Sharkport needed - I can program a hybrid program!

  • Thread starter Syizm
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Syizm

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Where can I find Skarports at?

I have active knowledge of hex and programming. Making a program along the lines of MKs would be cake (with time) if I could get ahold of a Sharkport. I can't find them anywhere locally.


Thanks fellas'
 
SHarkports are no longer in production. You're most likely looking at eBay to find one.

Also there are a few X-ports around that you might be able to find.

The newest and best way, is an AR Max Drive.

Any local shop should have one available

AO
 
You can still get them new on ebay. I got mine just a few months ago new and in the original packaging for like $15.
 
I picked one up at Toys R Us for $5. I couldn't get it to work, because I have a new PS2 and it won't read the blue disc.
 
I picked up an AR Max (EVO Model) with the MAX Drive included.

So, I can move my save files to and from my memory card, and use normal Gameshark style cheats on the game... However, I am having one small (LARGE) problem.


When I transfer memory card files from my PS2 memory card to my PC, the files appear to be in a compressed/zipped format!

If anyone know's the deal here, or can tell me how to "unzip" these files, please let me know. I can assure I will get to work on a program, albeit simple, to hybrid/hack GT4 save files via an AR Max Drive.
 
So your program won't support sharkport? Hrm that will suck for me. Sharkport files appear in their own wierd format.
 
Syizm
Where can I find Skarports at?

I have active knowledge of hex and programming. Making a program along the lines of MKs would be cake (with time) if I could get ahold of a Sharkport. I can't find them anywhere locally.


Thanks fellas'
Click to expand...
What's a Skarports???

MK's Program wasn't a peice of cake and I doubt you can do it if you think an Xport or Sharkport had anything to do with Making the program! And any scientific calculator will help you to figure Hex values, Simply put it's more complicated than you think, MK was the source but people like famine, Heydu, Apex1 and the guy's at GTH had a LOT to do with the program and all it's features! Getting a game save into your computer is not how it's done, You have to understand the files and memory addresses, Car addresses, Parts addy's, knowledge of a floating garage etc... None associated with a save transfer device.
 
^^^Technicly Speaking your wrong and your right

First...a save transfer device is where it all begins. It's basicly what you NEED to get started
and to test your program out. I mean...how else are you gonna know where to begin
with out the knowledge of how exactly GT4 codes it's saves.

Anyway...if your down to creat a program...I'll be MORE then happy to do the time consuimg work of find out the values for each car...which is gonna be the most work.

PM me if your down cause I am willign to make this happen
 
if someone can give me a basic overveiw ofhow i am willing to donate hours and hours of my time to help. As for the save conversion thingy i am hosting donwloads with permission 'ps2 save builder' which converts between pretty much every file type: http://www.your-ressurection.info/programs.html

as for the sharkport...if you already have a flash drive or any other form of usb memory (outside of hd's) you can just buy the cheaper alternative; codebreaker
 
HYBRIDLVR
What's a Skarports???

MK's Program wasn't a peice of cake and I doubt you can do it if you think an Xport or Sharkport had anything to do with Making the program! And any scientific calculator will help you to figure Hex values, Simply put it's more complicated than you think, MK was the source but people like famine, Heydu, Apex1 and the guy's at GTH had a LOT to do with the program and all it's features! Getting a game save into your computer is not how it's done, You have to understand the files and memory addresses, Car addresses, Parts addy's, knowledge of a floating garage etc... None associated with a save transfer device.
Click to expand...


Thanks for berating my intelligence by pointing out a typo, big guy. 👍


First off, I can do it, and I know how, and regardless of what you say, that kind of program wouldn't be possible without a Sharkport or Xport - therefore, if we can stipulate on this - they have ALOT todo with making a program like that, because it is the very foundation/basis for creating it. The hardest part is the time consuming labor that goes into finding out the values.

Since you really seem like you only know what's going on on the surface, let me explain!

You can trust me on this; this kind of work isn't hard, and it's not a challenge, it's TIME CONSUMING - I've been doing it for years in the emulation scene under a few different internet handles. I know you're trying to make it sound all complicated, but it's really not. The hardest thing to factor in is floating garages, which even then isn't hard. There are set parameters/areas of data for each car, and they're all organized the exact same way.

Let's say you have a 30 byte field for each car, and you have 3 cars to work with. That's 90 bytes of data broken down into divisions, one division for each car.

That's 30 bytes that are going to be allocated indentically. For example, if the first address in each of the 30-byte parameters is the car body code, then it will be easy to program a algorithm that will jump every 30 bytes for every place in the garage to tell you WHAT car is in WHAT slot. Then, you can furthur break down the structure of the "fields of data"

This kind of program isn't really all that complicated - once you figure out the file structure, it's really very easy to insert an equation/algorithm that will handle all of the data for "floating garages".

It would literally only take a few days to make a program that does what MKs does... that's right, A FEW DAYS! What takes MUCH, MUCH, MUCH longer is finding out what the values represent. Hypothetically you can release a program as powerful as MKs in a matter of days or weeks, but it won't be anywhere near as user friendly.

I've said it before - what makes MKs such a great program is the fact that all the information you need is there. You don't have to randomly put in values. For example, you don't put in "3E" for the car body type, you drop down a combo menu that has the list of car names, not values.

So now that we've cleared that up, it's easy to understand why MKs program is more of a dedication than a feat. (Not insulting his work at all! It's far better than anything I even plan todo! I'm just saying, from a programming stand point, it's not even close to being overly complicated.)




On the other hand, the MAX Drive *.mem files are compressed! Every single value of the files are different because of this, making it impossible to even get a grasp on editing such a monster.

If anyone knows of a program that decompresses MAX Drive Memory Card files, please let me know. Otherwise, I've ran into a dead end I don't care to overcome.
 
Syizm
I picked up an AR Max (EVO Model) with the MAX Drive included.

So, I can move my save files to and from my memory card, and use normal Gameshark style cheats on the game... However, I am having one small (LARGE) problem.


When I transfer memory card files from my PS2 memory card to my PC, the files appear to be in a compressed/zipped format!

If anyone know's the deal here, or can tell me how to "unzip" these files, please let me know. I can assure I will get to work on a program, albeit simple, to hybrid/hack GT4 save files via an AR Max Drive.
Click to expand...


winzip program
 
I tried to decompress them as a ZIP yesterday when I first figured they were compressed. I didn't work. So, they're not ZIP format... :(

The strange thing is, the files aren't strongly compressed. The original file size for my GT4 save is something like 1,530 KB, while the "compressed"/MAX size is 1,488 or something.
 
I believe it's a proprietary compression used by MAX...mk figured that out.

gnomefromnome listed a link to GT Times that contains links to a converter tool to convert from MAX format to Sharkport/Xport format.
 
I've never dealt with the technical side of compression before, so I'm a lost puppy on that one. :D I was guessing (hoping?) that the memory card files would just be ordinary, uncompressed dumped data. But, now that I'm thinking about it, I guess it's completely possible GT4 "internally" compresses the data using actual game coding - and if that's the case I really won't be able to do this afterall. Infact, I'd venture to say this is actually a probability, since the AR Max's compression is hardly denting the file it must already be compressed before hand... which sucks. :)
 
I dunno if it will work or not.. But I use a tool that allows you to switch between all sorts of ps2 save formats, ranging from Xport to Codebreaker to Sharklink, what have you. If anything can read it and decompress it, its Ps2 Save Builder orignally made for homebrew applications, then later for the Exploid method to boot homebrew games and such. It will allow you to extract indivdual files from the game save as well, prolly making things much simpler. Look over at..

http://www.ps2savetools.com/

Thats got it right there.

BTW, I simply registered to give you that link there. Cheers, mate.
 
Then when you actually crack a save you gotta find the checksums because more then likely if you alter any values you'll wind up with a corrupt save. Some people were working on a device to hack saves and that was a big problem.
 
too cold
Then when you actually crack a save you gotta find the checksums because more then likely if you alter any values you'll wind up with a corrupt save. Some people were working on a device to hack saves and that was a big problem.
Click to expand...


Damn PD went hardcore on GT4 didn't they...

why? It's not like you could use it to play other players...**** can't even use
your own garage cars in 2player.... :crazy:
 
Syizm
Thanks for berating my intelligence by pointing out a typo, big guy. 👍
Click to expand...
I was Sincere! :D

Sorry about that man, There's a few guy's here that are great at this type of stuff, Too Cold, Arwin and famine might be of plenty of help if there interested and have the game! Arwin has created a Replay Manager Program for GT4 Prologue which might prove to be a big Head start on this excellent mission of Hybriding etc... Now that the Pal version is almost completely released you will see more knowledge like what you poses and help for this type of program, MK is from Finland and Arwin is near there also, They both use the Pal version of the GT Series and I'm sure something will happen soon especially since you sparked up the interest Locally! I will get you a link to contact them or vice versa sometime today!!!
 
I've been very busy lately. I havn't had any time at all to even play GT4. :(

I'll get back to looking into this stuff here in a day or so. This probably isn't going to be easy, but the know-how and drive is out there, so it will happen... unless Polyphony made it a mission otherwise... :D
 
I have two converted .max (to .xps) saves that are identical in all but the name entered at the start of the game. I know it is not much but I will check them out and see if there is any similarities between the two saves. I do have a suitable hex editor.
 
I think the problem may be... that AR Max EVO seems to be automatically compressing the saves when they're transfered to the flash/pen drive. This means the files are double compressed with two different algorithmns.
 
Syizm you don't need a sharkport. gnomefromnome has already given you a link which will convert from ".max" to ".xps" and Zeke Zacary mentioned the other conversion tool located on ps2savetools which converts between just about every known PS2 save format.

Personally I use both (one for at least 7 months) so I could use MK's program and share hot lap replays with the MAX Drive and they are flawless in converting saves back and forth.

I'm really sorry if I've come across as being rude but there is no need to get yourself a sharkport. :nervous:

Cheers 👍
 
I checked two game saves in Xport format with just the money different and the bulk of the save appeared to be different. Though of course there were no cars in the garage. I'l get a couple of saves with a car or two in the garage to compare.
 
hi, I saw this thread and wanted to post an interesting find I noticed using one of the tools I downloaded from one of the sites mentioned previously. I think its Save Slicer from ps2savetools (I think). Well, it basically lets you load up a savegame (in xps format - I used another program to convert from .max to .xps since I use the ARMax myself) and export seperate parts of it, usually game data, icon, etc... well, when I loaded up my gt4 save, there's a seperate section (in addition to the gamedata portion of the savegame, dedicated to the garage - its roughly 1.2mb (takes up majority of the file I assume). With the program I was able to export it to a .bin file, but since I only know a little of what I'm doing here - I figure I'd post this find and let you guys know (don't know if u already did) about this little find in the gt4 savegame. I don't have any other savegames to compare, but I can send my files if it would help any (I can also send the individual portions of the savegame).

-l8r
 

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