Workaround problem with BYOG/Addon introduced by Firmware 5.70 for the AtGames Legends Ultimate.

[rocketfan]

Hello out there.  This is posted to document one way to workaround the problem with BYOG/Addon introduced by Firmware 5.70 for the AtGames Legends Ultimate where most games contained in .UCE files will fail to launch.

 

The workaround is to repack the .UCE files to include a preexisting hiscore.dat file.  This has fixed basically all the console games for me, but unfortunately the arcade/MAME games are not all fixed by this.  There is some other dependence on the specific core used.  I guess the change/bug introduced by that firmware relates to file creation/permissions and those cores may need to create additional file(s).  However, that's really just a WAG on my part about what's going on.

 

I have attached a set of scripts to be used in Linux, I don't know how to achieve this in Windows.  The files are in a directory called UCE_rebuild_tools:

 

UCE_rebuild_tools.zip

 

The main script for packing up UCE files is from Github:

 

UCE Tools at Github

 

Thank you to FalkensMaze1983 for providing that.

You would also need the squashfs-tools package as a prerequisite:
Step 0) sudo apt-get install squashfs-tools

 

To use:
Step 1) Put the UCE_rebuild_tools folder in your home folder in Linux.
Step 2) Have another folder containing your .UCE files, for example a folder called SG1000.
Step 3) Open the folder with the UCE files (SG1000) and open a terminal window there.
Step 4) Run this command in the terminal:   ~/UCE_rebuild_tools/batch_rebuild     (Provide the root password when prompted)
Step 5) The process takes some time, maybe 30 seconds per UCE file, depending on the size.  If there are a lot, go have a cup of coffee.
Step 6) A folder with a ".new" suffix like "SG1000.new" has been produced with the patched-up .UCE files.  Move this to a thumb drive for testing.

 

The Arcade/MAME story is a longer one.  I did get all my desired games working.  What I found is that there is an older set of UCE files available on archive.org from circa 2020.  These use cores which are apparently compatible with the workaround above.  The identifier for the post that has these older files is "getsauceywithArcade" and the files can be recognized since they almost all have the "addon_" prefix on the file names.  Taking UCEs from this set only and running them through the process above allowed me to get a working set.  Beware that this older set has some problems, like certain vector games are rotated 90 degrees and so on.  I think later sets were made that resolved those various issues.

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by rocketfan

[Kdeep95]

Any way you can rebuild the whole set of Arcade UCE's for download?

[rocketfan]

17 hours ago, Kdeep95 said:

Any way you can rebuild the whole set of Arcade UCE's for download?

Sorry, I'm not willing to do that.  There are thousands.  It would be way time consuming and I have too many irons in the fire.  Also, I'm not as confident in what's going on with those and so on.  I use my Legends Ultimate for a pretty limited set of games, which is why I guess I like simple old BYOG.  I have other devices with "the whole world of MAME" installed if I want to go exploring.  Usually I don't and just stick to games I know I like.

 

I did upload the set I have converted/tried if you want to give those a try.   You can just search "Legends Ultimate 5.70" on archive.org to find those.

 

I was hoping atGames or the Sauce people would figure this our "for real" and come up with a more elegant fix, but maybe all the fancier ways of using games on those devices dominate their attention. 

[Twill96]

@rocketfan Thank you so much!! I was able to use the script to rebuild my .uce files and they work 🙂. My Atgames box was about to become useless without BYOG. Thanks again! 

[Akrat]

Agreed.  Thanks RocketFan!  It's unreal that AtGames broke the ability to run these UCE files and are taking so long to address it.

[rocketfan]

@Twill96 @Akrat  Hey, glad it worked!  Thanks for letting me know and welcome to AtariAge. 

[Kdeep95]

Rocketfan, 

You did absolutely what I asked for already THANK YOU SO MUCH you are truly a saint and have saved my Holiday Season!

I greatly appreciate you did this workaround!

 

I shared this to Reddit community.

Thank you again sir! 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Kdeep95

[rocketfan]

@Kdeep95 You are welcome and I'm glad it helped you and a few others.  Happy new year!

[Jess Ragan]

Hm. I'll have to make a mental note of this. I just updated, thinking it would get rid of an onscreen nag but that it wouldn't have affect my flash drive. Shows what I know!

 

So this is Linux only, then? Is it easy to use once you're in Linux?

[Kdeep95]

I personally tried but don't have the SquashFS and I am completely lost on Ubuntu.   Rocketfan is a true genious!!!

[greg97sch]

Anyone have a fix/workaround for Windows?