Cannot Load .chd with CDZ Setting
I am a little puzzled on what is causing this issue. Could I be using .chd that the CDZ setting does not like ?
Same set of .chd load just fine if I have my settings as CD and 1x speed. Black screen with CDZ setting and any speed.
Thanks for your help 
Check that you have the original CDZ bios (neocd.bin) and/or the Universe Bios (uni-bioscd.rom) in the games folder, with the corresponding BIOS option (Original or UniBIOS) set in the core menu.
12characters wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:14 pmCheck that you have the original CDZ bios (neocd.bin) and/or the Universe Bios (uni-bioscd.rom) in the games folder, with the corresponding BIOS option (Original or UniBIOS) set in the core menu.
This doesn't work, The CDZ main/cd player screen can be reached and audio tracks can be played but games cannot be launched. Same behavior for Uni and original bios.
OK, the issue is likely the copy protection on CDZ for some games. Try an older game like Andro Dunos and it should run.
You can bypass the copy protection by using UniBIOS. You need however set the system to CDZ in UniBIOS settings. You can reach the settings by pressing Select at start up. After setting the system to CDZ, exit by pressing the C-button, open the core menu, save to memory card (if not automatic) and reset the game.
If you for some reason want to use the original BIOS, an alternative solution is to find CD images that have been patched to remove the copy protection.
12characters wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:14 pmCheck that you have the original CDZ bios (neocd.bin) and/or the Universe Bios (uni-bioscd.rom) in the games folder, with the corresponding BIOS option (Original or UniBIOS) set in the core menu.
Well this worked for me ! Thanks ! All I did was add the uni-bioscd.rom file in the Neo Geo games folder.
I now have 4x speed loading and access to Unibios options.
However it created another "problem". The Unibios overrides the regional setting available in the Core options, the Asia setting was really convinient as it allowed to have english text but retain blook in MS games. Asia region is not available in Unibios, only JP, EU, US, BR.
I wonder if there is a way to get the best of both worlds ?
4x speed
English in-game text
No censorship
Fed wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:19 pmHowever it created another "problem". The Unibios overrides the regional setting available in the Core options, the Asia setting was really convinient as it allowed to have english text but retain blook in MS games. Asia region is not available in Unibios, only JP, EU, US, BR.
Remember that Unibios was derived from MVS orignally.
Unlike MVS/AES carts that had every supported region's assets and code in a single module, NGCD is regional - discs were intended for Japan, World or Export (Europe), and had ONLY the assets/content for that region (though many supported at least two languages, with a handful supporting many more). Thus, the ability to enable things like 'blood codes' on MVS doesn't exist on NGCD because the code simply isn't there. (All of this is, of course, an artifact that again unlike MVS, there was no regional BIOS, thus games had no means of knowing what region they were being played in/on and no reason to support assets other than the disc-intended region. Discs were cheap and thus easy to do regional releases for, cartridges much less so.)
rhester72 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 2:19 amRemember that Unibios was derived from MVS orignally.
Unlike MVS/AES carts that had every supported region's assets and code in a single module, NGCD is regional - discs were intended for Japan, World or Export (Europe), and had ONLY the assets/content for that region (though many supported at least two languages, with a handful supporting many more). Thus, the ability to enable things like 'blood codes' on MVS doesn't exist on NGCD because the code simply isn't there. (All of this is, of course, an artifact that again unlike MVS, there was no regional BIOS, thus games had no means of knowing what region they were being played in/on and no reason to support assets other than the disc-intended region. Discs were cheap and thus easy to do regional releases for, cartridges much less so.)
Thank you all that information is great but the question remains. How can we mimick the "AS" region setting offered by the Core while using Unibios and/or benefiting from 4x loading speed ?
Hi!
Here are my experiences with the new neo geo core so far:
Some game images won't run with the CDZ + UniBios settings so far (like Last Blade 1+2 for example). The reason for this eludes me...
However these games run fine with the normal "Neo Geo CD"-Bios. Trying to speed up load times with the 4x setting doesn't help. At first it looks like it's faster, but then you will still have to wait for the slower CD-controller (I guess). I'm using the image set from MAME/MESS with the neo geo cd core. As far as I know, the CDZ was only sold in japan. But I'm not aware of some kind of region lock with this device and I can't see the difference of working and non-working game-images.
Maybe somebody can explain the phenomenon?
rhester72 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 2:19 amFed wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:19 pmHowever it created another "problem". The Unibios overrides the regional setting available in the Core options, the Asia setting was really convinient as it allowed to have english text but retain blook in MS games. Asia region is not available in Unibios, only JP, EU, US, BR.
Remember that Unibios was derived from MVS orignally.
Unlike MVS/AES carts that had every supported region's assets and code in a single module, NGCD is regional - discs were intended for Japan, World or Export (Europe), and had ONLY the assets/content for that region (though many supported at least two languages, with a handful supporting many more). Thus, the ability to enable things like 'blood codes' on MVS doesn't exist on NGCD because the code simply isn't there. (All of this is, of course, an artifact that again unlike MVS, there was no regional BIOS, thus games had no means of knowing what region they were being played in/on and no reason to support assets other than the disc-intended region. Discs were cheap and thus easy to do regional releases for, cartridges much less so.)
I’m not sure that is completely true. I have installed a region-switch on my cdz and I get the same regional differences (green/red blood in samsho 2 for example) when i change between JPN and EUR as I would on AES. Also name changes as Aero Fighters 2/Sonic Wings 2 are still intact. So my guess is that the games contain all region data even on neo geo cd.
@DaveGeorge and @neogeo81 - really? That must mean the different regions are somehow ALL reflected in every CD BIOS...I did not know that! I still don't understand the reason for regional variants of the CDs, though...the content itself is different, unlike cartridges.
How is the region switch connected - solder pads on the motherboard?
RiotRay wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:25 amHi!
Here are my experiences with the new neo geo core so far:
Some game images won't run with the CDZ + UniBios settings so far (like Last Blade 1+2 for example). The reason for this eludes me...
However these games run fine with the normal "Neo Geo CD"-Bios. Trying to speed up load times with the 4x setting doesn't help. At first it looks like it's faster, but then you will still have to wait for the slower CD-controller (I guess). I'm using the image set from MAME/MESS with the neo geo cd core. As far as I know, the CDZ was only sold in japan. But I'm not aware of some kind of region lock with this device and I can't see the difference of working and non-working game-images.
Maybe somebody can explain the phenomenon?
I specifically tested Last Blade. It runs for me if I set the system to CDZ both in the core menu and in the UniBIOS settings.
When I had a PAL NGCD circa 2000, I changed its region to JP just by cutting the JN2 jumper here, I didn't bother to install a switch:
https://videogameforums.com/neogeocd/ne ... tion-guide
And I got blood and bouncy Mai in all games affected by it.
I also cut a jumper to get 60hz, best mod ever.
Can somebody pls explain to me the procedure to get into unibios setting with the CDZ? Pressing "Select" on startup does nothing for me. I don't have any trouble getting into the unibios using the AES/MVS mode, as there is even a settings screen for it.
Until recently I didn't realize that the unibios is even made for the CD/CDZ too...
thx
Never mind. I got it running. It turnde out, that my CD-unibios was named incorretly. Everything is fine now. After trying "Last Blade" at 4x I must say, that the AES/MVS is still the preferable way to play this. Loading interruptions are unnerving...
In my opinion, it is pointless to play any fighting game released after 95, loading is still there and many animations are cut. The CD music doesn't compensate for it when you can just play the cart version for the same "price".
However, simpler, non-fighting games are very enjoyable, sometimes the loading pauses are just a small break between stages.
