Neo Bomberman and UniBIOS error

[mdm]

(This isn't the same CMVS that I had Calendar error, I got the CMVS replaced by kpj. Thank you very much, kpj!)

This is a consolized Neo Geo MV-1FZ with UniBIOS 2.3.

Okay, I've spent last few hours playing Neo Bomberman (or trying to, I'll get to that in a sec.)

First game, I decided to turn on all cheats that's available in UniBIOS. Game got corrupted about halfway through with a WRITE error.

I turned it off and back on, then did the same, all cheats enabled. I reached the final boss and beat him... then game froze with READ error.

Third time, with all cheats, game simply rebooted itself out of nowhere in the second stage.

Annoyed, I went on this forum and saw some suggestion about flushing the backup RAM. I went and did that, then played Neo Bomberman without any cheat, and everything seems to be going well....

Until I arrived at final boss and beat him, then at the EXACT same time as last time with all cheat enabled, game crashed with a READ error.

I'm at loss. I REALLY hope my Neo Bomberman cartridge isn't bad or anything like that, I really love this game...

Here's the screenshot of the error that appeared immediately after beating the final boss.

Screenshot

 

[xiao_haozi]

Don't those sort of things occur from time to time when you enable all or certain combinations of cheats?

Have you tried running without cheats, or with only a few?

 

[mdm]

When that screenshot was taken, I used no cheat. Still crashed anyway.

 

[xiao_haozi]

When that screenshot was taken, I used no cheat. Still crashed anyway.

Ah... I thought you said:

Until I arrived at final boss and beat him, then at the EXACT same time as last time with all cheat enabled, game crashed with a READ error.

assumed that you were replicating with all cheats enabled.

If that's not the case check with Raz. Could be an issue with a trace on the MVS board.

 

[Neo Alec]

I had the same error happen. No cheats enabled, Unibios 2.1. End of the game. I've never seen the ending as a result of this. I've mentioned the problem on the forum before, but no one seemed to care.

Since this is one of the few games that has no memory card support, I think it desperately needs a stage select added to the cheats.

 

[Razoola]

Its crashing in the game code. Can you reproduce the error and this time take a screenshot of the address values, it should help more. I think however this error may be related to either playing the game in a region or mode it is not designed for.

Raz

 

[Neo Alec]

I was playing in either US or more likely Europe console mode. If it's crashing because it's not designed for that, it's one of the few games I know that won't operate properly because of the mode it's set to. That's too bad.

 

[xiao_haozi]

I was playing in either US or more likely Europe console mode. If it's crashing because it's not designed for that, it's one of the few games I know that won't operate properly because of the mode it's set to. That's too bad.

Doesn't Slug X have issues. If I remember correctly, it won't boot up (and will reset) if it's not set to the correct region/mode.

 

[mdm]

I'll play Bomberman again tonight and take several screenshots of the error if it shows up again.

But here's the thing, on my previous CMVS (before the Calendar error), I played Neo Bomberman and I do remember beating it and seeing the end... (In USA/MVS mode, I wanted to be able to READ the game, heh)

But regardless, I'll come back in a few hours after I play the game.

 

[Xian Xi]

Is your Neo Bomberman cart legit?

 

[mdm]

I haven't opened it up, but I believe it is... because it came in a kit. Artwork, marquee, etc in a kit along with this game. But just to be on the safe side, I'll go to that site that has screenshots of legit carts and compare my cart with it.

Opening it up now, reply again in a few minutes.

 

[mdm]

Legit. Soldering job seems to be good. No obvious damages on the boards.

 

[Xian Xi]

While you have it open, clean the cart contacts with a pink or art eraser.

 

[mdm]

Doing so now.

 

[mdm]

Done. Now I'm going to test the game. Be back in a couple of hours.

My plan: If it crashes again in USA/MVS mode, I'm going to try it again in Japan/MVS to see if I get the same result. (I'll take pictures of any and all errors I come across.)

 

[mdm]

Just beat the USA/Arcade version, no crash at end, ending showed, then the game "restart" to the attraction mode. Before playing the game, I cleared the backup RAM, then used absolutely no cheat for any reason the whole game.

Theory - enabling cheat for any reason, corrupts the game data, causing issues from this point on until you clear RAM or something? (I'm just talking out of my butt, I don't know if I'm right or not.)

I'm willing to test this theory by enabling cheat and playing through USA/Arcade one more time. (Game is over in 15 minutes with cheats enabled.)

Doing so now.

 

[Xian Xi]

A couple other games do this as well when using more than 1 cheat. When I play MSX the game freezes at the end of the level if I have all cheats on.

 

[mdm]

Theory confirmed. Game crashed with the same error at the exact same moment as before. Call it a Neo Bomberman's Anti-Cheating feature, heh.

Here's the link to the screenshots so I won't clutter up the thread:
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2

A couple other games do this as well when using more than 1 cheat. When I play MSX the game freezes at the end of the level if I have all cheats on.

But that still doesn't explain why the game crashed once before with exact same error when I played through it without any cheats enabled? (Though, I did it after restarting Neo Geo after crash due to cheat.)

 

[Neo Alec]

Maybe I had unlimited credits enabled in AES mode? Does this game have that? This game needs a stage select.

 

[Razoola]

I looked through the game code, seems when it crashes its expecting to get data that is just not there.

 

[awbacon]

I have similar issues w/ Alpha Missions II and the unibios. The stage 4 boss just NEVER shows up if I am using any cheats

 

[Hewitson]

Why the fuck would you enable all cheats when playing a game for the very first time?

Especially one as valuable as NBM.. Trying to minimise your enjoyment of this expensive cart??

 

[mdm]

Way to jump to conclusion! When I first got this game, I played through it legitimately. I loved it, and got curious how fast I can beat the game with all cheats enabled.

Plus, the ending is impossible to see if you enabled ANY cheat at ANY point in the game, and I've seen it several times already. Just think! THINK!

People today...

(P.S. I've owned this game for about a year now. Not "first time".)