Xanadu I disc owners: Please help!

[SamIAm]

If you own a real copy of Xanadu I, I hope you won't mind taking a minute to check something for me.

According to this page, Xanadu I initially shipped with a bug that prevents it from saving on certain hardware. I am experiencing that myself with a Supergrafx/SuperCD setup using a real disc that otherwise saves on a Duo-RX. However, that page also says that the bug is fixed in later pressings of the game.

The inner ring of my disc says "FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW2".

That page above says that it also exists in pressings marked "FFLTF HE60916-1 T9W6", but that any later version should be fixed.

If you would be so kind, please check your Xanadu I disc and see if you have a different number. If you do, I hope you won't mind ripping it for us to check. In fact, even if you have a T9W6 disc, I'd like to see it.

A version I downloaded off the internet has the same bug. I really hope we can find a version that doesn't.

[elmer]

Nice find! 

I'm hoping someone out there can share this ... I'd love to be able to analyze Falcom's "fix".

[SkyeWelse]

Hi Sam, not sure if my version will help, but I checked it and it's FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW1 which may be an earlier batch from your serial number.

-Thomas

[SamIAm]

Testing with a CoreGrafxII/SuperCD setup seems to confirm that the problem lies with the SuperCD itself. I just wish I had a briefcase to try this with.

Check you PM, Skyewelse.

Also, have you tried saving with this game yet? What hardware are you using?

Thank you! 

[SamIAm]

Just messaged five sellers on Yahoo auctions. We'll nail this one.

[jtucci31]

So I have the same one you have, a TCW2. I'm currently near my TGCD but next weekend I'll have access to my Duo R and US Duo. I've only played the game on my Duo R, but I can't remember if it saves on that or not. I can check on all 3 if that's of any help to you.

[dshadoff]

Hi Sam, I've got the same as SkyeWelse, "FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW1"

...on the other hand, the last time I looked I looked in your fine country (Japan), it was pretty easy to find these at a reasonable price...

The second thought I had was, "what's the bug, and how hard is it to fix ?"
As long as the buggy versions are common, and the fix is either esily understood or at least available...

-Dave

[SkyeWelse]

Also, have you tried saving with this game yet? What hardware are you using?

Thank you! 

I currently only have a Duo RX to test this on, but I can confirm that it saves and loads from this my system at least.

-Thomas

[wildfruit]

I have a tcw2 disc too.
But I also have a sample disc FTLFL HE21029-A TAZ6

[johnnykonami]

The one I just got is FFLTF HE60916-1 TCX2.

[SamIAm]

I have two Duo-RXs that my TCW2 can save to with no trouble. It's only my Super CD system that exhibits the problem, and it has it regardless of whether I have a Supergrafx or a Coregrafx II hooked up to it.

(And in case you're wondering, it's not just my system. The link above in Japanese describes the exact same problem.)

FYI, the bug is such that if you save and load without turning your system off, it will work. Also, if you check your system memory, there will be a save there even after you turn it off. However, if you attempt to load your save from within the game, it will simply say セーブされていません, which means "not saved". So if you are testing your own copies, make sure you turn off the power and attempt to actually load your game in order to get a proper result.

SkyWelse was kind enough to send me a copy of his TCW1 disc. Sadly, it exhibits the same problem.

The one I just got is FFLTF HE60916-1 TCX2.

PM pending.

Hi Sam, I've got the same as SkyeWelse, "FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW1"

...on the other hand, the last time I looked I looked in your fine country (Japan), it was pretty easy to find these at a reasonable price...

The second thought I had was, "what's the bug, and how hard is it to fix ?"
As long as the buggy versions are common, and the fix is either esily understood or at least available...

-Dave

Yeah, I messaged a bunch of sellers on Yahoo. Here's hoping they actually check for me. 

If the bug is nothing too major, it probably wouldn't be a big deal just to patch the old version into the new version, definitely.

[ParanoiaDragon]

I also have FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW2.  My Turbo CD doesn't work so hot these days, & my Duo is worse(& buried somewhere in my stuffs).  However, I saved, turned off, turned on, & then loaded my game just fine on my SuperGrafx with the CD Rom attachment that is specifically built for the SG(not the RAU-30).

This:

[SamIAm]

Well...crap. That's the same setup I have.

Hmm.

I still want to try other revisions of discs. I'll let you guys know what I find.

Thank you!

[pulstar]

The one I just got is FFLTF HE60916-1 TCX2.

This is the same as my one. This one saves/loads fine on my Duo-R. I haven't got any other machines to try it on.

[LostFlunky]

Mine is a "TCW 3" - I only have a TGCD system at the moment.

*edit* - tracks have been sent....  TOC was recognized by TurboRip...

[dshadoff]

Hi Sam, I've got the same as SkyeWelse, "FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW1"

...on the other hand, the last time I looked I looked in your fine country (Japan), it was pretty easy to find these at a reasonable price...

The second thought I had was, "what's the bug, and how hard is it to fix ?"
As long as the buggy versions are common, and the fix is either esily understood or at least available...

-Dave

Yeah, I messaged a bunch of sellers on Yahoo. Here's hoping they actually check for me. 

If the bug is nothing too major, it probably wouldn't be a big deal just to patch the old version into the new version, definitely.

Well, not just that, but... I'm pretty sure that Super Potato and such would understand if you had that information on-hand.  They are pretty anal about condition, and show you the disc to ensure that you don't see any scratches and so on...

There's also usually more than one copy at a store.

So, I would start at a store first, although Akihabara (Tokyo) and Nipponbashi (Osaka) are perhaps a little easier than where you are, being able to check multiple stores in an afternoon.

-Dave

[SamIAm]

The one I just got is FFLTF HE60916-1 TCX2.

I got a message from this seller saying that this disc is also a TCX2. I'll buy it if we can confirm that it is a fixed version.

EDIT: TCW1, TCW2 and TCW3 all have identical ISO tracks. Many thanks to the folks who sent them. In the meantime, I have hight hopes for this TCX2 version.

[CrackTiger]

My retail copy of LoK ends in TCW2.

My "SAMPLE" (review?) copy ends in TAZ6.

I've successfully saved using the retail version using a TurboDuo, Duo RX and likely a Duo R, Turbo-CD and PCE CD-ROM.

I've never owned a Super CD-ROM, but recently purchased one and am waiting until I am able to get to the U.S. PO Box I had to have it sent to. Might not get to it until Saturday.

[Dicer]

FFLTF HE60916-1 TCW2 here...

[ParanoiaDragon]

Question, what is the HECD4006 on my disc & manual?  Sam, does yours say HECD4006 on it?

[SamIAm]

Bloody hell. Three kind members have sent me multiple versions now, and all the data tracks are identical to one another. I don't get it. I've saved other games with this Super CD system before, and everything worked fine.

I suppose I might try using a Tennokoe 2 card and seeing if I can get it to load a save made by another console. I have one other idea, too...to try making a save, resetting the system, starting a new game, and loading my old save from within the new game. This isn't so crazy, because when I save and load within a game without resetting the system, it works.

It's not the end of the world - I've got other consoles I can play this on - but it's aggravating.

Does anyone else out there have a different version? Or was the information in that Japanese page simply false?

Question, what is the HECD4006 on my disc & manual?  Sam, does yours say HECD4006 on it?

It does. I'm pretty sure that's a more general game ID. Thanks, though.

[wildfruit]

Bloody hell. Three kind members have sent me multiple versions now, and all the data tracks are identical to one another. I don't get it. I've saved other games with this Super CD system before, and everything worked fine.

I suppose I might try using a Tennokoe 2 card and seeing if I can get it to load a save made by another console. I have one other idea, too...to try making a save, resetting the system, starting a new game, and loading my old save from within the new game. This isn't so crazy, because when I save and load within a game without resetting the system, it works.

It's not the end of the world - I've got other consoles I can play this on - but it's aggravating.

Does anyone else out there have a different version? Or was the information in that Japanese page simply false?

Question, what is the HECD4006 on my disc & manual?  Sam, does yours say HECD4006 on it?

It does. I'm pretty sure that's a more general game ID. Thanks, though.

Has anyone sent you the sample data track yet? I ripped all my cds in a big session recently so it's ready to go.

[SamIAm]

Has anyone sent you the sample data track yet? I ripped all my cds in a big session recently so it's ready to go.

Yep, three people sent me the data tracks (tracks 02 and 17) of their discs (TCW1, TCW3, and TCX2), and they are all byte-for byte identical to the data tracks from my CD (TCW2). It looks like you have the same version as me, and if that's the case, I won't need to trouble you to send me the data tracks from your copy. Thanks, though!

For anyone else out there who has a different disc, please don't hesitate. The data tracks are small enough that you can send them as email attachments if you just compress them.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

I'll check mine tonight.  Whatever version it is, it saved fine on my RX.

[SamIAm]

Well guys, I'm a little embarrassed, but I think I can say "false alarm" about this one.

Formatting my memory fixed the problem. This was something I was hesitant to do before because I had just achieved 100% in Dracula X for GOTW. However, tonight, I said to hell with it and wiped it out, and that did it. My disc works now.

You know, back when I got my first Duo, I had a problem slightly similar to this. I had a Tengai Makyo II save that corrupted, and the game gave me an error message when I tried to load it. A couple other things in the memory got screwed up a little bit as well, and it was just generally acting weird until I did a format. Once I did, though, it didn't give me any more trouble.

Here's hoping this does the same? I don't know...I'm a little scared to save anything important to it, at least for now. But it could be that not being turned on for ages caused the super-capacitor to get so low that it caused trouble. I might try leaving the system on overnight to give it a good charge.

Thanks a million to everyone who checked their disc for me, and especially to the guys who took the trouble to rip their copies for me. I really appreciate it.

[pulstar]

I had a similar problem with Cosmic Fantasy recently. The game would lock up before loading the New Game, Continue etc screen. A quick format and it was loading perfectly fine again. The system does seem to throw odd errors when there is a memory problem.

Before starting Cosmic Fantasy my Duo-R had sat off for a while so mine was probably related to the supercap as well.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Well guys, I'm a little embarrassed, but I think I can say "false alarm" about this one.

Ha!  At least it was an easy fix and there's nothing wrong with your system.

[csgx1]

At least your problem was sorted out.

I had a corrupt save file for Fiend Hunter.  It was weird since the save point would continue where I would fall from the sky and instantly die.  On the memory screen save list it showed an "X" next to that save.  Seems that the system knew the file was corrupt. 

My system memory was full, which I think had something to do with the corruption.

[jtucci31]

So do you need a system completely clear of any savefiles, or just very few? I had heard that this savefile requires quite a bit of space.

Either way, glad you got it all sorted out!

[CrackTiger]

I just came here to point out that many people don't figure out how to properly save in the game, as it's an untraditional method. I believe that it was either around the time that the stage select trick became widely known and/or during the Let's Play Together group that several people wondered if they had a bad disc.

It may not have been the problem for Sam, but it's worth reminding everyone in general.


Sam: next time you need to format and don't want to lose a working save file, just back it up to a Tennokoe Bank first.

[SkyeWelse]

That's good that you were able to find out what the issue was, but that sucks about your Dracula X 100% save.

But it could be that not being turned on for ages caused the super-capacitor to get so low that it caused trouble. I might try leaving the system on overnight to give it a good charge.

I see. So the problem might be that the system wasn't Obeyed often enough? 

-Thomas

[SamIAm]

Bah! It was late when I wrote that post last night. I meant "Thanks especially to the guys who ripped their copies for me."

It definitely wasn't an issue of space. It gives a different message when there's not enough space （メモリーが足りません or something like that) and the only save I had on there was that Dracula X one.

I see. So the problem might be that the system wasn't Obeyed often enough? 

I hope that that's it. It would break my heart to lose an RPG save file on this thing.

I just got the SCD system, so that's why I suspect it's been off for ages. This actually makes me want to take out my backup Duo and turn that on for a while as well.

Thanks again, guys!

Sam: next time you need to format and don't want to lose a working save file, just back it up to a Tennokoe Bank first.

That might work, but the thing about using those Tennokoe Bank cards is that you have to backup the entire memory from the system...and that might entail backing up whatever corrupted bytes that were causing trouble along with everything else.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Not that it matters now, but mine ended up being a TCW3 version.

[tknjin]

Mine is also the same as yours SamIAm.  I just tested it out on my RGB modded Duo R, and it has the same problem as yours.  Funny enough the save file shows up on my duo r, but on the game it keeps telling me there is no game.  When playing the game, however, it is able to load if you are currently on the game.  The moment you turn it off it just doesn't recognize the save file.


*Update As typing*

I erased all my save data like you Sam, and it finally worked for me too.  Luckily, it wasn't anything too important, but kind of sux that it was the only means to be able to play it

[SamIAm]

That's very interesting. I wonder what on earth is really going on there?

Thanks for sharing your experience!