JOTEGO
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Unplayable? Only credits?
🕑 Added 2023-11-07 14:42:38 +0000 UTCUnplayable?
If you see the core credits rolling through the screen but cannot play then:
- If you cannot see the game attract mode behind the credits, then you are missing the game ROMs
- If you can see the game running but cannot insert coins then you are running a closed version of the core
Cores have three versions:
- Public version: OSD is gray, you can play with just the core file and compatible ROMs
- Beta version: OSD is yellow, you will need a valid key file in the right place
- Private version: OSD is red, these are files for alpha testing and development. They are not meant for final users. If you found one, discard it and get a public/beta one instead
Beta Keys
Although JT cores are available on many FPGA systems, only two of them have a relevant user base and can support all cores: the MiSTer FPGA and the Analog Pocket. These two systems receive beta cores and eventually, public files. In order to distribute beta cores for patrons easily, the binary files are stored in an open location: JTBIN. But, they will require a key to be playable, as described above. Follow these instructions to install your key:
- On MiSTer, copy the file jtbeta.zip from Patreon to the /games/mame folder of your SD card. Do not unzip it. If you have more than one mame folder, the MiSTer may fail to find either the jtbeta file or the ROM files. So be careful about that.
- On the Pocket, you will need to unzip the file jtbeta.zip and get the beta.bin from it. Copy beta.bin to each Assets/corename/common folder.
Important
Cores in beta phase are updated each time there is a beta key change. Old beta cores will not work with the new beta file and vice versa. If the beta file changes, make sure you update the cores as well!
The beta key is only changed every 2-3 months, in order to reduce the burden of making manual changes to Patreon supporters.
A public MiSTer core is asking for a beta key!
If you cannot play with a core that is supposed to be public, chances are you have a mix of old and new RBF files (the files that the FPGA load) in your MiSTer _Arcade folder. The easiest way around this is to simply delete the _Arcade folder and run the update script again, so you get a clean and fresh install.
Why the Pocket requires multiple copies of the same file?
beta.bin is only required for cores in beta phase but it is easier to just copy it to each Assets/*/common folders. At some point, Analogue may release a firmware version that allows to have a single copy of the file, like on MiSTer. But for now, each core can only access files in its specific folder. That's why multiple copies are required.
Again, cores and the beta key file are synchronized. If you mix an old core with a new beta or vice versa, it will not work.
What is that missing ROM id(1) error about?
That is an Analog Pocket message telling you the ROM file is missing. Check out the Pocket installation guide to understand how to generate .rom files.
My Pocket gives me a firmware error
Sometimes you may get an error in the Pocket that is not related to a missing ROM. This normally means that the files in the SD card are not consistent with each other. This may happen if your SD card got data corrupted (like when you pull the card off while the computer is still writing data). Copying the files over again from the PC should fix this.
Sometimes the Pocket may just need a power cycle (turn off and on) in order to read the files properly. Try powering the device off, ejecting the SD card, injecting it, and then booting the system.
Comments
Quinterrya Swanson
Yeah. It sucks. I joined because of these two games and have yet to play them. The Simpsons is even showing upside down. Lol. But I'm keeping my membership because I support your work and effort.
X
yeah so Simpsons and TMNT arcade were working with my Pocket after i got the beta.bin files in there specified folders but now ever since I updated via Pocketupdater and the 2 new firmware updates. Both those arcade cores now have all the text like it did when I didnt have the files on there with all the Patreon text and tributes when you load it up. tried to redownload and reupload the specified beta.bin files for each and still nothing unfortunately
Kyle Peters
Iβm really getting tired of having to redo the bin files for the arcade games like the Simpsons and tmnt.
Michael Di Filippo
I got this working again by updating the Cores folder with the new files from allpocket.zip
Michael Di Filippo
putting it here doesn't work. Assets\jtpatreon\common
JOTEGO
The current Pocket firmware works with beta.bin in a single location. That will ease the setup for everyone.
Matt Pannella
this already is built into the updaters. just put jtbeta.zip on your sd card and run the app
JOTEGO
Analogue is meant to release a firmware update to the Pocket so cores can share a folder. That means that you will only need the file in a single location. The .zip files in the Patreon posts already have the beta file in the right location. If you unzip those ones, the work will be done for you. Finally, updaters also place the file you.
JOTEGO
Thank you for your opinion. We know that every beta.bin release is a hassle for everyone in Patreon, but we try to update every two to three months to confuse everyone as little as possible. Thank you for your support!
evilsim
:: go into assets folder in DOS and run this command below for /D %a in ("\Assets\jt*.*") do xcopy /y /d \beta.bin "%a\common"
evilsim
I use windoze to update my card, so I've ended up writing a small batch script using a for loop which finds all the folders under /assets/ on the sd card starting with jt - it then takes that list and copies the beta.bin file into each one of those folders. each time a new beta.bin is released I just copy it to a location on my sdcard, run my script with the for loop and it copies the file to the correct folders. easy. something like this should be implemented into the current update scripts/applications to make all the patreon's lives easier. the last thing you want is a patreon subscriber stopping their subscription because they cannot get the beta.bin into all the correct places to then enjoy the beta cores. It seems like there are a few people having troubles and for good reason, its not simple to get the beta.bin into all the required folders.
Shawn Caron
I had to delete my settings files etc. and reinstall the updater.
Shawn Caron
I'm getting missing ROM id(1) error after using Matt Pannella's updater. Anyone know what's going on there?
Jimmy Heinrich
You have to unzip it.
Matt Pannella
attached to a patreon post or jotegos discord
Chris Farrell
Sorry but where do we find jtbeta.zip?
Jimmy Heinrich
Same here. I did everything I was supposed to do. I feel like the beta.bin is not the one I am supposed to have.
JOTEGO
Hope it will work.
Paul Barker
I use update all, as I mentioned above.
Christopher Waltham
Thanks! I've been using that script but I wasn't sure if it downloads all Jotego cores, or only updates cores that I've downloaded myself
Commander Keen
You are supposed to leave the jtbeta.zip in tact at the root of your SD card. You shouldn't have to extract the beta.bin out for the pocket_updater to pick it up.
Ben Wilberding
RESOLVED **I Broke my cores using the updater. I resolved this by downloading the jtbeta.zip from 10/31/23 and updating this beta.bin on the root my my SD card which copied this into the betakeys folder and updated my beta cores with the correct beta.bin. All is working now! I hope my mistake helps someone else
Ben Wilberding
I used the Pocket Updater and it broke all of my beta cores. The beta.bin I have in CPS1.5 is from 10/6. Same for the Simpsons. I manually updated the beta.bin in both of the Common folders to the 10/27 beta.bin (Which is the beta.bin released for the CPS15 beta core...) Neither core is working. I just see the credits
Commander Keen
You probably need to update the key on each core if you are handling that manually. The newly released jtbeta.zip has a new key. It's simplest to use an update script like update_all on mister or pocket_updater on pocket.
Commander Keen
https://github.com/mattpannella/pocket-updater-utility
Commander Keen
Simplest way is to use the pocket_updater app . Alternatively there is a section on the discord with the weekly releases for all cores.
Paul Barker
Strange. Did update all yesterday and then downloaded the newest jtbeta too and ftped over. I'll double check perhaps I did something silly.
Matt Pannella
you are most likely using an old copy of the jtbeta.zip. make sure, if you updated all of your cores, you also updated the beta key
Paul Barker
Hey Jotego, so how can we get cores back to a playable state? I'm a patreon with the latest jtbeta and update all had made all the Konami cores now unplayable. As you describe credits run over the title and I cannot use any buttons which means I'm running a closed core?
Christopher Waltham
If I think that I'm missing Pocket cores, what is the best way to make sure I have all of them - is there a single zip file that has the latest version of *all* cores?
INAKI ECHEVARRIA LARRINAGA
Hi Jose, Unless the jtbeta.zip ( and the beta.bin inside ) are unique and different to the ones we have been using until now, this seems to be not working. I first used the Pocket_Updater.exe I normally use, which is supposed to extract the jtbeta.zip and put the beta.bin on each core's Assets\< core >\common\ subdir. I saw the credits scroll... then I manually went to the folder for CPS 1.5 core ( SD:\Assets\jtcps15\common ) and put a beta.bin ( from my latest jtbeta.zip ) in that folder, but I still see the credits scroll ( and cannot interact ). Thank you for the great work. EDIT: Nevermind. I did miss the notice about the changed jtbeta.zip. Sorry for that. Testing it now...
Dandi and Matija
Currently using AMMiSTer to update my arcade cores, it's a nice alternative to update_all with a GUI
Joshua Wordlaw
I appreciate all your hard work, Jotego! Your work in the Arcade-sphere is what got me into the FPGA scene, and I am excited to see what things you have up your sleeve in the future!
Damien Olvera
My Aliens Arcade started doing this after an update. It was playable before. I may just delete it all and reinstall. If that doesn't work π€·ββοΈ. Already have too many games to play. On a brighter note I can now play Aliens vs Predator Arcade π
ronalvel .
Gracias Jotego
Pixel Cherry Ninja
Thanks for putting this out JT. I'll go over these points on this weekend's video. As theses seem to be the main questions I get over in the channel too. Have a good week π
