Is is possible to run SD Snatcher from a megaflashrom?

Rookie (26)

08-06-2012, 19:49

Hi, I'm kinda new to the MSX. I want to play SD Snatcher on real hardware - I have a Sony HB-F1 II MSX2 and I'm interested in getting SD-Snatcher for it. Unfortunately, that model of MSX doesn't have a floppy drive, and only 64 kb of RAM. I understand that I need to buy SD-Snatcher anyways to get the sound cart, but assuming I had the sound cart, could I put the floppy disk images on the megaflashrom and play the game that way? I have a friend who has an MSX2 with a floppy drive, and he's willing to flash my Megaflashrom with whatever images I need. I already have him doing a Metal Gear 2 english translation for me. Would I need 3 megaflashroms to play SD-snatcher, one for each disk? Or could I put them all on one megaflashrom? Keep in mind that I won't be able to flash these at will, so I'd need to store whatever data I need on a megaflashrom permanently. Can my model MSX2 even run SD Snatcher?

Does it sound like any of what I'm proposing sound possible?

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5672)

08-06-2012, 20:20

Hi Cooljerk,

Cooljerk wrote:

I understand that I need to buy SD-Snatcher anyways to get the sound cart

No, you can use any (cheaper) Konami cartridge which has SCC inside. But you'd need one with a switch to turn the game itself on/off.
About your actual problem, sorry, I have no idea.

By Gradius2

Hero (652)

08-06-2012, 20:31

FYI, Snatcher uses SCC-I (SCC-1) not regular/normal SCC.

By Akiguchi

Hero (623)

08-06-2012, 21:05

There was this thread about some sort of Sd Snatcher cartridge that could be ordered. Don't know if it's still available.
Here's the thread: http://www.msx.org/forum/msx-talk/software-and-gaming/sd-sna...

By Cooljerk

Rookie (26)

08-06-2012, 22:15

thanks man, I'm getting my dad to write me up an email for the guy in spanish (since mine is pretty poor). Hopefully he still produces them. He says he can make an english version.

By Cooljerk

Rookie (26)

08-06-2012, 22:28

Actually, reading a bit closer, the guy sells empty carts that you can flash yourself. I'm not sure exactly how it works, though. He mentions that you press the number that corresponds to the correct disk... is he saying the cart will boot a different disk every time you press a number key? How does that work? Will it run on a 64 kb MSX2? And how do you flash the cart?

By Guillian

Prophet (3517)

08-06-2012, 23:53

The cartridge works like a "disk drive with three disks in it". To change/select a disk you must hold a number key when the disk is accessed.
The cartridge is flashed from the MSX, like MegaFlashROM cartridges. But in this case, you need a massive storage device since the ROM takes up almost 2 MBytes
The cartridge will work on a 64KB MSX2, but you will need a Sound Cartridge (which has 64KB RAM) to run SD Snatcher.
If you have 128K RAM, you can load a cracked version that will work with an standard SCC.

By Cooljerk

Rookie (26)

09-06-2012, 00:02

awesome! That all sounds perfect. I sent you an email asking if you still produce these, if you can respond to it with your paypal address (assuming you still produce them) I can have your money sent asap.

By Manuel

Ascended (19471)

09-06-2012, 11:28

You flash the cart like a megaflashrom. I think SD Snatcher needs 64kB extra RAM, the sound cartridge usually provides it. So I'm not sure it will work on a 64k MSX2 like this.
The number pressing probably works like some disk drive emulators: when the program asks for a disk, you press the number of the disk (e.g. 2) and the key that the program asks for (e.g. space). Then disk 2 will be 'emulated' to be inserted for the program.

By Cooljerk

Rookie (26)

10-06-2012, 22:12

Thanks! Guillian actually got me all set up, and I have the SD Snatcher cartridge version in the mail coming my way. One question I forgot to ask, however, is how does saving work? Obviously I don't have a floppy drive, or else I wouldn't need the cart version in the first place, and I'm not sure the sound cart provides any sram. Does the cart version of SD Snatcher have s-ram to save with, or am I supposed to save to a cassette tape or something? I can't use a cart that acts like SRAM like the game master 2, or a cart that works like a floppy, because both of my cart slots will be taken up by the game itself.

If I can't save, no biggie - I'll power through the game in one sitting.

By Manuel

Ascended (19471)

10-06-2012, 22:58

Ask Guillian