VMU archiving project

[WesF]

Love that this collection exists and that new discoveries are still being made all these years later! In addition to being a Dreamcast fan I'm a journalist currently researching for an article about the past and future (thanks to the VM2!) of this wonderful little memory card. Going to reach out to Streeker for a chat, but would welcome any highlights from anyone in terms of what you think are the coolest and weirdest VMU extras!

[OatBob]

This is just the minigames for retail software, there's a bunch of indie minigames. Maybe reach out to Falco Gigris who has recently researched these while working on his VMU emulator.

Other interests that many ask about are about some of the screen images that change with some softare, and a full library of original DLC. The reality is nobody has done the task yet, so it's a big hole in our knowledgebase. To be honest, researching this stuff is tedious, but not skill intensive. Anyone should be able to do it. Much is locked in the Japanese region, and I think most casual gamers fear going there.

A catalog of "good" gamesaves organized for VM2 would be appealing to me. Once again, there's a ton of gamesaves out there... just the work needs to be done for organization.

Personally, my favorite part of the VM2 is how it's bringing gamesave sharing back to the foreground. That's one feature that could unite the real-hardware and emulation scene.

[WesF]

This is just the minigames for retail software, there's a bunch of indie minigames. Maybe reach out to Falco Gigris who has recently researched these while working on his VMU emulator.

Other interests that many ask about are about some of the screen images that change with some softare, and a full library of original DLC. The reality is nobody has done the task yet, so it's a big hole in our knowledgebase. To be honest, researching this stuff is tedious, but not skill intensive. Anyone should be able to do it. Much is locked in the Japanese region, and I think most casual gamers fear going there.

A catalog of "good" gamesaves organized for VM2 would be appealing to me. Once again, there's a ton of gamesaves out there... just the work needs to be done for organization.

Personally, my favorite part of the VM2 is how it's bringing gamesave sharing back to the foreground. That's one feature that could unite the real-hardware and emulation scene.

Really appreciate the perspective and suggestions, thank you! As I've been digging into the stuff folks have collected here over the years it's really been a treat to see how many weird and creative uses for the VMU there were that I never knew about.

[OatBob]

The magazine issue for Enterbrain's VM Data-shuu is information rich. It was published (Heisei-14) 2002.01.11 so some later information may be missing.

Learn about it at Sega Retro.
get the data disc HERE at archive.org

It's lists all special edition VMs with pictures, info on special edition VMs, some cheats, and a solid set of notes on the special saves from the included GD-ROM. It even has a picture of our coveted cyber coupon.

VM-Data-Shuu_cybercoupon.jpg (26.06 KiB) Viewed 2830 times

For the purposes of this minigame project, I'm auditing the list of minigames.

1. (128) Sonic Adventure: Chao's stroll Adventure
2. (20) Sega Rally 2: Record Viewer
3. (128) Power Stone: [Power Stone Mini] Falcon's Sky Adventure
4. (---) Power Stone: [Power Stone Mini] Ayame's Shuriken Training
5. (---) Power Stone: [Power Stone Mini] Gunrock's Gun-Gun Slots
6. (40) Real Sound ~Kaze No Regret~: BaBaBaBattle
7. (33) Yukawa Moto Senmu No Otakara Sagashi: SPACE SENMU
8. (128) Giant Gram All Japan Pro-Wrestling 2: Giant Channel
9. (128) Cho Hatsumei Boy Kanipan [Special Edition VMU]: Asonde Kid DCDC (deshideshi)
10. (21) Seaman ~kindan no pet~: Seaman storage container
11. (80) Akihabara Dennou-Gumi PataPies!: Akihabara Dennou-Gumi PataPies!
12. (56) Pop'n Music 2: anywhere Pop'n Music
13. (123) Climax Landers: Tsuyudak IV
14. (54) Climax Landers: get rid of it
15. (103) Climax Landers: [Time-killing pack] Grab the Chicken
16. (---) Climax Landers: [Time-killing pack] SUPER EXOTIC SLOT MACHINE
17. (---) Climax Landers: [Time-killing pack] most dangerous janken
18. (---) Climax Landers: [Time-killing pack] a mole is coming!!
19. (111) Climax Landers: [Rich-life pack] Climax editor (icon editor)
20. (---) Climax Landers: [Rich-life pack] flaming phone book
21. (---) Climax Landers: [Rich-life pack] fortune teller Yukata
22. (106) Climax Landers: Yogurt's Big Adventure
23. (128) Climax Landers: what a legend!
24. (96) Atsumare! GuruGuru Onsen: Little Kotori's Fortune-telling
25. (50) Maboroshi Tskiyo: Character Clock
26. (40) J.LEAGUE Pro Soccer Club Wo Tsukurou!: anywhere Saka Tsuku
27. (76) Marionette Company: Heartful Catch
28. (110) ZOMBIE REVENGE: ZONBIE REVENGE
29. (50) Pro Yakyu Team de Asobou!: Let's Play! VM Trade
30. (45) Tokyo Bus Guide: Traffic Sign Quiz
31. (128) Sengoku Turb Fanfan I Love Me Dance-doublentendre: VM-Chan
32. (30) Evolution 2: Far-off Promise: Linear Clock
33. (50) Shenmue ch1 Yokosuka: Shenmue Collection
34. (128) Choukou Senki Kikaioh: [Choukou Senki Kikaioh mini] LOVE & PUNCH
35. (---) Choukou Senki Kikaioh: [Choukou Senki Kikaioh mini] Dream Together!!
36. (---) Choukou Senki Kikaioh: [Choukou Senki Kikaioh mini] Janken Fight!
37. (30) ROOMANIA#203: Mojipuchi
38. (64) Pop'n Music 3 Append Disc: anywhere Pop'n Music vol.2
39. (128) Sega GT Homologation Special: HOMOPOKE (homologation pocket)
40. (27) World Neverland Plus 2: Imuppi
41. (64) MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 2 New Age of Heroes: MARVEL VS. CAPCOM .COM
42. (104) Hello Kitty Otonaru Mail: Hello Kitty Diet Room
43. (???) Sakura Momoko Gekijou Coji Coji: Coji Coji Watch
44. (???) Kiteretsu Boy's GanGaGan: Kotodamashi Encyclopedia
45. (128) Power Stone 2: Mini Photo Book
46. (128) Super Runabout: Runabout
47. (38) Super Runabout: Climax Editor
48. (61) Rent a Hero No.1: Outtrigger (the titles of these 3 "games" are Japanese puns)
49. (---) Rent a Hero No.1: F-san GOGO
50. (---) Rent a Hero No.1: Gachara Collection
51. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: Pokekano
52. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: Pair-Pari 15
53. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: dokidoki fusen
54. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: number card
55. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: Kobuta piggy-bank
56. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: Slot Chance
57. (128) Poke-Kano ~Yumi, Shizuka, Fumio~: Dash to Tomorrow!
58. (69) Animaster - Mini Animasta notebook
59. (83) Eternal Arcadia - VM Expedition Team
60. (60) Pop'n Music 4 Append Disc: anywhere Pop'n Music vol.3
61. (88) Tantei Shinshi Dash!: Together with Mint
62. (30) Bass Rush Dream: Bass Rush Mini
63. (22) CardCaptor Sakura - Tomoyo No Video Daisakusen: Snack-hunter Kero-chan
64. (24) CardCaptor Sakura - Tomoyo No Video Daisakusen: Skip-it Kero-chan
65. (10) CardCaptor Sakura - Tomoyo No Video Daisakusen: Character clocks (4 types: Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan, Kero-chan, Lee-kun)
66. (24) EVE Zero ~ark of the matter: BEAM FORCE
67. (64) Sakura Taisen 3 ~Paris is burning~: a couple in Paris
68. (128) Sonic Adventure 2: Walking Adventure 2
69. (85) Culdcept Second: Pocket Book
70. (68) Sakura Taisen Online ~Teito No Nagai Hibi~: VM Business Card Exchange-Kun
71. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: Tisse(A) (NOTE: article mentions 7 characters x2 patterns for 14 types)
72. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: Tisse(B)
73. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(A)
74. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(B)
75. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(A)
76. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(B)
77. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(A)
78. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(B)
79. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(A)
80. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(B)
81. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(A)
82. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(B)
83. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(A)
84. (40) [web DLC] Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue: ???(B)
85. (98) [web DLC] SoulCalibur: Björnvold (bounce)
86. (--) [web DLC] SoulCalibur: Cannon close call
87. (--) [web DLC] SoulCalibur: playing with words
88. (99) [web DLC] SoulCalibur: Text Adventure - Xianghua's Story
89. [Standalone VM] Atsumete! ~Gojira Kaijuu Dai Shuugou~
90. [Standalone VM] Mothra Dream Battle
91. [Standalone VM] Gamera Dream Battle

These "international" titles have the English version of the same minigames.

• Sonic Adventure International: Chao Adventure (USA version)
• US Shenmue: Shenmue Goodies

Some software have different versions, but host the same minigames. This magazine made a point to omit these redundant titles, and listed them in a note:

• Atsumare! GuruGuru Onsen BB
• Tokyo Bus Guide - Bijin Bus Guide
• US Shenmue
• Choukou Senki Kikaioh for Matching Service
• Super Runabout - San Francisco Edition
• Sonic Adventure INTERNATIONAL
• Saka Tsuku Tokudaigou J.LEAGUE Pro Soccer Club Wo Tsukurou!
• Saka Tsuku Tokudaigou 2 J.LEAGUE Pro Soccer Club Wo Tsukurou!
• Sakura Taisen Online ~Paris no Nagai Hibi~

This is running long, let's break a separate post to address Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue character DLC

[OatBob]

VM DATA-Shuu mentions post-release DLC for Yuukyuu Gensoukyoku 3 Perpetual Blue and SoulCalibur. Yukyuu Gens.... 3 has 7 characters with 2 types of animations each for 14 total animations. The SoulCalibur DLC has been recovered already.

Campaign website discovered, we can confirm it is DLC. The campaign had some arrangement at different convenience game stores. This sounds like the Climax Landers disc at arcades and events. One difference is that this announcement describes 10 types of data, not 14. This data is also split between VMS and PocketStation so who knows what's out there.

Source:
https://web.archive.org/web/20000408040 ... b/cam.html

Now we have more to discover. Also, don't forget about Shenmue: The Movie ticket and the other Cyber Coupons.
viewtopic.php?p=188158#p188158

[OatBob]

I have a notion on the Shenmue saves, maybe a Shenmue super-fan could help.

The VS Books guidebook has artwork of some character animations. Can we identify these characters? My thinking is that we could modify an existing file and "paint" in the animation. First we would need to identify the characters, and then work out the file naming convention to see how they are indexed.

Latest help post here for more information:
viewtopic.php?p=129742#p129742

[streeker]

Neat idea to redraw the animations. I just did a quick check of the characters in the left column, and there's at least three characters that we don't have yet. Are there more pages in that guidebook with these character animations?

[OatBob]

Neat idea to redraw the animations. I just did a quick check of the characters in the left column, and there's at least three characters that we don't have yet. Are there more pages in that guidebook with these character animations?

Unfortunately this is all displayed in that particular guide. I cut size down 50% for this thread, but a better quality scan can be shared if someone is up for the task. It might not be bad hitting up old fanpages or other strategy guides to discover more like this. Then again, VERSUS BOOKS had exceptional quality content.

[streeker]

If you would scan it in higher quality, I might give it a try. This should be helpful for mapping the animations to their associated names: https://shenmue.neoseeker.com/wiki/Shenmue_Goodies

And maybe, someone should team up with ShaunHastings ( https://shenmuedojo.com/forum/index.php ... ions.5677/ ). He seems to be up for the task, too.

[streeker]

Too bad. I've had a quick look at the Shenmue animation VMS files, and they differ from the typical VMU animations. Which means, I surely would be able to recreate the animations from the guidebook as animated GIFs, for example. But I won't be able to make them work within the Shenmue Goodies minigame.