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Those of you who are picking this up, be wary.
Borrowed from Edge Forums.
****
Ok I got my Freeloader today and am extremely disappointed that it doesn't work like Datel says it will. I bought 5 import games and they all have various issues with them. I'm using the official RGB Scart lead for the NGC, and my TV can display 60hz.
Firstly there are 3 fairly similiar boot methods to boot up the Freeloader.
The first method invloves a direct boot for the Freeloader from power on of the Gamecube, taking the disc out on prompt when it loads, and inserting the import game.
Second method involves inserting the Freeloader disc after you switch the GC on, waiting for it to read it, then going into the Gameplay option in the GC menu and switching discs from there.
Third method involves booting the Freeloader like normal, when it boots up, you press Z on the controller to select the region of the disc you want to play (you can select from three flags (USA, Japanese and Austrailia). This method seems to be the most successful for me. Depending on which one I chose, I had varying degrees of success. Here are my results.
Resident Evil Zero (USA) -
This game has the biggest problem making it impossible to play currently. It will only run using the third boot method. When this game boots up after using the Freeloader, it is extremely slow and choppy, sound is messed up making it totally unplayable.
Metroid Prime (USA)
This game has various issues but is now perfectly playable for me. If I boot this game using boot methods 1 or 2 it will run, but the titles screen is completely blank with just the text and a black background. If you continue and start the game, it will be very choppy when you move Samus around. The screen moves very jerkily. Even though its playable like this, its not really recommended. Its like its trying to play it in 50hz, when the game wasnt designed to,be played like this. hence the strange choppiness.
Now when I first used boot method 3 on it, the game would load up, even having the full titles screen, but there would be one BIG problem. The colours of the game would be messed up completely, i.e. yellow is blue etc. However, (and this has completely baffled me) when I run the game using method 3 now, it runs perfectly, at 60hz with the right colours. I dont know why its suddenly started working with method 3. This just makes things more confusing.
Skies of Arcadia Legends (USA)
Game runs fine using method 3. Have yet to try the other two methods.
Super Monkey Ball 2
Only runs using method 3. Will not load at all using the other two methods. Also game crashed once when I was playing it.
Animal Crossing
Again, only works using method 3.
So it seems there are lots of problems with this Freeloader. Other people might have different experiences with these same games, but I am disappointed by it as I spent approx £150 on the import games, and I can't even play one of them. The problems also seem to be rather random which makes things even worse. Didn't Datel even test this properly? It's not like the games I tried are obscure and hard to find.
****
Borrowed from Edge Forums.
****
Ok I got my Freeloader today and am extremely disappointed that it doesn't work like Datel says it will. I bought 5 import games and they all have various issues with them. I'm using the official RGB Scart lead for the NGC, and my TV can display 60hz.
Firstly there are 3 fairly similiar boot methods to boot up the Freeloader.
The first method invloves a direct boot for the Freeloader from power on of the Gamecube, taking the disc out on prompt when it loads, and inserting the import game.
Second method involves inserting the Freeloader disc after you switch the GC on, waiting for it to read it, then going into the Gameplay option in the GC menu and switching discs from there.
Third method involves booting the Freeloader like normal, when it boots up, you press Z on the controller to select the region of the disc you want to play (you can select from three flags (USA, Japanese and Austrailia). This method seems to be the most successful for me. Depending on which one I chose, I had varying degrees of success. Here are my results.
Resident Evil Zero (USA) -
This game has the biggest problem making it impossible to play currently. It will only run using the third boot method. When this game boots up after using the Freeloader, it is extremely slow and choppy, sound is messed up making it totally unplayable.
Metroid Prime (USA)
This game has various issues but is now perfectly playable for me. If I boot this game using boot methods 1 or 2 it will run, but the titles screen is completely blank with just the text and a black background. If you continue and start the game, it will be very choppy when you move Samus around. The screen moves very jerkily. Even though its playable like this, its not really recommended. Its like its trying to play it in 50hz, when the game wasnt designed to,be played like this. hence the strange choppiness.
Now when I first used boot method 3 on it, the game would load up, even having the full titles screen, but there would be one BIG problem. The colours of the game would be messed up completely, i.e. yellow is blue etc. However, (and this has completely baffled me) when I run the game using method 3 now, it runs perfectly, at 60hz with the right colours. I dont know why its suddenly started working with method 3. This just makes things more confusing.
Skies of Arcadia Legends (USA)
Game runs fine using method 3. Have yet to try the other two methods.
Super Monkey Ball 2
Only runs using method 3. Will not load at all using the other two methods. Also game crashed once when I was playing it.
Animal Crossing
Again, only works using method 3.
So it seems there are lots of problems with this Freeloader. Other people might have different experiences with these same games, but I am disappointed by it as I spent approx £150 on the import games, and I can't even play one of them. The problems also seem to be rather random which makes things even worse. Didn't Datel even test this properly? It's not like the games I tried are obscure and hard to find.
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Well, none of my games will boot with the normal method; though some will boot with sound but no picture. Methods 2 and 3 both work for all my games (Zelda JP, Animal Crossing, Starfox, Sunshine) and I'm pretty pleased, but Freeloader certainly does seem like cheap crap. To put it bluntly.
play.com :P
]-[ØM€® B€€® §ØL!!D wrote:
> Strafex wrote:
> I'll be waiting for the Action Replay version - cheat thingamy for
> just £10 extra.
> Or £1 extra depending on where you order it from!
I found it for £18! :-)
> Strafex wrote:
> I'll be waiting for the Action Replay version - cheat thingamy for
> just £10 extra.
> Or £1 extra depending on where you order it from!
I found it for £18! :-)
Darwock wrote:
> I'm saying it lets you boot import games without a mod-chip, yes.
>
> You do have to swap discs without pushing eject, but that's easily
> done.
-------
He's on about the 'knife trick' Si, which does work.
But it wrecks your PS2 within about 2 weeks so lets leave him.
:-)
> I'm saying it lets you boot import games without a mod-chip, yes.
>
> You do have to swap discs without pushing eject, but that's easily
> done.
-------
He's on about the 'knife trick' Si, which does work.
But it wrecks your PS2 within about 2 weeks so lets leave him.
:-)
Tiltawhirl wrote:
> I'd love to see you try.... blah blah blah....
I wasn't suggesting we all should try ourselves, just critising Datel. Yes, I know it's a difficult thing to do, but the way they have handled it (it's delays, it's release with two versions etc.) you cannot argue could have and should have been done better as it has caused confusion. See how many people have been asking stuff about it in the forums.
> You didn't though you big retard.....
My thread said Freeloader/Action Replay so I could have meant either. And it is true, that "you can't use all of the features in AC" (what I said) if you have the memory card doodah in. If you know so much, you should have spotted this earlier.
> Get your facts straight girly man.
I think you may have me confused with WS.
> I'd love to see you try.... blah blah blah....
I wasn't suggesting we all should try ourselves, just critising Datel. Yes, I know it's a difficult thing to do, but the way they have handled it (it's delays, it's release with two versions etc.) you cannot argue could have and should have been done better as it has caused confusion. See how many people have been asking stuff about it in the forums.
> You didn't though you big retard.....
My thread said Freeloader/Action Replay so I could have meant either. And it is true, that "you can't use all of the features in AC" (what I said) if you have the memory card doodah in. If you know so much, you should have spotted this earlier.
> Get your facts straight girly man.
I think you may have me confused with WS.
TÞhi wrote:
> ALL I said was true, sorry if that offends you in some way. Do you
> work for Datel or some way? I dont' understand why you are defending a
> company that has let us all done with constant delays and other
> problems.
I'd love to see you try and engineeer a disk that turns a console that ism't suppposed to play games from another country into a multi region
machine without even having to change the hardware at all. We're talking 100's of games, in different languages from around the world, it's bound to have a few teething problems.
You speak so down on Datel but by the sound of it with 1.6 out now they've actually done a very good job. I see no other company attempting to bring us such a product.
Any importer will tell you that disk loaded deviceds that make your console multi region have always had a few problems. God knows my mate had massive issues when trying to play US games on his PAL N64.
> First it was 'animal crossing won't work properly.....
> I said not all functions will work, and they dont. Is reporting true
> facts now wrong if it hurts poor Freeloader?
You didn't though you big retard. The memory card comes with the Action Replay, unless you want to cheat on Animal Crossing then there's no need to have it in.
Get your facts straight girly man.
> ALL I said was true, sorry if that offends you in some way. Do you
> work for Datel or some way? I dont' understand why you are defending a
> company that has let us all done with constant delays and other
> problems.
I'd love to see you try and engineeer a disk that turns a console that ism't suppposed to play games from another country into a multi region
machine without even having to change the hardware at all. We're talking 100's of games, in different languages from around the world, it's bound to have a few teething problems.
You speak so down on Datel but by the sound of it with 1.6 out now they've actually done a very good job. I see no other company attempting to bring us such a product.
Any importer will tell you that disk loaded deviceds that make your console multi region have always had a few problems. God knows my mate had massive issues when trying to play US games on his PAL N64.
> First it was 'animal crossing won't work properly.....
> I said not all functions will work, and they dont. Is reporting true
> facts now wrong if it hurts poor Freeloader?
You didn't though you big retard. The memory card comes with the Action Replay, unless you want to cheat on Animal Crossing then there's no need to have it in.
Get your facts straight girly man.
Strafex wrote:
> Good luck reading Japanese Alistair, I'll be sticking to USA imports.
Cheers Strafex, I think the biggest problem will be finding what to do in order to save the game. On Pro Evolution 1 for the PSONE it didn't take long to find out what each function did, I can't read Japanese and I wouldn't be able to tell you if you put the word in front of me. However for a game like Pro Evoltuion 2 on the GC it is worth the little extra effort required to get the game working :) As soon as I get it I will let you all know what the GC version is like and how hard the Japanese is :)
> Good luck reading Japanese Alistair, I'll be sticking to USA imports.
Cheers Strafex, I think the biggest problem will be finding what to do in order to save the game. On Pro Evolution 1 for the PSONE it didn't take long to find out what each function did, I can't read Japanese and I wouldn't be able to tell you if you put the word in front of me. However for a game like Pro Evoltuion 2 on the GC it is worth the little extra effort required to get the game working :) As soon as I get it I will let you all know what the GC version is like and how hard the Japanese is :)
Freeloader works fine.
Don't moan. All of you.
Don't moan. All of you.
Freeloader? pfft I like waiting :-D
Strafex wrote:
> I'll be waiting for the Action Replay version - cheat thingamy for
> just £10 extra.
Or £1 extra depending on where you order it from!
> I'll be waiting for the Action Replay version - cheat thingamy for
> just £10 extra.
Or £1 extra depending on where you order it from!
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