SNES Mini Classic Hacking | More games, more borders, more gooder.

SteevL · Mar 30, 2019

zeomax said:
I have noticed that some added games uses "/var/games/xxx" as a path and other have "/usr/share/games/xxx".
All games works so what is the difference between this two?

The older hakchi 2.21/2.30/2.31 used the /usr/share path. hakchi CE uses /var/games.

However, if you ever used the older hakchi and transitioned to CE by copying the games folders over, the games added with 2.xx keep that same path. Like you said, it doesn't really affect whether the games work or not. Mine was like that for a while.

raketenrolf · Mar 31, 2019

Want to play on my SNES Mini again and have some questions. Also want to include SD3, Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma.

I heard the latest version of hakchi has a built in rom patching tool. Is it fine or should I better use an external patcher?

SteevL · Mar 31, 2019

raketenrolf said:
Want to play on my SNES Mini again and have some questions. Also want to include SD3, Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma.

I heard the latest version of hakchi has a built in rom patching tool. Is it fine or should I better use an external patcher?

First, two valuable resources:
Canoe compatibility list with patches
SNES mini compatibility list

Either way, you probably want to get DarkAkuma's SFROM tool. hakchi CE has a way to integrate the tool so that it patches games when you add them. If you want this functionality, put the contents of the .rar file into hakchi's sfrom_tool folder. Add the patches from DarkAkuma's site and the patch pack from Robin64's site to the sfrom_tool/patches folder (not hakchi CE/patches). Once that's done, load up the sfrom tool and press F4 so it updates its patch database, then close it. Open hakchi CE, click on Tools > SFROM Tool > Enable and it'll automatically patch games that need it.

However, the implementation in hakchi isn't perfect. It should work fine for games like Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma, but I know for a fact that it doesn't work great for a game like Star Ocean. For games like these which also need a translation patch, it's better to run the SFROM Tool on its own, load the rom into the tool, and click on the "add .ips patch" button to add the translation patch. It'll create an .sfrom file which you can then add to hakchi.

For Seiken Densetsu 3, I patched that game before I really understood how the SFROM Tool actually worked, so I did it all manually using Lunar IPS. I don't know how well that one works with the SFROM Tool. When I did it manually, I had to add a header to my untranslated rom, apply the translation patch with LunarIPS, remove the header, then apply the Canoe fix patch. Then I added it to hakchi, followed by adding the preset ID to the game (found in the first spreadsheet), which you do by clicking on the game and pressing ctrl+alt+E. It's 1610 if you're not using the SFROM Tool integrated into hakchi, and 1016 if you are.

Hope that helps!

raketenrolf · Mar 31, 2019

Thanks it helped a lot. However, I can't get Terranigma to run properly. There is no sound in the intro. Will try again.

SteevL · Mar 31, 2019

raketenrolf said:
Thanks it helped a lot. However, I can't get Terranigma to run properly. There is no sound in the intro. Will try again.

I just realized that's another game I patched manually before I learned to use the SFROM Tool, for whatever that is worth.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 3, 2019

demi Are you still rocking the 2.21 or have you migrated to CE?

demi · Apr 3, 2019

Still on 2.21f - don't plan on changing anytime soon. Works great for my needs.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
Still on 2.21f - don't plan on changing anytime soon. Works great for my needs.

I've had my SFC and SNES set up for a while and I wanted to go back and edit/add/remove some titles on them.
Previously I found that I couldn't manage the two systems under one hakchi 2.2.1f folder so I managed the SFC with 2.21f and the SNES with CE 1.24. It was working fine.
Today I launched CE and it wasn't recognizing the SNES as before. The SNES is still fine but the CE installation looks like I've done nothing with it despite that's the only folder.
Any thoughts? ;_;

demi · Apr 3, 2019

Nope. I use separate folder/installs for multiple systems - or when doing other people's machines for them.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
Nope. I use separate folder/installs for multiple systems - or when doing other people's machines for them.

So if my SNES is no longer recognized in the folder/install of CE I last used, would it be best to - uninstall, then flash to stock - and start over?

demi · Apr 3, 2019

Maybe? I dont use CE so I dont know how it works. CE to me is a "too many fingers in the pie" product, lots of bloat.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
Maybe? I dont use CE so I dont know how it works. CE to me is a "too many fingers in the pie" product, lots of bloat.

I meant to say, I'm going to use 2.21f on the SNES now (I currently use it on the SFC) but I'm going to need a separate folder for the SNES.
So to get the new/different folder/installation to recognize the SNES, won't I need to start over?

Robin64 · Apr 3, 2019

Or just grab an older build of hakchi. Probably simpler.

MrPressStart · Apr 3, 2019

I have not been keeping up with this like I should, but is the ability to add games without having them on a USB stick hanging out of it? Thanks!!!!

demi · Apr 3, 2019

ThorHammerstein said:
I meant to say, I'm going to use 2.21f on the SNES now (I currently use it on the SFC) but I'm going to need a separate folder for the SNES.
So to get the new/different folder/installation to recognize the SNES, won't I need to start over?

It is the safest bet to try and get things back to stock if you can. But only use older builds if it fits your needs. I understand that CE is a better choice when messing with Retroarch or USB stuff. I use neither.

Psxphile · Apr 3, 2019

MrPressStart said:
I have not been keeping up with this like I should, but is the ability to add games without having them on a USB stick hanging out of it? Thanks!!!!

The system has about 300MB of memory, enough for maybe 40-60 games without having to worry about sacrificing save slots. Some people can get up to 150 on there, in separate folders (more than 30 on one screen will cause C8 errors). Doing so will dwindle your save slot space to where you can only have one or two per game (though I believe hakchi lets you compress them to save space?).

Some of this info might be out-of-date, I've been out of the game for awhile. I'm pretty satisfied with my Classic since I hacked it months ago and haven't needed to go back and mess with it more.

demi · Apr 3, 2019

MrPressStart said:
I have not been keeping up with this like I should, but is the ability to add games without having them on a USB stick hanging out of it? Thanks!!!!

Are you referring to the PS Classic? No, you still need a USB stick.

SNES/NES Classic has always allowed games on the machine itself, but you are very limited in space (but still room for plenty of smaller nes/snes sized games) - so if you want EVERYTHING then yes you need an external storage solution.

AtomicShroom · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
Maybe? I dont use CE so I dont know how it works. CE to me is a "too many fingers in the pie" product, lots of bloat.

Yeah same here. Ever seen I've heard ramblings about a splash screen being added on boot, along with a longer boot time, I went "nope" and stuck with 2.21f. I hear you can turn off the splash screen, but I think the boot time is still longer than in 2.21f? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Psxphile · Apr 3, 2019

Is Stunt Race FX still a glitchy mess on Canoe? I just remembered that's like the one title on my classic that doesn't work correctly.

demi · Apr 3, 2019

I havent tried it personally but it's apparently playable when you edit the command line "-boost-fx 1.25"

But "playable" can mean different things to people. It wasnt exactly a looker even on cart

Robin64 · Apr 3, 2019

Yeah it plays as it should with that command line, but that's not saying much.

AtomicShroom · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
I havent tried it personally but it's apparently playable when you edit the command line "-boost-fx 1.25"

But "playable" can mean different things to people. It wasnt exactly a looker even on cart

Nah I've played through the whole thing and can confirm it's mostly pristine. Unlocking that motorcycle is sweet as all hell! :) (And to think some people claim that no one actually plays with the SNES Classic...)

SteevL · Apr 3, 2019

AtomicShroom said:
Yeah same here. Ever seen I've heard ramblings about a splash screen being added on boot, along with a longer boot time, I went "nope" and stuck with 2.21f. I hear you can turn off the splash screen, but I think the boot time is still longer than in 2.21f? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Turning off the hakchi splash screen in CE just replaces it with a black image. That doesn't change the boot time, which I believe is still longer than old hakchi. I haven't used hakchi 2.30 in a year, though.

I've replaced my splash screen with something that looks a little classier, but I usually don't even get to see it because my TV sucks and I have to turn it on about 10-15 seconds after turning on my SNES Classic, otherwise the system's sound lags behind by 1-1.5 seconds. I had this issue with both 2.30 and hakchi CE. I've gotten used to my fix of either waiting to turn on the TV or switching to a different input briefly and then back.

ParityBit · Apr 3, 2019

So I am in the process of building a new machine. I want to move my hakchi2_CE_1.2.5_Release folder to the new machine. Should I just backup the whole folder and move it as it?

ReyVGM · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
Still on 2.21f - don't plan on changing anytime soon. Works great for my needs.

I regret using the new hakchi for the NES Classic. It takes like 8 seconds to boot, and loading a game with Retroarch takes like 5 seconds.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 3, 2019

ReyVGM said:
I regret using the new hakchi for the NES Classic. It takes like 8 seconds to boot, and loading a game with Retroarch takes like 5 seconds.

I've been primarily playing my SFCmini (2.21f) and I noticed that my SNESclassic was slower. I'm gonna redo the SNES with 2.21f this weekend.

SteevL · Apr 3, 2019

ParityBit said:
So I am in the process of building a new machine. I want to move my hakchi2_CE_1.2.5_Release folder to the new machine. Should I just backup the whole folder and move it as it?

Yep! The most important folders there are these: config, folder_art, games/games_snes, and user_mods, but you should just be able to move the whole hakchi folder to another machine and it'll run. Just make sure those folders actually contain files; I've helped some people whose games or games_snes folders end up in another location on their PC entirely.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 3, 2019

demi said:
Nope. I use separate folder/installs for multiple systems - or when doing other people's machines for them.

Since I've had a bit of trouble with that (even though it feels obvious), how do you do your installations for other machines?

demi · Apr 3, 2019

Literally just extract the zip and put it in a different folder, then run the app from there.

So it would be something like

hakchi
---> Bob's Machine
---> Jan's Machine
---> Rick's Machine

DonMigs85 · Apr 3, 2019

is hackchi 2.31 free of the slowness that plagues CE?

ReyVGM · Apr 3, 2019

SteevL said:
Yep! The most important folders there are these: config, folder_art, games/games_snes, and user_mods, but you should just be able to move the whole hakchi folder to another machine and it'll run. Just make sure those folders actually contain files; I've helped some people whose games or games_snes folders end up in another location on their PC entirely.

Because they've installed hakchi instead of downloading the portable version which allows you to place it anywhere you want.

demi · Apr 3, 2019

DonMigs85 said:
is hackchi 2.31 free of the slowness that plagues CE?

I don't know, I didn't get 2.31 because I think Cluster rushed that one out after CE started getting advertised more, so it might have issues. I feel 2.21f is the most stable release.

Robin64 · Apr 4, 2019

Yeah, frankly CE has been awful for my NES. The bootup time now is so long. I thought I was maybe imagining things and that it had always been that way, but good to see others confirming the fact in here.

There's one thing I actually make use of in CE: the seperate thumbnail/box art image windows. And given that's easy enough to do manually, I am sorely tempted to do a full wipe of my machines and go back to the simpler time when they weren't all fapping over Retroarch and mod stores.

(I always generate my SFROMs seperately for SNES anyway, using the VC patch and the PCM data if there is any, so I don't need the integration of that.)

ThorHammerstein · Apr 4, 2019

Speaking of RA, is there a site that maintains the SNESclassic port of it?
I'd like to try a newer port of it, one that has the run ahead frame option and XMB, as it might be better for some NES games.

demi · Apr 4, 2019

ThorHammerstein said:
Speaking of RA, is there a site that maintains the SNESclassic port of it?
I'd like to try a newer port of it, one that has the run ahead frame option and XMB, as it might be better for some NES games.

Kyland has a Github, but his cores are seemingly only compatible with CE. Which is why I said if you care about RA, you might want to stick with CE.
Cluster's old Hakchi doesn't really support these newer cores or hmods I guess.

https://github.com/KMFDManic/NESC-SNESC-Modifications

ThorHammerstein · Apr 4, 2019

demi said:
Kyland has a Github, but his cores are seemingly only compatible with CE. Which is why I said if you care about RA, you might want to stick with CE.
Cluster's old Hakchi doesn't really support these newer cores or hmods I guess.

https://github.com/KMFDManic/NESC-SNESC-Modifications

Ah, I guess if you're gonna stick with older hakchi, you don't get the latest of mods. Thanks anyway~

therourke · Apr 4, 2019

Nice to see things still bubbling along over here. Just wanted to drop in and say thanks again for all the work that went on here to make their SNES Classic such a great emulation system.

I learnt a lot about classic SNES games, and it drove me to dig my old collection out of storage and start collecting carts again. I then bought an Analogue Super NT, which is fantastic. But there are still a bunch of games I can't play on that - yet - such as special chip carts.

Thanks for the memories.

ThorHammerstein · Apr 4, 2019

therourke said:
Nice to see things still bubbling along over here. Just wanted to drop in and say thanks again for all the work that went on here to make their SNES Classic such a great emulation system.

I learnt a lot about classic SNES games, and it drove me to dig my old collection out of storage and start collecting carts again. I then bought an Analogue Super NT, which is fantastic. But there are still a bunch of games I can't play on that - yet - such as translated ROMs and special chip carts.

Thanks for the memories.

Oh hey dude~
Y'know the Super NT has actually been my main translated/hacked ROM machine - as it's way easier to pull out the SD card, put something on it (it's not picky about headers etc that the SNESc can be), and be playing something new in a few moments.
But I still love the aesthetics of the SNESc, menu system, and music.
(I've got that same Bomberman multi tap as well :D)

therourke · Apr 4, 2019

ThorHammerstein said:
Oh hey dude~
Y'know the Super NT has actually been my main translated/hacked ROM machine - as it's way easier to pull out the SD card, put something on it (it's not picky about headers etc that the SNESc can be), and be playing something new in a few moments.
But I still love the aesthetics of the SNESc, menu system, and music.
(I've got that same Bomberman multi tap as well :D)

Yes, the Super NT is great for ROM playing too, but I miss the SNES Classic menu for sure, save states and a bunch of other things.

I WISH so hard that I had continued collecting. I bought most of my PAL SNES carts in the late 90s, and then stopped collecting in about 2000. Getting a copy of Terranigma, Hagane, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, or Mario RPG back then wouldn't have set me back hundreds of £. But I had no idea what was good or not, and just bought stuff I wanted from my local UK game stores.

What are your thoughts on repro carts (mainly for translations etc.)?

demi · Apr 4, 2019

Indifferent, if you want to make a cart for a translation go for it.

But not for me, only "official" releases for me

ThorHammerstein · Apr 4, 2019

therourke said:
Yes, the Super NT is great for ROM playing too, but I miss the SNES Classic menu for sure, save states and a bunch of other things.

I WISH so hard that I had continued collecting. I bought most of my PAL SNES carts in the late 90s, and then stopped collecting in about 2000. Getting a copy of Terranigma, Hagane, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, or Mario RPG back then wouldn't have set me back hundreds of £. But I had no idea what was good or not, and just bought stuff I wanted from my local UK game stores.

What are your thoughts on repro carts (mainly for translations etc.)?

I don't mind them and there's nothing that I truly want in a repro, but I think people spend too much on them as they're not even "real" carts. I get wanting to own a repro of something that is overpriced, but as the real deal will set anyone back a lot of money, most people don't mind playing them on the SNESc however they do. Repros that are fan-translations made into "real" carts don't inspire me to get one, but they are cool for the dedication that people put into making them.

therourke · Apr 4, 2019

There are not many games I would absolutely want, but there's no way to play games like Marvelous or Front Mission: Gun Hazard in English except via a repro or the raw ROM. This was another option I considered - the Super UFO Pro 8 - but all it does is dump the ROM from the legit Japanese cart and then apply the English translation patch to it. Kind of cool if you want to be 100% legit

Megasoum · Apr 4, 2019

So let's say I install RetroArch on that thing... Up to what console can I actually play games on it? How much power is there under the hood?

ThorHammerstein · Apr 4, 2019

therourke said:
There are not many games I would absolutely want, but there's no way to play games like Marvelous or Front Mission: Gun Hazard in English except via a repro or the raw ROM. This was another option I considered - the Super UFO Pro 8 - but all it does is dump the ROM from the legit Japanese cart and then apply the English translation patch to it. Kind of cool if you want to be 100% legit

Well if you want to rip a cart, the Super NT can do that already. ;)
But I presume with the Super UFO cart, you'd leave your JP cart on top and play like that, yeah? That way you can see the cart in use, something aesthetical like that.

Polioliolio · Apr 4, 2019

So, I had been setting up a hacked NES mini a while back. I was absolutely blown away with Super Mario Bros with 2 player simultaneous play (where is the love for this miracle, why hasn't nintendo done this???), I was quite please. Well it occurred to me that I could put these rom hacks onto my Everdrive and play them on an actual famicom, but I didn't expect it to actually work.

Wow. I just played Super Mario Bros. with Mario and Luigi simultaneously playing together, on actual hardware, and it appears all my other hacks and translations work too. My life is complete. The only thing better would be having them on their own cartridges with art and everything. I know that's possible too....

SteevL · Apr 4, 2019

Megasoum said:
So let's say I install RetroArch on that thing... Up to what console can I actually play games on it? How much power is there under the hood?

It can handle PS1 pretty well. Some N64 games can be played OK too. I haven't tried PSP or Dreamcast, but it can definitely run some games from those systems too. Saturn is a no-go.

Megasoum · Apr 5, 2019

SteevL said:
It can handle PS1 pretty well. Some N64 games can be played OK too. I haven't tried PSP or Dreamcast, but it can definitely run some games from those systems too. Saturn is a no-go.

Ah... Interesting! I didn't know it could go all the way to PS1.

What are the controller options available for that console tho since it uses the Nintendo connectors (unlike the PI with its USB ports).

The SNES controller is a great one and covers most of the needs but it's obviously not enough for the PS1.

demi · Apr 5, 2019

You could buy a Wii Classic Controller Pro, it works just fine on the Classic - and I assume it supports Retroarch as well

Deleted member 71 · Apr 5, 2019

Silly question but is it possible to set up Hakchi to work with the CC Pro's left analog stick on certain games, or would I be limited to using RetroArch? Wouldn't mind using it for movement in Earthbound, but using the dpad for everything else ingame.

SteevL · Apr 5, 2019

Megasoum said:
Ah... Interesting! I didn't know it could go all the way to PS1.

What are the controller options available for that console tho since it uses the Nintendo connectors (unlike the PI with its USB ports).

The SNES controller is a great one and covers most of the needs but it's obviously not enough for the PS1.

Yeah, as demi said, the Wii Classic controller works. I just use the less-ergonomic original classic controller, not the Pro, since it is what I have. The Retroarch that works with the system is set up to recognize those controllers and requires no additional configuration.

You can also use PS3 and PS4 controllers, apparently, but you need additional USB inputs. My Inateck OTG has some USB ports and can be used for it, but I've never done it myself. It seems you need to do some setup in Retroarch for it to work, plus you can't use these controllers to manipulate the NES/SNES Classic's UI (or games using kachikachi/Canoe).

SNES Mini Classic Hacking | More games, more borders, more gooder.

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