[Request] Standard patch support

[Squall]

Some games have fan patches to translate Japanese into English, fix some bugs or add mods.

Each patch has a different way to be applied to the game. The request is the implementation of a standard way in PPSSPP to patch the game when loading it without changing the original ISO.

Existing patches can be converted to the standard way. By comparing the original ISO and the patched ISO, we could generate standard patches. It would be good, because PPSSPP would patch the game easily, without using complex ways to patch the ISO.

Some existing patches and projects with source code:

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
A patch to fix slowdowns
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=8490.0
I uses livepatch to apply the patch during the game without changing the ISO.
https://bitbucket.org/Archaemic/livepatch

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep -Final Mix-
English translation
http://www.pspgweber.com/forums/viewtopi...39&t=24102
It uses a patcher and a patch that have to be applied to change the ISO. However, it requires a real PSP.
There is source code.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 6
English translation (incomplete)
http://gbatemp.net/threads/yu-gi-oh-5ds-...ct.351972/
http://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9552
The patcher is wqsg-umd
http://code.google.com/p/wqsg-umd/source/list

Other translations
http://forums.ppsspp.org/showthread.php?...9#pid49649

The translations are important, because many good games were released in Japanese without English version. Since Vita replaced PSP, American releases are unlikely.

[[Unknown]]

We could potentially support the livepatch format, but it's clearly designed only for EBOOT patches. That said, it seems reasonable. Since most EBOOTs are encrypted, it may be a good way to describe patches to them.

Has the author of livepatch indicated any interest in improving the format to support files as well?

wqsg-umd is just an ISO rebuilder/modifier. So that means it probably replaces files. Replacing files is easy to support but probably not the best method of patching.

Speaking of translations, if anyone knows Japanese decently and is interested in translating PSP games, there's a couple games I'm interested in translating. I'm aware someone else is translating it (although it seems stalled), but I have Senjou no Valkyria 3 (Valkyria Chronicles 3) relatively well cut up with formatting, most widths, and etc. all figured out. I also looked into Yuusha 30 Second some, seems to use a fairly simple script format, but did not spend the time to figure it all out yet.

-[Unknown]

[Squall]

According to LivePatch readme:

Quote:LivePatch is a generic utility for enabling mod developers and hackers to apply patches to legally owned UMDs or PSN titles when the game runs, instead of having to patch and use ISOs or CSOs. This allows for easier game patching, as patch files are generally smaller than full ISOs, as well as not requiring the distribution of ISOs or clunky patching utilities. It's just easier for the user!

I believe that replacing files is the easiest way for hackers modify an ISO. It is easier to find and replace text, textures and audio.

[arg274]

unless the text is contained in a freakishly freakable archive like patapon(*.bnd) and thousands of more games...
still got thru patapon tho,and snatched the text file...yeah...stored in colony_msg.lbnd inside DATA_CMN.bnd...
***game modder on the loose***

[[Unknown]]

As he says, modifying the ISO directly is not really the easiest way. But using raw files is fine, although people like patches that are "just" a file.

In Senjou no Valkyria 3 for example, there's a big PGD encrypted file (it goes online so I assume this is to prevent cheating.)

The data file is packed using CRIware, and some of the files within it are compressed using CRILAYLA, a not-very-effective compression scheme. Anyway, to patch it, I'd need the capability to patch the TOC (which is not hard and in a fixed place), lengthen the file (when replacing with larger files), and all of this bypassing PGD.

It's preferable to use xor'd data in the patch to ensure there's no copyright concerns. This game for example mixes text with actual structs describing units and information about them, and I'd only be patching the text (in some cases lengthening it and modifying its descriptor, of course.)

I believe Kingdom Hearts is basically the same. Replacing files on the ISO doesn't work for many games, since they often use one big fat file on the ISO so it's basically the same as replacing the ISO, and shares many of the same copyright concerns.

-[Unknown]

[Squall]

PPF patch is another alternative.

The PPF version of FFT patch is here (Thanks, CrimsonFangX):
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topi...#msg191230

Source code of PPF:
http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/353/

[[Unknown]]

Well, since there's on insertion (except at the end, I assume), it should be possible to apply that on the fly by building an index.

-[Unknown]