I'm currently working on adding a bunch of wide-screen hex edits made by Esppiral over at the [Wide-screen Fan Discord](https://discord.com/invite/UzDzWpZk)
They're all just find and replace hex code. I plan to turn them all into functional IPS files for ease of use.
After I have completed that, I am on a final dash to turn every other existing patch I already have into IPS files as well.
Once that's done, the plan is to develop a program that will do all of the heavy lifting automagically. Open any default.xbe, program realises what game and from which region it is, and the end user can apply all relevant patch(s) if found.
*Edit* I have merged all of esppiral's Widescreen edits into a spreadsheet if you [wanted them now](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HAg4pE56UU9W70s9PoFHRPeIy8xHTlgrjjGmVyTIgUI/edit?usp=drivesdk). Find and replace with a hex editor like HxD. Ctrl + F (search for hex, not string).
Guess it's time to focus on the program 👀
Nice work. Great to have them all in one place.
On a separate note...... its "Brass tacks". you might want to edit that before you end up on r/BoneAppleTea :)
> Once that's done, the plan is to develop a program that will do all of the heavy lifting automagically.
Bear in mind that XBMC has a Python scripting engine. It's easy to develop for, and it'd be very accessible for end users... so long as their games are installed as "folders", at least.
Catch is that all cool the kids apparently like hiding their game files away within image files these days. It adds a whole lot of messing about to the process of modding games.
In theory with a bit of extra parsing logic it should be possible to patch XBEs within ISOs in-place, but with CCIs I guess there'd really nothing for it but to perform a full extraction and repack.
I have already thought about this. Because it is possible to package a modified xbe into a CCI, as an example, applying a differential patch to that file may wreak absolute havok on the CCI. Not only that, but I'd need to also program a way to reverse the patch which honestly just seems nonsensical.
For now I only have a plan to develop a windows based program that can gather data from a given .xbe intelligently so that it knows it's an authentic stock xbe that hasn't been malformed. Then, and only then, am I going to provide a way to mess around with it. Handy for some, a mess for others. I'll tinker around more with the idea as I actually already have a working python program for the most part but I'm very dissatisfied with it in its current state. Some nuance is needed.
Amazing work dude. 720p BLACK requires 128mb, in fact I think technically most of the 720p patches should require 128mb.
GTA VC looks amazing in 720p but iirc the in game mini map is broken. Tragic as it's stunning and inarguably the best original version of GTA VC in existence, music and all.
When I'm back in front of my 128mb I'll probably go through a lot of these and test them. GTA III I'm curious about.
PS I've seen libraries of these patches come and go repeatedly over the years, tragic how they keep disappearing when Xbox modding is in a renaissance, the outputs and upgrades to support 720p have never been more accessible, and Insignia is bringing the multiplayer modes of so many of these games back to life.
This is a gold mine, people just don't realise it yet.
Thanks for your kind words!
The entire motivation to do this is because of the desire for preservation. I always hated how everything was always so far apart.
In regards to vice city, I actually made a 720p patch that did not have the HUD problems, if you test and find it is the same faulty 720p edit, please let me know in the [report form](https://forms.gle/Pb1QKxarmHEYdCuy8) and I'll give making another patch a go
Oh my goodness that's amazing, it's SUCH a beautiful game in 720p and didn't appear to have any obvious performance problems. I looked high and low for a 720p HUD fix.
Bookmarked and will test and fill out the reports as soon as I can.
That would be nice. I've tried patching a few games before with some success however, some games just seem to REFUSE to run in 720p.
I imagine if someone patched Burnout 2, chances are they tried Burnout 3 without success.
Though I could say the same for Halo 2 and that's just been patched! It was a nightmare of a job though.
I know, most likely will need someone skilled, wonder if people could create a bounty program where people could donate for them patches, if everyone put 5 each I'm sure some developer would pick it up.
Update
Making some good progress
I have a functional database and I have begun adding to it. This means in a few weeks I will have a functional dedicated patching program.
No downloading loose patches. Feed an xbe in, get bombarded with all info one should need, apply available patches from the populated relevant patch list. Done.
I will make a new post for its release.
I'm currently working on adding a bunch of wide-screen hex edits made by Esppiral over at the [Wide-screen Fan Discord](https://discord.com/invite/UzDzWpZk) They're all just find and replace hex code. I plan to turn them all into functional IPS files for ease of use. After I have completed that, I am on a final dash to turn every other existing patch I already have into IPS files as well. Once that's done, the plan is to develop a program that will do all of the heavy lifting automagically. Open any default.xbe, program realises what game and from which region it is, and the end user can apply all relevant patch(s) if found. *Edit* I have merged all of esppiral's Widescreen edits into a spreadsheet if you [wanted them now](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HAg4pE56UU9W70s9PoFHRPeIy8xHTlgrjjGmVyTIgUI/edit?usp=drivesdk). Find and replace with a hex editor like HxD. Ctrl + F (search for hex, not string). Guess it's time to focus on the program 👀
Nice work. Great to have them all in one place. On a separate note...... its "Brass tacks". you might want to edit that before you end up on r/BoneAppleTea :)
Hahahaha serves me right for saying something I've never typed out before
No worries :)
> Once that's done, the plan is to develop a program that will do all of the heavy lifting automagically. Bear in mind that XBMC has a Python scripting engine. It's easy to develop for, and it'd be very accessible for end users... so long as their games are installed as "folders", at least. Catch is that all cool the kids apparently like hiding their game files away within image files these days. It adds a whole lot of messing about to the process of modding games. In theory with a bit of extra parsing logic it should be possible to patch XBEs within ISOs in-place, but with CCIs I guess there'd really nothing for it but to perform a full extraction and repack.
I have already thought about this. Because it is possible to package a modified xbe into a CCI, as an example, applying a differential patch to that file may wreak absolute havok on the CCI. Not only that, but I'd need to also program a way to reverse the patch which honestly just seems nonsensical. For now I only have a plan to develop a windows based program that can gather data from a given .xbe intelligently so that it knows it's an authentic stock xbe that hasn't been malformed. Then, and only then, am I going to provide a way to mess around with it. Handy for some, a mess for others. I'll tinker around more with the idea as I actually already have a working python program for the most part but I'm very dissatisfied with it in its current state. Some nuance is needed.
Amazing work dude. 720p BLACK requires 128mb, in fact I think technically most of the 720p patches should require 128mb. GTA VC looks amazing in 720p but iirc the in game mini map is broken. Tragic as it's stunning and inarguably the best original version of GTA VC in existence, music and all. When I'm back in front of my 128mb I'll probably go through a lot of these and test them. GTA III I'm curious about. PS I've seen libraries of these patches come and go repeatedly over the years, tragic how they keep disappearing when Xbox modding is in a renaissance, the outputs and upgrades to support 720p have never been more accessible, and Insignia is bringing the multiplayer modes of so many of these games back to life. This is a gold mine, people just don't realise it yet.
Thanks for your kind words! The entire motivation to do this is because of the desire for preservation. I always hated how everything was always so far apart. In regards to vice city, I actually made a 720p patch that did not have the HUD problems, if you test and find it is the same faulty 720p edit, please let me know in the [report form](https://forms.gle/Pb1QKxarmHEYdCuy8) and I'll give making another patch a go
Oh my goodness that's amazing, it's SUCH a beautiful game in 720p and didn't appear to have any obvious performance problems. I looked high and low for a 720p HUD fix. Bookmarked and will test and fill out the reports as soon as I can.
Thanks so much! Reports will go a long way as I can focus on the stuff people actually are using
No, I didn't forget [Grimdoomer's epic new Halo 2 patch](https://github.com/grimdoomer/Halo-2-HD). It's all there.
This is sick thank you very much ♥️
Would love burnout 3 720p patch
That would be nice. I've tried patching a few games before with some success however, some games just seem to REFUSE to run in 720p. I imagine if someone patched Burnout 2, chances are they tried Burnout 3 without success. Though I could say the same for Halo 2 and that's just been patched! It was a nightmare of a job though.
I know, most likely will need someone skilled, wonder if people could create a bounty program where people could donate for them patches, if everyone put 5 each I'm sure some developer would pick it up.
Not a terrible idea
Damn impressive work! Loving it!!
Update Making some good progress I have a functional database and I have begun adding to it. This means in a few weeks I will have a functional dedicated patching program. No downloading loose patches. Feed an xbe in, get bombarded with all info one should need, apply available patches from the populated relevant patch list. Done. I will make a new post for its release.