mega Genesis/Mega Drive to Dreamcast Tools and Tutorial

[GatorCountry]

Hi buds, I am going to give you the tools I use and teach you how to use them yourself.....um...on windows anyway....and as best I can.

 

First, get the tools:

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Now that you have everything you're going to want to make a work folder and get your rom or roms ready. 

Make sure your rom is a .bin. if it's a .md just rename it to .bin. I do it loads.

Copy the 1st_read.bin and ip.bin from Gens Binaries into your work folder.

Copy your rom into your work folder

Rename your rom a three letter name. The last one I made was Animaniacs. I named it ANI.bin

Go into the GLC Parse folder and create a new text file. Name it whatever you like but it is best to keep it simple. I name mine 1.txt.

In the text file you'll need some information about your rom in this specific format but without the parenthesis ( ) symbols. I'm putting instructions in them so you know what goes there.

 

 

Dir: /cd/ (this tells Gens4All where to look to find the games)

##############################
Letter: (The first letter of the game)

Game: ( Full name goes here. )
Rom: ( Three letter name .bin goes here. With the .bin)
Savename: (Three letter name without the .bin)
Savetitle: (Three letter name without the .bin)
Savevmu: (Three letter name without the .bin)
Savetype: (just put "auto" without quotes)
Savesize: 0

(Three letter names are case sensitive. I use caps, I don't know if lowercase is fine but if you tell it to look for a name in capitals and then name the game in lowercase you will not load your game. )

 

 

So, using Animaniacs as the example what it looks like filled out is this:

Dir: /cd/

##############################
Letter: A

Game: Animaniacs
Rom: ANI.bin
Savename: ANI
Savetitle: ANI
Savevmu: ANI
Savetype: auto
Savesize: 0

 

If you're doing multiple games you need another hash # line and then repeat the same format with the next game's information.

 

Save your text file.

Open Command Prompt.

In Command Prompt type cd (change directory) hit space then the directory GLC.exe is in. You can drag and drop the directory into Command Prompt so if you're looking at your txt file and glc.exe just drag the address over. Not the folder, open the folder and drag the address by clicking and holding GLC Parse in the address bar and dragging it into Command Prompt.

Hit enter

You should see in command prompt you've moved into GLC Parse folder

Type glc -c yourtextfilesname.txt

If you called it 1.txt like I do it is glc -c 1.txt

Hit enter and watch GLC create a gamelist.bin.

Copy gamelist.bin from GLC Parse folder into your work folder.

Now create some art or find some art. Make sure your art is 256 X 256. Acceptable extensions on the art are .png .bmp. and .jpg

Put the art in the PVR Viewer folder and open PVRViewer.exe

On the left near the middle you'll see a drop-down menu with extensions. Find yours and you will see your art. Click it.

Top left you'll see file, click it, you'll now see save selected, click it.

You should see a new window, click save.

Now find your new .pvr image.

Rename it exactly 0GDTEX.pvr

Copy 0GDTEX.pvr from PVR Viewer fold into your work folder

 

Now is a good time to review your files. Your work folder should contain:

0GDTEX.pvr

1ST_READ.bin

IP.bin

Three Letter Game Name.bin

gamelist.bin

 

All good?

Go to your Bootdreams folder and launch BootDreams.exe

Make sure the DiscJuggler icon is colorful and green. If it isn't click the icon to the far left and it'll green up for you. All other icons should be greyed out. This is how you get a CDI. The others give you other extensions you have to later convert to CDI

You can click browse or drag and drop the directory like you did with GLC. Either way direct Bootdreams to you work folder

Go into extras.

Make sure if you're burning to select dummy files. The size depends on the size of CD you're burning. It will fill whatever leftover space with dummy files so your DC doesn't kill itself looking for the boot binaries.

If you're not burning keep the dummy files off.

MR logos are your choice. MR logos appear just after the Sega Swirl bios animation. Bootdreams supplies you with a ton of MRs to choose from but you can just click them off and see the normal Sega splashscreen. 

CDDA doesn't matter because we're not making a nero rip and Gens4All does not support CDDA.

Now you're ready to hit process

Bootdreams will ask if you're sure. Of course you are, get at her....means click yes.

If you chose to leave MR on now is when it asks you to pick one. Bootdreams provides a preview window so you can scroll and pick whichever you like. Click on and hit ok.

Now it will ask you where to save. This is a super normal windows screen. Browse where you want it saved and click save.

Now Bootdreams will get to work, wait for it to finish. If you're going without dummy files it will be quick. If you're using dummy files it might take a whole entire minute or two.

You'll get a pop up telling you your DiscJuggler image was successfully created.

Test it in Demul.

 

You're done. Now you can make your own Genesis/Mega Drive ports and compilations.

 

If you made it far enough to actually boot the game in Gens4All but it runs crappy, sorry bud, Gens4All is not 100% compatible. You did everything right. Pick another game and try again.

If you got Gens4All to boot but your game will not that is because you did not name it exactly as it's named in the gamelist.bin. Check your txt file and your rom name and makes sure they match completely.

If you're on GDEmu and do not see your PVR check the name and size and try again.

Any other errors should have came up while you were using that tool. GLC, PVRViewer, and Bootdreams will tell you if something is wrong.

 

Don't be shy about asking for help. I found this stuff on my brother's computer and started opening pre-made games to figure it out so whatever the issue is I'm pretty sure I can figure that out too. Also, I am more than happy to open up your cdi and fix it for you, or tell you what is wrong, or both.

 

Cheers, now off youse pop to make me something to play  

[serper]

thanks for the post

[animekai]

i've learned this the hard way, i wish this tutorial was when i need it

[GatorCountry]

15 hours ago, animekai said:

i've learned this the hard way, i wish this tutorial was when i need it

 Yeah man, me too. 

 

[rocksscotty]

Thanks man 

[VectorSona]

Thank you for the Tools. ☺️

[Nugman]

Ty