[Other] Pokémon Stadium won't run after hex editing

[Avalonya]

Hi! Project64 refuses to start the game and gives me this message instead:

In a permanent loop that cannot be exited.
Emulation will now stop.

Verify ROM and its settings.

Anyone knows how to get around this? The ROM works on the Nemu64 emulator, but not others.

 

[miksy91]

You may have to modify the checksum data in the rom header as well. Take a look at these at least for more info:
https://goldeneye.wikia.com/wiki/ROM
https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=8799
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_redundancy_check

According the first link, the checksum is stored in address 0x10 (= right at the beginning of the rom file). The tool described in link #2 is designed for SM64 so it may not work correctly with your rom file but you can check it out. If it doesn't work, try finding another tool for calculating the checksum.

 

[Avalonya]

I've tried using programs like: LemAsm, CHKSUM64 and ucon64 to fix it, but I think they only work for SM64.
rn64crc comes with a txt file that says this, but I lack the basic skills to understand how to use it.

How to use.
===========
Syntax : <command> <filename/path> <other options>

Commands:
-Check / -c : Check CRC of a N64 ROM file(s) (Default)
-Update / -u : Update the CRC on N64 ROM file(s)
-Search / -s : Search for valid bootcode files
-Extract / -e : Extract the bootcode from N64 Rom file(s)
-Help /-h /-?: Shows a help page.

 

[miksy91]

I've tried using programs like: LemAsm, CHKSUM64 and ucon64 to fix it, but I think they only work for SM64.
rn64crc comes with a txt file that says this, but I lack the basic skills to understand how to use it.

How to use.
===========
Syntax : <command> <filename/path> <other options>

Commands:
-Check / -c : Check CRC of a N64 ROM file(s) (Default)
-Update / -u : Update the CRC on N64 ROM file(s)
-Search / -s : Search for valid bootcode files
-Extract / -e : Extract the bootcode from N64 Rom file(s)
-Help /-h /-?: Shows a help page.

rn64crc is a command line tool right? Open that tool, and go to the directory where your rom file is with "cd" command where cd is 'change directory' and you give it the directory to go into. With no options by just writing 'cd' , it should go to the root of your disk so into "C:" most likely. If your rom file is in let's say, "C:\N64\myHack" you can get there by typing "cd", "cd \N64\myHack". Now input "c nameOfTheRom" to see the current checksum. To modify the checksum you'll have to input "u nameOfTheRom newChecksum" where nameOfTheRom is the name of the rom file (for example stadium.z64) and newChecksum is a byte value in decimal most likely so something between 0 and 255. And after each input click Enter for running the input.

I don't know for sure but this is how I believe it could work.

Edit:
"Syntax:
"rn64crc romname.z64 -u does update the CRC." is what was written in that site I linked you. This means that you're probably supposed to open command like (run 'cmd.exe' with task manager if you're using windows and just like I mentioned above, go to the directory where the rom file is but you want it to be in the same directory with rn64crc. Try typing "rn64crc stadium.z64 -c" to see the checksum. Update should require just changing that -c into -u and giving parameter newChecksum alongside it.

 

[Avalonya]

Thanks! rn64crc fixed the checksum and I can now boot the ROM.

Unfortunately without the old checksum the game freeze when I select more than 1 pokémon.
The same thing happens with Stadium 2. Works on other emulators, but don't know any that runs it as well as PJ64.

messiaen figured out how to skip the CRC check for SM64:
Getting rid of the Checksum trap (google search as I can't post links before I have 5 posts)

Is that possible for Pokémon Stadium as well?

Edit: It froze because the new checksum was not in the .rdb

Project64 (and its derivatives) and Mupen use a rom database file to apply per-game emulation hacks to titles. With PJ64 (and likely anything based off it) open the .rdb, find the entry for the unmodified game, copy it, then paste it at the end with new checksum. The checksum is within braces like so:

[A4A9E67A-7A6FD9EF-C:45]

Change the first two words to match the 8 bytes at 0x10 in ROM. The "C" value is the region code; you shouldn't need to fiddle with it but it matches the byte at 0x3E.

Thanks miksy91 and Zoinkity!

 

[SinisterHoodedFigure]

I know this is an old topic, but the PJ64 freezing is such an awful problem, that I spent 6 hours trying to fix, but I need to know.

Can you give an example of what the End of File is supposed to be, and where you need to put the unmodified copy at the end? Because my previous 10 attempts didn't work. I was using notepad to change the rdb file, and even then, I had to put it on a different folder, and copying and paste over the original while getting permission, from there.
I am not good with GUI, and I can't modify anything with PJ64 1.6 itself.

And in the long run, I need to provide the steps because I am releasing the Pokémon Stadium hack, and it is has this one simple move edit that is causing me all this grief.

Plus, another guy did a successful move edit and it's on YouTube. I asked him how, and I ended up with the dreaded loop error.

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

Stadium hacking is getting pretty popular eh? Didn't expect that.

Regarding the issues both avalonya and Sinister are having, I'll quote what I posted a few minutes ago in his thread.

Looks like PJ64 is resetting the game settings after you use rn64crc.

I had the same issues when I started hacking Stadium 2. You should make sure everything in rom settings is the same as the original game.

If you manage to get it working, let me know. If it doesn't, I can try to figure something out.