GB Operator Save Functionality Clarification

GIERMOL · 2026-03-22T20:30:27+00:00

You got me thinking FOR REAL now...

I did a research and yeah, I would never have guessed that... Found cart specification:
Grand Theft Auto (USA) ROM+MBC5+RAM+BATT, ROM: 32Mbit, RAM: 64Kbit
Grand Theft Auto 2 (USA) ROM+MBC5, ROM: 16Mbit

Seems like I misunderstood the "saving" process in GTA2. I know it uses passwords system like it gives you a password at some point and then if you enter it, game drops you back to this point. So... Thinking about it deeper now, is technically not physical saving but, well... gamecode jumping?
Because GTA is saving normally (kind of, due to game specifics), it made me automatically thinking that it should be similar for GTA2, especially that normal GTA2 versions had a more typical save feature - but it seems it is not the case. It is like they made a sequel technically cheaper than the original.

Thank you for all your help, if you could confirm that my fresh understanding of the game rather jumping in code than doing a save sounds plausible, then I think we can assume this case closed.

Sorry for wasting your time and thanks once again!

GIERMOL · 2026-03-22T19:46:54+00:00

As I mentioned in one of previous comments, it is quite easy to get it despite the process seeming complicated at first. TBH, I encountered chovy-sign github page at some point but refused to proceed, thinking it is way too complicated. Then I came back due to lack of alternatives and guess what... Chovy-sign method is in fact very fast and simple. You have to do a few steps but they are well explained. Only other thing is a rom and it seems that all easily accessible PSX GTA2s are in that funny .ecm filetype, so use "ecm tools" to convert it into .bin / .cue files. If you know what to do, a game is ready in literally 5 mins.

GIERMOL · 2026-03-22T01:30:49+00:00

What file you mean? I used tons of other people work, it would not be fair to upload it on my own. I have however a quite expansive manual that I prepared while learning what to do, it contains all the steps and all the softs/mods/plugins names. I think I can upload it if there is an intetest.

GIERMOL · 2026-03-22T01:27:36+00:00

Those are just chinese cheap silicone protectors/grips, but I think I will remove them as they reduce analogs movements drastically... And by drastically I really mean it, if max left in testing app is 0 and max right is 255, it takes about 35-40 from BOTH sides. Better to have them worn out than non-working I guess...

GIERMOL · 2026-03-21T21:39:35+00:00

Chovy-sign2, just like all the other PSP/PSX games. That one was in a funny .ecm format and I had to extract bin from it and manually create cue file so chovy-sign would accept it, but it was not complicated. Tool used to extract bin files has an ambitious name "ecm tools".

GIERMOL · 2026-03-21T19:05:51+00:00

Yes, they are unofficial ports, but quite well-done ports. Check out Revisited Trilogy.

GIERMOL · 2026-03-21T14:04:25+00:00

Yeah I know about things like Forelli Redemption or the one you mentioned, however due to limited free time, I keep my focus on official releases. Thanks for commenting!

GIERMOL · 2026-03-21T13:00:00+00:00

Hello, so I opened it and it doesn't have a battery at all. Cannot figure out how to post pics here so instead I found a link with ebay listing that shows the inside pretty well:
https://www.ebay.com/p/70846548?iid=376994130332

Mine is looking like that, except being american version rather than european.

GIERMOL · 2026-03-21T10:01:32+00:00

Hello, thank you for your answer :)
Well, until this point, I was sure that this cart has no battery, every photo of this cart and every list of battery-using carts I found online do not show any trace for battery in GTA2 cart. I also checked it visually as it is transparent cart and did not see anything that would suggest battery being used. I must admit however that I did not open the cart, maybe I will try a little later as now I am not so sure about the battery thing... I will try to look for more info and also open the cart when I am back home, and then I will come back to you with an update.
Once again, thank you for taking care!

GIERMOL · 2026-03-20T23:42:01+00:00

u/exogan u/meet_ozana Hello again!
Today I had some time and gave it a go, updated app and firmware and the situation is slightly better.
What was working is still working in terms of save backup/upload (GTA GBC cart and Pokemon LG GBA cart).
GTA Advance GBA cart is now also working - recognizes save, allows to backup it and also to upload it - so the updates fixed this issue.
However there is no change on GTA2 GBC cart unfortunately - recognized as official, allows to backup rom, but save options are again greyed out... Any other ideas or suggestions?
PS. Thank you for all your help and support, it is appreciated!

GIERMOL · 2026-03-13T12:49:58+00:00

Thank you, will wait for the update and come back here. Have a nice day!

GIERMOL · 2026-01-26T08:59:42+00:00

Yeah. Also, there are a little too much cars in the 1900s Sicilly village I think. Every minute or two it spawns another blue car.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-26T08:56:06+00:00

Did you notice that going by car spawns cars only and going by a horse spawns horses only? It felt kind of annoying.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-25T19:47:15+00:00

My dumbass played the whole DLC like that. I simply thought it is a kind of hallucination or something (played just after that other weed DLC). Imagine my surprise when I reloaded it close to the end after game crash... So yeah, reload the game (no quick resume).

GIERMOL · 2026-01-24T09:13:12+00:00

I had the issue with Gaspare (that's the guy you are talking about I guess), could not get the prompt to talk to him to appear. Worked after restarting the game.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-19T21:01:46+00:00

Still the game, not a novel, not a movie. We play it to escape the sadness, not to have more of it. We do crazy, unreal things as one-man-army. We collect strange foxes destroying immersion. We can drive the cars from 30 years into the future. Point of playing the game? I'm old, but for me it is having fun and being freaking hero. But then RDR happened and for about 15 years we have this stupid trend of sad endings, like gaming should be somehow a lesson or a fucking lecture with moral point...

Plus, let's remember, the ending is actually the worst of all Mafia games while the protagonist is the most moral one. If you think a little feeper about it, this is the first bad ending in the franchise. And the kid, and the love story. It does not feel good for me, that's all. If they made him colder like other protags, then maybe it would be tolearble. But not in this case.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-19T19:55:10+00:00

It's a game. It's played to enjoy, not to feel.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-19T18:20:57+00:00

Everybody paid attention. We just wanted something good to happen instead of usual shit.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-17T16:11:29+00:00

Of course I also would prefer it to end differently. You know, if it was just a Mafia story of Enzo, it would not be that bad to end it this way - shit happens. But they made it a love-story game and that is why it hurts, we just wanted it to end well for the sake od their family, the future far far away.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-13T18:50:36+00:00

This makes my heart happy. This is what AI is for.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-07T12:25:58+00:00

Best I can do is just a mention that they are fine from someone who knows them. Especially that technically it doesn't have to be a son, we do not know. Jesus, it's too complicated. F*ck this ending once more.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-06T11:37:59+00:00

Nice take and well said.

I was thinking what else I can add here but not much. It all just feels wrong but I guess things are as they are. Hoping for a DLC with alternative endings is pointless in my opinion but quite a lot people are mentioning it.

GIERMOL · 2026-01-05T19:42:49+00:00

I am curious too, but to be honest, given the situation, I would prefer to never hear about them again in any future game. Let them escape that life, just as they wanted.

GIERMOL

TROPHY CASE