Hidden Action Replay Features

[birdy-scc]

I cracked stuff on the C64 and Atari ST for years (yeah, ST!) but I was always a big fan of consoles.

All the hassle with config files, adf errors, fakes, requiring a top range computer, etc are problems which, if fixed, would bring a whole load more people in to Amiga emulation.

I remember a freeze-frame program for the C64 called Isepic (which I never used!) which would dump the memory into a snapshot. Can this be done with UAE, for example, so that you could create a simple menu system like Raine or Callus and just have the games start straight away?

Obviously this would limit the programs usable, but it would give a lot of people an easy start. "The Lost Vikings" is a perfect example of a game which should work.

I'm sure this idea will annoy the purists, but I am a typical lazy bastard, who never owned an Amiga, and who wants to see some of the best stuff I missed

:evilgrin

[Amigaboy]

Falling off topic right now......<Begin Tune> I'm Free! Free falling! <End Tune>

I remember a freeze-frame program for the C64 called Isepic

hehe. Isepic. That brings back so many memories

1 -Hacker PRG
150 Hacker PRG

Everytime I saw that type of thing...... :)

Although. Isepic sux since with an Action Replay, there's no speed up.

[birdy-scc]

I was a bit worried about going off topic, but I thought I brought it round nicely with the reference back to Lost Vikings near the end!
;)

And to take it even further off-topic - I cracked Hacker on the C64!

And believe it or not, Activision sent an invesigator to what they thought was my house because I got that game before release and had released it widely. But it was a friend's house who called his group SCS (scottish cracking service), we were SCC (scottish cracking crew) !

it's true!

[Akira]

What a jinx, I have just played a game of Zorro on my new 128, and was 'cracked?' with this isepic loader thingie.. I thought it was a fast-loading routine? the 190 blocks of Zorro load madly fast.

I also had Monty on the Run in this format. What is it? I'd like a nice technical explanation :)

[Amigaboy]

http://www.c64.priv.no/c64/files/manual_isepic_users.txt

I think that should be technical enough for ya :p

Most people hated the Isepic loader btw

[birdy-scc]

It was a cartridge which worked on the soft reset, which allowed you to dump the used memory onto disk (or tape if you were completely insane!).

It was a simple idea, which actually worked because it saved all interrupts, registers etc and restarted where you left it. It also loaded quicker because it removed the 1541 error channels (from 7/8 to 1/8, I think)

It was denied by all "serious" scene people because it meant yu hadn't done the work. But I was quite happy when I restored an Isepic version to it's original state.

I remember one guy in Denmark stopped trading with me because I sent him an Isepic'd game!

ha ha!

(I said it would upset the purists!)

[Drake1009]

Never tried that program on the C64.

I had a cartridge called Final cartridge which would also dump the memory onto a disk so you could load it. I made good use of it for my tape games.

[Akira]

Thanks for the data guys...

Talking about Final Cartridge.. I got a FInal Cartridge II, but no manuals or anything for it. Do you know where to get this datam, Amigaboy?

I'd also like to see pics of the acual cart. I think I have a bootleg version!

[Drake1009]

I wouldn't know if I had a bootleg version, but I had Final cartridge and Final Cartridge III which also had a GUI installed. I don't think they did too much of the design, but that might be because it's a bootleg if it was actually one. We got a manual though, but I think it's gone.

[Amigaboy]

I too have a final Cartridge. I have many C64 cartridges (including the uber rare Cinemaware Warp speed).

For docs for Final Cartridge 3, check out http://www.c64.priv.no/c64/files/manual_Final_Cartridge_III_manual.txt

That's the best I can find (actually, I didn't look very hard :p)

[Akira]

Shit, it seems this Final Cartridge II thing is kind of rare... I opened it up and I didn't like the look of the EEPROM inside.... looks bootleg :P

[Twistin'Ghost]

This is a crude double barrel image, but better than nothing. Oh, and it's The Final Cartridge III, rather than II. Maybe this will help anyway.


Removed Picture

[Big-Byte]

I remember from a long time ago that if you typed in

MAY
THE
FORCE
BE
WITH
YOU

into the action replay screen it supposed to give you more features or something..

I havent got an action replay now so anyone remember anything about this?

[Amigaboy]

OMG!

I didn't think anything would happen!

--------------

No known virus in memory!
Ready.
MAY
???
THE
???
FORCE
???
BE
???
WITH
???
YOU
Hey guy try a new one!
Ready.
???

-----

That's the output I got! What the hell is that Hey guy thing?

Thanks for this one Big-Byte :)

[Amigaboy]

I just typed new. this is the output

-------

new
And again is the force with you ! ! !
Destruct now all evil forces like copy-protection,limited lives e.t.c.
Ready.

--------

Yeehaw. This rocks

[Big-Byte]

Never found out what it did...

Maybe look at the 'software version' of the action replay that someone dumped? onto floppy.. I havent got that either - does it still exist?

[Amigaboy]

The software version is available from http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/misc/ar-pro3.lha

[RetroMan]

Originally posted by Big-Byte
Never found out what it did...

Maybe look at the 'software version' of the action replay that someone dumped? onto floppy.. I havent got that either - does it still exist?

Yep, got it here, but never tested myself :( I will for sure try when I get home from work today and post it at the ADFZone ..... MAY THE ACTION REPLAY BE WITH YOU :D:D:D Mhh, @Amigaboy : that Aminet AR, is it the original Code Dump from the original Action Replay 3 or is it a kind of rewritten Clone ???

[Amigaboy]

I would say it's a rewritten clone since it requires AGA to run

[Big-Byte]

Time to learn how to use MonAm again and get disassembling.. :)

[RetroMan]

Originally posted by Amigaboy
I would say it's a rewritten clone since it requires AGA to run

Hm, I will check mine out at home l8r, cause IIRC it´s an dump of the original Cartridge Software, but I can be wrong ..... let´s see ...

[Toni Wilen]

"may the force be with you" (AR3 needs "new") only removes ROM protection. 256KB ROM (AR2 only have 128KB ROM) is located at 0x400000-0x43FFFFF and 64KB RAM at 0x440000-0x44ffff. Just type "sm ar3.rom,400000 440000" to dump AR3 ROM to Amiga floppy.

See my UAE page (http://www.arabuusimiehet.com/twilen/uae/) for my Action Replay 2/3 patch for UAE.

[Amigaboy]

ah. I see. Interesting info. Thanks Toni

[Carlos Ace]

Amigaboy, try this Action Replay Clone ->HRTMon (http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/dev/debug/HRTmon.lha)

I cracked some games with this util, but i only tried with Doc Protection ones.

This tool is very powerful, it have many good features.


Have Fun !!!

[Amigaboy]

Ya. I'd been using Hrtmon for a while before I got my hardware Action Replay. It's a fantastic program and I recommend it to those that don't own any hardware :)

But. You can't beat the real thing ;)

[Twistin'Ghost]

Toni, I'm not able to connect to that page somehow.

Hm, I used HRTMon for a long time, however, the one I got at home seems to be a beta dump of the code from the ActionReplay IV ?!? Anyone got some info of the features, still trying to get it unpacked, cause the archiv seems corrupted. When it´s done I will post this one at the ADFZone ...

[RCK]

Tips: when you are posting a new post, have a quick look to the line just upper the "Post subject:" one, you should have something like: "Logged in user: RetroMan".

but... let me think...

when you arrive on the board, are you clicking on "View New Posts", just under "Welcome back, RetroMan" ?
cause if you are doing this each time, It means that you are well logged & should have no problem to browse the EAB after... (lost cookies)

[RetroMan]

@RCK

This is not a problem on lost cookies, on my screen, everything is allright, I´m logged in and all that stuff, it´s more likely a problem with the Network set up on my work, we have like 3 firewalls and other weird stuff, so it´s extremely difficult anyway to get onto EAB ;) Anyway, I´m glad to be here :D

[RCK]

Three Firewall ?!, hihi :cool

Tips 2: If your cookies are defeated (sometimes) by your firewall, you can also browse the EAB with no cookie.
UserCp -> Edit Option -> Browse board with cookies? : no

Clicking yes will use cookies to keep your id for this session. Clicking no will send it through the links.
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