FPGA Based Videogame System

[cfillak]

Is there a definitive list anywhere of SNES games that have save batteries/SRAM?

[Andromeda Stardust]

Well, I tried it again, even retracing my steps and finishing the Eastern Palace before visiting Kakariko. It didn’t happen, but re-entering repeatedly did trigger the game to freeze on a black screen. I assume it’s the same hard-to-reproduce issue some were encountering at Link’s house and that it randomly results in a reboot or freeze rather than corrupted graphics.

 

some of these "bugs" are so oddly specific, one needs to ask oneself, is this an actual hardware bug or a glitch in the original game programming? games crash occasionally on original hardware too.

[trismegistus]

 

 

some of these "bugs" are so oddly specific, one needs to ask oneself, is this a hardware bug or a glitch in the original game programming?

 

Yeah, I'm inclined to believe this one is probably a bug in the game itself. It would be nice if someone could check this one on original hardware. (I did try to reproduce it on the SNES Classic and was unable to, but I don't think that means much.)

[haightc]

hopefully all these small bugs get fixed soon, so Kevin can focus on the DAC.

 

For up coming products, I wonder if Analogue could also partner with Sega. I know Sega has expressed interest in getting back into the hardware business. Also Sega seems quite willing to work to work with the community and partner with other companies. Plus Sega hardware teams are used to working in small groups and many engineers are still around. The Sega 8 and 16bit machines also already have quite a bit of RE having already taken place.

[Kismet]

Just encountered one seconds ago. Was playing Link to the Past on SD2SNES (NTSC-U). I bombed my way into the shed in the lower left of Kakariko and collected the stuff inside. When I exited it showed Link coming out of the door and then reset to “Nintendo presents” while the music continued for a second. The Kakariko music was soon interrupted by the tumbling chimes sound that accompanies the polygonal Triforce intro and I was staring at the title screen.

 

Super Nt FW 4.1, not jailbroken. SD2SNES HW Rev H (latest) with latest system files and hotkeys enabled (could be relevant).

 

hmm. That's actually a good point, except that I was able to crash it with the real cart.

[bozo55]

 

hmm. That's actually a good point, except that I was able to crash it with the real cart.

 

I'm going to test mine with a real cart now. My ROM is ZL-0 and the RAM is made by Sharp. Maybe some cart variations will be more succeptible than others. Also I'm running 720p60 with Zero Lag mode.

 

EDIT: went in and out of the Village shed a bunch of times and could not get it to crash. Tried the same in Link's house and worked fine as well. I think it's imperative that everyone is using sparkling clean connectors... I think that's what the problem is tied to.

Edited February 20, 2018 by bozo55

[CZroe]

Are you guys joking?! I, along with so many others, have been playing Zelda A Link to the Past for decades and this is suddenly a problem for me and others in the thread. There’s a difference between a glitch being “oddly specific” and someone simply giving all the details in case one was relevant. It’s now obviously something you risk when going through many (any?) door that transition to totally different areas. Something weird happened the first time I left the shed and I only had to go in and out of the shed a few extra times to trigger something similar. That shed is a place I used to enter and re-enter repeatedly to resupply myself so I know that this didn’t happen on original hardware.

 

It’s clear that every time you go through that door or Link’s house and probably any similar door in the game that you risk triggering something like that. Judging by how quickly I triggered a glitch deliberately, the odds are extremely high that you will trigger it somewhere during your play through on this firmware and you could lose progress like I did (twice). You may get lucky and just get glitchy graphics instead of a lock or a reboot, but I put several hundred hours into this game over my life and I can tell you that there is definitely an issue. I’m not the only one reporting it either. Reporting the details around my specific encounter with it was intended to help determine the cause, not to pretend it wasn’t related.

 

I will try downgrading and we’ll see if it triggers again.

 

 

hmm. That's actually a good point, except that I was able to crash it with the real cart.

“Except?” All that means is that the SD2SNES wasn’t a factor, which I never assumed it was.

 

Good to know.

[F34R]

Is there a definitive list anywhere of SNES games that have save batteries/SRAM?

List in spoiler.

7th Saga, The

ABC Monday Night Football

Act Raiser

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder

Aerobiz

Aerobiz: Supersonic

Air Strike Patrol

Arcana

Bassin’s Black Bass

Big Sky Trooper

Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball

Brain Lord

Brandish

Breath of Fire

Breath of Fire II

Cannondale Cup

Championship Soccer ’94

Chavez Boxing

Chrono Trigger

Civilization, Sid Meier’s

College Football USA ’97: The Road to New Orleans

College Slam

Dig & Spike Volleyball

Donkey Kong Country Trilogy

Dragon View: Drakkhen 2

Drakkhen

Dungeon Master

E.V.O.: Search for Eden

EarthBound

Emmitt Smith Football

Equinox

ESPN National Hockey Night

ESPN Speedworld

ESPN Sunday Night NFL

Exertainment Mountain Bike Rally

Extra Innings

F1 Pole Position

F1 ROC

F1 ROC 2: Race of Champions

FIFA Soccer ’96

F-Zero

FIFA Soccer ’97 Gold

Final Fantasy II

Final Fantasy III

Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest

Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball

Gemfire

Genghis Khan 2: Clan of the Gray Wolf

Goal!

Harvest Moon

Illusion of Gaia

Inindo: Way of the Ninja

Jimmy Houston’s Bass Tournament USA

Ken Griffey Jr. Presents MLB

Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run

Kirby Super Star

Kirby’s Dream Course

Kirby’s Dream Land 3

Lagoon

Lemmings 2: The Tribes

Link to the Past, Zelda

Liberty or Death

Looney Tunes: ACME Animation Factory

Lufia & The Fortress of Doom

Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals

Madden NFL ’95

Madden NFL ’96

Madden NFL ’97

Madden NFL ’98

Mario Paint

Mark Davis’ The Fishing Master

Mecarobot Golf

MechWarrior

Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge

Might & Magic III: Isles of Terra

NBA Hang Time

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

NBA Live ’95

NBA Live ’96

NBA Live ’97

NBA Live ’98

NBA Showdown

NCAA Basketball

NCAA Final Four Basketball

NCAA Football

NFL Quarterback Club

NFL Quarterback Club ’96

NHL ’95

NHL ’96

NHL ’97

NHL ’98

NHL Stanley Cup Hockey

Nobunaga’s Ambition

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Lord of Darkness

Nolan Ryan’s Baseball

Obitus

Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen

Operation Europe: Path to Victory 1939-45

Paladin’s Quest

PGA European Tour Golf

PGA Tour ’96

PGA Tour Golf

Power Rangers Zeo: Battle Racers

Pro Sport Hockey

PTO 2: Pacific Theater of Operations

PTO: Pacific Theater of Operations

Riddick Bowe Boxing

Rise of the Phoenix

RoboTrek

Romance of the Three Kingdoms II

Romance of the Three Kingdoms III: Dragon of Destiny

Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire

RPM Radical Psycho Machine Racing

Secret of Evermore, The

Secret of Mana

Shadowrun

SimAnt

SimCity

SimCity 2000

SimEarth: The Living Planet

Soul Blazer

Sporting News Baseball, The

Stunt Race FX

Super Adventure Island 2

Super Baseball Simulator 1.000

Super Bases Loaded 2

Super Bases Loaded 3: License to Steal

Super Conflict

Super Mario All-Stars

Super Mario World

Super Mario All-Stars + World

Super Mario Kart

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Super Metroid

Super Play Action Football

Super Punch-Out!!

Tecmo Secret of the Stars

Tecmo Super Baseball

Tecmo Super Bowl

Tecmo Super Bowl II: Special Edition

Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition

Tecmo Super NBA Basketball

Tin Star

TNN Bass Tournament of Champions

Troy Aikman NFL Football

True Golf Classics: Pebble Beach

True Golf Classics: Waialae Country Club

Twisted Tales of Spike McFang, The

Ultima VI: The False Prophet

Ultima VII: The Black Gate

Ultima: Runes of Virtue II

Uncharted Waters

Uncharted Waters: New Horizons

Uniracers

Utopia: The Creation of a Nation

Vegas Stakes

Wario’s Woods

Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars

Wicked 18 Golf

Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom

World Cup USA ’94

World League Soccer

Xardion

Ys III: Wanderers From Ys

Edited February 20, 2018 by F34R

[bozo55]

Are you guys joking?! I, along with so many others, have been playing Zelda A Link to the Past for decades and this is suddenly a problem for me and others in the thread. There’s a difference between a glitch being “oddly specific” and someone simply giving all the details in case one was relevant. It’s now obviously something you risk when going through many (any?) door that transition to totally different areas. Something weird happened the first time I left the shed and I only had to go in and out of the shed a few extra times to trigger something similar. That shed is a place I used to enter and re-enter repeatedly to resupply myself so I know that this didn’t happen on original hardware.

 

It’s clear that every time you go through that door or Link’s house and probably any similar door in the game that you risk triggering something like that. Judging by how quickly I triggered a glitch deliberately, the odds are extremely high that you will trigger it somewhere during your play through on this firmware and you could lose progress like I did (twice). You may get lucky and just get glitchy graphics instead of a lock or a reboot, but I put several hundred hours into this game over my life and I can tell you that there is definitely an issue. I’m not the only one reporting it either. Reporting the details around my specific encounter with it was intended to help determine the cause, not to pretend it wasn’t related.

 

I will try downgrading and we’ll see if it triggers again.

 

“Except?” All that means is that the SD2SNES wasn’t a factor, which I never assumed it was.

 

Good to know.

 

 

How are you guys powering your systems? I use the USB off my TV but it has 800mA. I tried a 500mA port and the sound was skipping. I think the resets are tied to power or carts not being clean enough. I would remove wireless receivers to see if the problem persists with wired controllers as well.

[Loukey]

Are you guys joking?! I, along with so many others, have been playing Zelda A Link to the Past for decades and this is suddenly a problem for me and others in the thread. There’s a difference between a glitch being “oddly specific” and someone simply giving all the details in case one was relevant. It’s now obviously something you risk when going through many (any?) door that transition to totally different areas. Something weird happened the first time I left the shed and I only had to go in and out of the shed a few extra times to trigger something similar. That shed is a place I used to enter and re-enter repeatedly to resupply myself so I know that this didn’t happen on original hardware.

 

It’s clear that every time you go through that door or Link’s house and probably any similar door in the game that you risk triggering something like that. Judging by how quickly I triggered a glitch deliberately, the odds are extremely high that you will trigger it somewhere during your play through on this firmware and you could lose progress like I did (twice). You may get lucky and just get glitchy graphics instead of a lock or a reboot, but I put several hundred hours into this game over my life and I can tell you that there is definitely an issue. I’m not the only one reporting it either. Reporting the details around my specific encounter with it was intended to help determine the cause, not to pretend it wasn’t related.

 

I will try downgrading and we’ll see if it triggers again.

 

“Except?” All that means is that the SD2SNES wasn’t a factor, which I never assumed it was.

 

Good to know.

Are there different revisions of the game? Its helpful you were able to reproduce it with SD2SNES, as somebody can provide Kevtris the exact revision of the game they were playing that triggered this. (If there are multiple revisions)

[bozo55]

Are there different revisions of the game? Its helpful you were able to reproduce it with SD2SNES, as somebody can provide Kevtris the exact revision of the game they were playing that triggered this. (If there are multiple revisions)

Yes. There's a ZL-0 and a ZL-1 version of the ROM. The RAM could be from LSI, Sharp or Panasonic.

[CZroe]

 

 

How are you guys powering your systems? I use the USB off my TV but it has 800mA. I tried a 500mA port and the sound was skipping. I think the resets are tied to power or carts not being clean enough. I would remove wireless receivers to see if the problem persists with wired controllers as well.

It wasn’t a true reset. As I described, the Kakariko music was still playing so the simulated SPC700 was still running, uninterrupted.

 

I’m running on a quality 1A PSU, which Kevtris said should be plenty.

 

Are there different revisions of the game? Its helpful you were able to reproduce it with SD2SNES, as somebody can provide Kevtris the exact revision of the game they were playing that triggered this. (If there are multiple revisions)

As a kid I thought there was for years and years. I discovered Killer Instinct 1.1 based on the X-Band Videogame Modem not recognizing it. When I discovered “Zelda Test” by using A Link to the Past with my X-Band, another member insisted that it didn’t work for her so we couldn’t play against each other (same message about being unsupported).

 

I’m using the version from SmokeMonster’s set (No Intro set).

Edited February 20, 2018 by CZroe

[Kismet]

Is there a definitive list anywhere of SNES games that have save batteries/SRAM?

 

http://snespcb.ultimate-consoles.fr/#orderby=nom_du_jeu/order=aschas a list

[bozo55]

It wasn’t a true reset. As I described, the Kakariko music was still playing so the simulated SPC700 was still running, uninterrupted.

 

I’m running on a quality 1A PSU, which Kevtris said should be plenty.

 

I can't reproduce it... been trying for the last 10 minutes. Either your system is defective or your cart or connector are not 100% clean. That's all I've got. I'm leaning towards the latter being the issue since you're not the only one with this issue.

Edited February 20, 2018 by bozo55

[Kismet]

 

 

How are you guys powering your systems? I use the USB off my TV but it has 800mA. I tried a 500mA port and the sound was skipping. I think the resets are tied to power or carts not being clean enough. I would remove wireless receivers to see if the problem persists with wired controllers as well.

 

Power is not the issue. I ran the system off the back of my keyboard and just switched to the power supply it came with and was able to get it to crash after about the 5th time of entering and exiting link's house in a new game. Crash results in an audio loop of the wind/rain noise, blank screen.

 

I posted a video earlier a few pages back of the second time I was able to replicate the problem on the SD2SNES with SD2SNES firmware 0.1.7d , in game hooks and in game buttons are off.

 

https://mega.nz/#!x2QghQaA!Fy2Eymnr4QgFfmbS_fMQxsiruNMe3xCeVf2ebGhUtDU

 

When I was able to get it to crash with the real cart on the SNT, it was a SNS-ZL-0 cart. In the Video with the Super NT it was with the SD2SNES and it crashed the first time.

 

I have not been able to get the real cart or the SD2SNES to crash on the real SNES, so it's my guess that this might either be timing related (I'll note that the S2SNES has lost some time since the clock was last set) or it's a bug that only surfaces on the Super NT due to how the FPGA works. Maybe it is a bug actually happens on a real SNES and the result is not a lockup on 2/1/3's but it just keeps on going.

 

Does anyone have a SNS-ZL-1 cart? Something tells me that the rom chips are probably identical though.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Kismet

[GreenMonkey]

 

 

How are you guys powering your systems? I use the USB off my TV but it has 800mA. I tried a 500mA port and the sound was skipping. I think the resets are tied to power or carts not being clean enough. I would remove wireless receivers to see if the problem persists with wired controllers as well.

 

I use a usb charging station on my TV stand:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UN1LM7Q/

 

I have one of these already in my desk drawer that I've been powering my contantly-work-in-progress Retropie.

 

So I ordered another for the Super NT. Also useful for charging PS4 controllers, etc.

Edited February 20, 2018 by GreenMonkey

[bozo55]

 

Power is not the issue. I ran the system off the back of my keyboard and just switched to the power supply it came with and was able to get it to crash after about the 5th time of entering and exiting link's house in a new game. Crash results in an audio loop of the wind/rain noise, blank screen.

 

I posted a video earlier a few pages back of the second time I was able to replicate the problem on the SD2SNES with SD2SNES firmware 0.1.7d , in game hooks and in game buttons are off.

 

https://mega.nz/#!x2QghQaA!Fy2Eymnr4QgFfmbS_fMQxsiruNMe3xCeVf2ebGhUtDU

 

When I was able to get it to crash with the real cart on the SNT, it was a SNS-ZL-0 cart.

 

I have not been able to get the real cart or the SD2SNES to crash on the real SNES, so it's my guess that this might either be timing related (I'll note that the S2SNES has lost some time since the clock was last set) or it's a bug that only surfaces on the Super NT due to how the FPGA works. Maybe it is a bug actually happens on a real SNES and the result is not a lockup on 2/1/3's but it just keeps on going.

 

Does anyone have a SNS-ZL-1 cart?

Just tried it with a Super Everdrive v1.6 for good measure and went in and out of the house 20 times. No crash.

 

Maybe the cart connector is not making the best contact with the cart pins? In your position I would hit the pins with a good quality eraser and alcohol, and clean the connector with a credit card wrapped with a small piece of T-shirt or coffee filter that's been doused in alcohol.

Edited February 20, 2018 by bozo55

[Kismet]

Just tried it with a Super Everdrive v1.6 for good measure and went in and out of the house 20 times. No crash.

 

Maybe the cart connector is not making the best contact with the cart pins? In your position I would hit the pins with a good quality eraser and alcohol, and clean the connector with a credit card wrapped with a small piece of T-shirt or coffee filter that's been doused in alcohol.

 

Don't be silly, you don't get three people reporting the same thing and go "all your carts are dirty."

 

It's not a "yes it will crash after exactly nth time", on the real cart it took a lot longer to get it to crash. On the SD2SNES two of the three times I got it to crash was within the first 10 tries of just going in/out of links house. The only variable seems to be if it's a new game. I'm not even the one who originally reported it. This appears to be something timing related, as the thing that is happening every time you switch scenes is the song in the APU is changed. The fact that the sound effects are looping tells me that the APU's CPU has stopped but the DSP is still going.

 

So far CZroe and paulrobinbrown have experienced it, where as I repeated exactly what paulrobinbrown did to get the crash a Links house.

 

EDIT: just now, was able to replicate it on the JP version of the game. JP version reboots. Here's the kicker, the rain/wind noise is still playing through out the opening music and the file select screen.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Kismet

[leods]

Can someone test this one on a Super Nintendo?

[CZroe]

 

Power is not the issue. I ran the system off the back of my keyboard and just switched to the power supply it came with and was able to get it to crash after about the 5th time of entering and exiting link's house in a new game. Crash results in an audio loop of the wind/rain noise, blank screen.

 

I posted a video earlier a few pages back of the second time I was able to replicate the problem on the SD2SNES with SD2SNES firmware 0.1.7d , in game hooks and in game buttons are off.

 

https://mega.nz/#!x2QghQaA!Fy2Eymnr4QgFfmbS_fMQxsiruNMe3xCeVf2ebGhUtDU

 

When I was able to get it to crash with the real cart on the SNT, it was a SNS-ZL-0 cart. In the Video with the Super NT it was with the SD2SNES and it crashed the first time.

 

I have not been able to get the real cart or the SD2SNES to crash on the real SNES, so it's my guess that this might either be timing related (I'll note that the S2SNES has lost some time since the clock was last set) or it's a bug that only surfaces on the Super NT due to how the FPGA works. Maybe it is a bug actually happens on a real SNES and the result is not a lockup on 2/1/3's but it just keeps on going.

 

Does anyone have a SNS-ZL-1 cart? Something tells me that the rom chips are probably identical though.

I have a very late E-rated Player’s Choice copy that I’m trying to reproduce it on now (my original Player’s Choice copy was K-A-rated). My late-production E-rated Super Mario World did not include the alternate Luigi sprites from the Super Mario All*Stars + Super Mario World version and was bit-for-bit identical with my early copies (non-PC revised shell and old-shell). I’ll take it apart in a few minutes to see if it’s ZL-1.

 

Just tried it with a Super Everdrive v1.6 for good measure and went in and out of the house 20 times. No crash.

 

Maybe the cart connector is not making the best contact with the cart pins? In your position I would hit the pins with a good quality eraser and alcohol, and clean the connector with a credit card wrapped with a small piece of T-shirt or coffee filter that's been doused in alcohol.

Mine is thoroughly clean with 99.9% pure “Electronics Cleaning Grade” isopropyl, De-Oxit, and frequent follow-ups with 1-up Cards + PUREtronics. I can jostle it like crazy and the game keeps running like nothing is happening. Because I’m not getting it in my late-production cart that’s probably ZL-1, it may be down to a version difference that still doesn’t manifest on original hardware.

 

 

Don't be silly, you don't get three people reporting the same thing and go "all your carts are dirty."

 

It's not a "yes it will crash after exactly nth time", on the real cart it took a lot longer to get it to crash. On the SD2SNES two of the three times I got it to crash was within the first 10 tries of just going in/out of links house. The only variable seems to be if it's a new game. I'm not even the one who originally reported it. This appears to be something timing related, as the thing that is happening every time you switch scenes is the song in the APU is changed. The fact that the sound effects are looping tells me that the APU's CPU has stopped but the DSP is still going.

 

So far CZroe and paulrobinbrown have experienced it, where as I repeated exactly what paulrobinbrown did to get the crash a Links house.

 

EDIT: just now, was able to replicate it on the JP version of the game. JP version reboots. Here's the kicker, the rain/wind noise is still playing through out the opening music and the file select screen.

Interesting. When it reset on me in Kakariko I was going out of the shed, which doesn’t actually change tracks or restart the music but does modify the volume (music volume lowers when indoors). You’re probably onto something with the music change. It looks like it doesn’t actually have to change tracks but it may be triggered by another change that happens at that point. I wish I had noted if the audio volume was still low or not. Edited February 20, 2018 by CZroe

[NE146]

I can test on a jap cart.. but does it matter what firmware you're on? I'm on out of the box firmware without updating.

[CZroe]

OK, my late-production E-rated copy of The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past is still ZL-0.

 

The label revision is ZL-USA-2 but that doesn’t indicate a ROM update, though obviously, some labels only came with some revisions.

 

Point is, the US game doesn’t seem to have ever had a revision. Back in the day I suspected that some X-Band players had an earlier version of the modem (5 lights instead of 3), [which is probably why the game wasn’t recognized for Zelda Test for some people]. I was playing in the early beta test for the first half of my time on the service so many of the other players probably started as alpha testers with the older hardware.

 

If there is a -1 of the North American version then I suspect it’s for a sub-region, like French Canada. There definitely is a -0 and -1 for the JPN version.

Edited February 20, 2018 by CZroe

[Kismet]

Can someone test this one on a Super Nintendo?

 

I already did that. I spent another 10 minutes, in-out-in-out on the real cart, no crash, no lockup.

 

I then put the SAME cartridge and controller into the Super NT again, and this time it rebooted instead of locking up, after 4.5 minutes of exiting and entering. It's definitely repeatable.

 

EDIT: Ok, counted how many screen transitions and it looks to be about 75 on the real cart before I got it to reboot.

 

Status so far:

 

Repeatable on the SM pack LoZ ENG on SD2SNES 0.7.1d on SNT4.1 (locks up or reboots)

Repeatable on the SM pack LoZ JP on SD2SNES 0.7.1.d on SNT4.1 (reboots)

Repeatable with real LoZ cart on SNT4.1 (locks up or reboots)

 

Not repeatable on the SM pack with SD2SNES 0.7.1d on real SNES

Not repeatable with real LoZ cart on real SNES

Edited February 20, 2018 by Kismet

[Atariboy]

What does the old X-Band modem have to do with Link to the Past?

Edited February 20, 2018 by Atariboy

[CZroe]

What does the old X-Band modem have to do with Link to the Past?

I explained earlier that the game was used for something called “Zelda Test” (a maze game) but some users reported that the X-Band did not recognize the game. The X-Band did not recognize Killer Instinct from the SNES Combo Set even after exchanging it three times, which is how I discovered Killer Instinct 1.1 long before the Internet did and I suspected ever since I was a kid that there might be two versions of Zelda A Link to the Past for the same reason. Eventually, I grew to doubt it but brought it up in response to someone here saying that there is a ZL-0 (1.0) and ZL-1 (1.1). I can be pretty confident after checking the late-‘90s E-rated copy that there is no 1.1 for the USA. There is a 1.1 for Japan. Perhaps there’s one for a North American sub-region, like French Canada. Edited February 20, 2018 by CZroe