Broken mirror reflections in Widescreen version

[mmcgr97]

The mirror reflection are completely broken on the widescreen version on my PS2 SCPH-70002 during cutscenes. The ghost doesn't briefly appear behind Miku before disappearing in her first cutscene.

Non-widescreen versions has no issues.

[karas84]

Does it also happen on PCSX2 or only on real hardware? How are you loading the game? Hardmod? Softmod (OPL, MC2SIO, etc.)?

[mmcgr97]

Tested it on my SCPH-7002 PS2 Slim with IDE resurrector mod and my CECHA01 PS3 and both produce the issue.

Haven't tested on PC

[karas84]

I think I found out what's happening. As for why it's happening I'm going to need more time to make a proper fix, but as a quick fix you can open the undubbed iso with a hex editor of your choice, go to address 0x287340, and change C0 to 00.

[mmcgr97]

Great to hear. Unrelated but do you know if a fix for the subtitle timing is in the works? In both your and wagrenier's undubs the subtitles can't keep up dialogue in many cutscenes (including the opening cutscene).

[karas84]

Short answer, not in the near future. Long one, that's something that has been bothering me for the longest time and always wanted to fix. I actually know where the game looks for the timings and how to change them. The thing is it's a LOT of work to find the correct timings for all the cutscenes and I don't think I'll ever have the time to do that by myself. The idea is to make a small gui to browse all the timings and allow for modifications so that whoever wants to help can do it without any technical knowledge of the game. I'll eventually do that but I don't have an ETA at the moment.

[mmcgr97]

Ok. I tried changing the code in the hex and it didn't work (mirror reflections are still broken). Do you know when the next patch will be released?

[karas84]

Can you try it with PCSX2? I don't have a PS2 to test it with right now but it worked when emulated. If you try and it works it means that the patch does not work on real hardware (strange but possibile), if it doesn't then it means you somehow patched it incorrectly.

[mmcgr97]

Can't find the code in the hex editor.

Searched for "0x287340" and nothing comes up

[mmcgr97]

Can you tell me what hex editor you used?

[karas84]

0x287340 is the address you need to jump to to change the byte. If you are on Windows I suggest HxD. After opening the undubbed iso navigate to the menu "Search > Go to" enter 287340 in the offset field and click OK:

You should see something like this:

You should see the byte C0 (note the offset on the left and in the bottom in the status bar) I have highlighted in the screenshot. Change it to 00:

(HxD will show the unsaved changes in red) and save ("File > Save"). HxD will probably create a backup, you can delete that.
Try and let me know.

[mmcgr97]

That fixed it, thanks

[mmcgr97]

Tested on my A01 PS3

[mmcgr97]

Is there any chance you'll make widescreen patches for the 2nd and 3rd games?

[karas84]

Glad that it worked.

As for FF2 and FF3, no I don't plan on doing them. You can try to do them yourself though. Go to the PCSX2 patches github and find the patches for FF2 and FF3. They may have widescreen patches inside (or take them directly from the forum, it seems they do have widescreen support as the screenshots suggest!). Try them in PCSX2 and when you are happy with the results try applying them to the ISO using the PS2 Patch Engine. Not all patches can be applied but it's worth a shot.

I'm going to leave this issue open until I find a proper fix for the bug.