memory. Not all sticks are compatible.

I actually have two 512 sicks off the compatible list, they work fine in my Naomi (for the one game that needs a gig).

I'm using KVR133X64C2 listed here:
Those of you with 512MB and 1GB DIMM boards...

I've got some other related notes here @obcd regarding potentially running other things on Triforce:
Play Wii/Gamecube games on Triforce? I know you can do the inverse... Triforce/Gamecube games on Wii

I did note very specifically the Arcade Otaku page mentions the RAM differences in 1 v 2 oddly enough being 512 vs 1Gig...

https://wiki.arcadeotaku.com/w/Triforce
RAM : Type 1: 512MB
RAM : Type 3: 512/1GB

Also unfortunately randomly last night my Triforce seems to have lost sound. One boot the screen went an odd color, and the sound went crackly. Now every time it boots all I can hear is static, and all game sounds come out as static. Sad evening for me!

 

[obcd]

The ram differences are likely about the netdimm sd ram. Maybe there are no type 1 games that need 1Gig of ram.

Sorry to hear something got broken. I assume you checked the 3 voltage rails and all are within limits?

So there seems to exist a dimm lookalike unit that uses flash chips as well? It probably won't be easy to change the game in that flash.

 

[Gakman]

I've always used 512Mo only on every of my Chihiros and Triforces (T1 & 3), working for every games I tried. I bought some with 1Gb, but downgrade them to 512Mo (easier if all my boards are the same, 1 or 2* 512Mo stick, genuine).
Naomis DIMM are 256 or 512Mo, I've never bought genuine 1Go (1 or 2* 256Mo, genuine, and perhaps 2* 128Mo, not sure).

 

[Finisterre]

Sorry to hear something got broken. I assume you checked the 3 voltage rails and all are within limits?

Thankfully a teardown and rebuild fixed it.

 

[Badi]

triforce type 1 doesn't have any optical plug so it's impossible to play a two player game.

I noticed that two days ago when I plugged my Triforce type 1...
This motherboard is made for one player games only, or Virtua Striker.

 

[obcd]

I thought only naomi was using the communication board with optical cables and the toslink connectors.

Isn't triforce using the dimm ethernet connection like chihiro does?

Maybe it only supports game linking on a type 3 and not a type 1?

So that would mean that the netdimm ethernet port can only be used for netbooting on a model 1?

On Chihiro, only Crazy Taxi High Roller and House of the Dead III are marked as only running on a type 1.
I assume that are the games that came out on a type 1. None of those 2 needs linking.

It's hard to tell if these are the only games that came out on type 1 hardware as sega outrun was released in 2003 as well.

 

[Gakman]

Isn't triforce using the dimm ethernet connection like chihiro does?

Yes, it does. I play linked MK on TF type 3, linked by ethernet (like Chihiros).