PS2 saves. Editing PS2 saves. Possible work options

For this we need:

1. Actually, PS2 Console (only chipped) and Computer 8)))
2. Blank blank (it doesn’t matter, CD or DVD, R or RW) I used CD-RW
3. USB flash drive (any one will do, even a card reader, the only problem that may arise is individual incompatibility, so just try different devices)
4. Disk image with the uLauhchELF 3.41 program (I have it, unlike 4.12, it works properly with the emulator...)
5. You will also need uLauhchELF 4.12 (It works better with the console)
6. Images of formatted memory cards for PCSX2.
7. Mymc program.
8. ps2save-builder program
9. And the MCExtract program

So let's begin.

1. Write the uLauhchELF 4.12 image to disk using NERO at minimum speed, with the following settings:

2. Insert the disk and USB flash drive into the console, launch it and see on the screen:

Program management:

arrows = move through directories,
circle = enter,
triangle = back,
cross = highlight,
square = select all,
L1 = headers on/off,
R1 = file menu
Select = configuration

List of program directories:

mc0:/ - memory card slot1
mc1: /- memory card slot2
hdd0:-/ hard drive…
cdfs:/ - disk in the console
mass:/ - USB flash drive or card reader
misc:/ - various simple utilities

3. Select FileBrowser and go to our Memory card and see your saves in the form of BASCUS-….., BESLES-……, etc. we include headers to make it easier to find the desired save (for example, with the header “Gran Turismo 3 Saves” and with the name – BESCES-50294GAMEDATA). Then select it, open the file menu and copy it with the command COPY. Go to the flash drive (mass:/) and paste the file into any folder with the command PASTE. We are waiting for the operation to complete. All. Save on a flash drive. (this is very convenient, if you have nowhere to put your saves, they can be transferred to any medium, thereby freeing up your small memory card.. 8))

There are now two ways to transfer your save to PCSX2.

First: Use the program mymc
This is a program for importing/exporting saves into memory card images (for example mcd001.ps2)

1. First of all, we take FORMATTED(if you work with an already used image, there may be glitches and saves can be ruined...) the image from the archive and transfer it to the memcards folder. (For example "C:\Pcsx2\memcrads\mcd001.ps2") with the replacement of the file lying there.

Note: If your image has saves, make a backup or rename it.

2. Now we need to convert the save into *.MAX format so that the mymc program can recognize it. To do this, run the program ps2save-builder from the archive. In it we need to add all the save files one by one (right-click on an empty line and click “Add File”), NECESSARILY add to line Root/ID the name of the save folder (in our case it is BESCES-50294GAMEDATA). It should look like this:

3. Place the mymc program from the archive on your HDD, preferably in the root, for example “C:\mymc”. We also put our save file there (the one with *.MAX). The program is written under DOS, therefore, it needs to be controlled from the command line (start>programs>standard>command line): For the program to work correctly, we enter two commands in turn: "cd\" And "cd mymc", now the line looks like this "C:\mymc>" Next, to import the save, write the following in the line:
mymc.exe c:\pcsx2\memcards\mcd001.ps2 import BESCES-50294GAMEDATA.max(Attention: Do not add extra spaces, where they are, there are strictly one at a time, otherwise nothing will work)
Press Enter and wait for the operation to complete. After that we type the command -
mymc.exe c:\pcsx2\memcards\mcd001.ps2 dir to check if everything was actually imported as it should.
It should look like this:

This means the save file was successfully imported. Now we can launch the emulator, boot from this save in our favorite game and do whatever we want, break it, change the number of lives resources, etc. (I do this with the help of ArtMoney. I’m actually not a supporter of hacking, but there are some moments in games when, on the 51st try, you want to throw the game behind the closet and not think about it anymore... It’s better to break it a little and calmly continue to play) and the MOST IMPORTANT thing is that all the “loot” can be saved to a memory card and returned to the console ! 8))

But more on that a little later, first we’ll describe the second method:

1. It is, IMHO, much simpler than the first one... It consists in copying the save to a memory card image in the emulator itself.
To do this we need to create ISO image and place our save BESCES-50294GAMEDATA on it. We take files from the CD Boot folder from the archive BOOT.ELF And SYSTEM.CNF. We record them together with the save, Nera, with the same settings as the disk that we cut at the beginning, the only difference being that it will be an ISO image.

2. Now launch PCSX2 with CD plugin "Linuzappz Iso CDVD":

We open our image in it and see uLauncherELF 3.41
Before using it, you need to configure it: click select, move the arrow to the circle, select it, then go to MISC and select FileBrowser, now go down and click OK.
(You have to configure the same thing every time, because for some reason the pre-configured program does not start...)

We transfer the saves to the image of the same FORMATTED memory cards using commands COPY And PASTE, as we did on the console, only with “CD” ( cdfs:/) and not from a flash drive ( mass:/) because unfortunately not in the emulator USB support, instead there is a plug simulating empty ports...

3. That, in general, is all. Since transferring saves back from images to the console is outrageously simple.
For this we do not need mymc or Boot.iso; in their place we run the program from the archive MCExtract
Open the mcd001.ps2 map image in it and export our save file like this:

The BESCES-50294GAMEDATA save folder will appear right next to MCExtract.exe in the mcd001 folder.
Note: The file with the same name may end up outside its folder, if so, then after unpacking you need to return it there 8-)
Now all that remains is to upload it to a flash drive and return it to the console’s memory card, replacing the one that was left there (before that, make a backup of the original, you never know...), as we did at the beginning, only now from a flash drive (mass:/) to Memory Card 1 (mc0:/)

Note #1:
Some saves do not work correctly on the emulator, for example, the save from Gran Turismo 4, after being transferred to the emulator, refused to open cars in the garage, writing something like “Data is corrupt”, but this does not mean that the save is screwed up, because after returning it save file saved on the emulator to the console, everything opened without problems.
Download the programs required for operation here!

We looked at it in the previous article. Today the agenda will include the following issues:

How to save the game in the PCSX2 emulator

PCSX2 emulator allows the player to use to save gameplay two ways.

Second - an exclusive advantage of using the PCSX2 emulator. The so-called "quick" saves can be produced at any time, and not when it is offered in the game. This method of recording game progress allows you to save before a difficult or inconvenient place and, in case of an error, instantly return to it (rather than starting, for example, the level again). It's quite convenient.

Everything is clear with the first save method (it occurs in different games either automatically or is available in the game options), so let’s take a closer look at the second one.

IN in this case PCSX2 user has at his disposal 10 save slots. In each of them you can record the current position of the game. This can be done either from the menu or using hotkeys to save.

To save the game, press on the keyboard F1 , or in the PCSX2 menu click Launch - Quick save , then specify the desired recording slot. The picture shows an example of how to save in Slot 0 .

To download the game, press the key - select the desired slot. Example download from Slots 0 in the picture.

Hotkeys in the PCSX2 emulator

Hotkeys is a special combination of keys on the keyboard that launches some program action or command. There are hotkeys in almost all programs (we just don’t always know about their existence).

What Hotkeys are provided in the Sony PlayStation 2 emulator - PCSX2? Let's watch.

The first three, perhaps the most commonly used, concern Quick save and load features.

F1 - saving the game in the current slot.

F2 - change the current slot to the next one in order (from 0 to 9, then in a circle).

Loading a game from a reserve slot. The backup save contains the last overwritten state of the game, so that you have a chance to restore the game if you accidentally overwritten the save or it became corrupted.

You can see which slot is current at the moment in the game window in the place indicated in the figure:

The next group of hotkeys is, one way or another, responsible for playback. Some of them should be used with caution.

F4 - enable or disable FPS limitation.

Shift+F4 - enable or disable skipping frames.

F5 - switching interlacing modes (when using the GSDx video plugin).

F6 - change the aspect ratio: 4:3, 16:9 or stretch to the entire window.

Alt+Enter - transition to full screen mode and back.

F7 - enable shaders that simulate a TV screen.

Tab - switching between Turbo/Normal modes.

Shift+Tab - enable or disable game slowdown mode.

F9 - change render mode: Software/Hardware.

Last additional PCSX2 hotkey group:

F8 - take a screenshot of the game. Screenshots are saved in a folder snaps located in the folder Pcsx2-r**** with an emulator.

F10 - enable logging.

F12 - recording video games.

ESC - pause in emulation.

Ctrl + Numpad + - increasing the scale of the GS window.

Ctrl + Numpad - - reducing the scale of the GS window.

Ctrl + Numpad * - reset the GS window scale.

Ctrl + Alt + Numpad + - stretch the image vertically.

Ctrl + Alt + Numpad - - collapse the image vertically.

Ctrl + Alt + Numpad * - reset image vertical stretch settings.

Ctrl + Alt + Up - move the image up.

Ctrl + Alt + Down - move the image down.

Ctrl + Alt + Left - move the image to the left.

Ctrl + Alt + Right - move the image to the right.

Ctrl + Alt + Numpad / - center the image.

Insert - switching Mipmapping (Full, Half, Off).

Home - switching external shaders.

Page Up - switching FXAA mode.

Delete - switching software smoothing.

I want to say a few words in more detail about video recording. Of course, there are enough and third party programs, allowing you to record game video, but recording using the PCSX2 emulator's own means will provide you with high-quality video at full game speed (even if you had brakes at the time of recording).

Pressing a key F12 , you will open a window where you will be asked to specify the name and folder for the location of the future video, make video encoding settings, and also set resolution sizes.

Attention! The path to the file being written must not contain Russian characters.

Perhaps while recording, FPS games will fall and the brakes will begin.

To exit recording mode, you need to press F12 twice (with a short interval, about a second).

Next, open the folder where you saved the video. There is another inconvenience here. The video was recorded in one file, the sound in another (and without compression). Therefore, in order to “put” the file together, you will still have to use a converter (for example, XviD4PSP). (Later I may describe the entire recording process using the built-in PCSX2 tools and subsequent conversion in detail).

PCSX2 Saves

IN PCSX2 saves are stored in memory card images. The images are a complete image of a PS2 memory card ranging in size from 8 to 64 MB in .ps2 format. Opened, for example, by the program MYMC.
Actually, the main benefit of working with saves is that you can either download a ready-made PS2 save from the Internet and throw it on the emulator (after all, not all games can be completed 100% on an emulator). You can also transfer saves from the emulator to PS2, complete the “impossible mission” and transfer them back. Finally, you can simply change any values ​​in saves using a HEX editor for reasons unknown to the author.
Let's look at the main programs we are interested in:

MYMC

MYMC in action

Inside are game saves and the emulated system configuration (time zone, resolution, etc.). The names of the saves are generally arbitrary, as a rule, they include the name of the game like SLUS-21658 and some minor information (profile name, version, etc.) Each such save can be exported to the .psu or .max format. which can later be imported back or recorded onto a PS2 memory card. Or, more interestingly, you can open it and get a set of files, similar to those, which is stored in the "My Documents" folder in PC versions of games.

PS2 Save Builder

PS2 SaveBuilder in action

Let's open the save GTA San Andreas program PS2 Save Builder. Inside we will extract the files that are already familiar to us. Each such file can be exported and imported without problems. Saves are the names of the latest missions with the extension .b . GALLERY.DAT is nothing more than photographs taken with a game camera in JPEG format. By the way, they are opened by the program GTA: San Andreas Gallery Viewer.

PS2 Save Converter

As the name implies, the program converts saves from one format to another, of which there are now countless numbers.

Possible work options

Let's look at possible options for working with saves:

• Let's say you downloaded a save from the Internet in .max format. Just import it with the program MYMC.
• Let's say you have a save file in .cbs format. Convert it with the program PS2 Save Converter in.max and import it with the program MYMC.
• Let's say your grandmother sent you an email with 100% preservation in San Andreas 4. NoName.b . Export your save from .ps2 using MYMC, open in PS2 Save Builder, delete save number 4, import grandma’s save, save and import MYMC.

1. Make sure you save the PlayStation 2 format game to your PlayStation 2 memory card (8 MB).
2. Look for the official PlayStation logo on the memory card to ensure that you are using an officially licensed PlayStation memory card. SIEE does not guarantee the operation of unlicensed memory cards. Note: In the past, 8 MB memory cards for use with the PlayStation 2 were produced by other companies. If a card has an official PlayStation logo on it, it is a licensed and approved product.
3. Check that the memory card is securely inserted into the system's memory card slot.
4. Follow the correct steps to save data for the game you are using. Saving instructions can be found in the user manual.
5. Make sure there is enough memory on the card free space to save data.
6. If possible, test the memory card on another PlayStation 2 system. If the card does not work properly, it may need to be replaced.

If you keep having problems with a game repeatedly, you may need to contact the game publisher to get help. detailed information. If the game is not published by SIEE, you will have to contact its publisher directly.

What can cause files to become damaged?

If you remove the memory card while the PlayStation 2 system is reading data, it may damage the file. The same thing can happen if you turn off the PlayStation 2 system while it is reading data from the memory card.

Make sure you are using a licensed memory card. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe (SIEE) recommends that you only use equipment that has been approved and licensed by SIEE. SIEE-licensed merchandise bears the PlayStation logo (same as the disc tray of the PlayStation 2 system). We recommend using only the following memory cards:

• Model Number: SCPH-1020 (Used for PlayStation format storage ONLY).
• Model Number: SCPH-10020 (Used for PlayStation 2 format storage ONLY).

If the memory card is not manufactured and licensed by SIEE for use on the PlayStation 2 system, we recommend that you no longer use it. She was not tested for correct work with the PlayStation 2 system and is not recommended by SIEE.

Products that do not meet SIEE's strict quality standards may damage your PlayStation 2 system immediately or over extended periods of use. SIEE is not responsible for damage caused by untested and unlicensed products and the warranty on SIEE products will be void if such products are used. Any damage that may be caused to SIEE products by unlicensed products is the responsibility of the manufacturer of those products.

There have been cases where files were damaged when saving a game whose user used codes. If the game saves all data in one file, we recommend saving the game to a separate memory card. This will reduce the risk of losing saved data.

Deleting files

1. Insert the PlayStation 2 memory card (8 MB) into the PlayStation 2 system.
2. Turn on the system and make sure there is no disk in the system.
3. Select Browser from the main menu and press the X button.
4. Select the icon for the PlayStation 2 memory card (8 MB) from which you want to delete files.
5. You will see the files stored on the PlayStation 2 memory card (8 MB). Select required file and select the "Delete" command. Use the directional buttons on the controller to select files.

Damaged files

Some corrupted saved files can be deleted on the first try, others cannot. It may take several attempts to remove a corrupted save file from the PlayStation 2 memory card (8 MB). In some cases corrupted files Can't remove it at all.