For those interested in the web browser

[fatheadpi]

I've been meddling with the web browser a lot lately. For those of you who are interested, this is what it can do:

- Play back ADX files (sound files from retail DC games)
- Play back SOFDEC movies (movie files from original DC games)
- Play back custom SOFDEC movies for really good quality movies
- Play many of the homebrew games
- Play MP3's (kind of disappointing)
- Surf the web
- Archive and access backup files of your save games

My current projects for it include:

- Unlocking the GD-Rom file system so emulators can access ROMS
- Creating a legal SOFDEC multiplexer to fully legalize sofdec movies
- Perfecting legal ADX encoding
- Adding a bulk GINSU command list to allow for an online "arcade"

For those who are interested in this, please post here, as I would like some help. Specifically, I need people to:

- Compile a list of all the good Dreamcast sites with VMU, sofdec, and DC compatible Java games
- Compile all the Dreamcast VMU games, I'll stick them on the CD
- Create a clean, but basic, skin system for the browser (HTML/GIF/JPEG)

I also need someone to create a sofdec multiplexer or point me to a good multiplexer for MPEG streams that might work.

Those interested in helping can reply here.

[reaper2k2]

yeah iam doing some things as well i run a site on homebrew about the webbrowser if you have any info that can help please email me


the webrowsers are not java ready


JS only and only version 2.0 html version 1 only no layers

ive written one game for it a tetris clone i had to write it so it was netcape3 compatable .

only one thing i found dreampassport 3 to be the best and it surports

flash shockwave 3.0

ive got lots planned my self ive got the browser to shake the vibration pack there are a few hidden url commands .

[NeonGenesis]

Contact me with further info on an interface, and I'll see what I can do.

[fatheadpi]

reaper, I know that you've been working on games. I was thinking if they're not too big maybe we could stick them onto a dc cd and play them directly? I don't know a whole lot about web site authoring beyond html and the x-avefront commands for the DC.

I think I can make PW launch DP so we can have the best of both worlds.

Putting those games on DC would be killer.

NeonGenesis, what I mean is that I want a menu that will load in about 8 seconds tops for the basic menu. The main page just needs to be something like:

Welcome to (Whatever browser we end up using)

Games

Homebrew Games
Web Games

VMU Files

Save Files
Game add ons
VMU Games

Links

DCEmu
Boob
Consolevision
All them other purty ones

EXIT

And then it would break down from there. I need to take a look into what games we can use at the moment. We can only use homebrew games that are comprised of only a single binary. No emulators, they need roms. No players, they need songs and movies. No very complex games, they require additional files. For the game to work, it must be unscrambled, and ONLY A SINGLE BINARY. That's it until I figure out a way around the GD-ROM lockout. Also, Dream Passport does not support ginsu, and therefore cannot launch any dreamcast binary files.

Neon, I'll be sending a basic sample of the layout I've been using to you via email, the sample is only about 30k zipped. It is intended for use with PlanetWeb 2.6, and I'll explain how things work to you there.

[DreamservVMU]

hey fatheadpi,we talked once on the dreamserv forums about the browsers,etc. names Curtis. Myself and krypt have played around with the browsers a lot,the best one to use ISNT planetweb...id use dreampassport premire or dreampassport 3.0. it has better javascript,plays sofdecs and mpegs,no mp3 though. you were saying you were looking for vmu files,etc,well planetweb and dreampassport can launch a certain type of file called PASSPORT.H files..they are stored to te vmu,its basicly backing up entire html documents,javascript included to thevmu for use on or offline. I have developed MANY tools for use through both browsers that load from the vmu. they can be obtained using planetweb or dreampassport here: [url]http://kefka.hypermart.net/home.php[/url] in the idependent file makers section of dreamserv. also heres some more info on the ginsu/launch systems for planetweb and dreampassport. planetweb uses ginsu to launch many apps. dp(dreampassport) uses one called "launch" that runs from within the dp3.ini file,at the very bottom you just edit in your games to be launched and they will by linking them in an html doc with the following commands x-avefront://---.dream/exec/"filename here" for planetweb ginsu and x-avefront://---.dream/proc/launch/"any number 1 thru 9 here" i will post the exact method for dp3 in the next post,on how it is setup in the ini. file. also about dreampassport... check my site out wit dreampassport versus planetweb and you will immediately see the difference in their abilities....planetweb cant compare to dp...only thing about dp is the japanese...but i know someone who would be willing to set you up with all the translated message.ini files you could ever need for all the dp browsers...it would change all the japanese except the trigger menus(which can be changed using the pvr plugin for photoshop) i can post the correct trigger config,so the triggers pvr imaes can be changed accordingly. those ini files will change te language,in all the button settings in the menus,etc...to view them in english while using,lets say in options..youd look down while moving over a option button,it gives the bttons function in english.........

[NeonGenesis]

Alright, I'll keep an eye out for the e-mail. I've got a couple concepts in mind.

[DreamservVMU]

ok heres the basic setup for launcing from within dreampassport 3.0(PSO version)

this is the setup within the dp3.ini file at very bottom of file,lat entry:

[Launcher 1]
AppUrl='file:/index.html' (this can be any html page to launch from ie:file:/games.html..etc.

AppNam='game name'
AppOS=0 dont know why its zero,but thats what they work on.

AppDA=3 again dont know why,but it works with this number.

again:

[Launcher 1]
AppURL='html page to launch from'
AppNam='name of game'
AppOS=0
AppDA=3

this goes thru [Launcher 9]

same method of scramble descramble as with planetweb ginsu when launching homebrew versus non.


ill post back with some info on getting those in browser translations.

[DreamservVMU]

in the html page you launch from in dp3,its setup like the following:

<a href=x-avefront://---.dream/proc/launch/1>Game Name Here According To launcher Used ie: 1 thru 9</a>

so lets say you luanched the demo stars from launcher #1 it would be like this:

<a href=x-avefront://---.dream/proc/launch/1>Play Stars Demo!</a>


hope all this helps some.


Curt

[DreamservVMU]

planetweb can launch dreampassport from ginsu,and dreampassport can launch planetweb with the launch system as well..ANY dreamcast game can be launched using both planetweb and dreampassport methods...just a matter of scramble and making the correct settings within ginsu and the dp3.ini file.

[DreamservVMU]

ive snt an email to my friend about the message files,and relayed your hotmail address to him,you should hear from him shortly,i hope ive been of some help to you folks

Curtis.

[reaper2k2]

Dp is the best ive found also im not been into moding the browser so much though as dp is not free

ive made a moded interface and have all the translated files for dp

the games i make will run online theres no need to put them on the disk other then it would open up ,better games grafix dont have to download

If the browsers suported layering i could do a lot better when making games for dp or pw there not really many ways of making them look good with out layering im looking into it .....

ill leave the browser modding and such to you people thats not my site's focus any info on the browser though is welcome email me at reaper_angel@hotmail.com

if we had a java plugin then the world would open up to lots for the browsers for dc


later the games i make im hoping to clone in c and port them the main problem for me is i cant port them


so you need single bins theres a task for some one hard code the roms in the emulators like on GBA nes would solve that for gba theres a patch program to patch nes roms and the emu together making a single bin at the end

IM sure you could do that with nester with some work.

[DreamservVMU]

something ive noticed wjile playing around with the browsers different app launchers,is that they do not lockout file systems that are made via the dreamcast development kit(ie: any game) you could have any game made via the kit with all the folders/directories you want and it will find all the items in each folder/directory easily..its the homebrews it cant find a file system in,the app tself will launch fine,for instance..the mp3 players will load fine,but it cant see its own mp3s...must be a minor difference in the way the homebrew apps call for their file systems versus the way thedev kitversions do that cause the errors... also ive played the tetris game via dpp,it plays very well..nice work . i use the two browsers heavily,and enjoy them very much,they just run well. not many features,but the upsides are good as well. for dp type browsers,flash games that are 2.0 to 3.0 work VERY good,and load and play flawlessly..but planetwebs BAD coding makes almost ALL flash cause a error in the browser saying "this version is not supported" and instantly goes into a reload of page loop...planetweb should make browsers for free....cause nobody would pay for them otherwise...thats why sega WAS their only browser buyer..lol...isao/access makers of dreampassport make planetweb look inferior and poor of quality. anyway.theres a TON of uses for these browsers..man you can save html documets that contain javascript..such as JS based calculators,cookied logins,webpage builders,etc all on the vmu and load on or offline,store text documents..all kinds of stuff...http://kefka.hypermart.net/home.php check out the Independent File Makers section of our site,use dreampassport and download some of my own files ive made..they are very useful.

[fatheadpi]

Curtis! Thought I'd never see you again! I couldn't get into my thread one day on the other forums, so I just said screw it.

Kinda tired, and hung over, so going through your post. Try to use a little better english from now on, ok?

Ok, so DreamPassport can launch apps. That's good news. Now, you say 1 through 9. Can you define additional programs beyond 1 - 9? Like how in ginsu under planet web you can name stuff with letters, does this come through under DP?

What do you mean by the scramble / descramble? I thought that only unscrambled apps could be loaded (beyond the 1st_read.bin or 2_dp.bin)

I know that you guys write independant tools, but I'd like to place them all on the cd for quicker access, since so few of us have the BBA's. Reaper, that's what I was kinda thinking about with your stuff, just make it load quicker and better graphics would be available.

BTW Devving for PW 3 / DP deluxe is kinda bad, since few of us have it and this scene is big on legalities. PW 2.6 is cool cus its legal, but it sucks bad.

Thanks much for all your help Curtis, this will definitely help me out. NeonGen, I'll send those translated files to you also, I'm getting a basic sample ready tonight with some explanatory stuff, should see it in a day or two.

A few questions about PSO's DP3

1. Does it have ADX/SOFDEC, and does it have pause like the CT2 rip?
2. Can you permanently unlock the url bar to go where you want?
3. Are there any better versions than this one?
4. Does it lack anything (VMU support)

Also, is the DP in Gundam Battle Online any good?

Devkit games can find their files, but homebrew can't? Can any of the homebrew stuff see the devkit stuff? Because if it can, that opens up at least Nester6 and StellaDC.02c, if nothing more than segagen.

That's another thing. I heard one of the browsers can play sega genesis games. This true? And if so, where can we nab it?

Now remember guys, we gotta keep this as legal as possible. It'd suck really bad to do all this and then get shunned for it.

And Curtis, I saw in another post you wondered how to back up your vms files with the browser? It's easy! E-mail them to yourself, but attach a junk file first, then send everything to yourself. Open the recieved .vms files up under a program called VMITool http://nextgl.ngemu.com/
It will generate the needed .vmi files and a nice .html page for you to access your saves. Then access it with the web browser.

[DreamservVMU]

ok sorry bout my broken engrish..brought on by a VERY limited text buffer via planetweb..lol...it cant keep up with my typing..it lags waaaaay behind..heh..ok ill go through all the questions first,but wanted to clear up a misconeception about the legality of dreampassport 3.0...most seem to believe that it wasnt free like planetweb 2.6 was,this is not true,at the time dp3(dreampassport 3.0 ie:the one dcemulation.org had listed and avalbale at one time..th PSO rip) was FREE.sega of japan had a phone number for local users in japan to call and get 3.0 for free. of course it never was available here in te states,but it WAS free at the time,here is a list of the dreampassports version that are NOT free...

Dreampassport 1.0
Dreampassport 2.0
Dreampassport Premire (Or known as DPP latest release of the jap browser)

these version were and still are not free. BUT dreampassport 3.0 is included in ALL japanese dreamcast games as a bonus for free to the users who buy a game,this is why all the jap dc games have a browser(well 3.0 anyway,dpp and the rest arent on the cds)but since dreampassport premire was released, the 3.0 isnt availabl at all any longer. But for legal purposes,it was free just like 2.6.

ok the questions.

1.Assigning game launches over #9.

I havent done it,but there does not seem to be a reason why not,its just number assignment for the apps.now as for how ginsu operates,its very similar,the launcher system also allows naming with letters.

2.scramble/unscramble question

What I meant was,from what we learned,dc dev kit apps need to be binhacked and scrambled to load,but homebrews need to be binhacked and unscrambled.

3.Dreampassport ADX/Sofdec ability

All dreampassports can play the following media files:

Midi
Mpeg(1.5mb limit & must be viewed early in net viewing,so dc memory isnt full)
Sofdec(1.5mb limit & same as above)
Aiff
Au
Wav
Jpeg
Gif
Png
etc...

4.Url Lockout In CT2 DP

Dreampassport 3.0 Or the Same One dcemulation.org hosted for a time
does not have a URlbar lockout.BUT those that do can be unlocked by holding the start button and pressing A button 10 times until you hear a chime...this will indicate hidden functions as being unlocked,then you can access the following features(this applies to dp3 for many as well)

Page source viewer:Open Right trigger menu in DP3,Move the menus over the stop button,and press X plus A on controller to view the html source in popup box for any webpage.

To popup the urlbar move the arrow over the statusbar and press(i think..im a lil rusty) Y plus A button at the sametime.(this isnt needed in dp3 pso version OR full version..as urlbar is in the left trigger menu selection. this applies to mainly in-game browsers like chu chu rocket dreamkey,CT2,etc..PSO Import is DP3 FULL version)


there are a few more controller tricks...cant remember them as im posting though..lol

5.Are tere any better versaion other than the CT2 dp browser.

Yup...the PSO version that was hosted by dcemulation.org...its thought to be even better than the latest version of dp browser...and it was free and legal...i have the newer one and the dp3 pso..i prefer dp3-pso..its instant messanger works better...

6.Does it lack anything..CT2 I assume.

It does,and it has flaws as well..I suggest the dp3 pso or stand alone dp3. they are the samething except one is by itself on a cd and the other is on pso.

Dp3 has vmu support,it even has a built in vmu file manager(last right trigger option,it allows deletion/copying/etc of all vmu files on a vmu..very similar tot he one the dc has when no cd is in.

7.Can any of the browsers play sega genesis games?

LOL YES!!! Dp3 free version as well as ALL above 2.0 can and do play Sega genesis and megadrive games(a.k.a Dreamlibrary...) in fact many claimed it was illegal(yes it was if it was ripped from the browser..which segagen came form..) but on the full dp3 version that was given away by sega of japan,they inlcuded 9 free demos of dreamlibrary. Flicky,Pengo,Dreamflyer Light..(this was a full on email software program for dc),columns,and a few more) and they used the same launch system. but they needed some additional stuff,i cant speak of here..mostly ini file settings,etc..the browser has the emulator built-in...


and the reason i know the dp3 was free for a limited time,was a freind in japan sent me a copy and he didnt have to pay anything for it,he said he just called the number and sega sent it to him,just like they did here with 2.0 and 2.6...but unlike over here,that was the ONLY one they got for free..every other before 3.0 and after costed them via isao.net


if this thing gets into the red zone,just holler at me and ill shut up on the topic,last thing i want is being banned over a browser.

oh as for whether homebrews can see sega apps file systems..i havent tried that yet..but it may be possible they can,i just do not know.

[fatheadpi]

On my morning PA, got to leave for school in a few minutes, but got a few things to toss in.

1. DP3 is legal! Good deal.

2. How do you binhack applications by themselves? Just adjust them with the same offset as the 1st_read or 2_dp.bin? Under planet web you don't have to binhack the homebrew stuff, don't quite know how that works with DP3.

3. We can bump the download limit of DP3 up a few megs, to about 6 or 8 megs tops. Anything beyond this is unusable.

4. If the Sofdec file is made and put on the cd, it can be as big as you want. Same for adx, but not for mp3, 6 meg limit there, although PW's MP3 playback is so worthless I wouldn't even bother with it.

5. Under DP3, looking at how apps are launched. Do you think it would would be possible to make DP download a binary file like a homebrew game and play it, if we placed a bulk of launch codes and gave them out to free "online homebrew arcades" and let them host the files? Then people could try out new stuff without using a cd or needing a dev cable / BBA. Just a thought.

[DreamservVMU]

yes just binhack the other binaries to the same offset. also,ive had an oppurtunity to take a detailed look at the pw binary..there is support in it that is left over from the sega netlink browser,in which you downloaded browser upgrades via netlink. all the pw dc browser is,is a chopped up version of the 4.0 netlink for saturn,modified for dc. so the possibility of having downloadable games is possible,just look at the pw binary and match your games to the same mime type used for the binary for the old planetweb upgrades,basicly have the game on a server,with the correct info telling the browser..hey this is a netlink upgrade..its ok to download..trick the browser.

[DreamservVMU]

here are a few mime types from the planetweb 2.6 browser,i dont think many know what they are for,but a fewa are obvious,like the old netlink pwzip.

application/x-netscape-autoconfigure-dialer

application/x-internet-signup
application/x-apple-autoconfigure-dialer

application/x-planetweb-app-segakatana

application/x-planetweb-startpage

application/x-planetweb-app-katanapatch

application/x-planetweb-apppwzip

the last one was used in what 2.6 used to be..the sega saturn netlink browser,for making quick browser upgrades.

[fatheadpi]

Ok, I get what you're saying now about binhacking stuff. I might try to do a new pweb and dp tonight, this time with binhacked zero gunner 2, pso dp3, sgen and a few others. Might even give it a go with nester. Nester could be configured to read from other directories.

By the way, I saw that mega deluxe edition web browser on the shopping site. How much is it?

I'm also worried about a particualr issue of security if we do end up with a seccessful online arcade. There is a binary file over on boob that works as a flash memory resetter. Some dickhead could link a game to this and wipe out your internet settings, and more importantly your pso settings. Any thoughts on this?

[DreamservVMU]

well the DPF browser you saw for sale is only 3 dollars,it was decided that it would only be sold just to cover shipping costs. no one is making anything on the sale. and you get a whole lot for 3 bucks as well. well worth it and Jeffma is very trustworthy. as for making the browser protected against the ole internet settings adjuster,well the 1st read of planetweb or dp could be modified to detect certain characteristics of the I.S. adjuster and stop the download. but my thinking is this,even if someone downloaded t by mistake,the odds it could be used to wipe tem out arent good,atleast in its current form.it would have to be modified to auto erase the isp settings,etc..as is you have to do it when you use the I.S. adjuster,its manual.so unless its changed,a user should e able to tell what itis,and not to use it. as for your burning a new dp/pweb toight with some games,dont use the megadrive stuff just yet,there are someother things needed for that to work,im not sure you have access to them. ill email you with more info. but you can go ahead and do a new cd with nester etc.. that will work grea with the info you have. the others need a few more bins to work succesfully.

[fatheadpi]

Sorry I haven't been keeping this up much, been busy. I plan to get a basic release of a combo PWeb 2.6 / DP 3 image up on my movie site soon, stay tuned. Neon, once I get the layout for the new disc done, I'll let you know. The first release will likely be plain files for those seriously interested in the project only. It has to be booted via cdrecord, unless someone has gotten it to boot via Bin2Boot. I want the first release to contain at least:

Pweb 2.6 (Main program)
DP3 with at least a half assed english message.ini (Launchable via 2.6 and vice versa)
A single homebrew game (either dcbreakout or something by trilinear)
Vorlem (VMU file up/download utility for those with serial cables
VMI tool (for generating .vmi and html pages so you can use the save ability)
The flash memory resetter (and a few warning pages)
A good links page (post useful links in this thread)