Improve build instructions

[stkptr]

The build instructions are missing a couple dependencies (Debian): make libavutil-dev libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev libswscale-dev

Also, the isolicence.dat required to build the ISO seems to be nonstandard. I tried using mkpsxiso to dump the license from the published ISO but it's too small (pscd-new demands 0x930 * 16 or 37632 bytes, dumped is 28032 bytes). So I'm unsure how to generate the disc image.

I created a Dockerfile which builds the game by downloading it via Git (name it Dockerfile, run with DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 docker build --output=out .):

FROM debian:12.5 AS build

RUN apt update \
    && apt install -y \
        python3-numpy python3-scipy python3-pillow \
        genisoimage \
        git wget \
        make \
        libavutil-dev libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev libswscale-dev \
    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

ENV WURL https://wonderful.asie.pl/bootstrap/wf-bootstrap-x86_64.tar.gz
RUN mkdir -p /opt/wonderful && wget -O- "${WURL}" | tar -xzC /opt/wonderful
ENV PATH /opt/wonderful/bin:${PATH}
ENV WONDERFUL_TOOLCHAIN /opt/wonderful
RUN wf-pacman -Syu

RUN ln -s /proc/mounts /etc/mtab
RUN yes '' | wf-pacman -S toolchain-gcc-mipsel-elf
ENV PATH /opt/wonderful/toolchain/gcc-mipsel-elf/bin:${PATH}

RUN git clone https://github.com/ChenThread/candyk-psx
WORKDIR /candyk-psx
RUN git checkout 5d91befa && make

WORKDIR /

RUN git clone https://github.com/ChenThread/fromage
WORKDIR /fromage
RUN git checkout 6ecc7a9c && mkdir obj out

RUN make clean && make TYPE=exe REGION=usa && mv boot.exe out/boot-usa.exe
RUN make clean && make TYPE=exe REGION=europe && mv boot.exe out/boot-eur.exe

COPY isolicence.dat /fromage
# I'm not sure where these are output
#RUN make clean && make REGION=usa && mv somewhere.iso out/iso-usa.iso
#RUN make clean && make REGION=europe && mv somewhere.iso out/iso-eur.iso

FROM scratch AS binaries
COPY --from=build /fromage/out /

[squishylemon]

Regarding the isolicence.dat, I was facing the same issue but managed to get a working cue/bin build by using the Python script I created below to pad the license file to the required size. The game does boot; however, I’m not entirely sure if my modifications are the cause, but I can’t move around in the game.

My modifications involve a main menu screen, which I can navigate, and the ability to generate/load worlds.

I might try building an unmodified version to check if it has the same issues. When running under the DuckStation Emulator, it works perfectly fine.

import os

# Define file paths
input_file = "isolicence.dat"  # Replace with your dumped file path
output_file = "isolicence_padded.dat"  # Output file name

# Required size in bytes
required_size = 37632

# Read the existing file
with open(input_file, "rb") as f:
    data = f.read()

# Check current size
current_size = len(data)

if current_size < required_size:
    # Calculate padding needed
    padding_size = required_size - current_size
    print(f"File is {current_size} bytes, padding with {padding_size} bytes.")

    # Add padding (using 0x00; adjust if another byte is required)
    padded_data = data + b'\x00' * padding_size

    # Write the padded file
    with open(output_file, "wb") as f:
        f.write(padded_data)

    print(f"File padded successfully to {required_size} bytes. Saved as {output_file}.")
elif current_size == required_size:
    print("File is already the correct size. No padding needed.")
else:
    print(f"File is larger than the required size ({current_size} > {required_size}). Padding not applied.")

[squishylemon]

Turns out it will produce a CUE and BIN, but emulators can't verify the game properly. Running it on a real PlayStation softmodded causes the game to freeze once you enter the generated world. :( Back to searching!

Ok so now I have managed to get a iso to build via mkpsxiso but it still freezes on a real ps1 (softmodded), Good thing though is it boots like a real disc on emulators and runs fine so maybe a softmod issue Im not sure