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OPL+PS2RD In One: A Beta Backup Manager With Cheat Ability

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  • OPL+PS2RD In One: A Beta Backup Manager With Cheat Ability

    OPL is still the king of PS2 backup managers, and this beta proves that it might be getting even better. Check out cheat integration here!

    Open PS2 Loader has been a scene mainstay for some time now, and this beta release by doctorxyz suggests that the project might be getting even better. Essentially what we have here is a version of OPL with the PS2RD library fully integrated into the GUI. By using the new cheat settings menus, you can load a cheat.txt and play an altered game directly within the backup manager. Since this is a test release bugs are expected, but reports of success from the developer make this idea look quite promising. See the complete creation log below!

    Beta Release: OPL+PS2RD Cheat Engine Integration

    The Idea
    What if the ps2rd cheater module was integrated inside OPL's core and GUI?
    Something like...

    PS: With a compilation Makefile switch like PS2RDCHEATS=0/1 (similar the one made by Bat Rastard and SP193 for GSM OPL's integration

    [UPDATE 2014.05.06]
    • OPL GUI -> Done!
    • OPL CORE -> Work in progress.


    Inside PS2SMB folder, there will be a specific subfolder for cheats (CHT), with a cheat .txt file per game (respecting OPL architecture and in order to avoid memory overflow due to a tons of cheats inside one file).
    For instance, Gradius V game cheats should be stored in PS2SMB/CHT/SLUS_207.12.cht file.

    [UPDATE 2014.05.09]
    Due to my scarce time, I prefer release something than nothing. So maybe I release this into my OPL's fork at Bitbucket site, with some code to be cleaned up when possible, and for simplicity's sake with only "Auto-select cheats" feature enabled (because the " Select game cheats by user" feature GUI should be done after when me or another coder have time to work on it).

    I've just learned that PS2RD is coded using .init and .fini sections. They are special because they can execute functions right before ELF main program start/exit. The PS2RD Cheat Engine is activated by hooking SetupThread() function.

    Learn more: link

    Bat Rastard please gimme some extra time 'til I commit PS2RD + OPL integration (work in progress) .

    [UPDATE 2014.05.10]
    Damn it... These PS2RD's games/cheats structs and pointers are the hell in the earth... More complex to simplify than I could imagine... Well, I'm trying to solve this issue.

    OPL+PS2RD integration: Work in progress. Many hours spent to make it work. After many tries I decided simplify it in order to make this task feasible. You will have to store one cheat file - PS2RD RAW format only - per game in PS2SMB/CHT subfolder, for instance "SLUS_999.99.cht". This method also respect the OPL directory/architecture structure and keep the things working faster (I don't want to load for ages an entire cheat database and parsing it for one selected game from OPL's game list). And don't expect to select cheats on GUI... All ones contained in .cht file will be activated.

    Maybe after finishing OPL+PS2RD task some of you can develop yourselves or ask someone else for developing a PC-side tool like OPL Manager to make life easier (import, convert, export, etc). Just giving an advice.

    Please wait more time. Now I gotta go.

    I've made several tests without success. I think I'm close to make the OPL+PS2RD work, but I find myself totally without time, due to my real life obligations. In case of someone be interested on debugging my code, please send me a PM!

    [UPDATE 2014.06.20]
    o/
    Job done!!!
    Well, now I'll play Gradius V a little - this is the game which I'm using to test the implemmentation of PS2RD inside OPL.
    I think within a week I'll publish a release - both binary and source code (dunno here and/or on bitbucket repos, it depends on my scarce time, as usual).

    Guys, I'll merge the related source code with the one on ifcaro's Bitbucket Repo (=OPL rev687) ASAP.
    BTW: Coders feel free for contacting me by PM in order to make "a peer code review" before I pull the trigger ;-)
    Download

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    The Hackmaster
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