Seibu SPI again

[mahlemiut]

I'm pretty sure we never did allow NVRAM use for Seibu SPI games...

http://replay.marpirc.net/inp/a/f/d/esw ... olf147.zip
http://replay.marpirc.net/inp/6/5/2/pvp ... olf145.zip
http://replay.marpirc.net/inp/d/7/f/eme ... win103.zip

[Kale]

Well, I think you should allow it.

[Chad]

http://replay.marpirc.net/r/viprp1j

Yeah, allowed it should be. As long as the special rules indicate everyone must use the same default nvram/diff file (crc set in stone), there should be no problem allowing it.

[Kale]

You might also edit WolfMAME seibuspi.c/cps3.c drivers to hardcode one in the ROM_LOAD structure (ROM_LOAD_OPTIONAL in this case), so you can boot it without the nvram, then add it in your ROM structure and have no problem for default nvram-ing.

Stock MAME can't do that, due of crap licensing issues.

[mahlemiut]

You might also edit WolfMAME seibuspi.c/cps3.c drivers to hardcode one in the ROM_LOAD structure (ROM_LOAD_OPTIONAL in this case), so you can boot it without the nvram, then add it in your ROM structure and have no problem for default nvram-ing.

This is probably the best way to handle it, and no one has to find the nvram files, they just simply have to be run once to generate the flash/SIMM contents, then copied into the ROM zip/7z.

[edusword]

What's the conclusion? Can I continue submitting Viper Phase 1 replays using WolfMAME 0.147?

[mahlemiut]

At this stage, I'm doing what Kale suggested, with optional ROMs added to each driver so that the flash contents don't need to be written. All this means is, that all things working as I expect them to, you just run the game once to generate the flash contents, and then take the flash contents (in nvram/<gamename>/flash0 and flash1) and add them to the ROM zipfile (renaming the files will be needed also, if you use merged romsets).

I still have to go through each SPI game and clone, and get the CRC32/SHA1 for the default flash contents (I was hoping that the flash contents would be the same, but at least with Senkyu, they do partially vary from region to region), and if I get it done early enough, I might upload a new 0.147 binary.

[edusword]

Ok, I will wait for your advise, but Viper Phase 1 is the game that I'm playing and so I would like that my next replays will be valid INPs.

Best regards!

[Kale]

At this stage, I'm doing what Kale suggested, with optional ROMs added to each driver so that the flash contents don't need to be written. All this means is, that all things working as I expect them to, you just run the game once to generate the flash contents, and then take the flash contents (in nvram/<gamename>/flash0 and flash1) and add them to the ROM zipfile (renaming the files will be needed also, if you use merged romsets).

I still have to go through each SPI game and clone, and get the CRC32/SHA1 for the default flash contents (I was hoping that the flash contents would be the same, but at least with Senkyu, they do partially vary from region to region), and if I get it done early enough, I might upload a new 0.147 binary.

Yes, apparently they uses the flash to do regional lock-out.

On a slightly unrelated note there's also gnet.c that needs default nvram-ing.

[mahlemiut]

G-Net is not so bad, it runs after loading, and it's not a totally unreasonable length of time to wait. I'll stick with SPI and CPS-3 for now.

[mahlemiut]

Ok, it all seems to work. I'll post a binary sometime tomorrow.

Attached diff applies to a clean MAME 0.147 source, and includes WolfMAME and WolfMESS, as well as the input viewer.

To generate the flash data (Seibu SPI):
1) Run the game, and let the countdown finish. As the flash data is optional, MAME will run without them.
2) Press F3 to reset. The game should start running.
3) Exit MAME.
4) Open the ROM zipfile (.zip/.7z) and add the files "flash0" and "flash1" from the nvram/<gamename> folder to the zipfile. (Note: only "flash0" is required for non-parent games, as "flash1" is the same across all regions) If the game is not a parent set, then the zip may not exist (ie: your romsets are merged), in which case you can create a new zipfile.
5) Now you can run the same game with no default NVRAM needed.

Quick example:
1) Run Raiden Fighters Jet [rfjet]. Wait for countdown to reach 000.
2) Press F3. Game will start.
3) Press ESC to exit MAME.
4) Open rfjet.zip, and add the files nvram/rfjet/flash0 and nvram/rfjet/flash1 to the zip.
5) Now you can run it via the batch files: record rfjet <inp filename> <extra options>

No changes for CPS-3 in this diff (not needed in 0.147, but will be for future releases).

[Kale]

Note that you can also do a folder with the same name under the roms directory, and put the nvram files in there.

[mahlemiut]

Note that you can also do a folder with the same name under the roms directory, and put the nvram files in there.

Yes, but in that case, you'll have to rename the files (I'm not going to keep them all as "flash0" and "flash1"), whereas if you stick them in a zipfile, the filename is irrelevant.

[mahlemiut]

http://wolfmame.marpirc.net/wolfmame147-spi.7z

Includes a fix for issues with resetting. Have fun. The Viper Phase 1 INPs that have been uploaded so far may be playbackable with this version.

[MJS]

Excellent work Barry!
Worked great for me with Viper Phase 1.

Nice to see people playing this game, I think it's one of (if not THE) greatest Seibu masterpieces.