Introducing a new file format

Software and games often come in multiple files. With current file copying methods the order may differ from the original. Creating for example a translation on file based games doesn't really allow a way for one simple patch when file copies are done. Of course it's possible to separately patch each file that needs to be patched for the translation.

There must be a way to do this in a cleaner way. With the Multi IPS Archive (MIA for short) it's possible to patch a set of files belonging to the same software or game from one single file. The filename of the target file is stored in the archive so the application tool knows on which file to apply the patch data following it. The tool to apply a MIA file onto a set of patches on MSX is MIAPPLY.

To create a Multi IPS Archive, for now, tniASM 1.0 is required. The other files and examples are included for creation of MIA files. A command line tool for modern platforms will be released later.

With the introduction of the Multi IPS Archive and its application tool MIAPPLY for MSX, some MIA files are available:

• Psycho World English translation
• Psycho World status area tweaks
• Parallel Dream crash fix
• Knightmare Gold R3 fixes
• Starship Rendezvous uncensored
• Starship Rendezvous trainer
• Starship Rendezvous title fix

The tools are available on MSX Banzai! and BiFi's Home Page. The tools and MIA files are available on MSX IPS Patch Archive.

Today I released an update for PSQTOOLS, the toolset for the PlaySoniq module.

Changes:

• fixed: PSQLOAD, fixes a minor bug to ensure the correct data is written to the PlaySoniq module
• fixed: SMSLOAD, allow simplified keyboard pad overlay
• new: PSG2SCC, enable or disable the PlaySoniq SCC to join the MSX PSG. Optionally waves can be written to the SCC
• BLAFCONV converts SCC Blaffer and SCC Blaffer NT wavekits to use with PSG2SCC

Today I released an update for PSQTOOLS, the toolset for the PlaySoniq module.

Changes:

• new (since 19 January 2015): PSQSAVE and PSQLOAD, save and load PlaySoniq module settings
• new: SMSLOAD, load and run Sega Master System (with optional Sega Master System savegame data), SG-1000 and SC-3000 ROM images. Optionally the SC-1000 and SC-3000 ROM images can be adapted to display on the MSX VDP
• new: SMSSAVE, save Sega Master System savegame data

Today I did some work on the archive. The following changes were done:

• updated Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake English translation patches to version 1.4
• fixed very old patch error in the Hai No Majutsushi DA converter patches
• location-tweaked the difficulty fix patch for the Aleste 2 Demodisk
• fixed old patch error in the Woomb Golvellius MSX2 and Xak 1 translations
• fixed old patch error in Aleste 2 difficulty fix
• added Aleste 2 intro demo fix to difficulty fix patch
• added Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake slot fix patch, the game will work from any slot without limitations

Today I've released an update of the MoonBlaster v1.4 driver.

Changes in this version:

• fixed lock-up in sample ram detection
• fix bug disallowing filenames without extensions in DOS1

The first fix caused the driver not to complete loading at all, which makes this a pretty important bugfix.

The driver can be downloaded from my Home Page or MSX Banzai!.