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WaNoS · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 11

Is there a utility or Game Genie code to change the region of EU & JAP roms to US? Ive tried SegaTool and uCON64 but it says "no protections found", but when I put the flash card into my genesis it says "This cartridge is designed exclusively for PAL systems only".
The rom in question is Worms ( 8 ) [!], theres a few other JAP and EU exclusive megadrive games that give the same sort of message but when I try to convert them I get the "no protections found" message.

dbjh · Joined: 02 Aug 2003 Posts: 167

I don't know if there exists a utility that can do that*, but have you tried different region settings in DreamWriter or uCON64? Using the region settings is the recommended way as it leaves the ROM dumps intact.

* uCON64 has the "infrastructure" to remove region protections, but currently it cannot crack a single Genesis/Mega Drive game.

DaveGeorge · Joined: 07 Jan 2005 Posts: 14 Location: Sweden

Yes, those mods will definatly solve your problems. The Pal games check for 50hz and the jap ones for the language to be set to Jap, but some japan games will still work on a non-modded pal mega drive (while it says Hell NO! when used on a genesis).

WaNoS · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 11

I don't really want to mod my CDX and the page you linked to said its abit of an ass trying to get it opened up. Wasn't there an Action replay cartridge or something to enable play of multi region games where you plugged it into your cartridge slot and then the game into that (made by datel I think), If there is I'll go on a bargain hunt on Ebay. If such a thing does exist, will the flash card be compatible?

dbjh · Joined: 02 Aug 2003 Posts: 167

I suggest to read my last post again...

WaNoS · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 11

kyuusaku · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us

Can you find a Game Genie code to defeat the protection? If so you could permanently apply it to the image.

kyuusaku · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us

Wanos's case isn't about region probably (unless he uses a Japanese MD), it's about speed and it's protection is less easy to isolate than region which always references the region bit. The game will need to be cracked, a 50/60Hz switch likely won't work for him as practically no one in the NTSC world has a display device capable of viewing 50Hz video. He could however use a switch to bypass the protection then flip it back over but the game could always check during play.

Related to 32X, all 32X are the same so to lockout users, the game polls the MD. Changing the game's internal header (not backup device header of course) is a very superficial change and I don't see how it would help anyone, EVER. It's really necessary to scour the game for checks, even then the game may be optimized for 50hz and run stupidly. I understand however that Worms was developed and only released PAL, so I'm surprised nobody has already cracked it, maybe someone has but found that it ran horribly in 60Hz.

mr-monday · Joined: 23 Jul 2003 Posts: 8 Location: London

You need something like a MegaKey adaptor that has dip switches on the back to fool the games into thinking they are playing on a different region MD/Genesis.

They aren't that easy to find any more (I've got a couple), but one sold on Ebay UK for about $12 last week.

mr-monday · Joined: 23 Jul 2003 Posts: 8 Location: London

There's a new kind I've never seen before on Ebay at the moment

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3642&item=8176832038&rd=1

kyuusaku · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us

All they do is convert a game's region/speed visibly to the console (to trick the cartridge), it doesn't mean the game supports the region/speed.

WayneK · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 8

I had a few minutes spare at lunch today, and took a quick look at Worms for you... open up the rom in a hexeditor, and change a few bytes like so:-

At $0AC8A8: change 41F9 00A1 0001 to 123C 0038 6026

if you need to fix the cart checksum, also apply the following change:

At $00018E: change 81E0 to B1DF

And the game will run on your NTSC Genesis, although I suspect much too quickly, since the game was optimised/coded for 50hz PAL machines.

Have fun!

-WK

WayneK · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 8

Wanos:

dbjh · Joined: 02 Aug 2003 Posts: 167

Waynek, it could be that just like for SNES games there are certain code patterns that occur in several games. Instead of creating patches on a game by game basis, you could also create a search pattern for uCON64 so that all games that use the same pattern can be cracked. If you are interested you can find an explanation in the uCON64 FAQ.

WayneK · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 8

If someone would tell me a few games that are exclusive to one territory or another, and that have protection against running in other regions, then I'll take a look at them... if they all share similar/common routines, then it would make sense to do a tool for it, but if there are only 4 or 5 and they're all different, it's not worth the effort Smile

I won't know until someone points me in the direction of some games to look at...

-WK