forums.ps2dev.org

damarsman · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 4

hi...im working on a translation of dragon quest 5 for ps2. in order to get the compression figured out i need a file uncompressed. is there a way for me to use ps2link or another tools to dump the vram of the game while im playing?

Guest · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 4:30 pm Post subject:

Well, if you are trying to capture vid from a commercial game, there is nothing here that can help you. There is no way for ps2link to be running (or any other dev programs) while a game is playing. Theoretically its possible given that cheat utilities exist, but there is nothing in the dev world.

I recommend searching these forums for past threads on video capture via your PS2's video cable. There is much good information on that.

Or use a digital camera. ;)

pixel · Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 791

Well, several remarks about that. (and it seems gorim didn't really got the point :P )

First, I would say this isn't the right place to talk about that :) It's been a while that I am lurking in the "translation" community, and one of the best place to start with is around http://www.romhacking.com/

Now, about your enquiry, there are several ways to achieve such a thing. I haven't tried directly, but you can change the main code of the game to disable the IOP reset and maybe change the module loading stuff so that ps2link will still work afterward. Well, that is maybe a starting point. But except if the compression is really wicked, everytime I figured out a compression, it was without the uncompressed stream: plain LZSS algorithms (which are often used) use always the same methods, so, guessing out the window's size and thus, the markers and pointers is usually possible straight. You can also try disassembling...
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pixel: A mischievous magical spirit associated with screen displays. The computer industry has frequently borrowed from mythology. Witness the sprites in computer graphics, the demons in artificial intelligence and the trolls in the marketing department.

Guest · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 6:08 pm Post subject:

damarsman · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 4

thanks a lot for the advice. i know a lot about romhacking already and the only thing i need the compression figured out. in the upper post i said i needed the vram. i made a mistake because an uncompressed file would not be in vram but in the ram itself. if anyone who has crack compression algorithims wants to help me your name will be added the the help list when the patch is released and you will be given much credit.

get the files on my site.

www.angelfire.com/ultra/games31

ooPo · Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2004 7:37 am Post subject:

Please tell me you didn't just point people to get copyrighted files from your website?

damarsman · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 4

those are the compression tools i was using to figure out the compression. like source code for the decompressor. i also have a log of what byuu had to say about the file format.

ooPo · Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 2:20 am Post subject:

Good stuff. Here's a cookie. :)

damarsman · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 4

yah...apparently if you read what my friend byuu had to say about the compression, its not your typical LZSS scheme.

MrHTFord · Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Posts: 35 Location: England

Hey,

This sort of thing isn't what ps2dev is about. You'll probably not get much help from us, if you hadn't guessed that already.

Sorry.

pixel · Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 791