Saving game to memory card slot 2 in NFS: High Stakes

mocoloco

Pi Model or other hardware: RPi4
Power Supply used: official
RetroPie Version Used: 4.7.1
Built From: Pre made SD Image on RetroPie website
Filename: retropie-buster-4.7.1-rpi4_400.img.gz
USB Devices connected: 2 USB controllers, USB memory stick 64GB
Controller used: Logitech Gamepad F310
Error messages received: Could not find a Need For Speed: High Stakes save file on the current memory card in memory slot 2, please insert a valid memory card in memory card slot 2.
Emulator: biosSCPH101.BIN

I'm trying to play Need For Speed: High Stakes using the "High Stakes" feature of racing for ownership of the cars. I recieve the error message mentioned above. I am able to save to the second memory card in other games. I have enabled this option in the config file. In NFS High Stakes, however, you need a separate memory card from someone else to race against. How can I save a game to the memory card in slot 2 on NFS High Stakes? I have looked everywhere and can't find any info on this anywhere. Anytime I find something close to matching this issue, it gets closed with no solution. I am new to RetroPie, so please be patient with me as I'm trying to learn.

Thanks for any help.

mitu

I don't recall an emulator having this option (using the 2nd memcard instead of the first for saves) - and it might as well be that the original game cannot do that. What you can do is take the 1st memory card save file and rename it so that the emulator reads it as being the 2nd card.

mocoloco

@mitu The games will allow you to select the second memory card slot if it is enabled in the configuration. For example, Spyro The Dragon, when it first loads the game, it asks you which memory card to use Slot 1 or Slot 2. Any other game will let you select which memory card to save to. NFS High Stakes, doesn't allow you to select which memory card to save to or load from. I tried changing the name of the save file to Need for Speed - High Stakes (USA) 1.srm, but it didn't see it as an extra memory card. Is there a specific file name that it needs to be so that NFS High Stakes can read from it? All the other games don't seem to have a separate file for the second memory card. It seems to be built in to the original file. I just need to find a way to either save to the second memory card (which I don't think is possible in the game), or to reload the same file for the second player. Any thoughts on if this is even possible?

mitu

@mocoloco You didn't mention which emulator are you using. pcsx_rearmed has an option to enable the 2nd memcard and the it's named pcsx-card2.mcd (see here). duckstation has a different name, I think it names the memory card files as rom_1.mcd and rom_2.mcd.

mocoloco

@mitu So, I am using the pcsx_rearmed emulator. But, I don't think I'm using Libretro like the link you sent. I'm using RetroPie. Are they different? In the options on my system, the option for the 2nd memory card says (shared). When this is enabled, and I try to load a high stakes game (i.e. race against the second player), it finds a second memory card, but no game file (since there isn't one). When this option is not enabled, the game doesn't even find a second memory card, and tells me to insert a memory card into slot 2. The emulator on my system has a slightly different name, though. I think it something like ls_pcsx_rearmed. Does this matter? Is this not the same one? The option for the second memory card only has on and off for the shared memory option. I'll try to copy the SRM file and rename it to the file name you mentioned, but I have doubts that it will work. I haven't changed anything on the system other than adding a BIOS for the PSX. Do I need to use a different emulator or something?

mitu

@mocoloco lr-pcsx-rearmed is the Libretro (RetroArch) version of pcsx-rearmed. If renaming the card file doesn't work, you can try the lr-duckstation PS1 emulator.