How do you back up your PSO files (if at all)?

[al281442]

Do you make backups of your PSO files? And if you do: How do you do it?


For the Dreamcast I'm using this software http://bswirl.kitsunet.org/vmutool/rele ... en&menu=on to send the save files to my netbook via the BBA. It took me quite a while to figure it out for the very first time. But it's quite comfortable as soon as you know the setup.

On the Gamecube I don't have great characters or items to back up yet. Though I do have a BBA and I'd like to know your ideas of how it can be done.

[BlueCrab]

If you have a Wii, there's definitely Wii-mode homebrew that can be used for the task of backing up memory card saves. I'm sure there's Gamecube homebrew that can also be used, but I've never actively gone looking for any.

Also, the server itself can help at least a bit... The server actually has an automatic character backup function built into it, as long as you're using a registered guildcard. Once turned on, the server will automatically back up your character data and inventory (but not your bank or anything like that) each time you go join a team.

[Aleron Ives]

1. Select a VMU with no existing PSO data to use for your backup.
2. Create a new, dummy PSO character on that VMU, enter offline mode, then quit the game to go back to the title screen.
3. Swap the dummy VMU with the VMU for your real character.
4. Load your real character in offline mode.
5. Once you're standing in the Hunter's Guild, remove the VMU containing your real character and put the VMU with your dummy character into the same slot on the same controller.
6. Quit the game from the menu.
7. PSO will complain that the original VMU is missing and will ask if you want to try again.
8. Try to save five times, and then PSO will overwrite your dummy character with your real one.
9. Remove the backup VMU and keep it handy in case you need it or want to update the save on it.

Be sure that you don't mix up your VMUs! You can easily destroy a real character with this method if you overwrite the wrong VMU. Also remember that you can only do this in offline mode. If you try this in online mode, PSO will delete your unequipped items on the VMU with your real character, since you're not quitting and saving properly with it.

The nice thing about this method is that it saves everything about your character. If you use server-side backups, your backup will be missing the following parameters:

• The contents of your bank
• Your play time counter
• Your Symbol Chats
• Your shortcuts
• Your Challenge rank*
• Your individual Challenge stage times
• Your Battle score*

This isn't the fault of the server, though; PSO simply doesn't inform the server about these character attributes, so the server has no way of knowing what they are and thus cannot copy them.

*The server does know about your Battle wins and disconnects but not your second, third, or fourth place scores. I'm pretty sure that it can't restore your Challenge rank, either, since the rank doesn't really mean anything without the stage times.

[AmonX]

Nexus 4meg cards easily back up to pcs with parallel ports. But I use al281442's method currently since my nexus cards aren't working correctly anymore.

[K_I_R_E_E_K]

I backup by creating a dummy file (currently the dummy is my actual char) and then by saving over it with an actual main char, the game will allow it after 5 attempts and will replace the dummy char with your current char.
It's like having a 2nd save state, even if i lose the char online, i will simply quit and use a good save and save over the damaged one, it's true that all the progress online i made will be lost, but that's always better than to lose hundreds of hours.

A very long time ago i made a video on it, but you can ignore the part where i say "press a very fast", simply press "a" and then after 5 tries the game will allow the save to be saved on that memory card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbfTP7IZmRM

[al281442]

I also have a setup for the Gamecube now.

There is an easy to use software for taking dumps of save files called GCMM:
https://code.google.com/p/gcmm/

Though you somehow need to put a SD card into your memory slot and find a way to boot GCMM.
Both can be done with this device (amongst others) that I bought recently:
http://www.amazon.de/Media-Launcher-Gam ... B000QDGIWK


The process is very quick and simple. However I'm wondering if there are any other interesting applications for this new toy of mine. As far as I've learned most people use them for piracy only.