Dreamcast Multi Disc Swapping?

[Skull Commander]

I use a codebreaker disc to boot up import games in my pal Dreamcast. If I have a game with multiple discs (e.g. Resident Evil CV), will it work when I need to change onto disc two?
I'v never tried, but I'm not resetting the game so I'm thinking that it should be fine.

[Hohum]

Not sure if it will, but having said that it won't matter as you can save at the end of the first disc on RE:CV anyway... then you can just boot the second disc, and load your save.

[Silvergun X]

Yes it will. I also use Codebreaker.

When your imported game is loaded up, it works just like it would on it's native console.

[Skull Commander]

Excellent! Cheers for that!

[fallenangle]

Is that really correct - has this actually been tested? The question is all about the second disc loading is it not?

On a PAL PSOne using PSX-Change which is very similar in operation to DC-X and I assume the Codebreaker, multi-disc NTSC games are troublesome. The swap point is only temporarily saved, you can't save it to the memory card.

When you get to the swap-point and get the change disc prompt you'll find that if you try to load the next disc the PSOne reads the regional coding again and rejects it.

You have to re-run the PS-X Change disc but not complete the boot, hot-swapping it for the second disc. If you don't do this I think it must wipe that temporary memory stored from the end of the first game disc. Consequently it will treat the second disc as a new game and, of course, reject that as being the wrong disc.

Once you've saved to memory card at the next save point when using the second disc you can re-start each time with that disc as normal.

Maybe the DC/DC-X/Codebreaker do things differently maintaining the regional by-pass etc so the second disc loads correctly without needing to re-running the boot disc. I don't know as I don't own any multi-disc NTSC DC games but I'd thought I'd mention it might not be plain sailing as suggested.

Obviously I defer to the advice of anybody who has actually used Codebreaker with an import copy of RE: CV and knows that the disc swap-point presents no problem. I do seem to remember there is a save option there which might negate the issue but does that apply to every multi-disc DC game?

[randombs]

well the dc (like the saturn, xbox and 360) resets when you open the drive door - that's the default behaviour on a standard dreamcast. it's always been like that. resident evil cv took that into account and so the game really does save to the memory card as they know when you open the door the machine is going to reset.

in fact, the only time i've seen the console's reset being blocked is when using the boot discs themselves.

in response to fallenangle:

the ps1 (and ps2, gamecube, etc) doesn't reset when you open the tray, which is why you're more likely to run into problems when playing imports that require disc-swapping, as the console was designed to allow it anyway.

regarding re:cv specifically, funnily enough, i was abroad for a year when resi came out on the dc and the local game shop owner had finished it himself and it was a copy, using the original utopia dc boot disc (the reindeer one)

i'd be interested to know if any dc games also bypass the automatic resetting of the console but i highly doubt anything official would (only homebrew stuff). any ideas?

[jlaidlaw86]

Is headhunter like resident evil CV? Will it ask you to save at the end of disc 1 thus allowing you to turn off the console, put in disc 2, and continue from the save I made at the end of disc one?

Or is this a game like metal gear solid for ps1 that makes me swap discs in game?

[J0e Musashi]

I love this thread. The correct info is given in the third post, then someone comes wading in talking about a TOTALLY different console, completely derailing the thread and confusing everyone in the process.

[jlaidlaw86]

What do you mean Joe?

This thread I about DC. And I'm asking about a DC game. I made a reference to a ps1 game for comparison purposes only.

Anyways I read the whole thread and just wanted a definitive answer regarding headhunter. I have had difficulty finding an answer.

I know of at least one game, D2, that makes you switch discs in-game and I was wondering if headhunter is the same or if it let's you load from save.

[fallenangle]

I think he was refering to my post from 6 years (!!) ago and I WAS actually asking about the DC. The PS1 behaviour I described was only included as an example of how I had run into trouble with a disc swap of a two disc NTSC game on a PAL console. I asked whether the DC worked in the same way or not? That shouldn't have confused anyone but if it did, belated, apologies.

Looking back I don't think the question was actually definitively answered. Hence this thread's resurrection.

[jlaidlaw86]

OK cool. That being said...does anyone know how changing discs with headhunter works? Does it permit you to save first or is it one of those games that make you swap in game? I know that this isn't the question that started this thread but I guess it is somewhat related.

[fallenangle]

I'm sorry but I don't know, I've only owned one multi-disc NTSC DC game and it wasn't Headhunter.

Maybe someone else here will know or in the other forum where I know you posted the same question.