PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Sylverant is a homebrew open source server for Phantasy Star Online. Dreamcast users still play PSO online with this server even today! This is the official forum for both the online game server as well as the open source project itself. Feel free to post and get a gathering started online! We can also show you how to get connected!

Moderators: BlueCrab, Aleron Ives

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PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by BlueCrab »

I've pushed out a new feature to the Login Server to allow the server to patch various things in the game at runtime -- that is to say without having to use a CodeBreaker (or any other cheat device to do so). Patches are applied to the game in memory and should persist until you turn off the console. This feature should work relatively well, but as only I've tested it so far, it may well have some bugs still...

Here's the patches that are available on the Login Server in the new "Patches" menu for PSOv2 on the Dreamcast:
  • PSOGC Names: Patches the color of all players on PSOGC to display as cyan instead of gold. This way, you can easily pick out who is on PSOGC while you're in the lobby. This also has the side effect of patching the color for NPCs spawned with the /npc command.
  • Battle Music: This is the same patch that is available on the Sylverant PSO Patcher disc to make the music accessible in battle stages when used in quests outside of battle mode. If you've applied this by the Sylverant PSO Patcher disc, there's no reason to apply it this way too (it won't hurt anything, though).
  • Widescreen: Relatively self-explanatory -- patches the game to make it look better on a 16:9 display.
All of these patches are available on all three regional discs, although they've only been tested thus far on US and European discs. If you try them out on a Japanese copy of PSOv2, please let me know if they work right! :wink:

Feel free to report any issues or anything else here.

Non Plus versions of PSO Episodes I & II now also have the ability to load patches as well. I'll leave it to Aleron Ives to describe the options available on those versions, as he's the one that's been dealing with all of the patches there. Unfortunately, Plus versions of Episodes I & II will never have the ability to use runtime patches from the server, as Sega removed that functionality in those versions. I will leave it to Aleron Ives to describe what each patch does on PSO Episodes I & II.
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by BlueCrab »

Just a brief update, since PSO for Gamecube patching is now available. Please report any issues you might find with it!
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by Aleron Ives »

Server-side patching for PSO GC is finally here! This feature allows you to use many of the patches Ralf and I have been working on for the better part of two years on a real GameCube, without needing a modchip or homebrew for your system.

Here are the patches that you can currently use by selecting the Patches menu when you connect:
  • The Anti Item Loss patch prevents you from losing your unequipped items and Meseta when the game crashes. The next time you load your save file after a crash, the game won't display the error message saying you didn't quit properly, and your inventory will be in the same state it was in the last time you saved.
  • The Draw Distance patch raises the clipping thresholds of many in-game objects, so you can see them from farther away, such as item boxes on the floor, item crates, and switches.
  • The Ice patch improves the freeze rate of Blizzard-series weapon specials (and Gibarta) in Ultimate and also fixes Gibarta's casting speed to be the same as Gizonde, as in PSOv2.
  • The Chat patch allows you to use the /cc command to chat in colours, and it lets you stop the chat log from scrolling by holding L+R, so you can read the log while other people are talking.
  • The Full Word Select patch enables the original Word Select menu that lets you access any chat category at any time. This includes fixing Sega's oversight of not letting you access the replies menu unless you're in the lobby or on Pioneer 2.
  • The Rare Alert patch displays all rare items as a red dot on the radar map and also plays a chime when monsters or item crates drop a rare item.
  • The Mag Alert patch plays the Mag feeding (bar movement) sound effect when your Mag becomes hungry, so you know when it's time to feed it without having to use a Mag timer.
  • The Movement patch fixes attack animations that are supposed to let you step backwards and also allows you to move when enemies are nearby, so you don't get stuck as easily.
  • The Quest Music patch lets you hear the correct music in quests that use the Spaceship and Palace Battle areas, such as Prospective Horizons.
  • The Disc Music patch replaces the obnoxious songs played by Disc Vol. 1, 4, 5, and 6.
  • The Ending Music patch lets you hear the full lyric endings when you beat Dark Falz and Olga Flow online.
  • The Event Music patch restores the special music on Pioneer 2 during online events, as in PSOv2.
  • The DRE Prevention patch removes music transitions on Pioneer 2 to reduce the odds of you getting a Disc Read Error if your GameCube has a weak laser.
  • The Rain patch improves the raindrop effect and adds rain to Mountain Area.
  • The Combination 1 patch bundles the Item Loss, Chat, Word Select, Ice, and Draw Distance patches together.
  • The Combination 2 patch bundles the Rare Alert, Mag Alert, Rain, Movement, and all four music patches together.
  • The Bugfix: Major patch includes bug fixes 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, and 33. See the patch README for which fix is which.
  • The Bugfix: Minor patch includes bug fixes 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 34. See the patch README for which fix is which.
  • The Palette: 1 of 2 patch includes the first half of patch version 1.2, which lets you map four different Action Palettes to the C-stick. You must use both parts!
  • The Palette: 2 of 2 patch includes the second half of patch version 1.2, which lets you map four different Action Palettes to the C-stick. You must use both parts!
  • The Decoction patch allows you to reset your consumed materials by using a Decoction, which you can buy on Altimira by bringing one Photon Drop to Paganini in Garon's Shop when you have the patch.
  • The Save Icon patch repositions the "Now Saving" icon and removes the insipid warning text for Western PSO releases.
  • The DC Reticle patch changes your targetting reticle colours to match those of a Dreamcast controller (A = red, B = blue, X = yellow).
  • The XB Reticle patch changes your targetting reticle colours to match those of an Xbox controller (A = green, B = red, X = blue).
A few more patches will become available in the future, once we've finished the patching system and the patches themselves. For even more details about the patches, see this thread, which has the full README file for each patch. We hope you enjoy this new feature!
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by Aleron Ives »

The DRE Prevention patch is now available via server-side patching. This patch simply removes music transitions on Pioneer 2 so you don't get a Disc Read Error when you walk into a new room. The regular Pioneer 2 music will play in every room, instead.
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by Aleron Ives »

Palette patch 1.2 is now available via server-side patching. Note that this patch has to come in two parts, so you must apply part 1 and then part 2 in order to use it. The Mag Alert patch has also been updated to not play the SFX in the lobby anymore, since you can't feed your Mag there.

Two combination patches are available now.

Combination 1 has the:
  • Anti Item Loss
  • Draw Distance
  • Chat
  • Full Word Select
patches, and Combination 2 has the:
  • Ice
  • Rare Alert
  • Mag Alert
  • Quest Music
  • Disc Music
  • Ending Music
  • Event Music
patches. This should hopefully make server-side patching more stable and easier to use until BlueCrab has time to finish the feature.
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by wirklichmüde »

Hey,

Something to look into, I'm afraid to test it again. I applied Combination 1, Combination 2 and then accidentally clicked on Ice afterwards. Got a frozen screen error. Restarted my Gamecube and saw the 'This character didn't exit the game normally, omits items' or whatever text. Scared the crap outta me as I have just found a King's Mech 50% hit. Luckily the item loss prevention patch saved my items but I still lost all Meseta.
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by Aleron Ives »

Yeah, patching is technically broken in US 1.0, US 1.01, and JP 1.02 discs, because Sega coded the patch packet handler function incorrectly. We use a hack from PSOLoad/PSUL to work around the bug and make patching functional, but sometimes the game will crash. You'll lose Meseta when that happens, but not items. Once you apply patches successfully and join a team to force another save with the item loss patch in effect, you won't lose anything if you crash during gameplay.

We have an idea on how to reduce the crashing, but I don't know when BlueCrab plans to look at that, since it will require a fair amount of new code.
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Re: PSOv2 and PSOGC Runtime Patching

Post by laz305 »

Dude these patches are amazing!!!!! Brings the game back to life
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