PS2 patches explained (VF4EVO)

Hello, i posted in my status about my VF4EVO JAP.VER patched with widescreen and progressive scan, so @oneida @ToyDingo asked me to explain how i patched it, but i couldn't reply to them and explain it easily due to the small size of comment limit, and if explained it will not be clear, so i decided to make Thread to explain it fully with steps too.

First, it depends in what platform you use is PC PCSX2 or PS2 but before that, let me explain that many PS2 games does not support progressive scan 480p and widescreen 16:9, many games were 480i which mean they only produce 240 lines per field, but 480p progressive scan can produce the full lines and the image quality is better compared to 480i.

Now with ratios the PS2 games was mostly 4:3 aspect ratio because of the old television, yet some games was 16:9 but VF4EVO wasn't one of them and don't support it, so now many people have HDTV or monitor 16:9 widescreen and would like to play their favorite old games in widescreent without stretching the image. 4:3 can be wide in HDTV but it will be stretched, unnatural and blurry pixelated picture.

There are codes that you can patch and change game performs from 480i to 480p and 4:3 to native 16:9 to improve and modernize your experience. These codes can patch the game in many ways either in PS2, or CODEBREAKER, or via MEMORY, or even editing the codes in ISO image of the game before burning it to DVD. Best, easiest and most available way for people nowdays can done in PC PS2 eumulator by HEX editor.

After i did 480p patch, No combing and ghosting, but 60 true progressive frames per second. The improvement in image quality is huge and you must have component cables to enable 480p progressive scan also i forced it to GSM 1080i to get more cleaner picture signal overall but this is a whole another topic for those who still play PS2 directly.

Now i can play VF4EVO in my HDTV with native widescreen 16:9 without stretched picture and clear 480p progressive scan, the 480p codes was only for VF4EVO KOREAN version so i converted the codes to make it work with JAPANESE version, you can do this method with a lot of games like i did with DEATH BY DEGREES, KING OF FIGHTERS 2006 and it can work because it is same method. Some games tho works and some not, but VF4EVO was the harder because converting and make codes correctly was a bit long and tricky.

i hope this was enough explained and detailed about the method and why we do it

But now with steps, if you want to patch, you need the codes and know how to code it,
first you need VIRTUA FIGHTER 4 EVOLUTION ISO

for PC way of patching,

Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (SLUS-20616)

initial value (4:3)
9200013C 2044033C 603D2584 00088344

changed to (wide)
9200013C 5544033C 603D2584 00088344

needs:
PCSX2
ISO
HEX EDITOR
ISO valus codes version

bring the ISO and open it with HEX editor press ctrl+f there will search window named "find" showed , you need to search for the 4:3 value and replace it with new 16:9 code after that save it.

for PS2:

NTSC-U
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (SLUS-20616)

MASTER CODE
90113A2C 0C048A86

WIDESCREEN 16:9
20924B9C 3F19999A

PAL
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (SLES-51616)

MASTER CODE
F011392C 0011392F

WIDESCREEN 16:9
202fdff4 3c194455
202fdffc 37395555
202fe014 44990800
20217b48 3c024456

needs:
ISO
CODEBRAKER
CODEBRAKER codes version or ISO valus codes version

there are two methods ,
you need to download CODEBRAKER and burn it on DVD or have it in USB in uLaunchELF , codes are different from PC, CODEBREAKER codes needs first master code to enable 16:9 code, after you have CODEBRAKER in PS2 go to "select cheats" then press ○ to add new game, name it VF4EVO, go to it and press ← then press ○ to make cheat name press ← to edit the codes; you will see 16 zero and need to fill it all. You need to create master code first after that make another cheat for the 16:9 code and place the codes. Now press X to enable cheats after you finish press start it's going to ask you if you wanna save your changes ,obviously press X for yes ,now go to start option and get out CODEBRAKER disc and insert VF4EVO disc or for uLaunchELF only VF4EVO disc.

The second method is like PC HEX editor but if you did it and burn it maybe the result don't come right and need to do it again, you bring the game ISO, open it with HEX editor and replace the values.

CODEBRAKER method is safer because you can see the result if you like it or not , if you like it save the game normally and all codes will be saved but you can't get back if you save it, if you didn't like the result yiu can just get back.


for example after changes,

Progressive scan:

480i



480p patched


Aspect ratio:

4:3 ratio


16:9 widescreen patched


My VF4EVO JPN.VER 480p and widescreen 16:9 patched



UPDATE1: VIRTUA FIGHTER 4 EVOLUTION NTSC-U AND PAL CODES WITH HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.

 

is it possible to do this with a NA version of the game?

 

Yes you can , if it 480p patch maybe they will be some issues like cause lag or noisy picture , a lot games don't work with 480p patch, but for VF4EVO JAP.VER the only issue was jittering picture because converting was not correctly , the 16:9 widescreen patch mostly work with all games and don't have issues , i did it with NA version for DEATH BY DEGREES and KING OF FIGHTERS 2006 and worked, for safety patch the codes for PS2 in CODEBREAKE so you can cancel if you didn't like it or they didn't' work or need to get 4:3 back , for PCSX2 get ISO backup before doing it because maybe they don't work , ok ?

 

thank you Rawr! I look forward to trying this out.

 

Widescreen patches for PS2 games are usually a crutch since most of the time they don't do anything but just stretch the image instead of actually widening the picture to show more of the game, but this one seems to work OK aside from the stretched HUD elements. I've personally used the more homebrew solution for this stuff since I've got a soft modded PS2 by using GSM to force 480p, which works alright in most games, some don't even start and some are very pixelated, going to HD resolutions makes the picture just awful in all cases.

 

Yes, there are two problems with GSM's 480p, the black border issue and the pixelation issue ,

1.the Black border issue will be enforcing 480p and the results will be horizontally squished image with aspect ratio approx 1:1

2. Pixelation issue will be enforcing 480p and the results will be losing half the vertical resolution

the 16:9 will be useless if you use GSM with it because you will not getting the full screen , you will be getting black border due changing GAME aspect ratio , i have the normal VF4EVO and i get blurred picture but VF4EVO patched no need to use GSM , but for me i used to use GSM 1080i just to get more clear picture and because of that i got the Black border issue , it's not issue for me , the important thing that i get 16:9 widescreen shown more objects and clear picture.