How are game roms from cartridge systems created???

[yoda313]

Hello,

I'm not ASKING for them just the technique.

I mean you have a system like the SNES and how in the world do you port the bits and bytes to the pc?????? I mean do they crack it open and solder some wires and there you go????

Kevin

(mods feel free to lock this if you feel it could get dicey - I just wonder how you do it for a closed older system without a external data port)

[offline]

I'm guessing there is a rom or eprom that you
can read with a rom reader. Simple.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Rom Reader??????

I guess what I'm asking is how they actually dump the data to the pc. Since it's physically locked in the cartridge how is it ported to the computer???

Is it some kind of transfer device like a usb port or something?????

Kevin

(don't worry I don't have the programming skills to even begin to try something like that! )

[offline]

Yep. Transfer mostly via printer (centronics) port.
There is free dos C software available or you can
use windows IDE tools like CodeWarrior

Read this:

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/rom.htm

[yoda313]

Hello,

Thanks for the link

Though some of its a little over my head. I understand some of it but the details go a bit beyond what I'm familiar with.

Kevin

[offline]

My pleasure.

Game instructions are held in a chip. You can
remove this chip and place it in a programmer
(a device that can read and (for certain chips) re-
write).

Software parses the chip and writes a file via
a printer cable onto your pc with
all the instructions. You can then edit them or
use them to create a software or hardware
emulator.

A emulator mimics the chip's functions
and passes out compatable instructions for the
platform you are using it on. You need two
chips at least. The Game rom (the game cart chip)
which becomes the game you load
and the console chip (the game player itself)
which later becomes the emulator by which the
loaded game is "processed"

[VideoTechMan]

It would be cool if it was possible to backup the game cartridges to a PC or something....as most games on the older systems are no longer avaliable and pretty impossible to find, that would be cool if that was possible. I have alot of NES, SNES, and Sega games I bought over the years that you can no longer find.

VTM

[yoda313]

Hello,

Game instructions are held in a chip. You can
remove this chip and place it in a programmer
(a device that can read and (for certain chips) re-
write).

Software parses the chip and writes a file via
a printer cable onto your pc

Ahh.... That's the part I was most curious about. The actual connection device. Now I get it. Thanks

Kevin

----VTM - just do a net search for "roms" and you'll find all you need - we can't discuss getting them here - though you should have the originals as you seem to have -----

[VideoTechMan]

Hello,



----VTM - just do a net search for "roms" and you'll find all you need - we can't discuss getting them here - though you should have the originals as you seem to have -----

I do have all my original cartridge games, boxes, instruction manuals and all....else I would have never asked :P heh. I just mentioned if it was a possible way to back them up is all. Believe me, I have common sense to know what I have to do as far as research goes, mr watchguard

VTM

[yoda313]

Hello,

Ok good luck

Kevin

[handyguy]

I just sold my Double Pro Fighter Q+. It could do it. This is an old machine though, about 11 years old. You'd put the game on the top of it & it sits on top of your SNES or Genny. It then backs the game data up to a floppy disk via a menu on the screen.

I paid like $400 when it first came out

[Craig Tucker]

That must have been considerably more than the console cost.

[yoda313]

That must have been considerably more than the console cost.

Hello,

Yep - at first release the SNES was $200 US.

Kevin

[mrtristan]

I was looking for some GBA SP accesories one day and found a whole bunch of ROM creating delights. They sell USB reader/writers for almost any system. From what I understand, you plug in your game to the reader, much like you would plug in a memory card and transfer to your pc via USB. They were also selling blank programmable catridges for the GBA, which could hold multiple games.

[Shadowmistress]

Does anyone else notice how offline's posts are so neat and arranged in narrow column paragraphs?

Is this because you are so considerate to people like me who use 640x480 monitor resolution, or do you have a crappier monitor than mine?


Just wondering.

[offline]

Does this mean that, to get women interested in me I have
to show them my paragraphs

Offline, not tall or dark, but what formatting!!


-edit-


I've got 19 inches

[Shadowmistress]

Oh God, my side hurts now.