Help needed for new guide - help beat FSOD and the like!

[JWSonikku]

First post, and one that I hope will have quite a positive impact!

I'm hoping to write a new guide for PSO that details online play issues, such as FSOD, double-saving, memory card corruption, and how to get on best with other players and so forth. However, I only possess the Xbox version of PSO, and in my 70 hours of playing, have been *touchwood* lucky enough not to have been hit by any of the above.

Therefore, that's why I'm asking you for your help. I'm aware of issues such as FSOD, memory card corruption, hacked items leading to corruption, but I can never hope to be up-to-date, with developments, patches and bugs being found/made constantly.

Specifically, here's what my guide lacks:

* FSOD: I've heard all sorts of techniques to resolve this and if you have one that's worked for you, I may as well include it for players to use at their discretion. I've also tried to list preventitive measures and the reasons for why they cause FSOD (don't join crowded servers, don't scratch your game disc, don't pipe up when some idiot keeps casting techs on you in battle), but I'm no doubt missing some.

* 'DOUBLE SAVING': I know precious little about this. I own the Xbox version which - to my reckoning - does not suffer from this. So, Gamecube users - I need your help here. What is this? Does it happen more on 51 mem cards than 251s? Is there any way to avoid it?

* GAME SAVE SYSTEM - Is the save system the same as Dreamcast v2, where the game reverts to your previous save if you turn off your console/have a power cut/FSOD offline and online, the game saves at the bank, between levels and after shopping - and you lose all unequipped items if you 'quit without saving', as it were? Or is the savegame system different for Ep I & II?

* HACKS - What are the latest developments on hacks? Can users do more than just give you dodgy items that ban you / corrupt your game, or is that all they are limited to ATM?

* BACKUP SAVE GAMES -

EDITon't post anything about saving or backing up PSO files here. It is something that isn't intended to be done.

Don't ask, don't post.

If you have anything you feel should be included in this guide, please post it in this thread and I will try to include it - obviously, if evidence starts conflicting, I may not include it, but if so, relevant credit will be included and you will be thanked. =)

Let's try and make a complete document so that people can play PSO online with minimal worry! =D

--
Sonikku



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: JWSonikku on 2003-07-04 12:25 ]</font>


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saladwood on 2003-07-04 20:26 ]</font>

[Logical2u]

Hmm. You'd better put me in the credits, lol.

FSOD: Frozen Screen of Death. THis typically happens on very crowded servers/blocks/visual lobbies. You know you have fsod when you cant do anything in the game.
Resolving: Disconnect from internet. Or turn of power. BE SURE TO LET IT SAVE IF POSSIBLE.
FSOD-X: AKA Buzzing FSOD. THis is typically during transportation or a hacker has attacked you. YOu know this has happened when you here a slight buzzing noise in the background.
Resolving:You have to turn off your system with this one. If you recieve an error, take out your disc and delete your guild card files.

Double Saving: The double save is a small problem that causes you to have tosave twice. Once for character and guild cards. To my knowledge, every system has this, and this is also, apparently, a way to hack the system. You cant turn off the double save feature.

Corruption: This happens when you turn off your console during the Double Save. No real way to save yourself.

Save system: See double save and corruption. No, be sure to let your system always save.

Hacks: Dreamcast had a fair share of hacks, from PK/CK, which overloaded the system, giving your character 10000 or 0 hp, causing you to always die,
FSOD/FSOD-X/BSOD, which I believe ST has patched...
And of course, NOLing, which turned you into NPCS in the Forest, along with the Ghost Town hack, which got rid of every NPC.
I dont think the ports have these problems, only duping, which is sorta hacking, sorta bending the rules.

Backups: No, I believe ST has locked out copying files to prevent a common duping technique.

Red Screen of Death is when your game overheats, a Need to Know for summer.

[JWSonikku]

Thanks for that, Logical2u. Firstly, I should clarify that this guide is for PSO Ep I & II users - if you have PSOv2, then no guide can help you - if you go online, you're pretty sure to be attacked in ways my guide cannot help.

Can you perhaps clarify 'FSOD-X' a little? Does it randomly happen during transportation? I take it by 'when attacked by a hacker', you reffering to the battle mode trick where you pipe down and an idiot starts casting techs on you like crazy until an unsuspecting player goes back up and gets frozen?

Regarding the save system though - does it still save at those points in-game (bank, shops, between levels) on the ports? Or have Sonic Team (foolishly) anticipated that the ports would be less hackable and more reliable and made it save online only when you disconnect?

Your RSOD point is a very good one, and one which I'd forgotten - I'll need to include that one in my guide.

Thanks for the help so far - any more would be much appreciated! =)

--
Sonikku

[Logical2u]

I think FSOD-X either happens when
1. You teleport out of a lobby and someone teleports in.
2. Someone casts grants while in Teleporter on Ragol.
3. Someone hacks your console for a moment or something.
The save system is still everywhere. Every time you get a Guild Card, buy an Item, deposit items , go to Ragol, use a Telepipe or recieve mail ( I think, for the last one) it saves. But I think those a temporary saves until you Save&Quit.

[JWSonikku]

Excellent. Thanks for the clarification. You will be credited. =)

There must be more than this though. I'm furiously writing away at this good and am I including content as and when I receive it. More tips, things to avoid and 'how stuff works' will be a great help!

--
Sonikku

[SC2]

On 2003-07-04 10:29, Logical2u wrote:
Hmm. You'd better put me in the credits, lol.

FSOD: Frozen Screen of Death. THis typically happens on very crowded servers/blocks/visual lobbies. You know you have fsod when you cant do anything in the game.
Resolving: Disconnect from internet. Or turn of power. BE SURE TO LET IT SAVE IF POSSIBLE.
FSOD-X: AKA Buzzing FSOD. THis is typically during transportation or a hacker has attacked you. YOu know this has happened when you here a slight buzzing noise in the background.
Resolving:You have to turn off your system with this one. If you recieve an error, take out your disc and delete your guild card files.

Double Saving: The double save is a small problem that causes you to have tosave twice. Once for character and guild cards. To my knowledge, every system has this, and this is also, apparently, a way to hack the system. You cant turn off the double save feature.

Corruption: This happens when you turn off your console during the Double Save. No real way to save yourself.

Save system: See double save and corruption. No, be sure to let your system always save.

Hacks: Dreamcast had a fair share of hacks, from PK/CK, which overloaded the system, giving your character 10000 or 0 hp, causing you to always die,
FSOD/FSOD-X/BSOD, which I believe ST has patched...
And of course, NOLing, which turned you into NPCS in the Forest, along with the Ghost Town hack, which got rid of every NPC.
I dont think the ports have these problems, only duping, which is sorta hacking, sorta bending the rules.

Backups: No, I believe ST has locked out copying files to prevent a common duping technique.

Red Screen of Death is when your game overheats, a Need to Know for summer.

Then FSOD-X is the only FSOD or frozen game shut off thingy's I get it just stops and BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

[Dillon]

Don't post anything about saving or backing up PSO files here. It is something that isn't intended to be done.

Don't ask, don't post.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saladwood on 2003-07-04 20:25 ]</font>

[Skankhair]

Don't post anything about saving or backing up PSO files here. It is something that isn't intended to be done.

Don't ask, don't post.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saladwood on 2003-07-04 20:25 ]</font>