20th June 2022, 3:56 PM
(This post was last modified: 20th June 2022, 6:22 PM by A Black Falcon.)
Quote:So, I need at least one game directly compatible with it in order to actually swap data in and out of my interface unit?First, the system's internal save file manager for the 2KB in your CD base unit (or Duo system) only allows you to delete files, it does not show file sizes. Some games have a file viewer which shows file sizes. Here's the list:
This page on my site has lots of TG16/PCE saving details: https://blackfalcongames.net/?p=190
From my page, these are the games which show you the internal memory file sizes:
U HuCard
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D&D: Order of the Griffon (only if there is not enough space to save)
Falcon (only if there is not enough space to save)
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J CD
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Valis IV (press Select at “Press Start” screen after selecting New Game from the first menu; as long as you do not hit Start at the “Press Start” screen this will not overwrite your saved game, fortunately. Make sure to hit Select to get into the manager.)
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J SCD
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3×3 Eyes
Cosmic Fantasy 3
Cosmic Fantasy 4 Part II
Popful Mail (also has Tennokoe Bank and Memory Bank 128 management features as well as for the on-system save)
Second, for the Memory Base 128, a few specific games have managers which allow you to make backup copies of the contents of the internal 2KB memory into files it puts in the 63 2KB blocks that make up the MB128. The backups these games make can only be copied to and from the system through that game, and are not compatible with other games with MB128 backup functions, each is separate.
And from my page, the games which allow you to make MB128 block backups for the internal memory:
MB128 games which allow you to backup your system save data (or other primary 2KB backup device) by copying the complete 2KB block to a block on the MB128. There are 63 available blocks, understandably (128KB for the MB128, 2KB for the internal memory). See the source link below for more info. Note that each title’s backup blocks on the MB 128 can only be accessed (and copied back to the system memory) by that game — they are not inter-compatible with the other titles on the list.
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J SCD
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Popful Mail
Private Eye Doll (third option from main menu)
Emerald Dragon (hold UP when you press RUN on the CD BIOS screen to access. In that menu, top to bottom, Load, Save, Swap, Delete Bank, Delete All MB128 Banks. This is the games’ only actual support for the MB128. This manager ONLY allows you to copy memory blocks to and from the MB128, you cannot see the files for games which save directly to the MB128 — for that see below. Oh — if you hold II at boot instead of Up, you’ll go straight to a load-game screen, skipping the intro and such.)
Vasteel 2
I don't have Vasteel 2 or Popful Mail, but between Emerald Dragon and Private Eye Doll, Private Eye Doll's is easier to access and has a nicer graphical interface. Emerald Dragon is much more likely to be a game actually worth playing, but Private Eye Doll's got the much better internal save file backup manager.
Oh, this is the list of titles that will directly save to the MB128 into their own blocks:
Games with Memory Base 128/Save-kun Support (complete list)
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J CD
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A-Train III (A. III, A-Rensha de Ikou III)
Aoki Ookami To Shiroki Mejika
The Atlas
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Collection
Brandish
Eikan Wa Kimini
Fire Pro Female Wrestling
Linda Cube
Magicoal
Popful Mail
Princess Maker 2
Private Eye Doll
Sankokushi III
Shin Megami Tensei
Super Real Mahjong P II + III Custom
Super Real Mahjong PV Custom
Tadaima Yusha Boshuuchuu
Vasteel 2
Quote: There's three different solutions but that's the one would actually work with both hucard games and cd-rom... rom... games. I'm guessing that's why you picked one up too. So, I need at least one game directly compatible with it in order to actually swap data in and out of my interface unit?Other than the few dozen games on the list above that directly support the MB128, all other TG16/PCE/CD titles that save can ONLY save to the internal 2KB. Even if you get a Tennokoe Bank HuCard, which is an 8KB HuCard memory backup unit with a battery inside the card that is very hard to replace, as you mention, and four 2KB blocks on it, CD games can't save directly to the card, all you can do is swap blocks to and from the Tennokoe Bank and then save to the block inside the console.
So no, that's not really why I picked up the MB128; I mean, it does get you saving for that few dozen games, but only some of those are ones I really want to play. I more got it because it seemed like the best way to get a larger amount of save blocks. Sure, I need to copy a save block using one of those two games I mentioned above (depending on which game I made that backup with) in order to get to my save files, which is annoying, but that's better than not having save files. :P
Without homebrew mods like the ones you describe (which sound really cool!), there is no way to get a permanent save file on this system, everything is backed by SOME kind of battery or capacitor. So the question is, what's the one that is easiest to replace and gets you the largest number of 2KB save blocks to copy to the system?
The answer to that question is, the MB128. It uses AA batteries which you only need to replace once or twice a year, it seems to draw power from the console to keep the capacitor charged so it's not draining the batteries all of the time while it's plugged in, and it holds a full 63 blocks either for 2KB system backups using the four games mentioned earlier, or for the files for the few dozen games that support it directly. I also have a Tennokoe Bank, but given that it only has four backup blocks instead of 63 and that it's got a decades-old battery inside the thing, I don't exactly use it much (if its battery even still holds a save... I haven't checked in quite some time.).
What I do is I have a controller converter plugged into the TG16 which goes from DIN to Mini-DIN. Then I have an extension cord (the Apple beige one) plugged into that going from where the system is to near the chair. Then I have the MB128 plugged in to that, and then the controller into the MB128. IF using the multitap, that would go into the MB128, then controllers into that. It all works.
Quote:All I'm missing for total compatibility is a "Super Grafx". No wait, I'd need a PC-FX because it's got exclusive hardware and upgrades too, and also I don't think that can read hucards. Oh! There's an ISA board to add genuine PC-FX hardware inside an old PC. That... ALSO upgraded hardware and thus has exclusive games...The Supergrafx has five games. Several of them are really cool games and I'd love to have one, but it IS a pretty expensive system with a very very small software library, which is why I don't have one.
You know what? Never mind. I'm fine with just the standard PC Engine, CD-Rom addon and an arcade card. That gets me most of the way there.
The PC-FX I do have, but unless you 1) can read Japanese and 2) like anime-style visual novels (I am sure you'd have zero interest in these), RPGs, strategy games, and various other mostly not-action games which are in Japanese it's really not something which makes much sense. There are a small number of games interesting to anyone, but it's a small number of titles compared to the number of anime games. I don't use mine much at all. It does look kind of neat though, like a mini little beige tower PC...