PSX saves... original disk vs backup copy difference?

[Bassgrabber]

After I started playing Suikoden on PSX I acquired a modded system that would allow me to use backups, and therefore protect my original disks.

I made, and started using, my backup.

Still at the beginning of the game, I decided to go to the next town over and do the money game thing again.

rut ro... the pattern was different!

All other save info that I could SEE appeared correct.

My question is this...

Will I still be able to import my save info to Suikoden II correctly?

I'm thinking that starting from the beginning is probably the better bet... but I had to ask, just 'cuz!

thanks!

[theshizzle3000]

Yeah using backups has its problems, but I would recommend starting from the beginning, because if something did happen later down the line of playing it would be more frustrating to have to start over then instead of now.

[Bassgrabber]

Well... the money making scheme with Marco in Rockland doesn't work with the mod (goldfinger device) I'm using the backup with. The pattern changes every time.

Going to waste another half-an-hour and see if it will work in the 4-wire box, as NOW I'm just plumb CURIOUS! :?

Will try it again when I put a 7-wire chip into another box...

[Bassgrabber]

I did this both with the "goldfinger" gizmo, and also the box with the 4-wire chip. Both "mods" showed the same result.

I put the original disk in and continued from save...

The pattern stayed the same when leaving and reentering the town. It still worked when I intentionally picked wrong, left town, and came back to play again. The pattern also remained the same when I saved at the Inn, left town, and then started playing again.

Soooo.... even without the newer 7-wire chip it looks like it's the backup causing the problem, NOT the MOD, as the money-making scheme worked perfectly the several times I tried to intentionally foil it when using the original disk.

Next time... do backups change or vary the outcome of multiple-ending games?

Nah... I guess I'll just play the originals and be very, very careful :mad:

[rbudrick]

Wow...I've never heard of a backup changing the outcome of a game over the original. Weird. You could use the backup, load your save, and then save the game again to a different card, then dump the save files to a PC with a Dexdrive or something and compare their contents. With a little hacking you may be able to figure out exactly what changed by looking at the save files.

-Rob

[ProgrammingAce]

Wait, what?

A backup is just that, an exact replica of the original. It should have no effect on the gameplay at all (assuming some pirate didn't screw with the files when he uploaded them). If you want to be sure the backup is legit, make an iso of both the backup and the original and compare their MD5 sums.

If you made the backups yourself, there's something going wrong with the procedure...

[Bassgrabber]

I made the backup myself, from the original. I used Sonic Record-It-Now to make an exact copy of the disk.

Aside from the money making scheme not working as I described earlier (are you familiar with it?) the backup and saves SEEM to be fine otherwise.

The backup plays just as well as the original. The save points and information on the game screen appear to be correct when continuing. I just don't trust what I can't see, and what there is some evidence of... corruption somewhere.

I don't want to take the chance on playing thru the whole game and finding out I can't import the save info, or that it's corrupted, for SuikodenII.

I'm not sure how to make an ISO file of the disks, unless I can use my DVD Shrink program for that... trying would be a start.

NO idea what their MD5 sums would be, nor how to find it.

I don't consider myself a hacker, as far as being able to crack stuff. I don't have the 'intel inside' <groan!!!> But, I do fine with directions, and simple tasks like soldering, and anything mechanically inclined, for the most part.

I'd be happy to give ISO and MD5 info a shot if someone wouldn't mind pointing me in the right direction...

Thanks!

[Zing]

I think the quick answer is that using a backup copy will cause no changes to gameplay or your save files. Any differences you see will likely be the fault of the mod/hack you have used to allow using a backup.

[ProgrammingAce]

Just for the record, sonic's burning software is god awful. I was screwing around with some saturn games, and it's "iso" was about 50 MB shy. Tried using it a couple of times to make PSX isos for the PSP and they wouldn't even boot.

I'd stick with nero or alcohol. Hell, even most of the free ones are better then sonic.

[Bassgrabber]

Well, Sonic was free, er.. bundled, anyway. Other than the one glitch I haven't had any other problems that I'm aware of.

Actually... a friend made me some DVD copies of a VHS I already own. It wouldn't play properly on my dvd player, PS2, or computer. It would freeze up more and more often the further along it played, on each unit.
So I REcopied each DVD into ISO format with another program, and then used Sonic to burn new disks from the ISO files. It worked like a charm, no problems.

I'll give the free copy of Nero I was told about a try and see if it solves the Suikoden glitch problem.

I know the PSX games have boot information that I'm not able to copy. No idea of file size, but I think 50MB would be rather large for them. No clue on the Saturn games.

Again... HOW can I check ISO size from disk to disk? I don't see it as an option with Sonic, and it doesn't show in "properties".

Thanks for any input already given, as well as any forthcoming!

[scorch56]

Certain copying software is considered the best for copying certain kinds of formats (based on my many years on Usenet and making and downloading images).

The best software for copying old PSX games is CDR-WIN.. hands down.. without cracks or physically altering the image.

The best software for Dreamcast was Padus DiscJuggler.

The best for copy-protected PC games was cloneCD.

Sega CDs and 3DO.. pretty much anything.

I'm not saying that other software doesn't work.. but these were the best and most trouble-free, low maintanence ones for any given format.. and making a TRUE 1:1 copy.

Back in the days when Plextor was considered the "cadillac" of writers (still are today IMHO) they themselves had a 1:1 software program that was included with every drive and for the most part.. could copy anything directly on-the-fly. But Plextor doesn't make games.

Frankly.. if I were trying to copy PSX originals.. Sony software is the LAST thing I would use.. and is probably WHY you're having problems.

[Bassgrabber]

Scorch56, thanks!

I guess I need to do research for a freeware of CDR-WIN, or not. I think I've pretty much just given up on the idea of using backups, tho. Would still be nice to (re)solve this, even if for curiousity's sake.

Also, I'm VERY glad to see that your auction went above your reserve! I hope it does even better!

[scorch56]

Scorch56, thanks!

I guess I need to do research for a freeware of CDR-WIN, or not. I think I've pretty much just given up on the idea of using backups, tho. Would still be nice to (re)solve this, even if for curiousity's sake.

Also, I'm VERY glad to see that your auction went above your reserve! I hope it does even better!

Quite frankly.. I haven't used CDR-Win for years (much less and CD writing software) on account of my "W*rez days" have long since been over. As far as i remember though the only limitation to a trial copy of CDR-Win was you were limited to a real slow write speed (something like 2X) until you registered it (Which is actually a good thing for making game copies if you have the patience.). We all used to get a lot of laughs over the way the developer (I don't remember his name except his first was Jeff.. of Golden Hawk Technologies) was CONSTANTLY tangling and tussling with the crack groups.. but they ALWAYS won in the end (They always do.).

What I remember about PSX in particular is that most of the settings in CDR-Win are kept at default as I recall.. but there are a few that need to be altered. There used to be an excellent tutorial on Game Copy World, don't know if it's there anymore or not.. GCW has had to tone down their content in the last couple of years.

Thanks for the well wishes too.

[Flack]

Wow...I've never heard of a backup changing the outcome of a game over the original.

Have you ever read up about Spyro 3 for the PSX? There were checksums throughout the game, and backups play differently than the original -- specifically, key items needed to complete the game disappear, making (unpatched) copies of the game impossible to beat.