Playing Japanese Multi-Disc Games on US Saturn?

VenomMacbeth · 01/27/2013, 06:19 PM

I wanna get Macross DYRL, but it's a two-disc game & I'm not sure it'll work with the Action Replay cartridge. So...will it?

SignOfZeta · 01/27/2013, 06:26 PM

Yep.

VenomMacbeth · 01/27/2013, 06:48 PM

Sweet! Mods, feel free to delete this.

Bernie · 01/27/2013, 06:58 PM

Mods? Surely you kid....

PCEngineHell · 01/27/2013, 07:36 PM

Once upon a time......

kazekirifx · 01/27/2013, 07:54 PM

Saturn handles multi-disc games by putting a temporary save file in backup RAM, doesn't it?

PunkCryborg · 01/27/2013, 07:55 PM

Great game. The cinematics are even better with the video cart. You can do a region mod really easily if you have a soldering iron. You could probably do it with the most basic skills, it's like 3 wires soldered to the board and to a switch so you wont need that cart anymore. The soldering points are even labeled what region they are.

VenomMacbeth · 01/27/2013, 08:15 PM

Quote from: PunkCryborg on 01/27/2013, 07:55 PMGreat game. The cinematics are even better with the video cart. You can do a region mod really easily if you have a soldering iron. You could probably do it with the most basic skills, it's like 3 wires soldered to the board and to a switch so you wont need that cart anymore. The soldering points are even labeled what region they are.

I played it all the way through on my PSP a couple days ago (before my damn memory stick died -_- unbelievably pissed about that...) and I LOVED it! I don't see why everyone hates this game so much. Sure your character sprite is large, but your hitbox is pretty forgiving. It helps if you look at the game as more of a side-scrolling action game, rather than a shmup. However, I'm a huge Macross fan, so I may be a bit biased.

I may give that mod a shot, as I've yet to get into soldering/modding consoles & I've been meaning to for some time.

PunkCryborg · 01/27/2013, 10:23 PM

its funny people rag on macross for sat but praise 2036 on pce when they play so similar.

SignOfZeta · 01/27/2013, 10:24 PM

Quote from: PunkCryborg on 01/27/2013, 07:55 PMGreat game. The cinematics are even better with the video cart.

I'm pretty sure that's not true. Some other games do this though.

Quote from: kazekirifx on 01/27/2013, 07:54 PMSaturn handles multi-disc games by putting a temporary save file in backup RAM, doesn't it?

Yeah, you boot Disc 2 like any disc.

Quote from: VenomMacbeth on 01/27/2013, 06:48 PMSweet! Mods, feel free to delete this.

...why?

DragonmasterDan · 01/29/2013, 06:01 PM

Some games make you put in disc 2 from the game and redo the region check without creating a save file between discs. One that does this is Gulliver Boy which basically makes it only playable through the first disc using an ST key, action replay, etc.

CrackTiger · 01/29/2013, 07:09 PM

Tengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.

DragonmasterDan · 01/29/2013, 07:27 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.

Yep, I recall the PDS message that shows up when you boot it with an action replay in it.

SignOfZeta · 01/29/2013, 07:41 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.

That's funny because at least one of my Saturn games is region free, I think it's Panzer 1 or 2. I think Baku Baku Animal also ignores region. Somehow during the end of the system's run they came up with some kind if super copy protection for Panzer Saga.

DragonmasterDan · 01/29/2013, 07:44 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/29/2013, 07:41 PM
Quote from: guest on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.
That's funny because at least one of my Saturn games is region free, I think it's Panzer 1 or 2. I think Baku Baku Animal also ignores region. Somehow during the end of the system's run they came up with some kind if super copy protection for Panzer Saga.

It wasn't copy protection, none of those action replay carts that I'm aware of bypassed the CDR detection. It was cheat device/region skip protection.

PDS also ignored third party memory carts even if they were recognized in the system menu. Put an original Sega one in and it sees it, put in an Interact or EMS brand backup cart and it's grayed out.

SignOfZeta · 01/30/2013, 12:02 AM

Sorry, I didn't mean copy protection I meant region.

Digi.k · 01/30/2013, 06:33 AM

Quote from: guest on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.

I can't remember how I progressed with TMIV but with PD Saga you need to input a code before playing. I think it is region locked.

CrackTiger · 01/30/2013, 07:57 AM

Quote from: Digi.k on 01/30/2013, 06:33 AM
Quote from: CrackTiger on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.
I can't remember how I progressed with TMIV but with PD Saga you need to input a code before playing. I think it is region locked.

I packed my copy of The Apocalypse IV and a memory cart with my save to the store where I bought the game from, explained the situation and asked if I could play through to the first save point of disc 2 on their region swapped system. They were totally cool with it and I kept that save file for years and uploaded it to the Planet Saturn (or whatever it was called) site after getting a Netlink, so others could play disc 2. Within a year though, I paid those guys to change my Saturn's region to Japan and just used the ST Key to play North American games.

DragonmasterDan · 01/30/2013, 09:37 AM

Quote from: guest on 01/30/2013, 07:57 AMI packed my copy of The Apocalypse IV and a memory cart with my save to the store where I bought the game from, explained the situation and asked if I could play through to the first save point of disc 2 on their region swapped system. They were totally cool with it and I kept that save file for years and uploaded it to the Planet Saturn (or whatever it was called) site after getting a Netlink, so others could play disc 2. Within a year though, I paid those guys to change my Saturn's region to Japan and just used the ST Key to play North American games.

Heh, before the RAM cart + converter carts existed I wound up getting my original Saturn modded with a very sloppily installed region toggle switch at a long since out of business import store. I think when the unit died the problem was probably due to the switch not being properly installed.

I also used to download and upload saves on the PlanetWeb netlink site. I might even have downloaded yours.

SignOfZeta · 01/30/2013, 03:45 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/30/2013, 07:57 AM
Quote from: Digi.k on 01/30/2013, 06:33 AM
Quote from: guest on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.
I can't remember how I progressed with TMIV but with PD Saga you need to input a code before playing. I think it is region locked.
I packed my copy of The Apocalypse IV and a memory cart with my save to the store where I bought the game from, explained the situation and asked if I could play through to the first save point of disc 2 on their region swapped system. They were totally cool with it and I kept that save file for years and uploaded it to the Planet Saturn (or whatever it was called) site after getting a Netlink, so others could play disc 2. Within a year though, I paid those guys to change my Saturn's region to Japan and just used the ST Key to play North American games.

I love this story!

JoshTurboTrollX · 01/30/2013, 05:16 PM

Quote from: DragonmasterDan on 01/29/2013, 07:44 PM
Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/29/2013, 07:41 PM
Quote from: guest on 01/29/2013, 07:09 PMTengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV can't progress to disc two using the ST Key. Panzer Draggon Saga/Azel can't be played at all using the Action Replay.
That's funny because at least one of my Saturn games is region free, I think it's Panzer 1 or 2. I think Baku Baku Animal also ignores region. Somehow during the end of the system's run they came up with some kind if super copy protection for Panzer Saga.
It wasn't copy protection, none of those action replay carts that I'm aware of bypassed the CDR detection. It was cheat device/region skip protection.

PDS also ignored third party memory carts even if they were recognized in the system menu. Put an original Sega one in and it sees it, put in an Interact or EMS brand backup cart and it's grayed out.

Wait, what? I have Panzer Dragoon Sage/Azel imported and have played it using my US Saturn with an Action Replay. I haven't played my imported version past disc one, so I can't comment on the disc switch issue, but I'm 100% sure I've played it on a US console.

Actually, now that I think about it (and cannot prove unfortunately) on my original Saturn, I had a game save that was on the last disc from my time playing the US version (Which I sold off for around $100.... STUPID STUPID!!)that I was able to load using the imported copy and an Action Replay.... O.o

I think I need to test this out.

SignOfZeta · 01/30/2013, 05:58 PM

I think he means the US version has the super region block on it. In fact, it might only be later printings of the US version. That might have been a dream I had...

Which reminds me, there was some game that refused to play in a US Saturn but you could get it to play if you switched the language in the system menu to Japanese. Maybe it was this one?

Man, I'm forgetting this stuff...

DragonmasterDan · 01/30/2013, 08:01 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/30/2013, 05:58 PMI think he means the US version has the super region block on it. In fact, it might only be later printings of the US version. That might have been a dream I had...

Which reminds me, there was some game that refused to play in a US Saturn but you could get it to play if you switched the language in the system menu to Japanese. Maybe it was this one?

Man, I'm forgetting this stuff...

I have a first print US version. It does this. I can't comment on the Japanese copy as I don't own it.

Added in Edit: Let me also be clear it did this with a GameShark or Action Replay device inserted. I never tried it with an ST key (region bypass only) cart to see if it behaved this way.

SignOfZeta · 01/30/2013, 08:08 PM

I know that a US Panzer Saga plays fine on a JP Saturn with region switch.

DragonmasterDan · 01/30/2013, 08:19 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/30/2013, 08:08 PMI know that a US Panzer Saga plays fine on a JP Saturn with region switch.

I'm sure it does. I think Sega specifically programmed it to check for GameSharks, Action Replays to bring up that message. They definitely programmed it to ignore third party save carts. I just can't say for sure if an ST key works. My original ST liked to corrupt all my save data at times and was quickly replaced by an all in one cart

JoshTurboTrollX · 02/01/2013, 06:46 AM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/30/2013, 05:58 PMI think he means the US version has the super region block on it. In fact, it might only be later printings of the US version. That might have been a dream I had...

Which reminds me, there was some game that refused to play in a US Saturn but you could get it to play if you switched the language in the system menu to Japanese. Maybe it was this one?

Man, I'm forgetting this stuff...

Ok, now I get it. =)