1. you do need modchip in your ps2 console, without it, you can't do anything.
2. if you do not have modchip, then only way is to get gameshark or other similiar hardware (which should contain modchip features too)
3. if you do have modchip all you need is gameshark CD/DVD or codebreaker CD/DVD (im sure theres others too)
IMPORTANT UPDATE (27 aug 09)
i put it in front, cuz its important thing that just popped in my mind. about 8 years ago or so, i remember that my friend had unmodified ps2, but i had some light modchip which played self made games thru "mega memory manager", but i wanted to test it in my friend's unmodified ps2. surprise was that unmodified ps2 read that cd just fine, only that it couldn't boot self made games thru it.
so if you have unmodified ps2, you can still try to burn codebreaker, gameshark, ar max ..etc on CD and try to run it. if im correct, then it should run, which means you can use it on your original games and hack them. MAYBE it even allows you to boot self made games (but i highly doubt).
and plz reply here if you try this with unmodified ps2 and let me and others know if it works or not, also do not forget to use proper cd/dvd (make SURE that your ps2 is compatible with the type of cd/dvd you are using read, below about media type - and + and which ps2 reads what)
I did a quick test on ps2 emulator (pcsx2), codebreaker CD works fine, but when i tried to start Metal Gear Solid 3 thru codebreaker, then emulator crashed. i haven't burned it on CD and tested in my ps2 yet, but it should work.
codebreaker has lots of built in cheatcodes (memory hacks) so all you need to do is choose them.
i added few screens too.
UPDATE:
i have successfully tested it on console (burned it on CD), but there's some things you need to know before burning.
find out what BIOS version your PS2 has. for example i have 30004R, and it can only read DVD-R media (including CDs).
some 5000xx can read DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW. so make sure you have right media before burning or it wont read the media.
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how do i know what media i have ?
Im using Sateira CD/DVD burner software, it has a 'info' button, which shows you info about inserted disc, im sure there's lots of other programs that shows it too.
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How to hack PS2 games / How to make own codes:
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This part im still working on, but basics are just like in PC hacking. its basically like making a trainer. in PC you need some kind of emulator or maybe a debugger would do too. in PC first you will make the hacks, then you get the memory offsets and values and based on that you insert so called codes into your device/software which you are using on PS2.
my PS2 has a faulty laser, so it doesn't motivate me much to get into this and i can't test on emulator, because as i said before, when i try to run any game in emulator thru codebreaker, it will crash the ps2 emu.
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CodeBreaker:
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This part explains few things about codebreaker live cd (device should be same).
1. codes are encrypted, they are not actual memory offsets and/or values.
2. there's a tool called CB2crypt which can encrypt/decrypt those codes.
otherwise it is same method as in pc (described above)
There's also button combinations for assigning your hacks, i tried to find a list for codebreaker, but didnt, so i need to map them myself .. ugh.
here is an example for those who would like to modify codes.
it is from game Gran Turismo 4 and it is for Ultimate speed boost:
encrypted codes (as they appear in codebreaker)
Code: Select all
125452ab 6d6a9353
6714aafa 78820b4b
467d56ac b87ff6a9
087616eb dae935ba
59e53b01 5e50a8e1
b1ccbdb9 54117814
892f6d53 5e40de35
61901813 9b83ce1b
Code: Select all
200C0210 3C0142C8
200C0214 44810000
200C0218 080D4B8E
5C72D4BC 95A659B5
D086F99C 0000B7FF
20352E30 08030084
D086F99C 0000FFFF
20352E30 2605000C
200C0210 3C0142C8
200C0214 44810000
200C0218 080D4B8E
these are breakpoints for speed or whatever is used in game to get the boost.
5C72D4BC 95A659B5 - should be offset and value for speed boost
D086F99C 0000B7FF - ON
20352E30 08030084 - ON
D086F99C 0000FFFF - OFF
20352E30 2605000C - OFF
These, for sure are on/off hotkeys.
where "0000B7FF" is the button configuration for ON and "0000FFFF" is button combination for OFF.
its empty (FFFF), because its toggle hotkey:
hotkeys are as follows:
hold down R1+X = speed boost on
release R1+X = speed boost off
"B7FF" means R1+X (or X+R1) so:
BFFF - should be either X or R1 and F7FF should be the other option then.
these are AR Max reversed values for buttons, look how similiar they are to codebreaker.
X is FFBF and R1 is FFF7, so im pretty sure that in codebreaker F7FF is R1 and BFFF is X.
Code: Select all
0xFFFE - L2
0xFFFD - R2
0xFFFB - L1
0xFFF7 - R1
0xFFEF - Triangle
0xFFDF - Circle
0xFFBF - X
0xFF7F - Square
0xFEFF - Select
0xFDFF - L3
0xFBFF - R3
0xF7FF - Start
0xEFFF - Up
0xDFFF - Right
0xBFFF - Down
0x7FFF - Left
D086F99C 0000FFFF
20352E30 2605000C
now when i pressed R1+X, speed boost stayed ON all the time, i had to reset game to get it off.
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my version of codebreaker does not have Resident Evil 4 cheats on it, so this will be my first project, IF i'll even take a deeper look in it. I'll hack RE4 the same way i did that on PC and then write codebreaker codes for it, however it is time consuming and other shit like that. no promises, if you want to take a look in it on your own, feel free to ask help.