New games do not work on my Harmony Encore SD Card

[Absalon]

I have problems runnig qyx on my pal harmony encore. In the older demo the qyx is invisible and the final demos from the champ website go to blank screen on start. Is there a fix for this by now? (looks like other pal people are having similar problems?!). I want to buy the rom and want to know if there is way for me to play via my harmony encore.

 

edit.

this is the software / bios I use

Edited October 8, 2023 by Absalon

[+SpiceWare]

On 10/8/2023 at 10:43 AM, Absalon said:

I have problems runnig qyx on my pal harmony encore. In the older demo the qyx is invisible and the final demos from the champ website go to blank screen on start. Is there a fix for this by now? (looks like other pal people are having similar problems?!). I want to buy the rom and want to know if there is way for me to play via my harmony encore.

Don't know the answer to this, but just wanted to give you a heads up that John(for Qyx) and Fred(for Harmony) are both very busy getting ready for PRGE, so it might be a week or two before you get a response. 

[Absalon]

I can give an update on my problems running QYX using my harmony encore. A friend of mine came over and brought his own harmony encore (funny enough I gifted it to him some time ago) and all CHAMP games work using his harmony encore card on my different PAL systems. So it's definetly something about the changed chip in the production line of the harmony card.

 

So, I'd be very pleased if "Fred" can tell, if he could do a fixed ROM version of QYX. Of course after the PRGE. Take your time. (I have no idea how much work this would take!)

 

Or is it better to buy a new card? I wonder which version of the chip is integrated in the "catrtridges in stock" right now!?!

[BIGHMW]

On 5/20/2022 at 11:49 AM, SpiceWare said:

 

This version fixed an issue seen by Dave2600 in this topic.  He's in the UK so the colors were wrong as that was the NTSC version.  I did this to create an updated version of the PAL build for him, like I did when the Encore patch came out, and posted them in the Space Rocks topic (which I've since removed).
 

dd count=3 if=spacerocks_Harmony_fix.bin of=DPC+20220411.arm bs=1024

dd skip=3 count=29 if=spacerocks20121129_NTSC.bin of=srn29K.bin bs=1024
cat DPC+20220411.arm srn29K.bin > spacerocks2022519_NTSC.bin
 
dd skip=3 count=29 if=spacerocks20121129_PAL.bin of=srp29K.bin bs=1024
cat DPC+20220411.arm srp29K.bin > spacerocks2022519_PAL60.bin

 

He reported that the problem was fixed with your version, but not with mine.  I did a hexdump then diff and the game code was different. Any ideas?

 

Here's the files I did it with:

HarmonyFix2.zip 338.37 kB · 78 downloads

Hey @SpiceWare you solved my problem on why my (previous) version of Space Rocks was a bit different than the one mostly shown here, it was because I was using an older port of it, this one, is far better, thanks!

[+wavemotion]

So as not to create a new thread... just a point of reference.

 

I have two older Harmony (standard - Non Encore) carts that have many of the problems mentioned here. One was purchased in 2010 and the other a few years later (this second version has a micro-SD). Both have been flashed to NTSC BIOS 1.06 (non beta... the latest version as of this post).

 

Most notably, RobotWar (Demo) and Qyx (full purchased ROM) did not work on either cart. Both produced a garbled opening screen after the swirly Harmony loading icon. The latest Qyx demo from CG runs fine (and Champ Games was able to get me a patched version of my purchase). The RobotWar demo patched version earlier in this thread also works fine. This all leads me to believe that it's the same problem/fix as being reported on the 'Encore'.

 

Having said that: Space Rocks without the patch/fix seemed to run on both my carts, but I did not play beyond a screen or two in my testing. Same with Draconian RC8.  But to be safe, I've updated those games with the "fixed" versions found in this thread.

 

Mostly all this to say that it's not just an Encore problem - some of the old (est?) Harmony carts exhibit similar behavior on the cutting-edge ARM assisted games.

 

[Absalon]

2 hours ago, llabnip said:

The latest Qyx demo from CG runs fine (and Champ Games was able to get me a patched version of my purchase).

 

 

so, is there a patched version for pal users?

 

I still have the problem, that my fully purchased qyx rom does not work on my harmony encore.

[+wavemotion]

I would contact @johnnywc directly who is always gracious helping to get answers on his games and he might not be following this thread. 

[+johnnywc]

43 minutes ago, Absalon said:

so, is there a patched version for pal users?

 

I still have the problem, that my fully purchased qyx rom does not work on my harmony encore.

Hi there! 

 

Please send me an email at champdotgames@gmail.com and I will reply with a patched PAL version of your registered ROM.  Please include your order # if you have it, or just your name will be fine also.  

39 minutes ago, llabnip said:

I would contact @johnnywc directly who is always gracious helping to get answers on his games and he might not be following this thread. 

  

 

We have worked with @batari to create ROMs that should work on all Harmony carts for any orders moving forward. ▶️

[Absalon]

Got a fixed version of the game - now there are no game crashes playing Qyx in Pal land 😄

 

Thanks for the great Support, John!!

🥳

[+johnnywc]

13 hours ago, Absalon said:

Got a fixed version of the game - now there are no game crashes playing Qyx in Pal land 😄

 

Thanks for the great Support, John!!

🥳

Glad it worked out Stefan!  We have updated all of our binaries with the "Harmony fix" provided by @batari so there should be no issues going forward. 🤞