HUGE PSP Prototype and PS2 find! (Also weird Hwang Shinwei cartridge)

[Armageddon Potato | 124]

I recently uncovered over 100 PSP prototypes and 20+ PS2 prototypes in a huge local find! I also picked up from the same source a very weird Hwang Shinwei cartridge, although I am unsure if it's just a typical Hwang Shinwei bootleg cartridge or a prototype. While I am backing up as we speak all the PSP and PS2 protos, I am unsure how to back up the Hwang Shinwei cartridge? Anyone know how I could that?

There's some cool stuff in here including what appears to be an early Dead Head Fred consumer demo! Also Rogue Galaxy on the PS2 looks like it could be possibly early development? I'll have a curated list soon in the prototype corner on VGS!

I will be selling off a large chunk of these to help fund more prototype dumpings!

Edited July 16, 2023 by Armageddon Potato

[fcgamer | 4,729]

Dm sent 

[spacepup | 2,405]

Very cool find! 

I have several of the Test Sample PSP UMDs - some of those will match the standard retail release, and some of them will likely be unique / earlier versions.  You can usually tell by comparing the version number listed on the test sample, to the version number on the retail release (which is located internally in the data).  Once you get pictures and/or a list of them, I'd love to help compare the list to the known retail versions, and can help identify which are expected to be earlier releases (if you need the help that is).

Sent ya a PM about maybe other ways we can work together regarding preserving them / documenting them.  I'm not necessarily looking to swoop them all up, but I would like to help here.  Although Rogue Galaxy is a game I absolutely love and would potentially be interested in that one.

Either way, great find and I hope I can help here!

[Code Monkey | 2,011]

How would one person have so many prototypes from different companies?

[FireHazard51 | 2,044]

44 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

How would one person have so many prototypes from different companies?

Corporate espionage.  Honestly wouldn't be surprised if an employee sold off early demo's to bootleggers.

[Armageddon Potato | 124]

1 hour ago, Code Monkey said:

How would one person have so many prototypes from different companies?

The story is some ex-employee had these in their basement in a box and just wanted a Super Nintendo and some games for it all. He almost turned them away not knowing what they were, but his buddy told him to get them. Good thing he got them in the end!

[Jfreakofkorn | 282]

Cool discovery n find . . . 

 

[Tanooki | 4,936]

As far as the NES game goes, you'll need minimally a PC device that can read the cart and dump it.  The problem could be with software if it can't recognize it, CRC blockage or whatever, if it doesn't understand it.  If you had a tool that just dropped the raw PRG and CHR data from the cart as individual captures not caring about petty header etc specifics that likely would be best.

Maybe someone has a custom tool or perhaps with all the crazy stuff BennVenn has done and sold/sells for years now they'd have something.  I know they DO have something for the Gameboy side, a Joey Jr that will take whatever and read-write whatever too if it's a chip that can do it.

[Ankos | 444]

1 minute ago, Tanooki said:

As far as the NES game goes, you'll need minimally a PC device that can read the cart and dump it.  The problem could be with software if it can't recognize it, CRC blockage or whatever, if it doesn't understand it.  If you had a tool that just dropped the raw PRG and CHR data from the cart as individual captures not caring about petty header etc specifics that likely would be best.

Maybe someone has a custom tool or perhaps with all the crazy stuff BennVenn has done and sold/sells for years now they'd have something.  I know they DO have something for the Gameboy side, a Joey Jr that will take whatever and read-write whatever too if it's a chip that can do it.

I've heard Joey Jobags is more flexible than a Joey Jr. You can also make something that plugs into the Gameboy's link cable port and hook it up to the parallel port on an old computer

Whenever I've asked for recommendations on dumping devices for FC/NES I've always heard that CopyNES and Tengu are good options

Here's a link to a Tengu. I'm still waiting for mine to arrive

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805429643723.html

[Tanooki | 4,936]

I've not heard of tengu but copynes, that's a classic.  Joey Jobags sounds vaguely familiar.  The Jr I'm holding off on because of the more recent more rapid development of the GB Operator I have in opening the door to read-write of whatever cart has made me hold of spending.  As of now multiple current to GBA era chinese writeable carts are usable on there to make your own games by uploading them to it.  They're looking to add more including the Nintendo made Lawsons kiosk Nintendo Power GB Memory cart.  I'll be thrilled when that happens as I've been wanting to rebuild mine with the download only gems like Balloon Fight GB etc.

[Ankos | 444]

Tengus are from Mainland China. They're not common in the West, but they work well. They can dump multicarts, which is something I've heard Kazzos have trouble with

Edit: Jobags was what BennVenn was selling prior to the Joey Jr. A little less easy to use (though still pretty easy) and very customizable if you have the know how to do so. They're unfortunately out of print. I think the Tengu people made a few other dumping devices for other platforms, so maybe their Gameboy one is good, not that I know off the top of my head where to get one

Edited July 17, 2023 by Ankos

[Tyree_Cooper | 757]

Pwah that's nuts! congrats

Give us a list at least, you lucky pornstar!!

[jajaja | 10]

That is a very nice find indeed! Congrats on this find!

[RH | 4,916]

If you don't mind me asking, where do you live and where did you find this?

On the East Coast, especially in more rural areas like where I live, I'd never find anything like this.   I'm always curious where people find these insane lots from, I assume, the estates of former game developers.  Obviously, these don't pop up often, but I can't imagine ever finding anything like this in the foothills of NC.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.  I always find this stuff completely fascinating.

[Armageddon Potato | 124]

On 7/17/2023 at 6:04 AM, RH said:

If you don't mind me asking, where do you live and where did you find this?

On the East Coast, especially in more rural areas like where I live, I'd never find anything like this.   I'm always curious where people find these insane lots from, I assume, the estates of former game developers.  Obviously, these don't pop up often, but I can't imagine ever finding anything like this in the foothills of NC.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.  I always find this stuff completely fascinating.

I'm in Sacramento CA. Honestly there's TOO much video game stuff here! There's more than one flea market around here EVERY DAY of the week! There's just a ton of game stuff in general around here. I do actively hunt it down since that's part of the fun for me!

[RH | 4,916]

2 hours ago, Armageddon Potato said:

I'm in Sacramento CA. Honestly there's TOO much video game stuff here! There's more than one flea market around here EVERY DAY of the week! There's just a ton of game stuff in general around here. I do actively hunt it down since that's part of the fun for me!

[Armageddon Potato | 124]

1 hour ago, RH said:

Don't give up! If you look, you'll find stuff! Even in the dreaded SF area where SMB/DH was minimum $20 I managed to find some hidden gems in the places I managed to look! It was crazy how expensive everything was, and that was like 6 years ago! Most of the game shops there have closed down since then(at least the ones I tried visiting.)

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

16 minutes ago, Armageddon Potato said:

Don't give up! If you look, you'll find stuff! Even in the dreaded SF area where SMB/DH was minimum $20 I managed to find some hidden gems in the places I managed to look! It was crazy how expensive everything was, and that was like 6 years ago! Most of the game shops there have closed down since then(at least the ones I tried visiting.)

Next time you are in southbay, a couple decent ones have opened up in santa clara, and milpitas.