A Summary of Recent PS2 Developments

Ever since it's release about thirteen years ago (2000), the PlayStation 2 (PS2) has become one of the most popular consoles for homebrew developments. And even though it was announced recently (January 2013) that Sony will discontinue the PS2 in production, homebrew developers are still busy with PS2 projects.

Below is a list of recent developments and updates that have been brewed within the walls of the psx-scene site, as well as a few from other participating sites. Here at psx-scene, we pledge to continue providing our readers forthcoming news on PS2 developments as quickly as they become available.

OPL 0.9 (Open PS2 Loader) -- also works on PS3

On July 2012, OPL 0.9 became public, thanks to these two contributing developers: doctorxyz (who updated the CHANGELOG and DETAILED_CHANGELOG files and gained the necessary skill to publish releases) and ifcaro (which granted access to doctorxyz to push changes to ifcaro's Bitbucket repo). For quite some time, newer revisions made after the public OPL 0.8 was only available to a limited amount of members, especially those that could compile and keep up with the revisions, were the only gamers allowed to beta test and use OPL’s new and advanced features.

To Get the Latest Version of OPL 0.9:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/ope...-v0-9-a-62141/

click here to open this

What is OPL?

click here to open this

What's New in OPL 0.9?

click here to open this

OPL Game Compatibility Lists:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/ope...ibility-62463/
New Project: http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/opl...ission-110487/

OPL 0.9 User Guides
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/opl...errata-104937/
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/jay...v0-9-a-104891/

OPL 0.9 Themes:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/jay...v0-9-a-104891/
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/sha...-9-beta-80461/

OPL Official Forum:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/official...-loader-forum/

OPL 0.9 Themes:

Within days after OPL 0.9 became public, many graphic designers started to launch their custom themes to display the new features.

One favorite feature among OPL 0.9 users is that the GUI has a 2nd page called Info Page. In this page you can display more details about each PS2 game. See screen shot below:

INFO PAGE in OPL 0.9

Check Out some of these Cool OPL 0.9 Themes:

click here to open this

OPL 0.9 with GSM add-on

On August 2012, after a month that OPL 0.9 became public, doctorxyz, Developer of GSM, and with the help of two other developers, izdubar and SP193, they were able to integrate GSM as an add-on to OPL 0.9. Now you can enable a switch inside OPL 0.9 's Display Settings and turn on GSM for your PS2 games. No more need to use the standalone version of GSM with OPL.

Go here to get OPL 0.9 with GSM add-on version (post# 2473):
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f291/gs-...tml#post992826

click here to open this

Screenshot of OPL 0.9's Display Settings with GSM

To do:

click here to open this

What is GSM?

click here to open this

Graphics Synthesizer Mode (GSM) is a standalone application for the PS2 that allows you to display your PS2 Games in the follow resolutions listed below. SP193, a contributor to GSM, mentions that one of the most important changes to him are the inclusion of the 1080p and 576p modes, and it's fixed IOP reset code (It can now be booted directly from Free McBoot [FMCB]).

SDTV: (PAL/NTSC)
HDTV: (480p/576p/720p/1080i/1080p)
VGA: (540p/640i)
PS1 SDTV: (NTSC/PAL)

The GSM Developer’s Team are:

doctorxyz
dlanor
reprep
SP193
and many others…

Latest version of Standalone GSM: GSModeSelector v0.37 (2013.01.20) by doctorxyz
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f291/gs-mode-selector-development-feedback-61808/

The screenshot below is for the standalone version of GSM.

GUI:

30 predef vmodes, including DTV 576P vmode for older PS2 models and the unpublished DTV 1080P one
Skip Videos Fix toggle
Optimized Exit options
C code housekeeping

Core:

SetGsCrt replacement code for DTV 576P vmode (work even on older PS2 models - made possible by SP193 and reprep).
SetGsCrt replacement code for unpublished DTV 1080P vmode (made possible by SP193 and reprep).
Remove all breakpoints (even when they are not enabled) whenever SetGsCrt syscall is called, then re-enable GSHandler (GSM Data Address Write Breakpoint).
Skip Videos Fix (sceMpegIsEnd) code - basic method by nachbrenner - If enabled, On-The-Fly patcher applies it whenever SetGsCrt syscall is called.
Added SMODE1, SMODE2, SRFSH, SYNCH1, SYNCH2 and CSR definitions for future features.
Disabled warning on building time if any statement expands to more than one machine instruction.
ASM code cosmetics.

To do:

Improve FMV skipping procedures,
Avoid BSOD on some games,
TV aspect & color mode settings (overwriting the ones from ps2 OSD menu),
Integral adjust of horizontal and vertical screen size,
Solve halved vertical REZ on some games,
Integrated with widescreen and real internal frame buffer REZ (up to 720p on some games) hacks (nemesis and others), etc.

Official Thread for GSM:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f291/gs-mode-selector-development-feedback-61808/
(Make sure to read the first couple of posts there, they are quite informative!)

Official GSM Support Forum:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/official-gs-mode-selector-forum/

Widescreen Hacks for PS2 Games
(including PSN PS2 Classics and for Backward Compatibility Fat PS3s)

Another development that has been brewing since early 2012, and has many PS2 Gamers quite pumped up about, is the ability to display default Standard (4:3) PS2 Games to a Widescreen (16:9) ratio. Plus the results have been quite amazing! There is absolutely no distortion nor stretching to the main game's graphics! Simply put, these developers have uncovered techniques for making the games appear naturally widescreen -- like if the games were meant to be in widescreen format since the day when they were first designed!

This development started to be explored with the use of the popular PS2 Emulator for the PC "PCSX2". Gamers started out to look into the possibility to convert numerous Standard PS2 Games and display them at a Widescreen ratio. As soon as these gamers discovered that this was doable, and with the help of pnach files, an entire craze of widescreen codes began rolling in for the PS2 and PS3 consoles.

For more details go to our Official Widescreen Hacks Forum:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/official...n-hacks-forum/

There are two popular methods in using the Widescreen Hacks for your PS2 Games and your consoles -- follow the links below to learn more about the difference between the two methods and also fetch the long list of widescreen codes that are all done for you, so that you can start "cheating" or "Hex Editing" your PS2 Games today:

Method 1: ps2rd and Codebreaker 9:

click here to open this

Method 2: Hex ISO Editing:

click here to open this

This also works on PS3:

click here to open this

List of Widescreen Hacks Tools and Tutorials:
Be sure to also check out the following incredible Tools and Tutorials to help and learn how to and also, hopefully, allow you to participate with us in finding the codes needed in our favorite PS2 Games, to make them display in a natural widescreen ratio.

click here to open this

Play PS2 Game ISOs with OPL 0.9 and on Backward Compatible PS3s:

Well, we saved the best for last. And as they commonly say, "one good thing leads to another", now that OPL 0.9 went public, gamers have been quite busy in making this work on their "backward compatible" PS3s -- those lucky guys!

Recently, a contributor and member, MannyMania, was able to make OPL 0.9 work on his PS3 "backward compatible" and was able to play PS2 ISOs without the need for Cobra Dongle. He took the initiative to write up a tutorial on how to achieve this goal, step by step and share it with us. Keep in mind, that he is using (SMB) Network abilities with OPL 0.9.

Here is a link that takes you straight to his tutorial.
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/pla...-works-110483/

Other Miscellaneous PlayStation Projects:

Here is a list of other projects that have been produced in the past or will be presented in the near future. Hopefully it encourages you to update or at least explore these developments. If you are a developer, these might be some projects that you can participate in.

SMAP Driver for all PS2 Hombrew:
Developer, SP193, has released his new SMAP Driver some time back, and he intends to make it the mainstream SMAP Ddriver which all Playstation 2 homebrew software will use. It sports full DMA support and improved auto-negotiation support. So far, he has been alone, but Developer, volca, has been working on bringing it to OPL.

SMAP Driver with full DMA support:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f19/new-...totype-108709/

PS2SDK
Developer, SP193, had made some commits to the PS2SDK, so the repository on Github has been revived after many months of inactivity. (Not to mention that some age-old bugs have been squashed!).

FMCB v1.8C Update:

The unofficial installer which installs Free McBoot (FMCB v1.8C) for the PS2. Now, this is old news, but the installer did not recieve the spotlight it should have. Most gamers probably only know about the old FMCB v1.8b installer. The new installer was written by Developer, SP193, and Developers, Jimmikaelkael and Neme, are the original authors behind FMCB v1.8C.

SP193 is currently working on a new FMCB version. Though he doesn't have an ETA or a complete features list, but it's in the works.

FMBCB v1.8c Dowload:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f153/uno...staller-96372/

PS2PSXe PSX Emulator for the PS2:

PS2PSXe is a project created by well-known PS2 ESR Developer, ffgriever. It gives us the ability to use it as an emulator to play PSX ISOs via Internal HDD, Network, and USB HDD on a PS2 Console. Though this project is not new, there might be a slim chance that many PS2 gamers are not aware of it, or have not seen the latest contributions that a few of our psx-scene members have provided us with. Plus, this development needs the help of more developers to get involved. Please follow the links below to get a grasp on how to use this emulator and a PSX compatibility list. Special thanks to mrjared123, urmele, and Jay-Jay who have been active in the new PS2PSXe Support Forum.

PS2PSXe Official Support Forum:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/official-ps2psxe-forum/

PS2PSXe Tutorial and Guide:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f292/ps2...torial-105353/

PS2PSXe Latest Updates and Downloads:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f292/ps2...pdates-105355/

PS2PSXe Test Bundle:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f292/new...s2psxe-107383/

PS2PSXe PSX Compatibility List:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f292/ps2...e-list-105342/

A message from PS2PSXe Developer ffgriever:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f292/som...ulator-105356/

PSX POPS Emulator for PS2
The PSX POPS Emulator has been leaked and some gamers have been testing it on the PS2. Very few gamers know about this, but it's basically an early version of the PSP Playstation emulator which was used to run the Playstation Game "Bishi Bashi Champ", which was released on the PSBBN (And pulled by Sony shortly after HDLoader was released). It was reported that game compatibility is quite good.

More Info...:
Testing out POPS-00001 on PS2 (Need help on PATINFO.KELF)

http://psx-scene.com/forums/f292/new...0001-a-110832/

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deank, doctorxyz, Jay-Jay and 13 others like this.

28 Comments

Jay-Jay - 02-06-2013, 03:49 AM
- Reply
I really love PS2

moreno - 02-06-2013, 04:06 AM
- Reply
soo, would it ever be possible to make 'cheat' hacks that could increase the field of view in ps3 games? this badly needs to be done for killzone 2 and 3 ..

doctorxyz - 02-06-2013, 05:10 AM
- Reply
Concerned to OPL standalone, it's important to mention that all kudos should give to the OPL core development team member... I've just documented the job done by them, compiled and published.
Long life PS2!

pinoytechno - 02-06-2013, 05:19 AM
- Reply
wow! PS2 are still live forever

RandQalan - 02-06-2013, 05:46 AM
- Reply
Yea big Thanks go's to OPL team

Main code is based on HD Project 1.081

Copyright (C) 2006-2008 Polo

Adaptation to USB Advance format and User interface

Copyright (C) 2009 Ifcaro

Main Project developpers:

Ifcaro, volca, jimmikaelkael, polo35, izdubar

CDVDMAN, CDVDFSV, CDDEV, DISCID & SMBMAN modules by jimmikaelkael

Copyright (C) 2009 jimmikaelkael

NETLOG module, and other contributions

Copyright (C) 2009 misfire

SMSUTILS, SMSMAP & SMSTCPIP modules by Eugene Plotnikov

DEV9, ATAD modules and derived code used in cdvdman by Marcus R. Brown

PS2HDD module has been taken from PS2SDK

SMB code in Open PS2 Loader includes DES algorithm developed

by Eric Young

and we should not forget doctorxyz

diegsmoran - 02-06-2013, 07:48 AM
- Reply
Oh Hell yeah! You guys see the most recent development, its funny and kinda sad really, the more time passes with a console the more people leave it when it only gets better and better

atko2 - 02-06-2013, 08:05 AM
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Just want a way to play ps2 games on the ps3 like we do with the retro consoles and ill be very happy. There are some great games on the ps2 and loads that need a play through

Hakuoro - 02-06-2013, 09:09 AM
- Reply
I love PS2!
I always wanted to know: Is it possible to hack a PS2 using software only(without the need of unscrewing it)?
Thanks. Great post.

Jay-Jay - 02-06-2013, 09:56 AM
- Reply
Originally Posted by Hakuoro

I love PS2!
I always wanted to know: Is it possible to hack a PS2 using software only(without the need of unscrewing it)?
Thanks. Great post.

Look up: Free McBoot

Hakuoro - 02-06-2013, 10:30 AM
- Reply
Originally Posted by Jay-Jay

Look up: Free McBoot

Really?? So, that means i don't need modchips anymore to play games on the PS2? And i won't need to unscrew it to use McBoot, right? That's a dream coming true.
This McBoot looks similiar to the SD Gecko for the Gamecube.
The question is: does it run games as perfectly as the discs? Do you know anything about the compatibility?
Thank you.

Jay-Jay - 02-06-2013, 10:36 AM
- Reply
Yes, it works fine. You just need to, read, read, and read.

More details here: http://psx-scene.com/forums/official...c-boot-forums/

YoYoBalls - 02-06-2013, 01:49 PM
- Reply
Great post

Hakuoro - 02-06-2013, 03:49 PM
- Reply
Originally Posted by Jay-Jay

Yes, it works fine. You just need to, read, read, and read.

More details here: http://psx-scene.com/forums/official...c-boot-forums/

Thanks!!

cyto - 02-06-2013, 07:41 PM
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I'd love to see this incorporated into Multiman by Deank for the BC PS3s. Sounds like loading over USB is super slow though. Maybe that can be fixed.

SILENT_Pavel - 02-07-2013, 04:41 AM
- Reply
On PS2 over 10.000 games!
On PS3 only more then 3.000.
PS2 forever.

No.47 - 02-07-2013, 09:11 AM
- Reply
Thanks for the great news post!
Especially the news about the POPS emulator, which seems to be largely unkown yet pretty promising. Maybe the info should be spread in the PS2PSXe forum?

id10t - 02-07-2013, 03:36 PM
- Reply
I've been away from the PS2 for quite some time now.
Did they ever discover a way to play backups online off of the HDD?

cannibal20 - 02-07-2013, 07:29 PM
- Reply
Originally Posted by Jay-Jay

I really love PS2

me too, and psone.

didnt know about the ps1 emulator. now that i dont need my cobra for psone isos on the ps3, and i have a hardmodded ps1+2slim i dont care as much about this, but looks interesting.

using that opl already, have the fmcb.

want to get into using that ps2rd for widescreen.
read the guide briefly by jay-jay
havent got around to setting it up, but want to run on the fat from internal, modded it to have sata laptop 500 gb

best part is, im actually playing dark cloud 1 right now, and im on the 4th dungeon and have been to all backfloors in the ones before that.

i could really use that widescreen thing maybe ill hit it up this weekend when i have time to read it all.

wonder if a person could use 1080p and widescreen hack to make it super nice

Originally Posted by id10t

I've been away from the PS2 for quite some time now.
Did they ever discover a way to play backups online off of the HDD?

ps2 online has been turned off for long time

vash32 - 02-08-2013, 12:52 PM
- Reply
If anyone is looking for Sony's Official PSone Emulator for PS2 HDD (aka POPS-00001).
You can get a copy of it on The Iso Zone, look for Official PSone Emulator for PS2 HDD (aka POPS-00001)

Hope that helps, Have fun!

Hakuoro - 02-08-2013, 06:02 PM
- Reply
Originally Posted by vash32

If anyone is looking for Sony's Official PSone Emulator for PS2 HDD (aka POPS-00001).
You can get a copy of it on The Iso Zone, look for Official PSone Emulator for PS2 HDD (aka POPS-00001)

Hope that helps, Have fun!

I don't get it. Why would anyone look for that? I mean, the PS2 is backward compatible.