Options for region and ram and cheats

[Jedi Master Thrash]

How many different options are there for playing mutliple regions on your saturn, and for adding ram carts, and for enabling cheat codes?

It it best to get a AR 4-in-1 to get a region switch and 4mb ram? Or better to get region some other way and get a dedicated 4m ram? I've heard that the 4-in-1s tend to fail after a while.

Does the 4-in-1 enable cheats? Are the cheat codes the same regardless of which type of cheat enabler you use? Do they require a boot CD, or just a ram cart?

Are any pre-loaded with enough codes you rarely have to manually add them?

Do any carts or disks damage your system over time?

Thanks,

JMT.

 

[mtxblau]

It's very rare but some games do not play nicely with the 4-1. However, the memory on the saturn fills up so quickly that the 4-1 convenience can't be beat. There are hacks for the AR4-1 to get the games to work properly (I think it's only Vampire Savior, honestly, but I'm not certain).


My Saturn is modded, and for J or E region games I rip and convert the ISO to U, and play accordingly. I put all ram cart saves on the saturn, and all other games on my 8MB backup cart.


Personally, I like keeping the J/E games in mint condition. CDRs are less than 10c these days, so it's not a huge loss if the backup gets scratched.


As for carts causing damage, it's kind of like the genesis and the nintendo - over time it becomes a wrestling match for the saturn to recognize the cart. For me, this is especially true with the aforementioned 8mb.

 

[downloader]

What about METAL SLUG and Final Fight Revenge?

Do they play ok on the 4-in-1 thing?

I recently ordered one so I can play imports mostly and use the action replay (and to backup my Syphony Of The Night save)

 

[Morden]

What about METAL SLUG and Final Fight Revenge? Do they play ok on the 4-in-1 thing?

They play just fine, no problems. So does the Vampire Saviour by the way. The only titles I've found that didn't work with AR 4in1 are Ultraman [which requires a specially designed RAM cart] and Panzer Dragoon Saga [which performs a check and doesn't boot if the cart is in].

 

[dibz]

They play just fine, no problems. So does the Vampire Saviour by the way. The only titles I've found that didn't work with AR 4in1 are Ultraman [which requires a specially designed RAM cart] and Panzer Dragoon Saga [which performs a check and doesn't boot if the cart is in].

That's not entirely correct. The newer model of the AR 4in1 doesn't have problems with Vampire Saviour. The older model did indeed have issues. As a matter of fact, and quite funny how this worked out, a quick Google search on the issue sent me -- back here!

http://forums.segaxtreme.net/showthread.php?t=5676

Hah!



Well, I thought it was funny. Made me feel like an idiot, hah!

 

[Morden]

Oh that's right. It was a quick fix though. A wire to connect two pins. And yes, I have the new one [AR4in1]. The connection is printed on the PCB.