Running Jo-Engine Applications on Actual Hardware

[Mr. Potatobadger]

Hello. Today, I got an Action Replay cart so I can play Saturn Backups as well as my homebrew games made in Jo-Engine on actual hardware, using Pseudo Saturn. I assumed it would work just fine to run applications made with jo engine, but it doesn't. Jo Engine games burned to a CD-R only work using the Swap Trick. Backups of my Sega Saturn games burned to CD-R's work fine with just the cartridge.

According to this video, it should work just fine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5xiJGWEnpQ

 I used the same Pseudo Saturn version as in the video, yet after booting my Sega Saturn, I go to a blank screen.

I've tried burning the demo1 with the .iso file, the .cue file, and the .bin file, however none of them work. I've also tried the Saturn CD Patching tool (which has been mentioned on another thread on this site), which also did not help.

I'm really hoping someone knows how to run Jo-Engine games with Sega Saturn, it would be really awesome to see my progress on my actual Saturn hardware.

Cheers!

EDIT:

I noticed something. I'm not sure if I've made a mistake, or if I have an incorrect setting somewhere? But the demos for the Ship and for the Sonic Game are NOT the same as what I see on this page:

http://www.jo-engine.org/demo/

For example, this is all I see for this Shooter demo:

https://i.gyazo.com/a7ef523d5a99ec57e2f5da3914d8bc77.gif

And in the Sonic Demo, it's missing the waterfall, the running animation, the HUD, and it has a different tile layout. Do I somehow have an older version? Could this be the reason why my games will not run with Pseudo Saturn? I'm confused!

[mindslight]

Hi Mr. Potatobadger,

Please update the source code from the SVN.

Warning, you have to change your makefile (see instruction in jo/conf.h) or demo makefiles

[Mr. Potatobadger]

Still having issues after updating makefile. Burnt games made using Jo Engine still work using the swap trick, but I absolutely hate doing the swap trick. Pseudo Saturn is what I prefer to use. When I use Pseudo Saturn's debugger, I get a screen that says, "CPU Adress Error", with a list of all of the Saturn's registers, followed by hex.

Any ideas?

[mindslight]

Unfortunately, I don't have this problem 

[XL2]

Same problem here. Pseudo Saturn is probably the easiest way to try homebrews, hopefully we will find a solution. Did anyone try to talk with the creators of Pseudo Saturn?

[wraith]

Possible IP Header / Iso creation issue as Jo-Engine was once confirmed compatible with Pseudo.

While I have not yet tested Jo-Engine compiled ISO on hardware due to compatibility issue reports, I have compiled ISO's with Jo-Engine binaries, a modified IP.BIN, and MKISOFS.EXE which I can confirm working 100% with PSv0.831 on my NTSC M-1 and M-2 Saturn Consoles.

When I have some time I'll hardware test an ISO created with the 04/12/2017 build.



EDIT: ISO created with 04/12/2017 build confirmed Working with PSv0.831.

[XL2]

Awesome! Can you share more details with us? This is a really annoying issue that we all have (except those lucky modchip owners)

[wraith]

Awesome! Can you share more details with us? This is a really annoying issue that we all have (except those lucky modchip owners)

The cause is uncertain. What I can tell you thus far...

Jo-Engine compiled Iso tested on stock Saturn/PS0.831 confirmed working. (Background Image, Sprite, CD Audio)

Custom compiled Iso tested on stock Saturn/PS0.831 confirmed working. (Extracted contents of XL2  Sonic_Z_Treme_DEMO_v002 Iso)

Attached mkisofs as a possible temporary solution for those having issues. Simply place compiled files into CD folder and run Make.bat to generate Demo.iso . Great demo btw XL2, impressive!

[XL2]

Thanks a lot, this is greatly appreciated!

[null1024]

I gave that package a whirl to make the Sonic image demo, no dice. Still just a black screen on my end with the resulting demo.iso. 
Tried using both Pseudo Saturn 0.831 (went and reflashed my AR) and Pseudo Saturn Kai 6.074, both loaders.
Blank screen on all.

[wraith]

I gave that package a whirl to make the Sonic image demo, no dice. Still just a black screen on my end with the resulting demo.iso. 
Tried using both Pseudo Saturn 0.831 (went and reflashed my AR) and Pseudo Saturn Kai 6.074, both loaders.
Blank screen on all.

  This may be the case for all who are experiencing this issue. Maybe a data clash between Jo initialization routines and specific cartridge versions ? ? ?

I suggest running Pseudo Debugger documenting displayed error codes and disassembling cartridges to inspect hardware, then contacting Cafe-Alpha developer of Pseudo Kai and Saturn cartridge hardware for possible insight into the problem.

[null1024]

Pseudo Debugger documenting displayed error codes

What's this?
Pseudo Saturn Kai has a "debug" option when you press Z, but that doesn't show anything, and I didn't see any debug option with original Pseudo Saturn.