Dreamcast Guides : Shoometsu Script W/ CDDA Support

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Dreamcast

· 5 years ago

Shoometsu's SelfBoot Batch Script - VERSION 1.0.0 (02/13/2008)

PRESENTATION

I created this script driven by personal needs, inspired by "Peter's SelfBoot Script", which I found in my travels through the underworld network. The script that I developed has the same ultimate goal of Peter's SelfBoot Batch Script, but by different methods, with some extra options and advantages, as you'll see the list below:

Creates images. Or MDS. CDI, rather than burn the CD directly;
Do not game-SelfBoot SelfBoot;
Redo SelfBoot games that have already SelfBoot (useful for hacks / translations);
It SelfBoot even files originally extracted from GD-ROMs, ie, not yet in no way hacked (RAW dumps), removing most of the protections that the games have originally. I confess that this last option was the reason for developing this script, but then I saw that would serve for the remaining games, so I decided to gather all in one.

It has three options for creating images. They are the tools used for creating CDI4DC MDS4DC and the same:

MDS with CDDA (to record with Alcohol120%);
MDS without CDDA (to record with Alcohol120%);
Without CDDA CDI (DiscJuggler to write with);

Note: CDDA stands for "CD Digital Audio," ie, audio tracks, like the ones you hear in your music CD-ROMs. Although few, some games use them in the game itself, as also happens with some games for Sega Saturn and PSX.

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE USE OF THIS SCRIPT IN RELATION TO METHODS "CONVENTIONAL"

Generates images MDS (Alcohol120%), which can even include CDDAs chosen by the user quantity and the order in which the same report to them;
The CDI generated image is read perfectly in the current virtual drives, where the old bin2boot generates an ICD in an older format, the virtual drive current software does not recognize correctly;
You can test the generated image BEFORE recording. So if you have done something wrong, you have the chance to confirm at some emulator before recording (and losing) the media. Recommend or Makaron nullDC for such tests;
How SelfBoot remakes of games that already have, is ideal for those who need to modify the games and can, moreover, directly test in emulators, saving time and money burning CDs;
Allows you to specify the order in which files are written to the CD, which is compulsory for those who do dummy and / or want the console to make less noise when running games;
Simplified procedure for those who do not have practice with SelfBoot. In most cases, simply use the default options, following the directions on the screen

HOW TO USE

After you download the file, unzip to any folder;
Copy all files to game folder \ data and audio tracks to the \ audio;
Run the file "Shoometsu's SelfBoot Script.exe Batch" and enter the data AS GUIDELINES ON THE SCREEN.

To confirm that the process worked, simply mount the image on a virtual drive and try to start any game on nullDC, Makaron, or Chankast Demul. If you start, everything went right. Just write.

GAMES THAT USE WINDOWS CE

Currently there is still no emulator that runs these games satisfactorily, even with this script and the game will crash. To prove the selfBoot worked, I indicate that the use nullDC, and the messages that accompany the console window. If it stops something with "... invalidating TLB *" it will have been converted successfully:

IMPORTANT AS CDDAs

The files must be in. RAW (NOT. WAV), must be copied to the \ audio, and while recording the track order is organized alphabetically according to the file names. If you choose to MANUALLY specify which files to use, the order in which tracks will be recorded will depend on the order in which you inform them at the time such information is requested. In the latter case, note that the names of audio files MUST NOT CONTAIN SPACES AND / OR SPECIAL CHARACTERS. I suggest the format trackxx.raw where "xx" is the track number (eg track04.raw, track05.raw, ...), even to avoid further confusion.

Practical example: suppose you have the files "track01.raw" and "track02.raw" in the \ audio and want to use them as audio tracks. The screen will show the following script:

 track01.raw 
 track01.raw

By the time it is requested, you must report EVERY file preceded by the prefix "audio \". Example, where "track01.raw" and track02.raw "will be the first and second audio tracks from the CD, respectively:

 audio \ audio track01.raw \ track02.raw

If you need to extract these tracks on the CD, I recommend using IsoBuster. Just the CD is mounted on virtual drive or inserted into the real;
If you need to convert files. To WAV. RAW, a good way to do this is create an image. With CUE files. WAV that will use and in the order they are written, mounting a virtual drive and extract them with IsoBuster format. RAW, scoring options as the photo below:

In both cases, then you should select all the tracks you will use in the right window. Click on each audio track with the right mouse button and choose "Extract RAW data (2352 bytes / block)." Note that the extracted files have the extension. BIN, and need to be renamed to. RAW before they are copied to the \ audio.

NOTE ON THE SPECIFICATION OF THE ORDER IN WHICH THE FILES WILL BE RECORDED

The files on the GD-ROM are lifted in an order that is considered the "best for reading in order to extend the life of the player moving it as little as possible, which also greatly reduces the noise loud and annoying ( I think the DC console that leaves more to be desired on this point) that the player makes the move, making the game run as quietly as possible. Therefore, it would be great to keep this order to generate the image recording, do not you agree?

In this case, mkisofs, used to generate the data track of the game allows this order is specified from a text file that follows the format of sort of cdrecord, and the script is ready to use this file, if any . Just that he is nominated for "sort.txt," and the script will automatically recognize and use. Note that if a file is missing in this list text file (a file that is in the \ date, but not in the sort.txt), the order will not be followed, and no use having that sort.txt. Therefore, make sure that ALL files contained in the folder \ data WILL listed in this file.

If you are keeping the original order of files as was on the CD / GD-ROM previous / original / "original", you must create an sort.txt with the necessary information, and to this, you must mount the image on your virtual drive, or put in the CD-ROM drive, if that is already recorded, and open IsoBuster. In the right menu, which should contain "Session 1" and "Session 2", go to expanding the tree until you open an item with the volume name of the game (eg "Rez", "Echelon", etc..) And that is to your left, a red icon labeled "ISO". Click on it with the right mouse button and browse through the following options in order:

Directory tree and file information;
Copy the file structure information;
LBA, relative path.

Specify the location where you saved that file is automatically named "FileList.txt." Note that this file is not in the required format, and still need to do a conversion. FileList.txt Move the file to the \ extra_tools the script and run the progam "makesort.exe" that will convert it to the format you need and save it as "sorttxt.txt." Another important thing to remember is that sorttxt.txt will automatically have an entry on your end regarding the dummy file, named "0.0". So if you use some dummy file, rename it to that name, or delete this entry sort.txt end of the file, if no go use any dummy file. That done, just rename the sorttxt.txt to sort.txt and put it in the same folder where the script (which would be a level above the folder structure), the script will recognize it and automatically use. To confirm that the order of files was then the image, mount the image SelfBoot ready now and again in virtual drive with Isobuster browse the CD and choose the couna "LBA" which files are displayed in ascending / descending order of allocation. The higher the LBA, closer to the edge of the CD the file will be allocated:

IMPORTANT FILES ON DUMMY

Extra_tools folder is a file named "Criar_dummy.bat" used for this purpose, and also a basic tutorial that teaches you to calculate the file size dummy to be used. Note that not help to use a dummy file without using the technique of sort mentioned in the previous section, because the dummy file has to be physically allocated the most "inside" the CD as possible, to push the allocation of the game files over to the edge CD. If the sort is not used, the physical order of allocation is done in a kind of random, which may force more to the reader, forcing him to do more "back and forth" to load the game data.

TO BE IMPLEMENTED

Improving SelfBoot: there are one or another game that still needs one or the other gambiware beyond what the script is doing. Few, but some error may still happen, but it worked without problems for more than 90% of the games we've tested;
Interface better: when master each step of which is necessary for SelfBoot, I develop an application (with its own code, or not worth XD) to do whatever is necessary, and without relying on DOS batch script, which, incidentally, is very poor. It will also be something more friendly for those who do not know anything about SelfBoot. For now, those who do not know anything, and are experiencing difficulties, have to study (and get) a little. Believe me, I was not born knowing how to make it, and I lost MANY CDs up to dominate a bit of the process
Calculate and add dummy to the game automatically, creating the image files in order with the most correct, or following the original order of the GD-ROM, when this information is available, what the reader will use the best possible way. Currently, I can do it manually (and there is a tool for that folder extra_tools to such), but not yet developed a method to do this and could be integrated into the script, as I have done. Is it something that I also have to develop an application to the part to be integrated to that with improved interface;
Direct recording on CD, as in SelfBoot original method, developed by the Echelon. This was a request from one of betatesters that once my laziness permits, will be implemented.

THANKS (in no particular order):

DrasgonDigger, fabiofcouto Guiile and for being "betatesters" script, talking about games where I had problems, giving suggestions and pointing out flaws;
ECHELON, for developing this method the original SelfBoot;
[Big_fury] SiZiOUS for creating the MDS4DC and CDI4DC. Without these tools I would not ride it all;
To developers of other tools that use the script. I found them in my travels across the network, and unfortunately do not know who to give credit in most cases;
At all other people I may have forgotten, but which should have roasted the patience, asking about SelfBoot.