Play ROMs directly off the SD card

[fosi]

Here is how I've been able to play ROMs directly off the SD card.

1. Find an IPS ROM-patching program that can create patches. I used SamIPS2. Mac users can run this in Wine.
2. Click "Make IPS" tab
3. For current file, find the game ROM you would like to play on your Retron, like Sonic and Knuckles + Sonic 3.
4. For original file, put the ROM of a game you own. So basically, find the title of a game you have lying around, like Shaq-Fu. Find a ROM that matches that title, put it here.
5. Under "IPS file," you can name something whatever you want here, just use the .ips extension. For instance, Sonic-Knuckles-Sonic-3.ips.
6. Click "Create Patch."
7. You now have an IPS patch file. Load it onto your SD card, place the aforementioned game you had lying around into your cartridge slot and select that patch from your SD card.
8. Start the game. You'll be playing Sonic and Knuckles + Sonic 3, but Shaq-Fu will be in your cart slot. Not too shabby.


Note: You need "Patch expects header" selected for SNES;
Sega, GBA, GB, GBC have all been tested and don't need Patch expects header selected. Downloading some NES ROMs now to check that part out, but I'm assuming NES/Fami/SMS will work the same as the other systems.

[R9delta]

In my opinion, although it's a little more work, I think it's a better in the long run to just remove the SFC/SNES rom's header before making the patch. The problem with keeping the header on is that even though the Retron 5's got the option to simulate applying to a headered rom it doesn't always play nice. This coupled with the fact that as far as SFC/SNES roms out there go...not all of them are dumped/uploaded with the header.

Here is a good tool to use for removing headers:
http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/593/

Anyway again just my opinion.

Also I haven't tested this but....for GBA games, a lot of them are uploaded with trashy intros from warez groups on them. I don't know if that'll cause problems when making patches (perhaps you've got some input since you've been testing them) but It might be worth looking into downloading a program that will remove them.

[Zeldatreasury]

Genius

[1pil]

EDIT33---lol I FINALLY was able to figure it out. Turns out I had to use "sfc" file extension of snes games in order for it to work. And I saw a video of how it was done too which semi helped. Also the "header expeded" for me does not need to be enabled. Also I found out I wasn't on 2.0 Beta, and so now I am. Apparently I was suppose to be. Which you never explained. So at first nothing worked, had black screens. Now I got it working great every time. The down side to this though, the system thinks your still playing the cartridge when you really are not. Which means you can't use codes for the "ips game" selected....that is a big downside for me since I am a code user. But nonetheless it still is working and that is amazing. You don't even know how epic this is.

[R9delta]

I haven't tried it myself yet but this should be of some serious interest to people that are interested in playing roms but don't like the method of having to write a patch for a specific cartridge and that cartridge only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zSivt5pJ4k

The program in this video will take a rom (or multiple roms) and create a patch to play it that you can apply to ANY cartridge as long as it's for the same system. It works by creating a blank rom (meaning all the data from the rom you want to play will be written to the patch and not just the changes between one game and another) before making the patch ensuring that it will work with anything. Pretty damn awesome of whoever made this tool.

Here's the link for the program that's also contained in the video as well:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/kwfhz ... atorv2.zip

EDIT: Seems like some SNES roms might have some issues with this. I've tested a handful and some require to have the "expects header" setting on and some are expected to be turned off. I looked into this and most of the roms I used with this IPS creator do have a header as is, and even with all the ones that had headers there were some that worked with one option but not the other so im not seeing the connection on whats causing this. I've had a few that won't work at all even. I would imagine this tool would work better for NES and Genesis roms though.

[1pil]

Too confusing. There is a Bin2retron app which I have no explanation for. Nothing explains what it does. I also selected create patch and all that did was make me select 2 roms just like the OLD method. Which means there is nothing new about this because it wants two seperate roms just like before in order to make a ips patch. I don't see a difference at all to it. Unless I just do the "blank" method....lol which makes a hell of a lot more sense

Also the person doesn't explain the blank method entirely....what file extension do I use for the blank txt file??? the same as the rom??? So I name it "blank.sfc" ????


....I just tried the blank method...it errored and said the input was larger than output...so the ips was 1kb so in other words it doesn't work. Unless I was suppose to select the blank last....???


EDIT3--nope that doesn't work either. Wow...so I don't know what this is about but the whole "blank" thing does nothing.

[R9delta]

You do not create a blank file or use the regular patch program that comes with it. The guy was just explaining what it does in the background and how it works. Open the bin2retron program...open the rom you want to patch TO and click convert. In the same directory your patch will show up. You apply it to any cartride you want (as long as its the same system). The program has issues with snes games but other than that thats it.

[1pil]

You do not create a blank file or use the regular patch program that comes with it. The guy was just explaining what it does in the background and how it works. Open the bin2retron program...open the rom you want to patch TO and click convert. In the same directory your patch will show up. You apply it to any cartride you want (as long as its the same system). The program has issues with snes games but other than that thats it.

Actually I got it working. I didn't even use bin2retron. I just used flips.exe and selected the "blank.txt" first then selected the rom I want to play. And it works. Done deal. Only game I was not able to make into an ips is Chain Of Memories for gba...the game is 32mb. Which is too big apparently....

[R9delta]

Correct. I think anything above 16MB is going to be a no go when it comes to the IPS format. Thats where BPS patches come into play which the program doesnt support.

[1pil]

Does bps patches work? Because I just used "beat" which is a bps patcher. And I just patched Chain Of Memories with it and it worked. With no error. But I don't know if bps patches work or not on the system. Also I read about Beat and it even has a directory patcher....I could put a entire folder of roms into 1 bps file? LOL that would be insane.
Too bad it doesn't have a UI to go with it to select which game to play in such a case like that. Interesting to think about though....