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Making PAL MegaDrive games 60Hz-friendly

Discussion in 'General Sega Discussion' started by ICEknight, Dec 8, 2007.

  1. ICEknight

    ICEknight

    Researcher Researcher
    Bingo! Turns out that some Konami games just need to replace whatever they have right after their first "6706"with "NqNqNq".

    Works with: Animaniacs, Castlevania, Probotector, Rocket Knight.
    Doesn't work with: Double Dribble, Lethal Enforcers 1& 2, Sparkster, Sunset Riders, Tiny Toon 1 & 2, Turtles 1 & 2, Zombies.



    Oh that's right, oops. =P





    EDIT: New fix that works with more games.
    For Animaniacs, Castlevania, Probotector, Sparkster, Turtles 2, Zombies:
    ·Look for the first "00A1 0001" and replace it with "00A1 4E71"
    ·Fix checksum.
    For Sunset Riders:
    ·Replace "60E6 4EB9" with "60E6 6004"
    ·Fix checksum

    There's still these two groups left:
    ·Double Dribble, Tiny Toons 1 & 2, Turtles 1
    ·Lethal Enforcers 1 & 2

    I don't know if there could be a more "universal" way to do this, but I hope so.



    EDIT 2: Hmm, looks like Alien Soldier only really needs these changes in the ROM:
    ·0x0005C8: "670C" -> "4E71" (remove country check)
    ·0x000CEC: "650A" -> "600A" (fix music tempo)
    ·Fix checksum (or get rid of it with 0x000468: "6600 012C" -> "4E71 4E71")

    EDIT 3:
    Thanks to some Game Genie codes I've found, here's some others:

    Streets of Rage 2 (PAL/Japan)
    ·0x0057B2: 6756->6056
    ·Fix checksum

    Golden Axe III
    ·0x013BE4: 660C->600C

    Mega Turrican (USA)
    ·0x007122: 6100->4E75

    Mega Turrican (PAL)
    ·0x007126: 6100->4E75

    Monster World IV (Japan)
    ·0x003198: 6706->6006

    Pink goes to Hollywood (USA)
    ·0x0064FE: 6700->6600

    Pulseman (Japan)
    ·0x00276A: 6750->6050 or 4E75

    Rolling Thunder 2 (Japan)
    ·0x00BF5E: 0080->0000

    Shinobi 3 (PAL)
    ·0x00ADB0: 670A->660A

    Super Shinobi 2 (Japan)
    ·0x00A93C: 6602->4E71

    Thunder Force IV (Japan)
    000348: 6700->6000
    000422: 0000->0100
    0004D2: 4A78 F0B6->4EF8 0620


    In theory, this should also work, but doesn't:
    Megaman: The Wily Wars (PAL)
    ·0x017076: 670E->600E
    ·0x000368: B059->6002


    Can't really see a pattern here... If only we knew how did the Game Genie guys come up with these, we'd know how to make it an automated process. =\

    PS: The guy at this site seemed to know how to make these codes, but he hasn't updated since '05...
     
  2. I happen to have this exact cartridge. I just tested it out.

    When the console is set to 60Hz when turned on, just a Konami screen appears and the game hangs there. The screen doesn't even display as if it would do when the game would normally get there.

    Set the console to 50Hz, let it start up to the 1st screen, set the machine back to 60Hz, it works fine without any slowdowns/gfx issues/music issues - in fact, I think the music plays at the exact same speed.

    This is a fucking great game.
     
  3. This is false. It works here with the real cartridge without any changes whatsoever.
     
  4. JDAdams

    JDAdams

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    Sorry to bump an old topic, but it's already been resurrected at least once and I thought I'd add the results of my own tests - incidentally, to answer the question of why you would want to do this, it's simply far easier for us PAL gamers to get hold of our local version and play that at 60Hz if compatible, and also there are a few games where the PAL revision has features / bugfixes the NTSC one doesn't. As a final point before the test info, you can play any MD VC game in 60Hz by setting your Wii's region code to NTSC. This is the same for Master System and N64 games. The channels still have region lockouts, which can be disabled globally on the console, but some ROMs still have their original region lockout code intact, which is extremely irritating! Anyway:

    Asterix and the Great Rescue (E) [x] - has region check and runs too fast (in-game timer) in 60Hz mode
    Asterix and the Power of The Gods (E) (Eng-Ger-Fre-Spa-Ita) [x] - no discernable issues (PAL-only release)
    Chakan - The Forever Man (U) - appears to be multi-region despite (U) label, no issues
    Immortal, The (U) [!] - appears to be multi-region despite (U) label, no issues
    Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (JE) [c][!] - runs too fast (in-game timer) in 60Hz mode, so does the NTSC version! UK development team (Tiertex = Manchester), appears to be designed for PAL
    James Pond (U) [!] - appears to be multi-region despite (U) label, and again runs too fast (in-game timer) in 60Hz mode. Another UK-developed game (Vectordean = Cambridge)
    Jungle Book, The (E) [!] - has region check and runs too fast (in-game timer) in 60Hz mode
    Mega Lo Mania (E) (REV 01) - has broken music (incorrect volume levels) in 60Hz mode
    Mega Man - The Wily Wars (E) - music tempo is too fast in 60Hz mode
    Mickey Mouse - Castle of Illusion (U) [!] - appears to be multi-region despite (U) label, no issues
    Rings of Power (U) [!] - appears to be multi-region despite (U) label, no issues
    Snake_Rattle_'n'_Roll_(E)_[c][!] - runs too fast in 60Hz mode
    Soleil (E) (Eng) - Has region check but no other issues. PAL release has superior translation - almost everything has been redone.
    Zero Wing (E) [!] - no issues
     
  5. I know this is about Megadrive games, but is there any way to convert Mega CD games to NTSC-60Hz? Specifically, Sonic CD. Last, I checked, there was no reliable method, but perhaps I can switch the tracks on the NTSC version and use that?
     
  6. Overlord

    Overlord

    Now playable in Smash Bros Ultimate Moderator
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    If you're after an NTSC-U version of Sonic CD with the non-USA tracks, why not just burn off Sonic the Hedgehog CD (prototype 920)? It's basically the final US ISO with the non-US music.
     
  7. Oh yes, thanks for reminding me of that :P
     
  8. I've got some spare time over the weekend; I might try and make some new PAR codes to get some Uk games region-free...
     
  9. TmEE

    TmEE

    Master of OPL3-SA2/3 Tech Member
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    Estonia, Rapla City
    T-04YBSC-A !
    I was gonna as if you are the same The Jackal as on Sega-16 but then I saw your signature :P
     
  10. yeah, the sig helps out alot. :colbert:
     
  11. ICEknight

    ICEknight

    Researcher Researcher
    Hey, that would be sweet. :colbert:
     
  12. I never did get around to doing it. :colbert:

    But I WILL tonight - if I don't succed, I still have a stash of codes that I think can't be found on the 'net.
     
  13. Here they are:

    -------------------------------------------------
    MINE:

    COMIX ZONE (UK)

    00032266600

    Bypass region lockout and corrects music. Several graphical glitches; this was NOT meant to work at 60hz...

    ------------------------------------------------------

    DATEL's:

    ALADDIN UK

    0003406000
    Play on US and JAP.

    ART OF FIGHTING JAP

    0073D24E71
    Play on any machine.


    ASTERIX AAND THE GREAT RESCUE UK

    0004B46660
    Play on all machines.

    BARE KNUCKLE III JAP

    0003826700
    0006DE6700
    Play on any machine.

    BOXING LEGENDS OF THE RING

    00813E6008
    00030C4E71
    Play US version on UK machines.

    CASTLEVANIA BLOODLINES US

    0001F04500
    Play on UK machines.

    0001f04a00
    Play on JAP machines.

    DRAGON BALL Z JAP

    00037A6004
    0003526700
    Play on US and UK machines.

    MORE TO COME!!
     
  14. NeoGeoThai

    NeoGeoThai

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    Hello ,

    I try to unlock Probotector, but I still got the freezing Konami logo...

    I'm not sure if I did correctly the replacing with 00A1 4E71.


    I used a hex editor and line 000003B0 I found 00 A1 00 01 , then I replaced it with 00 A1 4E 71


    Is that correct ?


    Thanks for any help
     
  15. ICEknight

    ICEknight

    Researcher Researcher
    Yes, that is correct and I've just tried it and it does work properly... Make sure that you're using the correct altered ROM that you're saving.
     
  16. NeoGeoThai

    NeoGeoThai

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    Thanks Ice Knight ,

    I tried again , and still freezing konami logo on Gens32 emulator. (I fixed the checksum)

    Also tried on real hardware (repro cart) , got black screen.

    I have no idea what I did wrong....

    Possible to upload the modified rom somewhere Ice Knight ?
     
  17. ICEknight

    ICEknight

    Researcher Researcher
    Okay, I guess I shouldn't have used Kega Fusion for testing... Real hardware gives me a red screen even after fixing the checksum.

    I wish I knew how to fix it, sorry. :(
     
  18. NeoGeoThai

    NeoGeoThai

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    No problem ,

    Thanks a lot for your test.
     
  19. ICEknight

    ICEknight

    Researcher Researcher
    Oh wait wait wait, didn't Konami games need a different kind of checksum than usual? Something like the checksum of just half of the ROM or something like that?

    That might be the problem.
     
  20. ICEknight

    ICEknight

    Researcher Researcher
    Bump for a couple more PAL 60 conversions which I'm so glad they exist now that my region-converter cartridges are being dumped, far away from me:

    Spirou
    -Replace "66" at 0x000E2688 with "67"

    Tintin in Tibet
    -Replace "67" at 0x0014B7E6 with "66"

    It looks like the region-unlocked Smurfs games were available here, but they're no more. =\