Xeno Crisis coming to Neo Geo

Maskman

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So does the AES version come in an MVS style cart with some additional standoffs or something, or does this guy have a converter/modded AES? If the cart has to be opened to fix the sound issue, I suppose that isn’t the worst thing…

Edit: AES version is an AES cart.
No, the box is a custom AES style compatible with AES and MVS. The box was already prepared to received the MVS and a custom insert with the wrong megs, that need to be changed. I like the alternative insert.
 

ysselcneogeo

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Thanks for testing! The reason I pointed this out - I tested the 1FZ again yesterday and found depending on when I applied the patch made a difference. For instance, if I wait for the music to start and you hear the narration on intro, then patch that address - I found it made no difference, but several seconds later it suddenly popped in the right channel. It then remained stereo after eitther soft or hard reset. And likewise I found if I patched it ASAP just after unibios allowed, stereo was there right away. I could repeat that every time on the 1FZ.

The guru at BB suggested perhaps the YM2610 is processing the block of ADPCM and cannot correct itself due to the fact it started with borked banking, but on some boards it seems to correct itself, perhaps as it starts the next block. There could be other things going on with the 1C, but lots of work and testing is ongoing. I am hoping to test the perma fix shortly (I just need to feel well enough first so I can concentrate on what I am doing so I dont create myself problems lol).
If they're fixing stuff and you're testing is there any way you can tell them to make the overscan areas bigger. Moving the press start closer to the middle of the screen along with the dialog being shorter. I know im not the only one who has this and I think its annoying its my only neogeo game that loses important information due to un usually smaller safe zone.
 

Gaston

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Shafted by EU customs for €80 for -I read- a faulty title. Not that I'm bothered too much, I think the game is a blast (mono or stereo)!
 

PGorath

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Has anyone created a mini marquee yet? Or anyone working on one? Would love to put this game out on route but need a mini marquee to do that.
 

GadgetUK

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Shafted by EU customs for €80 for -I read- a faulty title. Not that I'm bothered too much, I think the game is a blast (mono or stereo)!
Technically you are owed that back by customs (I think). I assume you purchased before brexit. If so, find your payment receipt on credit card or PayPal and find the process for claiming back mistaken taxes like that.
 

GadgetUK

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The perma fix works fine for sound btw! Matt spent some additional time last night reviewing the audio balance - I pointed it out as a number of people had said it was left biased after the temp fix. He did comparisons of the db level and they are balanced correctly vs the original recordings. The intro has deliberate left bias on the voice overs (as the characters are shown left side). Bass sounds at that point are left side on that intro music too. So the missing right channel issue is fixed with the CPLD update.

More testing is going on, and additional work continues regards testing against the 21+ systems they use for testing (and more, others arrived yesterday!!!). Various solutions for the 1FZ issue are still under investigation too. Amazed at how quickly things have progressed.

Personally I dont have a problem with it, but I will mention the overscan issue but I cannot see that being addressed (maybe I am wrong!!!). It's a large enough problem focussing on the two issues here (game music, and 1FZ). But we'll see! Danger with things like this is some changes (through suggestion) could result in more and more testing required. That said, it could be such a small change it may not need much testing. But, it would mean updating the P ROM on every single cart.
 

GadgetUK

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The minor overscan thing cannot be addressed - it's a super minor thing imo, feedback means it will be something they focus on on the NEXT Neo Geo game. It's just a complication not needed right now - it would also p*** off CD owners as their version wouldnt contain the update lol (I am assuming the same thing happens there?!?). In any case it is a minor thing!
 

Gaston

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Technically you are owed that back by customs (I think). I assume you purchased before brexit. If so, find your payment receipt on credit card or PayPal and find the process for claiming back mistaken taxes like that.
I tried but they state that the moment of delivery is the decisive factor. Especially for goods worth in excess of €150.
 

Neo Alec

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I hope they will just go ahead put the corrected rom out for those of us who purchased soon. My usual MVS setup these days is the MV1C, and the fix doesn't work with it. So yesterday I wasted all day trying to get my MV1FS and MV4F to work with the Framemeister and Retrotink 5X. I had no idea the sync on those boards is so non-standard compared to the MV1C. Even with a Jrok sync cleaner, I couldn't get them to work at all on the Framemeister, even with buffered sync enabled. The Retrotink with the latest firmware did work, but not very well. I wasted a whole day, and it's time I really don't have these days.

Sorry for the rant. Just saying shipping the game with issues can have a ripple effect. I suppose the sync issues are good to be aware of anyway, and those issues are obviously not Bitmap Bureau's fault.
 
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Neo Alec

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Back on topic, how is everyone finding the Neo Geo controls?

I think pressing A and C to rotate while holding B is so close to feeling intuitive, but not quite there for me. It works, but when I'm in the thick of things, I struggle with letting go of B and turning around. Or letting go of B to roll or throw grenades, for that matter. It just doesn't quite work.

I recently became a believer in the directional controls on the Mega Drive version. So I really wish they had at least left the option in for directional firing, even with roll and grenade mapped to start and select. I still think I would have preferred that.
 

Mr. Mort

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Bitmap Bureau have said that the game was originally designed for the 3-button Genesis controller, which is what they did with the Neo version.

I hear you tho, it takes some getting used to if you’ve been playing other versions with directional shooting, but I’m already starting to get used to it.
 

pva

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I tried but they state that the moment of delivery is the decisive factor. Especially for goods worth in excess of €150.
Ditto.

I think whoever advised BB on the VAT issue might have given them bum info, which, of course, isn’t completely unexpected in this whole Brexit bin fire.
 

ShootTheCore

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Back on topic, how is everyone finding the Neo Geo controls?

I think pressing A and C to rotate while holding B is so close to feeling intuitive, but not quite there for me. It works, but when I'm in the thick of things, I struggle with letting go of B and turning around. Or letting go of B to roll or throw grenades, for that matter. It just doesn't quite work.

I recently became a believer in the directional controls on the Mega Drive version. So I really wish they had at least left the option in for directional firing, even with roll and grenade mapped to start and select. I still think I would have preferred that.

Directional firing the way you describe would work well with the Neo-Geo CD controllers. Maybe they can be convinced to patch it in as an option at the same time that they're patching the stereo music bug.
 

TMOSteel

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The perma fix works fine for sound btw! Matt spent some additional time last night reviewing the audio balance - I pointed it out as a number of people had said it was left biased after the temp fix. He did comparisons of the db level and they are balanced correctly vs the original recordings. The intro has deliberate left bias on the voice overs (as the characters are shown left side). Bass sounds at that point are left side on that intro music too. So the missing right channel issue is fixed with the CPLD update.

More testing is going on, and additional work continues regards testing against the 21+ systems they use for testing (and more, others arrived yesterday!!!). Various solutions for the 1FZ issue are still under investigation too. Amazed at how quickly things have progressed.

Personally I dont have a problem with it, but I will mention the overscan issue but I cannot see that being addressed (maybe I am wrong!!!). It's a large enough problem focussing on the two issues here (game music, and 1FZ). But we'll see! Danger with things like this is some changes (through suggestion) could result in more and more testing required. That said, it could be such a small change it may not need much testing. But, it would mean updating the P ROM on every single cart.
So the intro is supposed to sound like that, but with music on the right side also? I guess its the fact that I hear nothing on the right side in the intro thats throwing me off maybe. Good to hear the right channel issue was figured out, much appreciation for all the assistance you helped provide.

I have a feeling the "how" part is going to be a lot harder to figure out.
 

ysselcneogeo

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The perma fix works fine for sound btw! Matt spent some additional time last night reviewing the audio balance - I pointed it out as a number of people had said it was left biased after the temp fix. He did comparisons of the db level and they are balanced correctly vs the original recordings. The intro has deliberate left bias on the voice overs (as the characters are shown left side). Bass sounds at that point are left side on that intro music too. So the missing right channel issue is fixed with the CPLD update.

More testing is going on, and additional work continues regards testing against the 21+ systems they use for testing (and more, others arrived yesterday!!!). Various solutions for the 1FZ issue are still under investigation too. Amazed at how quickly things have progressed.

Personally I dont have a problem with it, but I will mention the overscan issue but I cannot see that being addressed (maybe I am wrong!!!). It's a large enough problem focussing on the two issues here (game music, and 1FZ). But we'll see! Danger with things like this is some changes (through suggestion) could result in more and more testing required. That said, it could be such a small change it may not need much testing. But, it would mean updating the P ROM on every single cart.
I wouldnt expect the overscan to be fixed on the cart or cd release but in a rom release of an iso. Its just to much to fix and release physically again.
 

GadgetUK

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I think they want to get peoples carts correct first! But they may provide the ROM to cart owners soon - no idea at this stage. Tonnes more testing today.
 

Neo Alec

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Directional firing the way you describe would work well with the Neo-Geo CD controllers. Maybe they can be convinced to patch it in as an option at the same time that they're patching the stereo music bug.
The time for feature requests is over, I think. Every change made can introduce a new bug. It sounds like they want to focus on the next game.

I am hoping for the rom release while we wait for fixes for the carts.
 

GadgetUK

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I believe the sound issue is more or less sorted - just yet more testing, and more work on the 1FZ issue, more testing. Then it's a case of coordinating the fixes.

Feature changes won't happen - firstly its unfair to CD owners, and as Neo Alec says, every change (even small) needs a tonne of testing again.
 

GadgetUK

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So, the good news (needs a lot of testing - sorry, I know I keep saying how much testing is required... All I can say is I've been testing with mostly 1 MVS here and I've used ALL my spare time over the last 7 or 8 days on this - BB have 21+ systems to test on, and they've been working and test late every evening and at weekends).

It's looking like we've worked out between us (with the amazing help of Stephen Leary for the final problem) the final piece of the puzzle regards 1FZ (and maybe some other MVS). Yet more testing required.... What I do know is my 1FZ is running the game with no copper tape required now - flawlessly and with game music in stereo. I expect most of the next week (and perhaps the week after) will be testing on different models.

It's frustrating I know, but it's worth the wait - just pretend you never got your cart yet - it will be perfect at some point soon!
 
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