Shenmue 2 is crashing and locking up in Dreamshell

[iVirtualPlays]

I'm running this game off an IDE to CF card mod and it works great, it's no different to the G1 Ata Mod, using the latest version of Dreamshell with the correct settings, and up until disc 2 after the gang hide out fight scene. Shenmue 2 crashes and hangs mid cut scene. I'm using the English Dub translated version that is GDi optimised.

I even doubled checked the parameter settings:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xd-Wh-rSrlyBEXhQkovPBIxzm4fLB744/view

Here is the crash happening after the third try. This is where the cut scene hangs, the music plays in a loop and the waves can still be heard.

At 06:32 is where it crashes.
https://youtu.be/Yh-SlA623Zo?si=UVESurrbq8Z997A_

I used my Disc copy to get past that bit by saving it past that cut scene, and I got to the free roam and it crashed again. When I looked at the Lighthouse and turned around. The music is still playing not looping this time along with the waves that are still being heard, but the game itself is frozen.

Fixed:
Crash number 3 at the Scrapyard in the Alley area. This game is really unstable during this part even though it's just free roam. I don't know if it's Dreamshell or this English translated version.

[DC-SWAT]

0x8cfe8000 memory with true DMA?
I think this is a memory issue. Maybe need shift a bit to 0x8cfe7000 or 0x8cfe6000 for example. But you need to type in manually, no these options in list.
Can you give me VMU save? When I have time I will try.

[iVirtualPlays]

Yes my last save is at that scrap yard, how do I extract that save from my VMU?

[megavolt85]

use VMU Manager for dump VMU to CF card

[iVirtualPlays]

Here are the Saves: https://mega.nz/folder/kMxChRJQ#DDwDCnDshSE2qUGYYd9y4w

Looks like I wasn't using the latest version of Dreamshell, I was using 4.0.2. So I now updated it to 4.0.3 and will be playing through this game later on.

Yep the crash still occurs near the light house. I can't find those other parameters, 0x8cfe7000 and 0x8cfe6000 settings that you mentioned. I will try typing it in manually. Update: I figured out how to type those two in boot settings, and it still crashes whenever I go near the light house.

Over all it's unstable in that Gang Hideout area. Outside of that, the game runs well, but now during the work sequences, sometimes I get a black screen after finishing the crate mini game. This is odd. None of this was happening on Disc 1, and i never had any crashes with Shenmue 1. Where I was able to finish that game in its entirety.

[iVirtualPlays]

Trying both 0x8cfe7000 and 0x8cfe6000 settings, things seem to be a bit more stable with the 7000 settings. A crash occurs at the beginning of the cut scene with the 6000 settings within the gang hideout area when you meet Ren to pay the 500 dollars. And with the 7000 settings. A crash doesn't occur at the beginning of the cut scene, but instead at the very end of the cut scene after the little fight Ryo and Ren have, with Ren handing over the map.

Right after the scene ends and it goes back to the gameplay. A crash occurs, but this time it's a Random Reset. I had to use the original disc to get past this scene. Overall to sum it up, things are unstable in the Gang Hideout area with random freezes occurring along with a random reset during a certain cutscene.

This issue has also been reported back in 2018 by another Dreamshell user with an IDE to CF Card mod. Who reports further lockups occuring with Disc 3 and Disc 4 and another game 18 Wheeler having a lockup during the third stage

Forum post from 2018;
http://www.dc-swat.ru/forum/thread-3463-post-37168.html

It looks like Dreamshell needs this lock up issue to be addressed to ensure compatibility.

[DC-SWAT]

Try closer to the end of memory: 0x8cfe9000, 0x8cfea000, ...

[iVirtualPlays]

Try closer to the end of memory: 0x8cfe9000, 0x8cfea000, ...

I'm on Disc 3 which seems to be running just fine with the 0x8cfe8000 default settings like with Disc 1. So i instead copied my Disc 2 save into my spare VMU with the 0x8cfe9000 settings to test with and it seems like it's running perfectly fine. Whilst testing the game in the hideout area, I have not encountered any issues.

There is no crash occuring like with the other settings. I would love to see an update with all of those extra memory options added 0x8cfe9000, 0x8cfe7000, 0x8cfe6000 and 0x8cfea000, it's not easy to type and enter these in with a controller. Pressing Start doesn't do anything and pressing B erases everything that I type in, instead of exiting out of the setting.

I have yet to finish this game and will see how Disc 3 and Disc 4 goes. But so far it seems like Shenmue 2 may need to be on 0x8cfe9000 settings by default. I would love to see every possible loader setting added into the next release of Dreamshell.

[iVirtualPlays]

More problems encountered. Disc 3 is crashing after a cutscene. This time, a scene after breaking into Yuan's Room, example in the video: https://youtu.be/Hmo6Ikwn9n4?si=ro0XSr8Gs-w3PVIr

A black screen crash occurs at 7:20 with the background music still playing in a loop.

It looks like each disc will need its own optimal boot loader settings.

Disc 1 0X8CFE8000 works fine

Disc 2 0X8CFE9000 works fine

Disc 3 Neither 0X8CFE8000 nor 0X8CFE9000 works after a certain cutscene, need to try another setting. 0X8C001100 fails to boot, 0X8CFE7000, 0X8CFE6000 and 0X8CFEA000 doesn't work either. Still getting the same black screen issue with those settings.

[DC-SWAT]

It looks like each disc will need its own optimal boot loader settings.

Disc 1 0X8CFE8000 works fine

Disc 2 0X8CFE9000 works fine

I think 0X8CFE9000 will be good for both. Also maybe 0X8CFE9800 or something.

[iVirtualPlays]

Yes for Disc 1 and 2, 0X8CFE9000 should be fine. But Disc 3 and Disc 4 has a different map area to explore, and Disc 3 and 4 are more cutscene heavy. So different settings will be needed for Disc 3 and 4. I have yet to try 0X8CFE9800.

[DC-SWAT]

Also you can try 0X8CFEA000 with Heap at 0X8C001100 (or 0X8C008000).

The main problem with this game is that it writes something of its own to the low memory, where the loader usually resides, and overwrites it. So it has to be placed at the end of memory, but the game uses memory at its limits.
It might be possible to solve this problem by patching the game and preventing it from writing to low memory, and then there won't be any problems. But it's best to ask @megavolt85 about that.

[iVirtualPlays]

Also you can try 0X8CFEA000 with Heap at 0X8C001100 (or 0X8C008000).

The main problem with this game is that it writes something of its own to the low memory, where the loader usually resides, and overwrites it. So it has to be placed at the end of memory, but the game uses memory at its limits.
It might be possible to solve this problem by patching the game and preventing it from writing to low memory, and then there won't be any problems. But it's best to ask @megavolt85 about that.

So is Dreamshell using some of the ram by running in the background or something? This game does indeed push the DC to its limits with some slowdown. I thought Dreamshell is similar to ODE firmware.

I wouldn't mind doing the 32mb ram upgrade, if compatibility is 100%. But it would be nice to boot directly into games with Dreamshell not running at all in the background like an ODE or Disc.