gbPS question about Saves

[MEMANIA]

First time poster. Been trying to figure this out, but no luck. I realize that there are save-states, but I'm curious if the game has any sort of "hard save" readability? Like, does it ever write to the ROMs or create a "save" file that's not part of the save states? I'm always making save-states in addition to hard saves, but I was just wondering if it was possible to forgo save-states entirely and kick it "old school".

[MaslowK]

With most cartridge based consoles with "hard save" features (gameboy, snes, genesis, etc) the save data is stored on the cartridge in a separate chip from the chip(s) that actually holds the games data. In the case of emulators, generally they write the save data in a file separate from the actual ROM file, specified as an SRAM type file, which the emulator can read later when the ROM calls for it (loading save data for example).

I'm not familiar with the particular emulator you've specified in the subject (I'm assuming gameboy?), but I'm 99% certain it works the same way, and is storing your hard saves in separate files, most likely something like .srm or .sav. You should be able to just use a games built-in save functionality (if the game originally had that function of course) rather than save states if you so choose.

[MEMANIA]

I'm not familiar with the particular emulator you've specified in the subject (I'm assuming gameboy?), but I'm 99% certain it works the same way, and is storing your hard saves in separate files, most likely something like .srm or .sav. You should be able to just use a games built-in save functionality (if the game originally had that function of course) rather than save states if you so choose.

Thanks. I recently loaded the rom, and went through the menus, and the save files weren't showing up. But, I remember I've had this issue in the past because sometimes save-states like to wipe out hard save files if you load a save-state with no hard saves made. That might have been the case, I had a save-state that I loaded prior to making my hard save.

It's a GBA emulator, highly recommended apparently?

[_Gambit]

Thanks. I recently loaded the rom, and went through the menus, and the save files weren't showing up. But, I remember I've had this issue in the past because sometimes save-states like to wipe out hard save files if you load a save-state with no hard saves made. That might have been the case, I had a save-state that I loaded prior to making my hard save.

It's a GBA emulator, highly recommended apparently?

I'm thinking he's using gpSP. But it's a GBA emulator for the PSP, and the OP didn't mention anything about using a PSP (Although he did post in the Sony Systems section).

If that's the case then you need to make sure your exiting gpSP properly. As in, bringing the menu up and selecting "exit gpSP".

In the emulator options menu, there should be an option that says "Update backup" and you can either set it to "AUTO" (automatically updates the save when you save it in-game) or "Exit Only" (the save is only updated when you exit gpSP by selecting "exit gpSP").

If you're shutting your PSP off without exiting the emulator properly your "hard save" won't be saved. You can set it to AUTO in order to make gpSP save immediately after saving in-game. But also changing it to "AUTO" takes more time to for the game to save.

[MaslowK]

I'm thinking he's using gpSP.

If that's the case then you need to make sure your exiting gpSP properly. As in, bringing the menu up and selecting "exit gpSP".

In the emulator options menu, there should be an option that says "Update backup" and you can either set it to "AUTO" (automatically updates the save when you save it in-game) or "Exit Only" (the save is only updated when you exit gpSP by selecting "exit gpSP").

If you're shutting your PSP off without exiting the emulator properly your "hard save" won't be saved. You can set it to AUTO in order to make gpSP save immediately after saving in-game. But also changing it to "AUTO" takes more time to for the game to save.

100% correct, thanks for the reminder had completely forgotten about that quirk with gpSP.

[MEMANIA]

100% correct, thanks for the reminder had completely forgotten about that quirk with gpSP.

Thanks! For some reason I entitely took it for granted that I was using the PSP. It hasn't really sunk in that there's the GO and Vita and PS3. It's my first time venturing into "emulation" territory on anything not PC, mostly because I couldn't afford anything fancy and soft-modding finally came around. Sorry for the confusion, and thanks for helping clear that quirk up!

[Zorlon]

Moved to Everything Console (though a lil slow but hey only just got online )

Plenty of good stuff for PSP asides from GBA and obviously PSP

PSX
SNES
Megadrive/Genesis (CD games also)
Arcade
NES
Mastersystem
GameGear
GB to GBC
PC Engine

to name a few

Batery saves aka in-game saves work much the same in all of them, PSX would be the exception, but still best to exit all of these correctly, some have a manual option to update the batery save aswell as the auto feature, auto works fine though if you are exiting the emulators correctly