How do I not explode my PS2 for modding?

Isambard · Post by **Isambard** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:02 am

I'm a notoriously cheap bastard. I've imported the PS2 version of Initial D just to own it. But now I have this sinking feeling that I may actually not want to go to the arcade all the time to play.

So my question: other than "Magic Slide" and mod chips, is there another way to make my PS2 run the -one- import game that I own?

I was looking for a boot disk online but I got tired of forum spam and foreign characters I can't possibly hope to understand.

Or am I just being stupid and a Gameshark will work just fine?

...I'd purchase the evil that is the Gameshark if it will allow me to witness the joys of my Initial D.

Bo, you're a techy guy. What do I do? This has nothing to do with blowing things up or computer boxes!

Post by Bo » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:24 pm

I don't own a PS2, but the Game Shark has tradition behind it; it worked on Saturn and Dreamcast... I'll give it some research later.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:20 pm

I've been curious about this, too. There are a few Japanese PS2 games I really want to play, and the only safe solution (buying a Japanese system) is not within my means at the moment.

What's Magic Slide?

Segata · Post by **Segata** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:21 pm

Green Gibbon! wrote:What's Magic Slide?

It's a cheap piece of plastic that you use by snapping off the cover of your PS2's disc tray and manually pulling out the tray. It will quickly ruin the motor and you shouldn't even consider buying it.

Isambard · Post by **Isambard** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:57 pm

Actually the nicer ones don't burn out the motor because they have a seperate mechanism that allows you to rotate the disc holder out.

There's also flip-top cases and stuff that work too. Buth all of them are pretty pricey. I'd rather just get a boot disc if it'll work. I don't want to go through the hassle of importing a PS2 when there's a ton of good games coming out here soon that I'm going to be obligated to buy. *coughcoughHalo2cough*

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:27 pm

I've actually never had a system internally modified, not even the Saturn or Dreamcast. I'm less hesitant to have it done to my PS2 because the damn thing is a piece of shit that will stop working every eight months anyway, but is there any reliable place to ship it to? I can't even get a Transformer to change properly, I don't think I have any business poking around in my PS2 with a soldering iron...

Post by **Segaholic2** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:28 pm

Don't do it. I've never modded a system either. Get a GameShark or an import system, but don't touch the insides of your system like that. In most cases, it's not worth the risk.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:38 pm

I'm about as hesitant to put a GameShark into my system as I am to jam a piece of burning metal into it... I don't think the Sharks let you play imports anymore, anyway.

Post by **Segaholic2** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:40 pm

Incidentally (and slightly off-topic), my original Dreamcast just recently died on me. Am I ever glad I bought that second one.

Isambard · Post by **Isambard** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:45 am

Look goddammit, all I want to do is race my RX-7 down Mt. Akagi, I don't even -use- my PS2 for anything anymore.

So what's a semi-decent way of making it play an import game without a mod chip.

Answer or the Wicked Weasels shall have their way with ye.

Post by Bo » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:35 am

Doesn't look hopeful. Apparently the least "modded" way is with the slide card, which is still busting up your system.

Dache · Post by **Dache** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:45 am

If you need to ask this question, then you do not have the abilities to install a PS2 modchip. Get someone who does to do it for you.

Segata · Post by **Segata** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:25 pm

I've been wanting to get into the import PS2 "scene" but as of yet I have no way of playing Japanese games.

My options are:

- Get a flip-top ("toilet seat") cover
- Send it to someone who can install a modchip without destroying the thing
- Buy a Japanese PS2

I'll probably get the flip-top at some point, but I think it's really best to get a Japanese PS2 or a mod-chip (which you can flash upgrade). I don't know...

Post by **Squirrelknight** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:28 pm

Isambard wrote:Look goddammit, all I want to do is race my RX-7 down Mt. Akagi

Did you buy the special steering wheel with the game? The one that turns an extra few degrees?

Isambard · Post by **Isambard** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:40 am

Actually I managed to install a mod chip in my Dreamcast when my import DC broke all those years ago. And it was way more complicated than most of these mod chips available for the PS2 (read: no stupid thin wires for soldering). It just seemed like alot of trouble to go through for <i>one</i> racing game that I can go up to the arcade and play.

I'll probably end up getting a mod chip anyway though, that seems to be my best bet. My Warranty is almost up in the PS2 anyway, so it doesn't matter if I void it out.

So how's that for qualifications, weasel fodder!

Also no, I haven't picked up a racing wheel yet, I was going to see how it works with my brother's universal one he got for Project Gotham. But I'm such an Initial D freak I'll probably end up buying an arcade machine anyway.

Light Speed · Post by **Light Speed** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:39 pm

You needed a mod chip for the Dreamcast? When I imported the PAL version of Shenmue 2 all I used was some downloadable boot disk that I burned onto a CD.

Post by Bo » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:16 pm

I used a GameShark when I imported Shenmue 2. There were/ are several DC boot discs. The most famous of which was a GameShark demo given away with a UK Dreamcast magazine, that still had the region unlocking effect... very popular issue. Very stupid mistake.

Isambard · Post by **Isambard** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:07 pm

Well the boot disks wouldn't work with everything that I own. I couldn't play half my import games. And I have ALOT of import games for the DC. Keep in mind I imported the DC like 6 months before it was released stateside and I also imported a few games that weren't going to be released here on the DC platform (Shenmue II being one).

That was an investment I have yet to regret.

But if I could find a boot disk that works for Initial D on PS2 that'd be very nice.

Light Speed · Post by **Light Speed** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:13 pm

Is there a PS2 version of the FreeLoader? Oh and did anyone else have as much trouble as I did getting the PAL Shenmue 2 to work? While loading different areas on disc 1 I ran almost a 50/50 shot of getting a disc read error. It eased up on two and pretty much wasn't a problem with 3 and 4. It was still a pain though.

Post by Bo » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:38 pm

I had some problems with disc read errors on disc 2. I cleaned my lens and had much less of a problem, though.

Light Speed · Post by **Light Speed** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:15 am

My biggest problem with Shenmue 2 was getting it to load my Shenmue 1 save file. I found a site that told me how, but it took me forever to figure out how to email the save to my computer as an attachment. Once I found that out I figured out that the instructions I found were only half of them. Later I found another site that had the second half, it was strange cause this site picked up right where the other one left off. Anyway, after I had the new save I uploaded it to my server and attempted to download it, it wouldn't work though so I had to use booyaka.com. After all this (which took four hours even though it should've taken a half hour) I got fucking robbed making the whole thing useless. All that work just so I wouldn't be broke as hell like I was when I started Shenmue 1 and the first thing that happens to you is you get robbed. Good times.

Dache · Post by **Dache** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:55 am

That's why you buy every lighter and every toy you can at the market before you get robbed, so you can sell them and get most of your money back.

Post by Bo » Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:01 am

I did the save game thing for me and GG! as well, only to get robbed... and it took forever to buy those stupid lighters.

Light Speed · Post by **Light Speed** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:16 pm

I did the Lighter thing, but most of the lighters were fake and only sold for 5 bucks instead of 20. So when I went to sell them I only made back like 10% of what I had. By this point I really didn't want to start over yet again. You get robbed a lot in that game too, it is quite annoying considering you have to come up with 500 bucks on like 3 seperate occasions. Good game though.

I think you should've done the save game thing for me too, figuring that out took forever.