Help converting Mednafen standalone save files for use in Retroarch on Steam Deck

[moshymoshy]

Hello all,

I have these 3 files generated from playing Shining Force 3 Scenario 3 on Mednafen standalone (mednafen-1.21.3-win64) on my Windows 10 PC (attached below):
GS-9203_V1.001.f68af2bd40be2d7c185a97d158f1f592.bcr (9 kb)
GS-9203_V1.001.f68af2bd40be2d7c185a97d158f1f592.bkr (32kb)
GS-9203_V1.001.f68af2bd40be2d7c185a97d158f1f592.smpc (12b)

I wish to use them in Retroarch on my Steam Deck.

When running the game via Saturn Beetle in Retroarch, the following 3 files are created within the Retroarch save directory:
Shining Force III - Scenario 3 ~Bulzome Rising~.bcr (512kb)
Shining Force III - Scenario 3 ~Bulzome Rising~.bkr (32kb)
Shining Force III - Scenario 3 ~Bulzome Rising~.smpc (12b)

I tried simply renaming the "GS-9203" files to the "Shining Force III" naming pattern and replacing them in the Retroarch save directory, but no save files are found in game.

I tried using the SaturnSaveConverter application with the original 3 "GS-9203", placing all the output files in the Retroarch saves directory and trying all the different cores, but none of them would find the save files, even if I renamed them to the "Shining Force III" naming pattern.

I tried using the Ultimate Saturn Save Repacker ver.1.0.0 (Build Dec 31 2021) within pskai_release_20240114. As a test, I could successfully import the save files from the pskai_sdm (e.g. Sc3-Ch7.bin) and play them within Retroarch. However, I received an "unrecognized dump file" error whenever I tried to import my own files created via the Ultimate Saturn Save Repacker.

Additionally, when I tried using https://savefileconverter.com/#/sega-saturn/emulator, it says "File appears to not be in the correct format" when attempting to load the "GS-9203_V1.001.f68af2bd40be2d7c185a97d158f1f592.smpc" file or "No saves found in file" when attempting to load the "GS-9203_V1.001.f68af2bd40be2d7c185a97d158f1f592.bcr" or "GS-9203_V1.001.f68af2bd40be2d7c185a97d158f1f592.bkr" file.

I feel like I must be missing something incredibly obvious but can't for the life of me work out what it is. I've put off finishing SF3 for almost 3 years because of these problems, so any help is truly appreciated I've also attached an image of what my save file should look like in game for reference.

Edit: attached correct save files

 

[privateye]

I've attached save files for RetroArch, place them in the saves\Beetle Saturn directory.

Mednafen compresses backup cartridge memory files ending in .bcr whereas RetroArch requires them to be uncompressed, so I simply added the .gz extension to the .bcr file, extracted it with 7-Zip, and put the .bcr extension onto the new file.

Happy gaming!

 

[moshymoshy]

Thank you so much!! With this I'll finally be able to fulfil a childhood dream!!

I had to do a bit of fiddling to get it to work on my Steam Deck as just dropping them in the save directory (in this case retroach\saves since that's where Emudeck set it up) didn't seem to work. Not sure exactly which of the below steps were necessary but writing them out for future reference:

1. Run Retroarch
2. Disable auto save state on exit
3. Disable auto load state on start
4. Close Retroarch
5. Delete all existing SF3 saves in save directory
6. Run Retroarch
7. Load SF3 Sc3 in Beetle Saturn Core
8. After reaching the title screen, close Retroarch.
9. Retroarch generated 3 save files - replace those files with the converted save files.
10. Now when running SF3 Sc3 in Beetle Saturn Core in Retroarch, the converted save files are recognised!