BiFi informs us that PSQTOOLS, the toolset for the PlaySoniq module has been updated.

SMSSAVE is completely new and can savegame data for Sega Master System roms that had support for battery back-upped save states.

SMSLOAD now not only loads Sega Master System, SG-1000 and SC-3000 roms files, but also loads Sega Master System savegame data created with SMSSAVE. SMSLOAD now also supports displaying  SG-1000 and SC-3000 ROM images on the MSX VDP, because these games are TMS9918 compatible. Funny when you realise that we already had the option to use the PlaySoniq for the MSX1 screen output (with the tool DUALVDP), and can now put Sega SG and SC roms on the MSX VDP output.

BiFi uses the PlaySoniq stateful memory option to reserve one part that is then configured as SRAM and used by the loaded rom to write the savegame information. After a soft reset, the SMSSAVE tool can then be used to write that information from memory back to disk. Next time you start SMSLOAD, you can then add the savegame to the SMSLOAD command instruction, which will load the savegame back into the Playsoniq memory and then execute the rom.

In our opinion this is a very clever trick. Also, in the past we heard some users say they liked the PlaySoniq very much, but regretted that progress in games that had some sort of back-up was lost every time they had to quit playing.

This has now been solved, thanks to BiFi!

Grab it at www.tni.nl