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e-Reader Emulator

Closed (accepted) by: root.

jcrouse » 2006-05-14 02:47:07

What are people using, if anything, for a Nintendo e-Reader emulator. I have tired the Visualboy Advance 1.7.2 hacked version but can't get a game to start and can't find any docs.

Devis0r » 2006-05-14 07:46:47

1. Open VisualBoy Advance
2. Open up one of the e-Reader GBA dumps: Card e-Reader (J), Card e-Reader (U) or Card e-Reader + (J)
3. Import the save file of a e-reader game (File>Import>Battery File...)
4. Select a e-reader .sav game
5. Click OK on the pop-up
6. Select "Access Saved Data" in the game menu and you can start playing it

You'll have to make the dumps into save files yourself, or download the converted ones

jcrouse » 2006-05-14 21:13:42

Thanks for the reply.

How does one go about making dumps into save files? Also, my entire Import sub-meun is disabled.

xuom2 » 2006-05-15 04:38:45

there is a tool that converts from the dumps (bin/raw) into .sav.
.sav are good for flashcards.

"Also, my entire Import sub-meun is disabled.": are you sure you did the point (2) of devis0r's steps? you have to load the hardware dump, like "e-Reader (U).zip".

jcrouse » 2006-05-16 15:12:48

OK, you seem to be knowledgable about this. Is there a way to launch an eReader game from the commandline? I can send the eReader (U).gba as a commandline parameter but can I then start an eReader game from the same commandline with another parameter?

I guess I just want to somehow start one of the eReader games from a commanline.

reecepeart » 2007-06-09 06:02:53

Hi John What is the tool? is it for Windows or how does it
work? can you send me it as I am pulling my hair our trying effortlessly trying to locate it.

Sir VG » 2007-06-09 06:33:08

http://www.caitsith2.com/ereader/tech.htm

Load up the e-Reader ROMs. Make sure the save is set to Flash 128K.

"Play" the ROM until asked to scan a card. You'll get a dialogue box. Load up the RAW file to "scan" the card.

reecepeart » 2007-06-11 08:03:35

Thank you for answering, what is the actual file name and link to the GBA rom as a google search yeilded nothing, could'nt find any usable results for that GBA file name on the webpage provided.
If you have the file can you send it to me at:
*removed*

alcoatjez » 2007-06-11 09:00:40

eecepeart: Do NOT request GBA ROMs here.
You asked for the tool and Sir VG gave you the link.

xuom2 » 2007-06-11 17:02:25

i reply only to spam one more time our e-Reader subsite http://www.nexus3000.altervista.org
where you can find more info about sets and cards.

romset can be hard to find around, mainly because the masses are not interested in those tons of strange tiny files.

Ktiger41 » 2007-06-12 18:12:07

Oki, I really don't get how you can make an emulator read the e-reader cards. I mean they are only coded dots printed on a card.

A friend of mine tried doing it on the actual hardware at a high resolution, but failed.

Sir VG » 2007-06-12 19:17:59

Trying to print them isn't about high resolution. It's about proper resolution. 600x600 is the proper resolution, and the paper has to be right too. Then you might be able to scan it.

As for e-Reader files on the computer, it's already in RAW format, which you just load in the special VBA emulator and poof. "Scan" done.

Ktiger41 » 2007-06-12 19:34:01

so ur saying someone has already dumped and converted scans of the cards? I'm not really reffering to the rom cards (i.e. excitebike, iceclimber, etc...). I'm talking somewhat about the e-reader pokemon cards, that when scanned, unlocks stuff and gives items and whatnot.

Also what kind of paper is needed? I think he used regular computer paper...

Sir VG » 2007-06-12 19:53:26

Any card released in the US has been dumped already. That includes the Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and Super Mario Advance 4 cards.

As for paper, I've tried photo paper before (the glossy surface and stiffness works better). Regular paper won't do anything for you. It doesn't scan well.

xuom2 » 2007-06-12 21:10:39

there is some confusion.
dumping cards is different from doing their scans.
from the scan you get nothing except a nice .JPG file.

you can do a hig-res print of your dump and load it on the e-Reader device.
you can dump the card data linking GBA, e-Reader and PC with a special cable.
a software is able to transfer the data.
you can emulate this data using a special compiled version of VBA, that works as Sir VG explained.

on caitsith2 site you can find the dumping tools and the emulator.

Ktiger41 » 2007-06-13 03:57:14

Oh snap. now i understand! lol at myself. You dumped the cards like you would a cart. Silly me. I actually thought you scanned them in .jpg format and coded the files you load into to emulator based on where the dots were placed.

I think I need some sleep...

mikers » 2007-06-18 02:41:45

I was wondering, how do people make SRAMs of certain cards for usage in a link-compatible emulator?

I'm particularly interested in using Super Mario Advance 4 cards, but the e-Reader emulator doesn't support linking (maybe it would be possible to merge the VBA-Link and VBA-eReader sources to work)

Sir VG » 2007-06-18 05:29:17

I would like to see it too, but at this point, I don't believe it to be possible. We can only hope that Caitsith will share his source with the VBAlink developers and they make it possible.

warioswoods » 2007-07-17 13:35:51

I've been tracking this issue for a while now, trying to find a way to get the Super Mario Advance 4 eReader levels that never made it to the US. I started merging the sources of Vbalink with that of CaitSith's ereader build, and then found that someone had already done so (i can track down that link if you wish), however - that still does not solve the problem. I tested it out and it turns out the Vbalink emulator is missing support for the special type of link that SMA4 uses, so no matter how much eReader support is added, it will never work for that game, since it will not even begin to implement the link, instead always resulting in an immediate error.

No$gba did just release a new version with eReader support recently, and this emulator also already has excellent link support, however - at this point, it only allows linking a game to itself, not linking 2 different roms (which is needed for SMA4 - one rom is the game, the other the eReader built-in rom). However, since the no$gba author is constantly improving his emulator, it is conceivable that he will add this support (someone will probably need to request it of him, however).

In the meantime, the only way to get the non-American cards is to get an actual eReader and print them out & scan. However, if it is the US released levels you are after, you can get a saved game file from the link below, which, if loaded into an emulator or your flash cart, will have all the US eReader levels already unlocked. (NOTE - don't delete my link, it does not contain Roms, but only saved games).

zophar.net/savgba

let me know any further thoughts on getting the japanese levels. I may just pick up the necessary equipment on ebay and make a new Sav file myself, if there's enough interest outside myself to warrant it.

*
update (if anyone is interested) - I've purchased the necessary equipment and will attempt to produce new save files containing all the unreleased Japanese SMA4 levels, probably within a couple weeks or so.

xuom2 » 2007-07-17 19:24:47

please let us updated about .BIN/.RAW files that you are able to get.

WindChargerNut » 2007-07-20 09:40:06

Hi.
I'm sorry if this is a really stupid question but most of the stuff discussed in this thread goes staight over my head.
Anyway, is there a way to use the Pokemon E-cards on an emulated game?

Sir VG » 2007-07-20 11:44:53

I don't believe so, since the Pokemon e-Cards work in the same way that the SMA4 cards do (to my recollection), and since no$gba doesn't support that type of linking, then you're out of luck.

xuom2 » 2007-07-20 17:12:44

Pokemon TCG works different from SMA4, and it doesn't need to be linked to a game.

more details on our "encyclopedia":
http://www.nexus3000.altervista.org
-> Catalog (USA) -> Pokémon-e TCG -> Click to read more about this set.

warioswoods » 2007-07-31 05:22:03

Hello again, so I finally got around to making that .Sav file - the link is below. It is a saved game for SMA4 which has been tested in a flash cart, no$gba, and VBA, so whichever method you choose, it will enable you to easily jump in and play all the Japanese levels without needing to print out codes, etc. I included all the US and Japanese levels, but none of the 'Classic' (Star) levels. You will see Classic World 1-1 listed, but it was deleted due to the 32 level limit. Two of the special eReader-zone mushroom houses are unlocked, and the third can be unlocked if you collect the special coins in all the levels, I believe.

In any case, I hope this helps someone out there, and feel free to distribute it if you have any reason for doing so - there's nothing new here that I've contributed anyhow, I'm just hopefully making the process a lot easier for some. Oh, and I'd certainly recommend playing on a flash cart to get the full experience, but that's just me.

I won't be able to host this file indefinitely, so please take it now, and, as stated, feel free to post it elsewhere if you know of anyone who would want it.

https://wfs.bc.edu/phillijv/SMA4_eReader_J_US.sav

xuom2 » 2007-07-31 18:02:07

did you dumped the cards?

warioswoods » 2007-07-31 18:22:18

Oh, what I did was simply to make the Japanese levels accessible through a SMA4 save, so that anyone can play them without needing a lot of equipment or setup. All the Japanese level cards I used are just those that CaitSith re-encoded to work on the US cartridge and made available on his site; you have the link I'm sure, but if not: http://caitsith2.com/ereader/sma4/sma4levelcards.rar.

I don't have any new cards to dump; CaitSith has already dumped and re-encoded all the levels from the Japanese sets.

Karmeck » 2008-01-03 21:57:04

I still dont get how to get it to work, why have non just made all teh sac files and given them out?