Famicom World

Misc. => Other Gaming => Topic started by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 05:00:00 pm

Title: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 05:00:00 pm
While I am playing Super Metroid (on the actual SNES) if I pause the game to bring up the map after I unpause the game the background has changed.  It goes from the normal background to a whole bunch of glitchy images.  I have cleaned the SNES and the game cartridge but didn't help.  Any idea, is my cartridge going bad?
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 05:46:13 pm
This is all I can think of.

1. Is your cart a legitimate copy, not a pirate?
2. Erase your save data. This might be RAM related.
3. Clean your SNES.  (Do any other games have problems?
4. Your SNES may be damaged
5. Your cartridge may be damaged.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 05:51:02 pm
Real cartridge, not pirate.  Had the game since I was a kid.

This even happens when I start a new game.

It doesn't seem to happen in any other games, everything seems to be fine from what I can tell.

Thinking it might be the game.

I did clean the game and the system.  Opened it up and clean the contacts.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 05:55:21 pm
Your cartridge is damaged.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 05:56:31 pm
What would cause that to happen.  The cartridge has been sitting around for a long time.  Just decided to start playing it again.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: ericj on June 01, 2010, 06:00:11 pm
Did you check or replace the battery? Maybe if it's corroding it could cause graphical glitches. I dunno, just a thought.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 06:01:57 pm
Did not think of that.  I will look at it later.  Just trying out other games right now.  Is there any game that really tests out the full features of the SNES?  More like a "test" cartridge without owning one?
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 06:04:12 pm
Quote from: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 06:01:57 pm
Did not think of that.  I will look at it later.  Just trying out other games right now.  Is there any game that really tests out the full features of the SNES?  More like a "test" cartridge without owning one?


Yes, It's called a Burn-in Test Cart, and I own one.

Maybe it's a bit-rot. Try opening your cart and seeing if your board is a pirate using EPROMS. Sometimes these things happen when you buy from seemingly safe places like Ebay.

Not likely, the battery only affects SRAM, not RAM. Unless the battery corrosion, if there is any would send some current to RAM changing things but that's a longshot.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 06:10:25 pm
Here is a picture of the board.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: ericj on June 01, 2010, 06:23:28 pm
When you unpause and the glitch appears, does pausing and unpausing a few times clear it up? Or does it remain that way?
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 06:25:43 pm
Everything looks normal on the PCB. Before I suggest spending money replacing the battery, there is still one other test. Try the game on a PAR. If there are RAM (7E-7F) addresses written to on the cheat screen, you either have a bad battery misfiring to RAM or your RAM is just damaged.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 06:27:03 pm
Sorry could you please re-explain what you mean?  I didn't really understand what you are talking about.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 06:31:24 pm
If you have a Pro Action Replay, see if there are codes written to the cheat screen without you entering them.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 06:36:16 pm
I have a game genie.  I just have to dig it out.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 06:37:00 pm
The Game Genie affects ROM.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 06:46:54 pm
After getting the glitch, if I pause and un-pause it a few times it still stays.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 06:50:12 pm
You need a new cart or SNES, whichever is causing it.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 07:00:00 pm
It seems to be the cart just because I am going through all of my games and that is about the only one with a problem. 

Just didn't know if anyone here had a similar problem and fixed it somehow.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: UglyJoe on June 01, 2010, 07:20:56 pm
I would try removing the battery for a few minutes.  That will ensure that the SRAM is completely erased.  Then reinstall the battery (or try playing it without the battery) and see if the glitch still occurs.  It's not likely it'll fix the problem, but then it's not a likely problem, either.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 07:23:00 pm
I was trying out one of my other saves (i deleted it after I tried it just in case that was a problem) and when I use the x-ray I see the normal "x-ray" stuff.  After I am done the background is funny just like pausing.

Don't know if it matters or not but the pause un-pause background doesn't happen in every room, just some of them.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: 133MHz on June 01, 2010, 07:48:08 pm
Quote from: wolf9545 on June 01, 2010, 07:23:00 pm
doesn't happen in every room, just some of them.


Could it be a flaky address decoder then? Not bankswitching properly under certain situations and causing glitchy gfx because of the wrong memory segment being read.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 01, 2010, 08:50:35 pm
If it does not happen in special rooms, it could be affecting certain banks.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 02, 2010, 06:48:21 am
I have noticed something.  I was playing E.V.O. and the main character has some vertical lines over him.  I have also tried cleaning the cartridge but didn't seem to help.  I am now wondering if it is just a chip going bad in the SNES.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: nensondubois on June 02, 2010, 07:36:37 am
Well it seems that you have some damage on the VRAM on the SNES side. It's time to invest in a new SNES.
Title: Re: Super Metroid background problem
Post by: wolf9545 on June 02, 2010, 07:41:58 am
That is what it seems to me too.  I guess only one section is going bad.  The section that both of these games are calling too.  I would like to try out those two games on another SNES ( I only have one) sometime just to make sure though.