PS2 Mod 2016-19: USB & HDD Loading, PS1 via POPS, Emus

[Jagosaurus]

First, I thought I jacked up my POPS USB & was panicking a bit. Component Cables plugged in on a TV that won't run 240i over component . Composite cables back in & we're in business...

Okay tested out Tempest X3. While not an exact port, it will be nice to not have to break out the Jaguar to enjoy the gameplay. X3 runs great on my end as well!

Well Command & Conquer runs... but is very fast! I was thinking, "man they attacked my base fast!" Although it was listed as US release when I DLed it, maybe it was a PAL file speed/50Hz/60Hz issue? If anyone owns this one and can rip your copy to test, let me know if you run into the same pls . Or if you own Red Alert let me know how that runs also.

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Updated 2/5/17
PS1 POPs testing via USB:
Percent Compatible: 78.94%
Sample Size: 19 games
15 of 19 working
Alundra – works
Arc the Lad collection, Disc 1 (so Arc 1) – works
Buster Bros Collection – works
Capcom vs SNK – works
Command & Conquer D1 GDI – No > boots & runs but very fast
Crash Bandicoot – works
Diablo – works
Dragon Warrior VII – No > boots, no text boxes
Gex Enter the Gecko – works
Ogre Battle – No > Boots and plays, but music and sound gets constantly cut off.
Raiden Project – No > boots and plays, with no sound
RPG Maker – works
Super Puzzle Fighter II – works
Strider 2 – works (some slowdown)
Tactics Ogre – works
Tempest X3 – works
Tomba! – works
Tomb Raider – works, runs great
Vanark – works (pausing during flight areas will freeze game)

If my 2009 Statistics 302 course serves me right, we need a sample size (n) of at least 20 for this testing data to be considered “significant”

Others tested but not in count above:
Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver Demo > Ran great (on Tomb Raider disc)
Bomberman Fantasy Race > looks like nightnrn tested a PAL image, rain but in black & white
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[Jagosaurus]

Alight officially adding 2 titles to my testing!

Happy to report that the original Gex works great. This one is a lot more polished than I remember. I may actually consider beating this one!


Unfortunately Grid Runner has major music and sound effects issues. The gameplay seems solid, but I'm going to list it as a "no."

We've offically tested over 20 titles now. At 21 games in, we're at a 76% compatibility rate. This isn't perfect by any means, but is a solid starting point. I hope that as we tested more, that percentage would slowly creep above 80%. I'll probably slow my testing now. I'll move this list to the OP in a spoiler tab. Feel free to add to the thread and I'll update OP accordingly.

_________________________
Updated 2/10/17
PS1 POPs testing via USB:
Percent Compatible: 76.19%
Sample Size: 21 games
16 of 21 working
Alundra – works
Arc the Lad collection, Disc 1 (so Arc 1) – works
Buster Bros Collection – works
Capcom vs SNK – works
Command & Conquer D1 GDI – No > boots & runs but very fast
Crash Bandicoot – works
Diablo – works
Dragon Warrior VII – No > boots, no text boxes
Gex - works
Gex Enter the Gecko – works
Grid Runner – No > boots, runs, major music/SFX issues
Ogre Battle – No > Boots and plays, but music and sound gets constantly cut off.
Raiden Project – No > boots and plays, with no sound
RPG Maker – works
Super Puzzle Fighter II – works
Strider 2 – works (some slowdown)
Tactics Ogre – works
Tempest X3 – works
Tomba! – works
Tomb Raider – works, runs great
Vanark – works (pausing during flight areas will freeze game)

If my 2009 Statistics 302 course serves me right, we need a sample size (n) of at least 20 for this testing data to be considered “significant”

Others tested but not in count above:
Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver Demo > Ran great (on Tomb Raider disc)
Bomberman Fantasy Race > looks like nightnrn tested a PAL image, rain but in black & white
_________________________

[nightrnr]

Okay, so I tried our my Command & Conquer Red Alert (Soviet Disk, as that's all I have).
Runs fine for me. There are 3 speed settings, and it is very manageable at "normal" and "fast" (3rd option being turbo, which still isn't terrible). I don't notice anything wrong with the speed in that game. Videos play fine, as does the sound and music, from my testing.

I'm liking the newer popstarter elf, with how you can turn graphics smoothing on and off. So far, compatibility is not affected at all.

I'm going to test out Duke Nukem Total Meltdown soon. That is one of the few games that is listed as incompatible with USB but works (with texture issues) on HDD. Also is my most recent PS1 buy .

Otherwise, been too distracted with other things.

I remember thinking that if PSIO had even a 50% compatibility, it would be worth it. So 76% is more than good enough for PS2; and supplements compatibility (I am STILL nerding out about Tempest X3 working). Percentage of Popstarter might even be considered higher than your findings, as Ogre Battle and Raiden Project are definitely playable if you supply your own tunes.

To do:
Try multi disc (to hell with combined images, even if it does save space):
http://www.psx-place.com/resources/ps1- ... 60918.354/

HOW TO USE THE MULTI-DISC THING :

1) Create a DISCS.TXT text file containing the file names of your VCDs, one file name per line;
2) Copy this DISCS.TXT file to the VMC folders of all your game discs.

Hotkeys are :
Select+L2+R2+Triangle == To open the lid
Select+L2+R2+Up == To Insert Disc 1 (DISCS.TXT line 1)
Select+L2+R2+Right == To Insert Disc 2 (DISCS.TXT line 2)
Select+L2+R2+Down == To Insert Disc 3 (DISCS.TXT line 3)
Select+L2+R2+Left == To Insert Disc 4 (DISCS.TXT line 4)
Select+L2+R2+Square == To close the lid

[Jagosaurus]

Awesome! I'll add Command & Conquer Red Alert to the totals in OP when I have a chance. Will bump us to 77% compatible. That's actually the one I played more growing up. Maybe I just missed some speed setting in the original C&C that it defaulted to? I'll double check. I mean it was cruising!

Nice! Where did you grab that new .elf, Assembler POPS thread? I haven't messed around too much with the PS2 smoothing, but do remember it helping 3D polygons enough to be noticeable.

Let me know how Duke Nukem TM goes. I was a little bummed to see DOOM & Hexen as incompatible per the list on Assembler. I love those early FPS titles. I need to test Disruptor.

Yeah 76-80% definitely isn't bad! You're right, I'm being a bit of a stickler for those running without music counting as a no-go. The Jaguar site "Just Claws" has the re-mixed Raiden tracks available for stream and/or DL. Blast those while playing!

Yeah, I actually had only played the Jag verison of T2K. I got into the PS1 "port" quite a bit while testing. Good stuff. I actually need to take advantage of this & beat a game now that I have this running well. I think Gex may be first on my list.

Let me know if get around to testing multi disc method!

[nightrnr]

Yes, the newer popstarter elf was from the assembler thread. It's also the one used for HDD loading, I thinks, as it has the same file size and smoothing function.

My initial tests for Duke Nukem were not so good; audio issues and freezing. I did get one episode to load up and play, minus sound, while the first episode just froze at the start. Don't count it out yet though, as I don't completely trust that hard drive (took forever to copy over for half of the image file for apparently no reason. I made no attempt at usb, as I ftp copied the image.

As for Doom, stick with the PS2Doom port, as it is a fine alternative, even without music (creates a whole different creepy atmosphere if you ask me).
Hexen is a bummer, but I play that on N64 anyways.

Namco Museum 2 plays well. Walking in the museum seems a tad slow and I couldn't get it to save to memory card, but the games play fine.

So cool playing Symphony of the Night on HDD. I started a game just for the heck of it. It did freeze at a loading corridor once, but seemed random and if you save regularly, is only a minor annoyance and is not common. Library Boss strategy videos appear to load fine, which is a perk over PSIO right now.

Might try some light gun games like the Point Blank series next. PS2 actually has a collection with those, but seeing as I'll be doing it for PSIO as well, I'll stick with my PS1 copies.

Maybe try FFIX, as I'm on disc 4 and would like to wrap up that game sometime. If I still have a disc 3 save (I think so), I might try the disc swap.

Here's hoping that future popstarter revisions stabilize more games.

[Jagosaurus]

Cool will DL that .elf.

Awesome! Happy to see Namco Museum 2 is running. Will update POPS testing in OP when I have a bit. Back up at 78% compatibility! I just ripped the rest of my PS2 compilations as well. Looking forward to moving those over.

The tripping in SotN or Duke might be a freak thing. Gex randomly froze on me after in a spot I'd previously ran through without issues. Reboot fixed issue. I am using a very cheapo USB so I'm not ruling that out.

I was having trouble getting PS2 DOOM to run, but it was right when I got DOOM X running on my oXbox so I gave up too quickly. Need to revisit that.

Let me know how that dual disc goes. I still need to look more into the compatibility modes for POPS. Looks like it's simply a file you DL & drop into VMC folder for that game.

As an update, Gex only froze that one time. I'm really enjoying this game & the it's fun to know I'm playing it off a USB. It uses some interesting mechanics & fun environments. It does get pretty tough quick after easing you in at first.

[Jagosaurus]

Well looks like you can now play digital PS1 games on a PS3 modded with CFW via USB (similar to POPStarter on PS2).

https://youtu.be/PB-vp6VAWfY

As well as digital PS2 games on PS3 via HDD (similar to OPL on PS2).
https://youtu.be/nsvUrVqIa0c

While Project Phoenix Media is showing ripping discs, you can move existing games files to correct directories as well if you have the .iso or .bin/.cue already.

This is essentially new software like POPS & OPL on PS2, but for the PS3. Next generation equivalent mods.

Having to remind myself I have too many projects before getting on ebay to pick up a compatible PS3 model (slim 25xx or lower)....

Regarding emu, this PS3 setup will run Retro Arc as well.

@nightnrn, did you know this was a thing!?

[nightrnr]

I hear things on occasion...
But I have absolutely no interest in using my PS3 for other consoles (beyond my sparse PSN purchases).

The reason: I am super paranoid about the thing dying from heat exhaustion as it is; I'm not about to add to it. I think I already killed one, but maybe could be saved will better thermal paste application (I think I suck at that with any processor that isn't single core.

The PS2 generally doesn't have that issue. Runs cool enough and works, just has disc drive issues, which is why I love the mod options to circumvent it.

Anyways, finding a PS3 that can be easily soft modded is difficult. My one that is for select PS3 backups exclusively (maybe the occasional arcade port, like Red Earth).

So you're on your own with that, but I do understand the excitement, as I was there with my 1st PS3 before I had to retire it.

Been distracted and busy as of late, but I will get back to PS1 testing soon.
Duke Nukem total meltdown plays fine so far on HDD, by the way (must use patch #7).

[Jagosaurus]

Great tip man! I didn't know the overheating issues. I've never owned a PS3. I did benefit from my college roommate having one (wow... that was a long generation ).

I do worry about my oXbox overheating running emus, even after install the larger fan and cutting down the RF shield.

Wanted to put the info in this thread so any one reading through this knows there are options for digital PS1 and PS2 games on the PS3. If I come across a compatible model at a pawn shop, I might have to give it a try.

Yeah... real life has been nuts lately so I haven't done any PS1 POPS testing. Nice! I'l edit OP POPS stats for Duke Nukem TM. Up to 78.26% compatible between our games tested (18 of 23).

[nightrnr]

Well, it may be more a problem with Phat PS3's than the slims,... but I'm not taking any chances.
The problems with PS3 and Xbox360 both is that if it has an overheating problem, it is likely to cook off the solder on the gpu and/or cpu.
Or something like that. Really annoying and I have never trusted that generation entirely. Not an easy fix for the systems affected.

It doesn't help that I live in a pretty warm climate. PS3 might be a winter only system for me (so see you next year

oXbox can run hot, true, but I've yet to fry one, not counting a system that decided a cap was a firecracker and charred the motherboard.