EF Omega DE save quirk

Eclipsed · Apr 30, 2024

I've been using an EF Omega DE since Christmas, and also use a EF IV.

I've noticed a recent issue with one game in particular, Pimball Challenge Deluxe. The SAV file transferred over from my EF IV with no problem, and I've been able to use it on the DE just fine. However, recently I managed to beat a score, and the DE appeared to process the save file with no problem.

When I restarted the game, my high scores are as they were before, i.e. it looks like the new scores haven't saved.

This is were it gets weird though. After backing up my card, I formatted it and copied my files back. I deleted the .sav file via the EZ Flash UI, and can confirm (by putting the SD card in a PC) that the file is gone. However when I load the game again, it doesn't create a new SAV file, and when I've finished and reset the GBA, it doesn't save anything. Even more weirdly, the game still shows my previous scores!!!

What's going on, and how can I fix it? There's clearly some residual data hiding somewhere.

Ryccardo · Apr 30, 2024

That game is famous for not saving except that it does (in other words, it supports eeprom saves, but the retail version skimped out on the chip), so it makes sense for it to have a default save type of none - maybe you just need to manually select it?

As for

Eclipsed said:
Even more weirdly, the game still shows my previous scores!!!

from what I know, after the Omega introduced actual save chip emulation (where pretty much everything before it only supported SRAM and therefore patched, or required prepatching, to that extent) the Omega Definitive went back to a FRAM based design (like SRAM, but battery-free and consumable), so possibly the kernel avoids gratuitous rewriting if it knows you're launching the last title?
(= "I don't know, try running something else first")

moon_rabbit · May 1, 2024

1. patch the SRAM using GBATA.
2. Change the save type to SRAM instead of auto.

Eclipsed · May 1, 2024

Ryccardo said:
That game is famous for not saving except that it does (in other words, it supports eeprom saves, but the retail version skimped out on the chip), so it makes sense for it to have a default save type of none - maybe you just need to manually select it?

Yeah, I recall being really confused when I discuvered that the retail version doesn't save, but the rom supports it perfectly.

I'd just left the save type as AUTO, and thought it was working, but it's posible that I've not beaten any scores since I started playing with the Omega DE.

Ryccardo said:
"I don't know, try running something else first"

That, as expected, cleared out the save. I ran another game, went back to playing pinball and the scores were defaulted.

moon_rabbit said:
1. patch the SRAM using GBATA.
2. Change the save type to SRAM instead of auto.

GBATA won't let me patch anything, as it identifies the save type as NONE, but manually setting the save type seems to have worked. New scores look like their being saved.

Thanks for the advice guys.

EF Omega DE save quirk

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