F-Zero AX in GX - Something for Arseen and Me.

[UncleBob]

With the "recent" (recent as in November 2012, but more recently publicized) discovery of the hidden Arcade mode of F-Zero being found on the GameCube disc of F-Zero GX, I went out and grabbed a copy (two, actually - found a store that had two copies for a mere $3.99 each) and thought I'd check it out.

Of course, it worked - but, I noticed something of interest - the screen still seems to display data related to connecting machines together for LAN play.

The actual Arcade units allowed up to four cabinets to be plugged into one another for multi-player.  I tried simply booting two GCNs up in AX mode, but it didn't work.

Would be neat if there was a way to make it work though.

[Arseen]

Yeah we can hope for LAN-mode, maybe they will find code that enables it.

But then I need 4 Action Replays.

[UncleBob]

No, you'd only need one, just boot each GCN up one at a time.

I've been researching:
http://www.segaarcade.com/sites/default/files/f-zero_ax_dlx_manual.pdf
Page 74 - you have to go into the "test" menu to enable LAN mode on the physical arcade machine.

*IF* the Test Menu exists on the GAX disc, then we just need some way to access it... maybe?

[Arseen]

No, you'd only need one, just boot each GCN up one at a time.

Oh, right.

Stooopid me.

I've been researching:
http://www.segaarcade.com/sites/default/files/f-zero_ax_dlx_manual.pdf
Page 74 - you have to go into the "test" menu to enable LAN mode on the physical arcade machine.

*IF* the Test Menu exists on the GAX disc, then we just need some way to access it... maybe?

So there is hope.

Or if it's not there, we can always hope that some hacker creates a rom that has the ability.
Should not be hard if the code is on the disc, but can't be accessed without the menu.

Or better yet go all the way and release rom that requires no Action Replay.

[Doom]

Releasing an ISO patch that makes the game not require an AR is easy. However, then you have the problem of booting the game. GameCubes don't normally read burned discs.

It's also possible to run Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 on a hacked Wii. The hacker who made that possible is mad that his program leaked before it was ready for primetime so he abandoned it. He's not making MKAGP1 or F-Zero AX playable anytime soon.

Triforce games run on the Wii emulator for PC called Dolphin. But only one game runs and it runs poorly, IIRC. (Some tennis game.)

[Arseen]

GameCubes don't normally read burned discs.

Hard time reading the discs or just needs MOD chip?

It's also possible to run Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 on a hacked Wii. The hacker who made that possible is mad that his program leaked before it was ready for primetime so he abandoned it. He's not making MKAGP1 or F-Zero AX playable anytime soon.

Triforce games run on the Wii emulator for PC called Dolphin. But only one game runs and it runs poorly, IIRC. (Some tennis game.)

Hopefully someone makes Triforce emulator.
But then I'd need 4 computers linked together.

[Doom]

You would need a modchip or something like an SD media launcher to load a backup of a GameCube disc.

[Arseen]

You would need a modchip or something like an SD media launcher to load a backup of a GameCube disc.

Good

Chips are smaller problem than searching for discs that might be combatible.

[UncleBob]

Got in touch with the guy who found and made the Action Replay code.

@UncleBob: There is a reference to a "Test Mode" ASM overlay code module (and some other modules) in the game:

fzp.testmode.rel
fzp.acsetup.rel
fzp.advertise.rel
fzp.test.rel

But unfortunately these overlay code modules are definitely not on the GX disc! Also, I couldn't find any SDK BBA/LAN
specific assembly routines in the game. So I think it's safe to say that F-Zero GAX has no hidden BBA/LAN mode.

And there was no joy in Mudville.

[Arseen]

Got in touch with the guy who found and made the Action Replay code.

@UncleBob: There is a reference to a "Test Mode" ASM overlay code module (and some other modules) in the game:

fzp.testmode.rel
fzp.acsetup.rel
fzp.advertise.rel
fzp.test.rel

But unfortunately these overlay code modules are definitely not on the GX disc! Also, I couldn't find any SDK BBA/LAN
specific assembly routines in the game. So I think it's safe to say that F-Zero GAX has no hidden BBA/LAN mode.

And there was no joy in Mudville.

Shame.

This would have been such great LAN game.

[UncleBob]

Ralf has released a new version of this code.  Has all the vehicles unlocked in AX mode and the title screen has the "F-Zero AX" logo on it.

[Doom]

It's also possible to run Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 on a hacked Wii. The hacker who made that possible is mad that his program leaked before it was ready for primetime so he abandoned it. He's not making MKAGP1 or F-Zero AX playable anytime soon.

If the guy gets 500 EUR (around $653.95 USD) he will add F-Zero AX, full MKAGP 1 and 2 support with saving, and "all future updates."

http://gbatemp.net/threads/crediar-to-release-newer-version-of-quadforce.346229/

So, does anyone have 500 EUR lying around?

[Arseen]

So hope lives on.

[Doom]

200 EUR for F-Zero AX support. Users are of course responsible for getting their own backup copies of F-Zero AX. Network support is extremely unlikely.

http://gbatemp.net/threads/crediar-to-release-newer-version-of-quadforce.346229/

[Doom]

AX on Wii now possible -- 200+ EUR have been raised.

GX->AX ISO patch now possible -- if you have a way to run backed-up ISOs, you can run AX a little easier on a GameCube or Wii.

http://board.gscentral.org/retro-hacking/53093-2.htm