@RetroGames Hi! The site is for converting save files from one format to another.
For example, if you have a MiSTer and want to continue your same game on a flash cart, you would convert the file from MiSTer format to "raw/emulator" format using https://savefileconverter.com/#/mister and then the resulting file from "raw/emulator" format to flash cart format using https://savefileconverter.com/#/flash-carts
It can also convert save files found around the Internet on sites like GameFAQs, which might unlock secret characters or new levels. For example, those files might be in Wii Virtual Console format, and you would use https://savefileconverter.com/#/wii to convert those to "raw/emulator" format, and from there you would convert them again to flash cart format or to the format for whatever device you're planning on playing them on.
The site doesn't let you edit save files, so you can't change anything about your save game.
To begin the process of doing a conversion you need to first find your save file on your device. I don't have a Chromatic so I can't help with that part. There is no specific support on the site for save files in the "Chromatic format" but I suspect it's similar to the MiSTer format.
@Sketcz Thank you for all that! Yeah when I started with this site the existing PS1 tools were pretty difficult to use and that was one of the first things I wanted to add to the site.
For the region code thing, you can definitely do it on the site. Just load up your memory card on the site and extract the individual save for the Suikoden 2 file that you want to change. Then the filename of that on your computer will contain the region code information so change it to whatever you want and then flip the arrow on the site the other direction and convert the "new" file back to emulator format.
There's a warning on the site asking you not to mess with the filename of these individual save because it can cause the game to not be able to find the save anymore. But if you know what you're doing like in this case you can definitely change it.
I've got comments explaining the formats in plain English plus code & tests so hopefully some of that will be helpful if you're still working on figuring out all the details yourself. The Saturn was an interesting one for sure!
If you're working on this stuff, please join the discord for the site or email me or something. Like I said in the article I'd love to meet more people who are interested in save files. Contact info is all here: https://savefileconverter.com/#/about
@GhaleonUnlimited I believe that you have to have beaten both books 1 and 2. But I haven't tested that . The save I used had beaten book 1 previously.
I don't have any insight into why someone might have had an issue with this. It's still possible to start book 3 either after powering off the system, or without having powered off the system (after the ending credits it goes back to the title screen). They might not have known they had to delete their previous save in order to start a new game, but they would have had to do that already to begin book 2 after finishing book 1. It's also listed in the manual that you have to delete your previous save first. So yeah, I don't know what the issue may have been.
If someone wants to test with the PAL version they're welcome to attempt it with the save files + converter I linked above. Sometimes different regions of games are able to load save files from each other and sometimes they aren't — it all just depends on the original developers.
I'm the author of savefileconverter.com. Thank you to everyone posting here: I learned a lot! I have to admit that I'd read the "fact" that you couldn't access book 3 without a RAM cart so many times on the Internet that I didn't question it.
I used the file for the end of book 2, started up the game in an emulator, checked that I couldn't start a new game at book 3, and beat book 2. Eventually you end up back at the title screen where I deleted the save for book 2 (as you would have to if you didn't have a RAM cart) and was indeed able to start a new game in book 3.
If you do it without deleting your save you get the option of bringing over your old characters and otherwise you begin by naming a stock character.
So I was definitely wrong here! Thanks to @GhaleonUnlimited for calling out the mistake, @kkalata for digging up that wiki, and @Damo for correcting the article!
Comments 5
Re: Meet The Man Who's Taking The Pain Out Of Managing Retro Game Save Data
@RetroGames Hi! The site is for converting save files from one format to another.
For example, if you have a MiSTer and want to continue your same game on a flash cart, you would convert the file from MiSTer format to "raw/emulator" format using https://savefileconverter.com/#/mister and then the resulting file from "raw/emulator" format to flash cart format using https://savefileconverter.com/#/flash-carts
It can also convert save files found around the Internet on sites like GameFAQs, which might unlock secret characters or new levels. For example, those files might be in Wii Virtual Console format, and you would use https://savefileconverter.com/#/wii to convert those to "raw/emulator" format, and from there you would convert them again to flash cart format or to the format for whatever device you're planning on playing them on.
The site doesn't let you edit save files, so you can't change anything about your save game.
To begin the process of doing a conversion you need to first find your save file on your device. I don't have a Chromatic so I can't help with that part. There is no specific support on the site for save files in the "Chromatic format" but I suspect it's similar to the MiSTer format.
If you have more questions I'm happy to help! My contact info is at https://savefileconverter.com/#/about
Re: Meet The Man Who's Taking The Pain Out Of Managing Retro Game Save Data
@Sketcz Thank you for all that! Yeah when I started with this site the existing PS1 tools were pretty difficult to use and that was one of the first things I wanted to add to the site.
For the region code thing, you can definitely do it on the site. Just load up your memory card on the site and extract the individual save for the Suikoden 2 file that you want to change. Then the filename of that on your computer will contain the region code information so change it to whatever you want and then flip the arrow on the site the other direction and convert the "new" file back to emulator format.
There's a warning on the site asking you not to mess with the filename of these individual save because it can cause the game to not be able to find the save anymore. But if you know what you're doing like in this case you can definitely change it.
Re: Meet The Man Who's Taking The Pain Out Of Managing Retro Game Save Data
@avcrypt Thank you for the kind words, and it's nice to know we're reading the same things!
You can check out my implementations of the various Saturn formats here: https://github.com/euan-forrester/save-file-converter/tree/main/frontend/src/save-formats/SegaSaturn
I've got comments explaining the formats in plain English plus code & tests so hopefully some of that will be helpful if you're still working on figuring out all the details yourself. The Saturn was an interesting one for sure!
If you're working on this stuff, please join the discord for the site or email me or something. Like I said in the article I'd love to meet more people who are interested in save files. Contact info is all here: https://savefileconverter.com/#/about
Re: Turns Out Shining Force CD Didn't Actually Need The Sega CD Backup RAM Cart
@GhaleonUnlimited I believe that you have to have beaten both books 1 and 2. But I haven't tested that . The save I used had beaten book 1 previously.
I don't have any insight into why someone might have had an issue with this. It's still possible to start book 3 either after powering off the system, or without having powered off the system (after the ending credits it goes back to the title screen). They might not have known they had to delete their previous save in order to start a new game, but they would have had to do that already to begin book 2 after finishing book 1. It's also listed in the manual that you have to delete your previous save first. So yeah, I don't know what the issue may have been.
If someone wants to test with the PAL version they're welcome to attempt it with the save files + converter I linked above. Sometimes different regions of games are able to load save files from each other and sometimes they aren't — it all just depends on the original developers.
Re: Turns Out Shining Force CD Didn't Actually Need The Sega CD Backup RAM Cart
I'm the author of savefileconverter.com. Thank you to everyone posting here: I learned a lot! I have to admit that I'd read the "fact" that you couldn't access book 3 without a RAM cart so many times on the Internet that I didn't question it.
After the comments here I was curious to find out for sure. I managed to dig up some old save files for SFCD that were saved with one hit left on the final boss of each book. They're posted here: https://www.zophar.net/savestates/sega-cd/shining-force-cd.html and then I used https://savefileconverter.com/#/sega-cd to convert them into files readable by a modern emulator.
I used the file for the end of book 2, started up the game in an emulator, checked that I couldn't start a new game at book 3, and beat book 2. Eventually you end up back at the title screen where I deleted the save for book 2 (as you would have to if you didn't have a RAM cart) and was indeed able to start a new game in book 3.
If you do it without deleting your save you get the option of bringing over your old characters and otherwise you begin by naming a stock character.
So I was definitely wrong here! Thanks to @GhaleonUnlimited for calling out the mistake, @kkalata for digging up that wiki, and @Damo for correcting the article!