Some questions about adding new discs (Page 1 of 2)

Okay, so "tab space" everything with 4 spaces then. However, it seems like in the Mastering Code, the single number at the end only has 3 spaces in Redump entries. Do I still put 4 when creating a new disc?

I guess for languages, if I go into the options menu for a game and there is nothing, then there is only the native language. Thank you for the continued help.

EDIT: Also I'm a little confused about CDmage because it seems it only scans already-created images for errors. I guess I don't know how it all works but I just wonder how it can find an "error" in a bunch of raw data. How does it "know" what an "error" is? Isn't this sort of the point of the website Redump - because the only way to know is to compare a hash? What is it comparing when scanning? Very confusing o__o

Regarding CDMage and errors:

From the ECMA-130 standard:

14.3 EDC field
The EDC field shall consist of 4 bytes recorded in positions 2 064 to 2 067. The error detection code shall be a 32-bit CRC applied on bytes 0 to 2 063. The least significant bit of a data byte is used first. The EDC codeword must be divisible by the check polynomial:
P(x) = (x^16 + x^15 + x^2 + 1) . (x^16 + x^2 + x + 1)
The least significant parity bit (x0) is stored in the most significant bit position of byte 2 067.

14.4 Intermediate field
The Intermediate field shall consist of 8 (00)-bytes recorded in positions 2 068 to 2 075.

14.5 P-Parity field
The P-parity field shall consist of 172 bytes in positions 2 076 to 2 247 computed on bytes 12 to 2 075 as specified in annex A.

14.6 Q-Parity field
The Q-parity field shall consist of 104 bytes in positions 2 248 to 2 351 computed on bytes 12 to 2 247 as specified in annex A.

I added NTSC-J Evergrace (SLPS-25003). Please let me know how it came out. I realize now that maybe I should have included the NULL values for the ring in their proper spaces? The ring I submitted is SLPS-25003    2, and that's all there is to the ring. Let me know if there's any way to improve the next entry.

I don't have a scanner, but I will certainly consider getting one. I'll research some scanners and see which one looks to be the best deal.

For the first PS2 DVD games, there were no IFPIs at all. My first recorded IFPIs for NTSC-U/C games come from Devil May Cry (my last game with no IFPIs is Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil). The same is true for NTSC-J games. For Evergrace, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen and Dark Cloud, there are no IFPIs of any sort. My first NTSC-J game with IFPIs is Lilie no Atelier: Salburg no Renkinjutsushi 3.

Also, I am confused about the serial hyphen you're talking about. For the "Mastering Code (laser branded/etched)" number, yes, the serial number always has a hyphen, for games of all regions and time periods. But if you mean the way the serial number is written on the spine of the case, or on the front of the disc, then it never has a hyphen. However, all serial numbers I have seen on Redump for PS2 games have always hyphenated the serial number anyway, it seems like standardized notation.

I'm actually not confusing anything. The very first PS2 DVD games just have no IFPIs of any sort. For the first NTSC-U/C games, there is only the "Mastering Code (laser branded/etched)" and the "Toolstamp or Mastering Code (engraved/stamped)". For NTSC-J games, there is only the "Mastering Code (laser branded/etched)" and nothing else (NTSC-J games actually never have a toolstamp). The problem with the examples you gave me is that one of them is a CD (in both of my posts, I have specified DVDs) and that one of them is a DVD from 2006, which will have the IFPIs. No very old DVDs have Mastering or Mould SID Codes (IFPIs) of any sort, for either region. CDs do have them from the very beginning though. Just to let you know, also I own a copy of Critical Bullet myself, and my disc also has SLPM-62212 1, IFPI L275, and IFPI 4518 in the ring, so I know what you're talking about. I think you've been confused as to what I'm talking about. In the first PS2 DVD games, there are no IFPIs whatsoever. If it will help, I'll get a scanner at some point to show you.

Here is my biggest question as to how to submit ring codes when there are "null" spots: do I include the text NULL in all the spots that may normally have something? Or do I just leave them alone? Regarding Evergrace, the single ring code it has is SLPS-25003   2. Is that all I should write then?

As for the serial number, however you want me to submit, that's how I will submit it. I just want to point out again that not a single entry I've ever seen at Redump has a serial number with no hyphen. This is why it's confusing to me, because regardless of how it's written on the discs, it's always written with a hyphen here. Similarly, we include the text "IFPI " for Mould SID Codes of NTSC-J discs when it the code doesn't really include that text itself (it will say something like "45W1" on the disc, but we will write "IFPI 45W1" on Redump). So, please understand that it seems to me we do things according to a format that disregards the exact way things are actually written on discs. But again, if the final word is not to include the hyphen, I will refrain from including the hyphen

Oh I see, I didn't know it had changed. Okay, then my apologies and certainly from now on, I will submit with no hyphen, which is good because that is the way it's written. Evergrace is without the hyphen, so please change it and thank you.

Regarding the mould code, I guess I can't say it enough times I don't mean any offense. But one more time: no first PS2 DVD games from any region have mould codes. That's just a fact. When I get a scanner, I will show you for certain. As for wear, I've never seen wear so heavy that you can't see a mould code, that is some impressive wear. The wear would also have to be uniformly that heavy for all my discs that don't have IFPIs because it's not just NTSC-J Evergrace, it's also Sorcerous Stabber Orphen and Dark Cloud like I said. And anyway, none of my discs have almost any sort of wear on them at all because I only keep games that are in very nice condition, if it's beat up I give the seller hell and I send it back and get my money back. I've spent a LOT of money on my collection over many years

I can absolutely positively with not a shred of doubt in my mind whatsoever tell you that the 3 discs I named do not have any IFPI codes. Every single one of my submissions has ALL ring codes. I have no trouble seeing them, I know where they all are, and I'm telling you, those discs just do not have them, plain and simple. When I get a scanner, I will show you.

I don't mean to sound annoyed, because I'm not at all, I just want you to know that I know what I'm talking about.

Heh, I definitely shouldn't have used the word any, that was dumb as I don't even have any PAL games. But certainly for NSTC-U/C and NTSC-J, this is true. In fact, you can even observe two different trends that change together in the PS2's timeline.

Last NTSC-U/C PS2 CD game I own to have -647 write offset: Gauntlet Dark Legacy
First NTSC-U/C PS2 CD game I own to have -12 write offset: Guilty Gear X
release dates: 2001-05-01 vs 2001-09-30

Surely, I have holes in my collection, I only own a couple hundred game out of many thousands. I don't have every old game. But, I would like to see a game released past 2001-05-01 that has -647 write offset. You can do a little bit of checking here if you'd like, though I checked them all. Yes, only EXE date is given. But, doing some research:
High Heat Major League Baseball 2002: 2001-03-26
4x4 Evolution: 2001-02-26
And then I found my own example, Gauntlet Dark Legacy, which is 2001-05-01. These games were found from EXE date. There may be one later one, but you'd be hard-pressed to find it. This is because the timeline of NTSC-U/C PS2 games, as well as NTSC-J, follow a pattern, and you can observe how the pattern makes a consistent and permanent change over time. My NTSC-J games past that Gauntlet date also use -12 offset. But if I get a very old NTSC-J CD game, I bet you money it has -647 offset.

Now observe this same pattern in DVD games.

Last NTSC-U/C PS2 DVD game I own to not have IFPIs: Klonoa 2 Lunatea's Veil
First NTSC-U/C PS2 DVD game I own to have IFPIs: Devil May Cry
release dates: 2001-07-25 vs 2001-10-16

Of course, if you get a reprint, like with Orphen Scion of Sorcery, then you can get IFPIs since it was printed after the time they started including them. Something different about my copy of Orphen: I bought it brand new, and on the security strip along the top of the case, the UPC number was put under the barcode. But in other older games I bought brand new, there is no UPC number. This is because another trend to observe is that old NTSC-U/C PS2 games did not include the UPC number under the barcode. Lo and behold, my copy of Orphen does put the UPC number, and it also includes IFPIs because it is a reprint.

If you observe these patterns over the timeline of games, then you'll know that what is "quite unlikely" is really that Evergrace does have IFPI codes, since it is one of the first games

1. Exactly like that for those. Other EANs and UPC ones they want their own way with spacing.

2. Just add it like that. No extra stuff. If there are problems they will ask you anyhow.

Sure you can. When using DIC copy the data from the .dat file that it creates and copy it into the clrmamepro datafield!

Yes.

None of the more experienced dumpers use tools like Isobuster and EAC. We have DIC, CDToimg_D8, Subdump etc. We also have a tool for PS2 that gathers most of the information needed directly from the image.