(Bug?) Merged BIN files do not work, same games unmerged do

kftX commented 1 year ago

After some testing, I seem to have stumbled upon an issue/bug where, if you use merged bin files to step over the 27 track limitation of the core, the games get stuck in "Just a moment" and never load. I'll try to break it down in steps:

Using an original, redump CRC verified dump of the game Sailor Moon works fine;
When I applied the EN translation patch to it, it merged the the 24 BIN files into 1 BIN file and put that on the Pocket, game got stuck in the "Just a moment" endless load.
Used BINMerge to unmerge the translated game back into 24 BIN files, and put that on the Pocket, game works - with translation patch 👌
I can confirm the same happens with Cosmic Fantasy 2, though I can't test if it boots unmerged since it goes well past the BIN file limit.

Is this an expected issue or...? Because some games like Cosmic Fantasy 2 have 90 something BIN files, which would make them hard to play unmerged.

YLFAndy commented 1 year ago

There's definitely an issue with merged bins. It seems like there's a minor offset. I'm getting part of the data track at the beginning of Castlevania with a merge, but not with split bins.

Tested the same merged bins I've had problems with on MiSTer and they load fine and I have no audio issues.

lhathcock commented 1 year ago

Can confirm issues with merged BINs. I converted quite a few using Daemon Tools/ImgBurn, and most just kick to the CD player. Or don't boot at all. I also noted Dracula X having desynced audio, catching the start of the next track at the end of the current one (i.e. the intro playing a bit of another track at the end).

neutralinsomniac commented 1 year ago

I also noted Dracula X having desynced audio, catching the start of the next track at the end of the current one (i.e. the intro playing a bit of another track at the end).

Just as a data point, I get this audio desync issue whether I use the merged or unmerged bin.

kftX commented 1 year ago

I've used binmerge on Ane-San and it's working fine?

The same happened to me after unCHD'ing Ane-San. Merged BIN file did not work, unmerging fixed it.

I can confirm my Ane-san is indeed merged! I was sure I had to unmerge it to get it to work. To be fair I'd been tinkering with this core for hours and it was late so my brain probably short circuited. I'll remove that part from OP.

I also noted Dracula X having desynced audio, catching the start of the next track at the end of the current one (i.e. the intro playing a bit of another track at the end).

Just as a data point, I get this audio desync issue whether I use the merged or unmerged bin.

Just tried Rondo a little bit ago and can confirm the desync when using merged or unmerged as well.

Ghettoblaster81 commented 1 year ago

I've used binmerge on Ane-San and it's working fine?

The same happened to me after unCHD'ing Ane-San. Merged BIN file did not work, unmerging fixed it.

I can confirm my Ane-san is indeed merged! I was sure I had to unmerge it to get it to work. To be fair I'd been tinkering with this core for hours and it was late so my brain probably short circuited. I'll remove that part from OP.

I also noted Dracula X having desynced audio, catching the start of the next track at the end of the current one (i.e. the intro playing a bit of another track at the end).

Just as a data point, I get this audio desync issue whether I use the merged or unmerged bin.

Just tried Rondo a little bit ago and can confirm the desync when using merged or unmerged as well.

Sorry i removed my post because i thought all my merged bin games worked fine (like Ane-San), but trying out a few more i have some that also don't get past the "just a moment..." screen. It's very random though.

kftX commented 1 year ago

I've used binmerge on Ane-San and it's working fine?

The same happened to me after unCHD'ing Ane-San. Merged BIN file did not work, unmerging fixed it.

I can confirm my Ane-san is indeed merged! I was sure I had to unmerge it to get it to work. To be fair I'd been tinkering with this core for hours and it was late so my brain probably short circuited. I'll remove that part from OP.

I also noted Dracula X having desynced audio, catching the start of the next track at the end of the current one (i.e. the intro playing a bit of another track at the end).

Just as a data point, I get this audio desync issue whether I use the merged or unmerged bin.

Just tried Rondo a little bit ago and can confirm the desync when using merged or unmerged as well.

Sorry i removed my post because i thought all my merged bin games worked fine (like Ane-San), but trying out a few more i have some that also don't get past the "just a moment..." screen. It's very random though.

No need to apologise! In that specific case you were not wrong. But as you said, there seems to be no pattern as to what will work and what won't.

Ghettoblaster81 commented 1 year ago

Just wanted to point out that i also tried CDmage (besides binmerge) with problematic games and the issue still persists, so it's not just binmerge that causes this.

Update: also tried cdfix and the problem persists.

If it helps troubleshooting, games like Bakushou Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (30 bins) and Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross 2036 (35 bins) wont get past the "just a moment..." screen.

Elrinth commented 1 year ago

I can confirm... The translated Rondo 1.01 which you can find online has audio repeat problems... when audio is supposed to end, it starts playing the track: Castlevania Rondo of Blood Music - Opus 13 (Stage 5b) for a short bit. Like after the intro that tracks plays for alittle bit, then you get to the "Name Entry" screen where there is the "KEEEEESSSO" song :) Once the keeso song ends, it starts playing that Opus 13 song just alittle bit before repeating the keeeso song.

My sd card is a SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I U3 V30 A2 200MB/s read 140MB/s write 1TB.

On RetroArch emulator by Beetle it does not have any audio issues. So this is some kind of problem on the core with repeating audio.

Here I uploaded a clip so you can hear the problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hcodFhdgUk

lhathcock commented 1 year ago

Will add Spriggan Mark 2, seems to run fine (as long as booted with Japanese syscard) until the audio goes really wonky halfway through the first stage when dialogue starts - pretty sure it's catching part of a data track.

For anyone wondering about Rondo of Blood, I'm using the unmerged "Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo (Japan)(FABT, FACT).zip" file and it seems to be correct on the intro and stages from the bit I've played.

Mazamars312 commented 1 year ago

I can confirm... The translated Rondo 1.01 which you can find online has audio repeat problems... when audio is supposed to end, it starts playing the track: Castlevania Rondo of Blood Music - Opus 13 (Stage 5b) for a short bit. Like after the intro that tracks plays for alittle bit, then you get to the "Name Entry" screen where there is the "KEEEEESSSO" song :) Once the keeso song ends, it starts playing that Opus 13 song just alittle bit before repeating the keeeso song.

My sd card is a SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I U3 V30 A2 200MB/s read 140MB/s write 1TB.

On RetroArch emulator by Beetle it does not have any audio issues. So this is some kind of problem on the core with repeating audio.

Here I uploaded a clip so you can hear the problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hcodFhdgUk

I think this was part of the audio delay I had. with verion 0.1.7 can you please check this now?

Mazamars312 commented 1 year ago

As to the single bin file issue. I have tried a lot of them but I cannot emulate this. However the data coming into the audio side. I have changed how the audio delays are done and you can also change them to see if this hekps. I would like to know the best posible number for this

Ghettoblaster81 commented 1 year ago

I've tried 0.17 and tinkered with the audio timer (tried very low and very high numbers). Unfortunately it didn't solve the problem of being stuck at the "just a moment..." loading screen.

Let me know if you need any of the problematic bins, would be happy to send over.

update: i'm testing every game from the Champion Collection (i'm halfway) and so far only 2 games have this issue, so maybe the stuck "just a moment..." screen is not the result of the merged bins. I'll report back once i tested them all.

Ghettoblaster81 commented 1 year ago

Ok so i’ve tested every single game from the updated “champion collection”. I only checked to see if they would boot, so i can’t tell anything about audio issues.

These are the problematic games:

Bakushou Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (JP)

stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged and unmerged.

Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross 2036 (JP)

stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged, works unmerged.

Cosmic Fantasy 2 (NA - Un-Worked Design Patch, Rev 0)

boots into first screen and then quickly into black screen. Could only test a merged bin.

Flash Hiders (JP)

boots into black screen when merged and unmerged. I've made a rip of my own copy with TurboRip, but results in the same issue.

L-Dis (JP)

stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged, works unmerged.

Prince Of Persia (NA)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

ROM ROM Stadium (JP)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

Shadow Of The Beast (NA)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

Super Air Zonk - Rockabilly-Paradise (NA)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

Ys IV - The Dawn of Ys (English Translation and Dub, Rev 1.1)

boots into CD player. Could only test a merged bin.

Overall it's just a small percentage of games that don't work, but i hope this helps troubleshooting the issue.

StephanKuwabara commented 1 year ago

Ok so i’ve tested every single game from the updated “champion collection”. I only checked to see if they would boot, so i can’t tell anything about audio issues.

These are the problematic games:

Bakushou Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (JP)

stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged and unmerged.

Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross 2036 (JP)

stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged, works unmerged.

Cosmic Fantasy 2 (NA - Un-Worked Design Patch, Rev 0)

boots into first screen and then quickly into black screen. Could only test a merged bin.

Flash Hiders (JP)

boots into black screen when merged and unmerged. I've made a rip of my own copy with TurboRip, but results in the same issue.

L-Dis (JP)

stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged, works unmerged.

Prince Of Persia (NA)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

ROM ROM Stadium (JP)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

Shadow Of The Beast (NA)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

Super Air Zonk - Rockabilly-Paradise (NA)

boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.

Ys IV - The Dawn of Ys (English Translation and Dub, Rev 1.1)

boots into CD player. Could only test a merged bin.

Overall it's just a small percentage of games that don't work, but i hope this helps troubleshooting the issue.

I've noticed that Ys 1 & 2 from that set has a problem as well, where the redbook audio tracks don't repeat, they just continue to the next track.

axfelix commented 1 year ago

I think this is what's happening with my single .cue/.bin Rondo, it hangs on "Just a moment"

Elrinth commented 1 year ago

@Ghettoblaster81 "

Ys IV - The Dawn of Ys (English Translation and Dub, Rev 1.1)

boots into CD player. Could only test a merged bin.

Overall it's just a small percentage of games that don't work, but i hope this helps troubleshooting the issue. "

ys 4 translated works just fine. as seen in proof in the video I provide here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtUbZ2txpI No idea what the champion collection is... but I just used the one on "archive".

Regarding "CD Denjin - Rockabilly Tengoku (Japan)". It will just lock on "JUST A MOMENT..." when you press start. But in emulator the game works fine...

Ghettoblaster81 commented 1 year ago

ys 4 translated works just fine. as seen in proof in the video I provide here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtUbZ2txpI No idea what the champion collection is... but I just used the one on "archive".

Regarding "CD Denjin - Rockabilly Tengoku (Japan)". It will just lock on "JUST A MOMENT..." when you press start. But in emulator the game works fine...

Then i probably i have a bad image from Ys 4, i'll try another one. I think it's the same issue for Cosmic Fantasy 2, probably a bad patch. The Champion Collection is also on archive.

All the games that lock on "just a moment" or boot into a black screen is a different issue. At least, that's my guess. If you get any of those working (merged), please post it here to prove me wrong. :)

UPDATE: Cosmic Fantasy 2 (NA) does work unmerged, but not merged. Goes to black screen after quickly showing the intro screen. So it's not a bad patch/image.

Tried another Flash Hiders image (besides the initial one and my own CD rip) and it has the same problem, merged or unmerged.

TimeWarpGamer commented 1 year ago

Ok so i’ve tested every single game from the updated “champion collection”. I only checked to see if they would boot, so i can’t tell anything about audio issues.

These are the problematic games:

Bakushou Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (JP)
* stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged _and_ unmerged.
Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross 2036 (JP)
* stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged, works unmerged.
Cosmic Fantasy 2 (NA - Un-Worked Design Patch, Rev 0)
* boots into first screen and then quickly into black screen. Could only test a merged bin.
Flash Hiders (JP)
* boots into black screen when merged and unmerged. I've made a rip of my own copy with TurboRip, but results in the same issue.
L-Dis (JP)
* stuck at “just a moment” screen when merged, works unmerged.
Prince Of Persia (NA)
* boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.
ROM ROM Stadium (JP)
* boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.
Shadow Of The Beast (NA)
* boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.
Super Air Zonk - Rockabilly-Paradise (NA)
* boots into black screen when merged, works unmerged.
Ys IV - The Dawn of Ys (English Translation and Dub, Rev 1.1)
* boots into CD player. Could only test a merged bin.
Overall it's just a small percentage of games that don't work, but i hope this helps troubleshooting the issue.

How did you get the following to run when it appears that they HAVE to be merged, given the number of bin files?

Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross 2036 (JP)
L-Dis (JP)

Thanks in advance :-)

Ghettoblaster81 commented 1 year ago

How did you get the following to run when it appears that they HAVE to be merged, given the number of bin files?

Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross 2036 (JP)

L-Dis (JP)

Thanks in advance :-)

From what i remember i just used the unmerged versions, even if they have many bin files (48 and 35 files).

shizzmoney commented 9 months ago

I got Ys IV to work, getting past the audio CD player screen, by editing the cue file of the patched bin/cue I got from a repo; I had to delete:

a line of space as well as the line "REM SESSION 01 (*)"

Notepad++ also had this line in red, which usually indicates it found a syntax error (as anyone who has dealt with retropie cfg files can attest to).

Both my patched Ys IV bin/cue and my Dracula X one use MODE1/2352 cues

I am going to play the game to see how the audio shakes out but it is running for me no issues after this.

@Ghettoblaster81 "

Ys IV - The Dawn of Ys (English Translation and Dub, Rev 1.1)

boots into CD player. Could only test a merged bin.

Overall it's just a small percentage of games that don't work, but i hope this helps troubleshooting the issue. "

ys 4 translated works just fine. as seen in proof in the video I provide here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtUbZ2txpI No idea what the champion collection is... but I just used the one on "archive".

Regarding "CD Denjin - Rockabilly Tengoku (Japan)". It will just lock on "JUST A MOMENT..." when you press start. But in emulator the game works fine...

Mazamars312 / openfpga-pcengine-cd

(Bug?) Merged BIN files do not work, same games unmerged do #16