Chinese ROMhacker YZB has coded a high-level hack of the Sega Saturn Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [Akumajou Dracula X-Gekka no Yasoukyoku] which implements a number of quality of life improvements by using the 4MB RAM cart and other modifications: Disk-reading slowdown is improved by preloading data to a 4MB RAM cart, the CD file layout is optimized, and several other fixes/improvements are employed, such as smoother character animations, the ability to skip cut scenes, and more. See below for the full details.
Here is the release thread, and below are the translated release notes:
# Castlevania X YZB optimized version (dependent on 4M RAM accelerator card)
## Summary:
* This version is optimized on the basis of the Japanese version. If you want to run on a non-Japanese version host, please patch the image with your own area code
* This version is only optimized for reading the disk, the sound, picture, operation and other contents are the same as the original version without modification
* This version requires 32Mbit (4MByte) expansion accelerator card to run (simulator please enter the settings to choose the expansion cassette, the host please Insert the expansion accelerator card), if not set or not inserted, there will be an error prompt interface after the Sega authorization sign after startup
* The source image conforms to the following data verification before modification: http://redump.org/disc/3849/
* * Akumajou Dracula X-Gekka no Yasoukyoku (Japan) (2M)* Mirror for release uses Clone CD format
* * If you need to use a software other than Clone CD to burn the disk, please directly select the file with the suffix CUE in the burning software.
* * If you need to use virtual hardware for optical drives like Rhea / Phoebe, you don’t need to convert the format.## Modify the description:
### 2020.05.14 22:00
* Fixed an issue where the acceleration card warning screen was not detected on the actual machine.
* Fix the problem of random black screen when booting for the second time on the real machine.
* Corrected the acceleration card file verification algorithm after restart.
* Modified description document layout (UTF-8 encoding, adapted to 80 character boundaries, adapted to MarkDown syntax)#### 2020.05.09 22:00
* Compress files and optimize reading.
* Significantly speed up the response time for the three characters to call out and exit the map.
* Significantly speed up the response time of Aruka to press the start button to enter the menu and exit the menu, the effect is very obvious in the archive room
The black time of a single screen is slightly different depending on the complexity of the current level).
* Press the shortcut key in the game to directly call up the map:1. Richter and Maria can directly call up the map by pressing the L key. Press L or B on the map interface to exit the map and return to the game without pause.
2. Because the L key of Arucado uses the third-hand prop, it is changed to press the B (jump) + R (back) key to call up the map.
3. Arukado is on the map display interface, press B to return to the game, press L to go to the menu interface.
* * Optimize the smoothness of character movements (to avoid frequent repeated decompression of character action sequence frames)
* * Other modification and optimization:1. You can press the start button to skip all plots and cg animations (the default pass once)
2. Optimize CD file arrangement
3. The innermost dummy file filled with 100m
4. Dummy file filled with 100m on the outermost side of the mirror## Supplementary instructions for reading data:
* Enter the game for the first time after booting, at the first Now Loading screen (the interface that can control the direction of Now Loading), the game
It will read about 3MB files into the accelerator card, and the loading time is generally 15-20 seconds, or even shorter. This is a one-time, if you do not shut down, next
Will not read again. Please do not reset or shut down at this time. When you come back to this screen later, the loading time will be faster than the unoptimized original version.* In the game, except for level switching, entering the boss room and clearing, do not read data at other times (including going to the library, teleport, and character death
The title screen returned after death, but the sound and animation AVI file data will still be read)* The level of the game and the boss room reading speed is slightly faster than the original
* Thanks to the following people for their help, there will be no optimized version without them (in no particular order)
glf999, Ken, megavolt85, SONIC3D, sky0611* Thanks to the following people for their hard work on the actual test (in no particular order)
chie, dtxyy, SONIC3D, TZM, WALL-E 52Hz, Ake, Dragon, Saturn brother, happiness, む 蓶 独 嗳 袮 お,
バ イ オ ハ ザ ー ド* It is recommended to use ssf when playing in the simulator. In program 4 of the setting interface, it will be better to turn on the grid translucent effect
* If you find a crash or black screen during the game, please leave a message at any of the following website addresses
* * http://bbs.chinaemu.org/read-htm-tid-128698.html
* * https://club.tgfcer.com/thread-8306201-1-1.html
* * https://www.ppxclub.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=698535by yzb
2020.05.14 22:30
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