Bubble Bobble Bootleg info

[Elgen]

Hi I'm trying the Lost Cave hack on my Bubble Bobble bootleg PCB (2 layers version) but I get some issues, the game title is scrambled and game crashes during gameplay due a "WORK RAM" error.I swapped only the thee programs ROMS labeled 3-4-5 but you said other ROMS need to be changed but I didn't understand which ones and which ROM files has to be used for (if from original or bootleg MAME ROMSet).This is not stated in the instructions inlcuded in the Lost Cave archive.Could you explain better this?Thanks.

P.S.
For the Redux version I need to swap only the three program ROMS?The provided files are patches or ready-to-burn files?

On the primary PCB swap the ones marked with fezzes (that btw are just as cool as bow ties };-P)

On the 2nd PCB swap the ones marked with hearts

(disregard the fact, that on these photos all the EPROMs to be swapped are 27512; that's just because I made my board so it can play both REDUX and Lost Cave by using bank switching... (blog post coming up soon))

[ninn]

(disregard the fact, that on these photos all the EPROMs to be swapped are 27512; that's just because I made my board so it can play both REDUX and Lost Cave by using bank switching... (blog coming up soon))

[caius]

On the primary PCB swap the ones marked with fezzes (that btw are just as cool as bow ties };-P)

On the 2nd PCB swap the ones marked with hearts

(disregard the fact, that on these photos all the EPROMs to be swapped are 27512; that's just because I made my board so it can play both REDUX and Lost Cave by using bank switching... (blog post coming up soon))

Hi Elgen.Thanks for help but which ROMs files I have to burn to do this swap?As for the ROM 3-4-5 I need the ones from Lost Cave archive but for other ones which MAME ROMset I have to use?
Anyway I think my bootleg is not compatible with this hack since I tried also the Redux mod and I get crashes/resets/freezes during game.Infact I dumped all the ROMs and two of the programs ROMs ('3' and '5') don't match any ROMset while the '4' is from Super Bobble Bobble (set 1).

[Asure]

Does the board have a MCU on it? Picture would be welcome.

Redux has some issues with the dip switches, 7 and 8 to be specific. I used 512's in the three sockets, and all was ok.
When using Lost cave roms, switch B dips 7/8 determine eprom size instead of monster speed, and both need to be off to have no crashes!

[caius]

Hi and thanks for replying.No, my bootleg has no MCU on it.
I turned off the 7 and 8 dipswitches but no changes at all.I presume this bootleg is not compatible with the hacks, there a lot of different ones.I think it's something related to some PLD that enable RAM/ROM so I'm going to reverse engineered them (but I presume they are unlocked like the other so I can read them with a normal programmer)

Here are the pictures as well the dumped ROMs:






https://www.mediafire.com/?e74g79yr9oo999m"

[Elgen]

You board looks roughly the same as mine.
If you download the zip with V1.2 of Lost Cave, then all the ROMs needed for the original BB-board are in the main dir. You need to use these. Then in addition to that, there's a subdir (bobblebobble or something) with 3 extra ROMs that is needed for Lost Cave to work on bootlegs... These must be swapped in for the same ROMs as when you use REDUX... Hope it makes sense?!

[caius]

Pardon, I don't understand.. since my board is a bootleg, why I have to use the patched roms for the original PCB???
Anyway, now I have no more random freezes/resets/crashes both in Lost Cave and Redux hack.It was due too slow 27256 EPROM devices, I use 120ns instead of 300ns.But I get always the scrambled game title in Lost Cave.According to you I have to use the ROMs for the original board?It sound strange to me...Maybe it's why PCB layout of my bootleg is identical to the original one?

[Elgen]

No, it's because all the graphics ROMs are the same on both boot and original. And as LC has a lot of the graphics changed, you need to swap 10 of the 12 graphics ROMs (as per my pics above).
Also you need to swap the single ROM just under the 3 program ROMs on the main board.
The 3 program ROMs (on a line) on the main board, are the only ones different from the ROM set used for the original BB board..,

[Elgen]

So in short:
* Look at my pics.
* All the marked ROMs but the 3 program ROMs (on a line marked with fezzes) must be swapped with the ROMs from the main dir in the LC V1.2 zip.
* The 3 program ROMs must be swapped with the ROMs in the subdir.
Enjoy };-P

[caius]

No, it's because all the graphics ROMs are the same on both boot and original. And as LC has a lot of the graphics changed, you need to swap 10 of the 12 graphics ROMs (as per my pics above).
Also you need to swap the single ROM just under the 3 program ROMs on the main board.
The 3 program ROMs (on a line) on the main board, are the only ones different from the ROM set used for the original BB board..,

OK, undestood.But the ROM filenames in bublcave.zip archive are totally different the location/labels of mine bootleg (original begin with A78-XX and have PCB location as suffix).
In my opinion developers have to spcifiy this in the README, this create only a big confusion.

Anyway I attach the main archive, it contains two other archives, one with ROMS for original board and other wit ROMs for the bootleg.So, please, be kind to indicate with ROMs burn/swap on out bootleg.Thanks

https://www.mediafire.com/?v5lwvq8j7g4se1d

[Elgen]

Yup, I had the same problem.
So I started by dumping all the ROMs that was already on my board, and then run romident on them to find out what ROM they map to.

[caius]

OK, sure, I use an old version of ROMcenter, instead.
So, 10 of 12 of the GFX roms need to be only changed by place or burned?If burned, it would be very annoying..

[Elgen]

Annoying? You don't have an EPROM burner?
Yes you need to burn 14 ROMs all-in-all to play LC on a bootleg };-P

[caius]

I have four EPROM programmers It's more the time to find the devices among my scrap PCBs and erase them....

[Elgen]

I just bought 2 batches of these EEPROMs; works like a charm };-P
http://bit.ly/1fWaDcx"

[caius]

I just bought 2 batches of these EEPROMs; works like a charm };-P
http://bit.ly/1fWaDcx"

AH, you have gone for the OTP EEPROMs!You choose 27512 also if GFX code can be stored in 27256.Did you double the buffer?
Then I've seen your switch solution to use both original and Lost cave hack on same board, very cool.

[Elgen]

They are actually electronically eraseable and not OTP; but yes, if you do use 512s, you can just double the images... I'm just atm wrapping up a blog post on the dual LC/REDUX-hack. Hope to publish it soon.
If you want to be sure not to miss out on it, you can follow the my blog on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/elgensrepairs") };-P

[caius]

They are actually electronically eraseable and not OTP; but yes, if you do use 512s, you can just double the images... I'm just atm wrapping up a blog post on the dual LC/REDUX-hack. Hope publish it soon.
If you want to be sure not to miss out on it, you can follow the my blog on Facebook (link in my sig) };-P

Ah right, they are EEPROM and not EPROM, who know how many erasing they support...OK, I will follow your blog.

O.T.
Do you exchange arcade PCBs?

[Elgen]

http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=27298"

[ChocolateApple]

Is there any chance that a free play mode could be added?