In order to help ongoing testing with our English translation patch for "Love Hina: Surprise Engagement" on Dreamcast, I wrote a "Script Jumper" utility to patch the game to force loading a specific scene upon starting a new game. Game changer for rapid testing! Check it out 👇

v1.5.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle has been released. Windows and Linux users simply need to open Card Manager to initiate the automatic update procedure. Download: github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/2) I've got a variable-width font working in our work-in-progress English translation patch for "Love Hina: Surprise Engagement" on the Dreamcast. Looking great so far, if you ask me!

(1/4) I've renamed the "Ningyou Tsukai" patch's localized title from "Metal & Lace" to "Puppet Master". Why? - Technically, the western "Metal & Lace" game is something of a spinoff (i.e., a different game). - Request from IP holder that I don't want to see turn into a C&D.

It's been just over a year since my last update to TextSleuth, my brute-force search utility to identify non-standard text encoding formats (very useful for romhackers). Today, I've released v1.2, bringing a number of fixes and improvements! Download: github.com/DerekPascare...

Almost two and a half years after its initial release, our English translation patch for "Temptation" on the FM Towns finally receives its official v1.0! Now, the title screen (logo, copyright notice) as well as the end-of-game graphic are in English! github.com/DerekPascare...

Over three years after its initial release, I've finally pushed v1.0 of my FM Towns English translation patch for "Metal & Lace" (Ningyou Tsukai). The title screen logo and prologue graphic now appear in English! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare... (Photo courtesy of @ompearetro.com)

v2.1.1 of Universal Dreamcast Patcher has been released. The app is in a very good place, and I don't foresee additional big updates anytime soon (probably just bug fixes). Download: github.com/DerekPascare...

Batch converter coming in the next release 😎

Version 2.1.0 of Universal Dreamcast Patcher is here 🙂 Download: github.com/DerekPascare... See below for a list of cool new features and fixes.

And one final feature before the next release, a generic Converter tab that'll allow users to cross-convert disc images between any of the supported formats: - TOSEC-style GDI - Redump-style CUE/BIN - Compressed CHD

In the next release, a comprehensive IP.BIN Editor is coming to Universal Dreamcast Patcher 😎

In the next version of Universal Dreamcast Patcher, users can generate patched disc images in a variety of formats, not just TOSEC GDI! While GDI is the universally compatible format for ODEs and emulators, I think it's cool to offer Redump CUE/BIN, and even CHD, as options now.

Almost three years after its initial release, I've pushed a v1.2 update to our English translation patch for "Cool Cool Toon" on the Dreamcast. This fixes preview thumbnails not displaying under certain conditions in the bonus content section. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/8) It certainly took a while, but the last outstanding bug in our English Translation patch for "Capcom vs. SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001" has finally been squashed! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

In the end, I was able to trigger a double KO under the right circumstances, and guess what? The fix works! I'll be pushing a v1.2 update to address this nine-month-old bug, once and for all 😎

(1/2) So I think I have a fix for the only outstanding bug in my Capcom vs. SNK 2 English translation patch, but it's very challenging to test and verify. I'm embarrassed to admit, but I'm having trouble hacking a force of a double KO. github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/6) Happy to announce the v1.0 English translation patch of Warshi's 2007 game "Triggerheart Exelica" on the SEGA Dreamcast! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/2) After my original release in 2021, I've finally rewritten Universal Dreamcast Patcher... - Windows/Linux/macOS builds - Automatic online updates - CHD support This rewrite uses no external helper utilities whatsoever. All functionality is now natively integrated!

I've begun work on a complete rewrite of Universal Dreamcast Patcher. - No helper utilities, all functions natively integrated - Cross-platform (Win x86/x64, Linux x64, macOS arm64/x64) - Patch applier and builder integrated into a single UI It'll take some time, but this is so long overdue...

(1/9) I can't tell you how insane it was hacking in the word "ARRANGED" instead of "ARRANGE" in the Score Ranking screen on Dreamcast's "Triggerheart Exelica". I did this to be consistent with my main menu re-labelings for the upcoming English translation patch. Buckle in!

I've added analog stick support to Triggerheart Exelica now too!

These have been out of stock for a while, but looks like someone else took the open source design and is selling their own take on it. Figured I'd share! midwestmods.shop/products/mic...

Okay, so... this is happening 😉

Any MODE or USB-GDROM users able to test booting the DreamMovie UNLOCKED CDI? I have these two reports, but right now I don't have access to my USB-GDROM or MODE to test myself. github.com/DerekPascare... github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/3) In October 2023, I shared that I was starting work on an English translation patch of Triggerheart Excelica for Dreamcast. And that was true, until I discovered the font sheet I found wasn't used for in-game text and instead the game used the BIOS font. But check it out 👇

(1/2) A lot of people insist they were watching VCDs on Dreamcast without this software years ago. They're right, but with a catch... • The "Xing Hong" VCD software had horrible audio/video sync issues and excessive frame dropping and lacked many basic features.

With my recent release of DreamMovie "UNLOCKED", I've talked to a few people about how many variants there were developed in China. This post and the next shows as many as I could find! At some point or another, I've owned almost all of them.

Everyone trying to use GD MENU Card Manager v1.5.2-ateam for automatic CUE-anything to CCD conversion: there's currently a bug affecting most VCD disc images. I'm working on a fix. In the meantime, manually convert your CUE/BIN VCDs using this tool: segaxtreme.net/resources/cu... My apologies!

(1/4) It has risen... After 25 years of being locked away behind some of the most insane software/hardware protection I've ever seen for a $25 unlicensed console accessory, SEGA Dreamcast's DreamMovie has been unlocked, and is available for all! DOWNLOAD github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/2) My complete GUI rewrite of Orbital Organizer is here! This is as good as GOOD GETS for SD card management of the SEGA Saturn Rhea and Phoebe ODEs! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

Version 1.5.2-ateam of "openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle" is here! Not a huge release, but some nice Card Manager QOL updates, including macOS arm64 support. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

Coming soon to a SEGA Dreamcast near you...

When I release my GUI rewrite of Orbital Organizer (Rhea/Phoebe ODE SD card manager), there'll be native support to convert any CUE-based disc image to CCD/IMG/SUB format. It'll even be able to decompress CHDs to CUE/BIN on the fly and convert those to CCD too! Stay tuned... 😎

(1/2) Development of my new "Orbital Organizer" GUI for managing Rhea/Phoebe Saturn ODE SD cards continues to go well! Right now, I'm working at perfecting IP.BIN parsing, which is actually a bit messy due to some devs not following SEGA's rules!

Now that I've had lots of experience with my new version of GD MENU Card Manager, I decided to build a similar GUI SD card manager for the SEGA Saturn Rhea/Phoebe ODEs. My current CLI tool (github.com/DerekPascare...) is fully functional, but nearly as easy to use. Stay tuned!

I've released a small update today for openMenu. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare... See changelog below.

Stop Press! The DreamPod crew dives deep into the glorious world of Dreamcast magazines! 📔 🔹Official Dreamcast Magazine 🔹DC-UK 🔹Dreamcast Magazine (Paragon) 🔹Dreamcast Monthly 🔸US’ Official Magazine 🔸DCM 🌍plus rare international gems! Listen now: thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/episod...

In May 2021, openMenu's original author told me on Discord he's "got something [I] might like." If you had told me then that five years later this would turn into one of my biggest passion projects, I probably wouldn't have believed you. Yet, here we are! Crazy to look back on.

Very sad... I donated to Myrient a while back and would consider a pretty generous donation again if it were part of a targeted effort. I think many would feel the same. I can only assume that such has been suggested and Alexey has said it wouldn't change his decision.

(1/3) v1.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is here, packing all sorts of new features and fixes! The most exciting one is Serial VMU, enabling virtual per-game VMUs (up to five slots per game) using nothing but a cheap serial SD adapter! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

So much good stuff in v1.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle, headed your way soon! I want to ensure a few things get just a tad more testing, and then I'm ready for public release! For a list of fixes and enhancements, check out the following link: github.com/DerekPascare...

After v1.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle, Windows and Linux users can use a built-in updater, including options to preserve their settings and assets! For now, macOS isn't on the table due to some ecosystem limits I'm not comfortable with. This may change in the future.

If you're a user of my openMenu build who is excited for this feature and interested in battle testing it, shoot me a DM and I'll invite you to the Discord. I don't need a ton of testers, really just one or two who may try things that I myself haven't! Working serial SD adapter required, of course.

Here's the first video capture of the work-in-progress "Serial VMU" feature, which gives openMenu users virtual per-game VMUs using nothing but an inexpensive serial SD card reader (and an SD card, of course).

Alright, I hate to do it, but v1.4-ateam has been pushed to address this awful bug, plus some other fixes/enhancements. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

A silly bug has reared its ugly head! Read more here: github.com/DerekPascare... I'll do my best to fix it ASAP.

Version 1.3 of openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is here! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare... See below for what's new 😎

(1/6) If you're looking for a Dreamcast wireless controller solution and something like the DreamConn S is a bit too rich for your blood, and the Retro Fighters controllers have been unreliable for you, take a look at Pico2Maple. github.com/cluoma/Pico2...

openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is nearing ready for its v1.3 release! See the current changelog below.