Closing in on a large release, and it's been a fair test of the GameID system, FamitsuDC's "
Visual Memory Data Issue" or "
VM Data-shuu" The included GD-ROM featured saves from 173 games from the Japanese library.
Outline:
GameID is flawed due to it's reliance on on-disc software data that was not always represented. It is my opinion GameID is useful for GD-ROM and M.O.D.E. users, and worth paying attention to these lessons learned if developing any memory management system, be it external hardware, emulator, or other MAPLE BUS mod. Of course the ProductID system for GDEMU+OpenMenu does not suffer these problems.
While setting up the library for this dump, I'm surprised GameID functions as well as it can. It's certainly worthwhile as other less-than-hundred-percent accessories such as the 4X memory card or VGA adapter.
Special notice:
The magazine has this to say about 4X compatibility:
■VM data not compatible with Memory Card 4x:
Kita e. White Illumination
Dynamite Deka 2
AIRFORCE DELTA
F1 WORLD GRAND PRIX for Dreamcast
CARRIER
SPAWN In The Demon's Hand
■Titles where switching banks during the game makes it impossible to save, load, or recognize memory cards:
Sega Rally 2
Shenmue I Yokosuka
ZOMBIE REVENGE
Totsugeki! Teketeke!! Toy Ranger
GET!! Colonies
Memories Off Complete
Hello Kitty no Waku Waku Cookies
SUPER RUNABOUT
CONFIDENTIAL MISSION
For me, Sega Rally 2 displays an error message on the VM screen when attempting to load.
Recommendation #1
Multi-region games with the same name share folders. Multi-region games with different names should behave similarly. To name a few:
- Aero Dancing F >>> AeroWings 2
- Bakumatsu Rouman Dai Ni Maku Gekka no Kenshi Final Edition >>> The Last Blade 2
- BIOHAZARD >>> Resident Evil franchise
- Choukou Senki KIKAIOH >>> Tech Romancer
- Climax Landers >>> TimeStalkers
- Dynamite Deka 2 >>> Dynamite Cop!
- Fish Eyes | Wild >>> Reel Fishing | Wild
- Get Bass >>> Sega Bass Fishing
- Gunspike >>> Cannon Spike
- Moero! Justice Gakuen >>> Project Justice (Rival Schools 2: Project Justice)
- Power Smash >>> Virtua Tennis
- Power Smash 2 >>> Virtua Tennis 2 (Virtua Tennis 2K2)
- Redline Racer >>> Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing
- Super Magnetic NiuNiu >>> Super Magnetic Neo
- Star Gladiator 2: Nightmare of Bilstein >>> Plasma Sword 2
- Shutoukou Battle >>> Tokyo Extreme Racer
- Shutoukou Battle 2 >>> Tokyo Extreme Racer 2
Benefit would be to reduce the GID index count, particularly when scrolling. The biggest problem I see with this proposal is user confusion with region-specific saves... but that's a user/software issue and also a problem for the original VMU.
Request #2: More review
"Compatible" titles that fail detection for me:
- Dynamite Deka 2
- Imperial no Taka
- PuyoPuyo~n (PuyoPuyo4)
- Shin Nihon Pro Wrestling Toukon Retsuden 4
Unlisted titles:
- Dejiko no Maibura
- Doguu Senki -Haou-
- Dreamstudio
- Grauen no Torikago kapitel 1 ~ 6
- Happy Lesson - First Lesson
- o.to.i.re dreamcast sequencer
Observation #3
Several unrelated games share GID index. I suspect there may be a technical reason resulting in this behavior. I wouldn't mind a double-check on these titles:
- GID002 - Power Jet Racing 2001 (Surf Rocket Racers)
- GID002 - Aero Dancing featuring Blue Impulse (AeroWings)
- GID002 - Aero Dancing Todoroki Taichou no Himitsu Disc
- GID238 - Aero Dancing F (AeroWings 2)
- GID002 - Aero Dancing F ~Todoroki Tsubasa no Hatsu Hikou~
- GID002 - Aero Dancing i
- GID002 - Aero Dancing i Jikai Saku Made Matemasen
- GID004 - AIRFORCE DELTA
- GID004 - Pop'n Music 2
- GID289 - Es
- GID289 - LAKE MASTERS PRO Dreamcast plus!
- GID258 - Bokuto Bokurano Natsu
- GID258 - Memories Off Second
- GID258 - Yume no Tsubasa
CRI appears to be the worst offender here. For capacity, all 7 titles here can share a VM, but the
Aero Dancing games can save replays, and that would be better utilized in a one-VM-per-title setup. Each
Aero Dancing titles has a unique save, and the final disc provides save data for the previous five entries.
Another note
Aero Dancing i Jikai Saku Made Matemasen can access some of the unlocked aircraft from
Aero Dancing i. Maybe the best would be 3 IDs for the three main titles, combined with their respective special discs.
I wouldn't mind review on the other titles listed.
Recommendation #4
Some games would benefit from sharing a VM, and therefore share GameID. I propose merging these GID indexes to take advantage of specific usage scenarios.
- Marionette Handler 2 - If a Marionette Handler (1) save is present, an extra unit (a rabbit called "White Hopper") is available. Also you can view tournament and win data from MH1
- Shinseiki Evangelion: Typing Hokan Keikaku - If a Typing E-Project save is present an extra scenario (5.5) becomes available.
