Cheat Database Discussion

Post by **ZachBacon** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:12 pm

Ok back in the suggestions thread there was discussion of a Cheat database like those found in other emulators such as Project64, Jnes, and even 1964. This thread is for creating that Database, it is by no means the final product since the actual implementation has yet to be coded in VBA-M

Hard Core Rikki · Post by **Hard Core Rikki** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:49 pm

sounds good. which file format will be used for it (xml-based, perhaps?) ?

MasterPhW · Post by **MasterPhW** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:04 pm

Ok back in the suggestions thread there was discussion of a Cheat database like those found in other emulators such as Project64, Jnes, and even 1964. This thread is for creating that Database, it is by no means the final product since the actual implementation has yet to be coded in VBA-M

Great that you opened this thread. We really need to get this started, because IMHO the cheat system in VBA wasn't really that great or good, but now we have the possibility to create an impressive database for the Best Multi GB-Emulator available.

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sounds good. which file format will be used for it (xml-based, perhaps?) ?

We don't know yet, but atm we're discussing a PJ64 styled INI system, but don't know exactly. Time will show.

Post by **ZachBacon** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:20 pm

Our Major Concern is getting the codes first and then once we get organized to create either an ini system as MasterPhW suggested or something similer, anyways it's still really undecided atm

Post by **ZachBacon** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:54 am

Anyways I got a head start on an idea for the ini based idea by using the following idea

Code: Select all

[superman-Countdown To Apokolips (U)]
;GameShark Codes
;Load the master cheat first
Mastercheat1=928177261526
Mastercheat2=2DD1D2A7161F
Mastercheat3=95FD3D92FA7A
;end comment
AllLevelsUnlocked1=CEB9D4F70585
AllLevelsUnlocked2=44BD0E00BEB3
InfiniteHealth=A08A7934CF99
Earn3Shields=D36F140A7180
Earn3Shields=6C91CEA5FE1B
Earn3Shields=0DE4BF876EFF
CompleteMission[L+R+Up]1=EF5F027B1404
CompleteMission[L+R+Up]2=2E9FB3B13C0F
;End Gameshark Codes
;Start Proaction Replay
;End Proaction Replay

Now mind you this isn't final and is due to change especially since the implementations has not yet been written yet.

dualscreenman · Post by **dualscreenman** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:24 pm

Isn't Qt 4.4 going to have some nice XML stuff built in?

Since we're using Qt for our GUI anyway it'd make sense to utilize these features if we can.

Hard Core Rikki · Post by **Hard Core Rikki** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:49 pm

xml is much sweeter indeed. there's more than enough codes avail online anyway, so as long as the format for these is finalized, updating a zip file with the latest correctly-formatted codes wouldnt be a tiresome task (even less, if directly queried inside the emu from a centrally-managed, constantly updated cheat db)

Post by **ZachBacon** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:23 pm

Well like I said it's subject to change [img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/wink.png[/img]/emoticons/wink@2x.png 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Squall Leonhart · Post by **Squall Leonhart** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:25 pm

hmm

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i dislike large text files... the PEC codelist is 24mbs, and thats due to an excessive amount of Valkyrie Profile codes (yes,.. ONLY Valkyrie Profile Codes)

without them it'd be 6mbs, tops.

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I would gather a central XML file to dictate the cheats to be loaded from other files would be better. so. for instance

Â

Database.xml

Code: Select all

            - Minish Cap XML

Â

the Database.xml would be used to match against the rom's hex, or crc, or w/e, and then load the cheats from the file specified.

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.....but if we can keep a single file small, by not using mbs worth of cheats for one game, it'd be ok.

Hard Core Rikki · Post by **Hard Core Rikki** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:17 am

or small, multipart xml files with a fixed number of cheat info (cut at 500 kbs for example),dated, and with user-input cheats separately added outside of the db (minish cap.xml). this way, the cheat format could be thought of with only storage requirments in mind, and not really reeditability (it'd be desirable for edits to be saved in separate files, easier submitting process, in case theyre not in central db yet).

Also, cheats could work in more than one game (euro, italian and US versions for example), so expanding matching to the gameid would sound nicer (for all kinds of reasons, one could have bad cartridge dumps which would fail a crc32 check)