Game Enhancer/Pro Action Replay

Notice:  This FAQ was not written by me.  "Sailor Moon" from the PSX Copy Discussion Forum was kind enough to give this FAQ to me to use on this site.   Please contact him at  gtaiwo@cctrap.com for any updates or questions you might have concerning the contents of this FAQ.
 

*Created: [11/26/98]

*Last Modified: [12/1/98]

*SailorMoon [gtaiwo@cctrap.com]
 
 

*Detail-Review:   The Pro Action Replay from http://www.baysoftgames.com
 

Buy your Pro Action Replay from http://www.gazmic.com/ - free delivery in the UK.

 Introduction:

The Pro Action Replay came in a small box. This box has a lot of Japanese writing on it, with a yellow elliptic circle containing Chinese writing.   Oddly enough, the instructions that came in the box were for something called the "wizard". I followed its instructions and it worked for the   Pro Action Replay.

Features:

 -These are the features, as advertised-......but are not entirely true.

a) Play *ALL* the music in the game.

-*- This is true. Even games that will not relinquish their audio files in the  PSX CD-Audio mode, will be played by the Pro Action Replay. However, you must FIND the files first.   There is an option on the main menu screen called 'CD-ROM'. Selection that option will lead you to a 'Microsoft explorer' type display. There are files/directories that will be seen by the Pro Action Replay. Just as if you put the CD in your computer & began to browse through it.    You must search for files with extension *.XA. That is, the last two letters of the file will be 'XA'. Selecting this file will bring up a list of 1-4 Audio files. If you select them, you will hear music that is from the game. Continue to look inside all the 'XA' files you find until you've found the song you wish to listen to. Also look in files that have extension *.STR. They might also have music in them.   But, I have not been able to find the music files on the Japanese FF8-demo yet.

b) View *ALL* images/cinema in the game.

-*- This is not quite true. This viewer only let's you see what's in the V-RAM of the PSX. Basically, it's an image-capture mode. When you see something you want to take a closer look at.....hit the reset button on the PlayStation, then select 'Graphic Viewer' at the P.A.R.(Pro Action Replay) menu screen. You will see the image you saw just before you pressed the reset button. During this time, there will be opportunity to scroll around this picture. However, this is mostly useless, because you will see 'scrap' images of the image you were originally looking at. Basically, you'll see "junk data" if you move around on the screen.
    *
    Viewing all cinema in the game is absolutely true. When you are in the "file explorer" mode (as discussed previously in this review), you should search for files with extension *.STR. That is, the last three letters of the file will be "STR". Selecting this file will usually lead you to a screen, where you can select 'movie' or 'audio'. If you select audio, you will hear the music/words/sound effects that accompany the movie. If you select movie, you will see whatever movie that file contains and the audio will accompany it in synchronization automatically. Continue to search for files will the "STR" letters at the end until you've seen all the movies in the game. Also "MOV" files can contain movies. But, I have not been able to find the movies in the FF8-demo.

c) Has a Pro Action Replay mode, with codes already in it.

-*-True, but all the codes are for the Japanese versions of....

Angel Eyes
Armored Core
BIO Hazard 2
Blue Saban Knights
Bushido Blade 2
Chrono Q3
Critical Blow
Daikouaijid
Dead or Alive
Deadly Skies
Elemental GearBolt
Fighting Force
Front Mission Alternative
GranStorm Saga
Hyper Beast Duel
Marvel Super Heroes
Megaman X3
Metal Jacket
MSX collection Vol.2
Namco MV.1 Bosconian
Namco MV.1 Galaga
Namco MV.1 New Rally-X
Namco MV.1 Pacman
Namco MV.1 Pole Position
Namco MV.1 Rally-X  (yes...it's listed twice. But without the word "new")
Namco MV.1 Toy Pop
Namco MV.2 Cutie-Q
Namco MV.2 Dragon Buster
Namco MV.2 Galplus
Namco MV.2 Grobda
Namco MV.2 Mappy
Namco MV.2 Xevious
New Japan Pro wrestling
NightStriker
Project Gaiaray
R.Type
Snow Brak
Tail Concerto
Tenchu
Theme Park
Tram! Go
UltraMan Fighting Evolution
Wing of Alnam
Winning Post 3
Xmen Vs. Street Fighter EX edition
Xenogears
 

d) Has a serial port for the com-link cable.

-*- This is the biggest fraud of this product. I have been told that the com-link will *NOT NOT NOT* work at all. Supposedly, it has something to do with a lack of memory inside the Pro Action Replay. I can*NOT* verify this, because I do not have access to a com-link cable. But, assuming this is true.....that *WOULD* (not "does"), mean that the advanced options will not work.
 

e) Can transfer memorycard data *DURING* gameplay! (Don't ask me why).

-*- This is somewhat true. Yes, you can *AT ANYTIME* during gameplay, delete or move data on memory cards slot 1 & 2. But, after you do, you can NOT return to the exact spot you left off.  If you just use the regular reset on the PSX, you can do the same thing anyway. What's the point of accessing memorycard data during gameplay if you can't return the place you left off?
 

f) Plays imports/backups.

-*- Entirely true. First, put the switch on the Pro Action Replay in the "up" position. Put in an *ORIGINAL AMERICAN* game. It must *NOT NOT NOT* be a copy of an American game. It must be an *ORIGINAL, BLACK-BOTTOM* U.S. PlayStation game.   It does *NOT NOT NOT* have to be the original of the copy you wish to play. The demo CDs that come with your PSX will do JUST FINE.

    After you put this game in (but *NOT* close the PSX door yet), connect the Pro Action Replay to your PSX. The Pro Action Replay does *NOT* connect through the SERIAL I/O port in the back of your PSX.    It connects to the *PARALLEL I/O* on the back of your PSX.   The parallel I/O port is clearly labeled, but has a lid that must be removed. There is no difficulty in removing it. It comes off quite easily since SONY intended you to remove it at anytime you wish. It's just as easy as pressing the 'open' button on your PSX to cause the PSX door to rise open.

    Now, get some scotch tape and press it down against the lid-button on the PSX to hold that button <<<DOWN>>>. *NOT NOT NOT* the button on the outside of the PSX, that's labeled "Open".   You tape down the button that's <<<UNDER>>> the door; the small button with the hole in the middle. The button that gets pressed down by a piece of plastic when the door is closed.
 

    The CD will spin and the Pro Action Replay menu screen will show up.

     a) Push "O" on option 'CD-ROM' and wait for the list of files to appear.

     b) Press the select button. You will see the CD *STOP* spinning.

      -There's tends to be a lot of reverse spin on the CD before it stops.-

     c) Take out AMERICAN game. Then put in import/back-up game.

     d) Press select button. You will see the import/back-up game begin to spin.

     e) Press the "X" button to return to the menu screen.

      f) Push "O" on the "start game" option.

     g) Import/copied game will work.
 

(extra) Play multi-disc games

  Even thought I haven't tested it, I know it'll work because of another fact about the PlayStation.   The PlayStation only checks for imports/copies at the white & black SONY screen when you first turn on the power. I played through a back-up of Final Fantasy 7 *WITHOUT* any special attachments to my PSX. I used the MANUAL Double-swap method. I swapped disc#1 to start the game. When it asked for disc#2, I simply removed disc#1, removed the tape on the lid-button, so the button could come back up.
     Then placed disc#2 in & closed the lid. It worked just like that. You don't need to swap the second, or third, disk at all. So, the Pro Action Replay won't need any help either. Just make sure you lift the lid-button up, so the PSX knows the door was opened. Then, close the door with the second, or third, or fourth, or whatever disc# that comes next in the game. It'll work just fine.
 

STRANGE FEATURE:
  If you see a file with extension *.STR, *.XA, or *.MOV, then select the file.....you will usually see a screen with the words MOVIE & AUDIO. On this screen, if you press the Triangle button, some option called.... "Decode Review". With options such as......

Decode ALL OF FILE, or PART OF FILE (RETRY if done twice on the same file).

Number of ScanLines: 0 to 1024, in multiples of '32'. That is, 0, 32, 64, 96,  128,160....etc....up to 1024.

Frame Numbers: 0 to 8

Movie Time (sec.): 1 to 8

.....using this option seems to have un-predictable results. Sometimes, you get a movie file out of "thin air", but it's only 2 seconds of darkness.  Other times, you may get an AUDIO file.....but it's always the same song no matter what file you get if from, and it usually starts in the middle of the song somewhere. Also, you only get 17 seconds to listen to it. All this stuff happens, when you press the Triangle button on the screen that says "File format is not match".   You can experiment with this option and see what happens.
 
 

Problem Games:

 Japanese FF8-Demo - I can't find the music or cinema files. But I found  the music/cinema for the Ehrgeiz & AnotherMind demos.

 Japanese Brave Fencer  - I can't find the music files.

 American FF7 - When viewing the "Golden Saucer" movies, you can hear the fireworks & children screaming on the roller-coasters, but you don't hear the "Golden Saucer theme music".   It seems, that during the regular gameplay viewing...the PSX is playing TWO audio files with the movie. One with the fireworks & screaming children, the other with the theme music. Other than that, the movies are excellent. But, I can't find the music to FF7.(which is a shame)
 

Final Fantasy Tactics won't do music files. I found them, but they're in the wrong format.
 
 
End Review. Send questions to SailorMoon at [gtaiwo@cctrap.com]

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