HtheB Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Wow, just saw this thread...very cool. I wonder if there is anyway the watara multicart could be made capable of playing the game journey to the west. I own the cart but it is only playable on the magnum version of the supervision and the cart is undumped. But I would like to have it dumped and if it could be played on this it would be really cool! You would be my saviour if you could dump that game! It's the only one that I'm missing (and also the Magnum Supervision) Edit: What is the reason that it can actually be only played on the Magnum Supervision? Edited August 13, 2014 by HtheB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) I don't see why it wouldn't play on other models. The Magnum Supervision is only a revamped model. It may even just be a GB-2000 (original model) with a new case. I have found a dump, didn't tested it yet on emulator, and as it's twice a ROM size (regular Watara ROMs are 32 or 64ko, Journey to the West is 128Ko) , it will never fit in jfmateo's cart. And splitting the ROM would basically mean rewritting the game for spanning over two ROM, which sounds far too complex for such a game (looking at the other games, I highly doubt that Journey is an oustandind, Zelda equivalent game). I found some games not working on jfmateo's cart, but it's very likely a bad dump. Sadly as every sites share the same ROMs, I can't find a working dump of Pyramid, and I thikn the other is Dancing Blocks. Edited August 13, 2014 by CatPix 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I don't see why it wouldn't play on other models. The Magnum Supervision is only a revamped model. It may even just be a GB-2000 (original model) with a new case. I have found a dump, didn't tested it yet on emulator, and as it's twice a ROM size (regular Watara ROMs are 32 or 64ko, Journey to the West is 128Ko) , it will never fit in jfmateo's cart. And splitting the ROM would basically mean rewritting the game for spanning over two ROM, which sounds far too complex for such a game (looking at the other games, I highly doubt that Journey is an oustandind, Zelda equivalent game). I found some games not working on jfmateo's cart, but it's very likely a bad dump. Sadly as every sites share the same ROMs, I can't find a working dump of Pyramid, and I thikn the other is Dancing Blocks. If I have the dumper, I can redump all the supervision games... (well, except for "Journey to the West") Is there a way (like a hardware change) to still get the big sized game on the flashcard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I have no idea D: If there was a software to select the games, I suppose JFmateo could come up with an updated version of the multicart that could accept 128ko games. As actually it use an hardware selector, I'm afraid the memory is physically divided into 64ko chunks. If JFmateo come here he may tell you better. I know just barely enough in hardware to be confused 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Are these still available? (Or do you guys suggest any other Supervision flashcart?) Dear htheb, yes they are available, but I want be able to send them until ending my summer holidays (end of august). I wonder if there is anyway the watara multicart could be made capable of playing the game journey to the west. Dear stupus, I didn't even know that there were a 128kb game for the watara. If you can take a high resolution photo of the pcb (front and back) I could probably arrange a special dumper for it (although probably it could be dumped with the already available MVBD using an adapter). it will never fit in jfmateo's cart In fact there is an easy way to store bigger than 64kb roms in my cartridges. I found some games not working on jfmateo's cart, but it's very likely a bad dump. Sadly as every sites share the same ROMs, I can't find a working dump of Pyramid, and I thikn the other is Dancing Blocks. All the games in this list (http://www.vectrex.hackermesh.org/index.php/en/mvbd-mvmc-3/compatible-roms-list/watara-en), including Piramid and Dancing blocks has been tested sucessfully with my cartridge... please, take into account that some of the roms available are only 32kb so you will have to concatenate the file with itself to generate a 64 kB file (i.e. using HxD). If there was a software to select the games, I suppose JFmateo could come up with an updated version of the multicart that could accept 128ko games. In fact, the dumper can read files bigger than 64kb, although this feature is not enabled by default, but could be enabled withouth any hardware modification. I would be very pleased to help dumping the game Journey to the west. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Nice to have answers from you. Indeed, the game not working are 32k games files. But I did got Final Combat working, as a 32Ko .sv file. Well I'll look how to generate a 64ko file and test the 3 games I can't play. Keep up the good work, so far, your cart worked great for me, and I'm pleased to have it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Now that would be a milestone for all Supervision fans to finally be able to play the VERY RARE Journey to the West! Now I would really love to have a flashcart! Also, is it possible to have a smaller/shorter switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Also, is it possible to have a smaller/shorter switch? Yes I could use a switch without shaft similar to this (http://cfnewsads.thomasnet.com/images/large/020/20286.jpg) instead of the ordinary one (http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1365713624/-bella-Japan-0-7-ECE-ECE-eight-font-b-rotary-b-font-font-b-DIP.jpg)... but it would be probably a couple of euros more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 (edited) Yes I could use a switch without shaft similar to this (http://cfnewsads.thomasnet.com/images/large/020/20286.jpg) instead of the ordinary one (http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1365713624/-bella-Japan-0-7-ECE-ECE-eight-font-b-rotary-b-font-font-b-DIP.jpg)... but it would be probably a couple of euros more expensive. How much is a "couple of euros"? like 2? 5? 10? 100? Edit: you can buy those things VERY cheap at http://www.taydaelectronics.com I always get my stuff over there Edited August 29, 2014 by HtheB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 I have realized that it would cost just the same (15€) because the shaft-less version wouldn´t include the knob. Thank you very much for the tayda link... unfortunately it´s important for me to get a reliable source of stock so I always try to buy digikey/mouser... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 (edited) I have realized that it would cost just the same (15€) because the shaft-less version wouldn´t include the knob. Thank you very much for the tayda link... unfortunately it´s important for me to get a reliable source of stock so I always try to buy digikey/mouser... Actually, that website is very reliable. But no problems If we can get the rare game (Journey to the West) to work, then I would like to buy one! (the flashcard and burner) Edit: I hope that Stupus will make those pictures of the pcb so we can dump the rare game Edited September 2, 2014 by HtheB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 I didn´t meant that the website is not reliable (excuse my english)... I meant that i needed large stock providers becouse I usually buy small quantities but during long periods of time (I buy one part today and I could need it again 3 years later). I am almost sure that we could dump the game if I can study the pcb, but even if we get the rom it would probably not work in regular watara supervision consoles... according to this blog (http://consolasportatiles.info/2011/10/magnum-supervision-1995/) it only works with the magnum version becouse it has a better processor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I didn´t meant that the website is not reliable (excuse my english)... I meant that i needed large stock providers becouse I usually buy small quantities but during long periods of time (I buy one part today and I could need it again 3 years later). I am almost sure that we could dump the game if I can study the pcb, but even if we get the rom it would probably not work in regular watara supervision consoles... according to this blog (http://consolasportatiles.info/2011/10/magnum-supervision-1995/) it only works with the magnum version becouse it has a better processor. Has anyone proof if this is actually true? (Better processor?) Who knows, maybe some workaround could let us play that game on the old Supervisions aswell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Hey all! So yesterday catpix provided me with the rom dump he had found of journey to the west. I tried it as a sv file in the mess emulator and sadly it only loaded to a grey screen which then turned white. Some good news is at least it did not crash mess so hopefully it is a real dump and maybe mess was recognizing it as a real sv game, but maybe mess team will just need to implement special drivers for it in mess. Other good news is the regular supervision doesn't have bios so likely neither does the magnum unit...so probably the mess guys could alter the sv emulator to accomadate journey without a magnum unit to analyze. I passed the rom from catpix on to the mess team today and I will update with any news. First step would be to test it in a hex editor and see if indeed it is real at least. If it is not a real rom I have already talked with jfmateos about the possibility of dumping my JTTW cart to get a good dump then. Also I have the other only known missing sv game...Majong. So we could dump that as well And it is a regular sv game anyway. For those that have never seen JTTW in action here is the only video I know of existing of its gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaW5BC2u7E Anyway if we can either emulate the game or play it on a multicart it would be great! Or both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Has anyone proof if this is actually true? (Better processor?) I have read in this forum (http://forum.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?132348-Journey-to-the-West-Strategy-RPG-for-Watara-SuperVision&p=1566575&viewfull=1#post1566575) the following Since the game requires connection of 4 IO lines inside the cartridge, it seems to play ONLY in the Magnum Supervision (most recent and most compact model) and is incompatible with the TV-Link. I have asked mauro (http://consolasportatiles.info/2011/10/magnum-supervision-1995/) for photos of the magnum internals to study the cart slot pcb tracks... but he has not answered yet. Who knows, maybe some workaround could let us play that game on the old Supervisions aswell? Yes that is also my hope. So yesterday catpix provided me with the rom dump he had found of journey to the west. What size is that rom stupus? Also I have the other only known missing sv game...Majong. So we could dump that as well And it is a regular sv game anyway. If you are interested I can arrange an adapter to dump it through my MVBD and send both of them (of course free) to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I am in bed already so just a quick reply. But I just heard back on the rom. Sadly the rom from Catpix turned out to be the famicom version of the game. I figured it was to good to be true. So looks like it is back to see about dumping mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 (edited) Good watara dreams stupus Edited September 5, 2014 by jfmateos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Haha Super visions of journey to the west dance in my head.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Aww bogus :/ False hope. Yet it's nice knowing people are working on the Supervision emulation :3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I am in bed already so just a quick reply. But I just heard back on the rom. Sadly the rom from Catpix turned out to be the famicom version of the game. I figured it was to good to be true. So looks like it is back to see about dumping mine. We're still waiting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 I have known that "Journey to the West" had already been dumped by other researcher. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Hello, Yes, my friend in the mess team let me know a few weeks ago that both journey and majong had been successfully dumped from another source. This is why I never looked further into trying to open or send my copies to anyone. This was great news, hopefully they can be added to the multicart and journey can be made to work proper in emulation Last I heard they needed to tweek the emulators to handle it and I have not been updated as to if this was done or was successful. There are still these games that may exist, but no evidence of them ever actually having been released or owned for sure by anyone: Breakout #2182 Combat #2181 Devil Paradise #2176 Happy Flappy #2175 Jade Legend #2191 Kung Fu Fighter #2189 Wonder Fish #2179 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superphamicom Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I'm very interested in purchasing this. I'm looking to get Animaction working on my vectrex (i have a light pen) and was wondering if anyone knows if it would be compatible with this flash cart? I heard the original cart had extra RAM or something built in; would that affect functionality with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmateos Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Dear superphamicon, my cart is not compatible with animaction because that card uses additional rom. You can loot at Richards' one: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/238148-looking-for-a-vectrex-multicart/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtheB Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Bumping this thread, I still wonder what happened to the "getting 'Journey to the West' to work". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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