SD Gundam G Generation: Gather Beat

SD Gundam G Generation: Gather Beat
Developer: Vanguard Works Publisher: Bandai Platform: WonderSwan Released in JP: July 13, 2000 This game has unused graphics. This game has unused text. This game has hidden bonus content.

This game's online features are no longer supported. While this game's online features were once accessible, they are (as of March 31, 2003) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

To do: Look for a debug menu.

SD Gundam G Generation: Gather Beat is the second G Generation game on the WonderSwan, and the first by Vanguard. Its new Unit Stacking and Character ID (special ability) systems would become staples in future portable titles from both Tom Create and Vanguard.

Like many early WonderSwan games, Gather Beat made heavy use of the console's serial port. The WonderGate cell phone modem gave it access to both multiplayer games and DLC unlocks. It was also sold as a special edition with the Wonderwave IR peripheral to let it interface with the PS1 and PocketStation.

Unused Text

To do: rip and compile fonts

In addition to a massive bank of half-width and a few full-width kanji, the ROM contains two different Latin fonts. All are stored as tiled sprites. Both Latin fonts are incomplete. A handful of of the Latin characters are used in status screens, menus, and MS model numbers: the remainder are unused. All English-language text in the inter-stage menus, cutscenes, and round beginning/end title cards is instead drawn into their respective screens.

Hidden Graphics

While Bandai's marketing offered "over 150 units and 190 characters!", the actual number within the ROM is closer to 140 of each, with several dummy entries.

Placeholders

Large boxed numbers appear at various points in the sprite banks for Upgrade parts, the MS/Warship map counters, and character portraits. Unit placeholders and upgrade parts are in the same 3×3 tile format, while character placeholders are in 4×12.

Possible Dummied-out Characters

In addition to the other placeholder graphics, 9 slots in the character portrait bank are replaced with a crudely hand-written "欠番" ("Missing Number"), commonly used for dummied-out or unfinished elements. These are stored in the same 4x12 tile format as the characters themselves. The Missing Number tile is identical in each location.

Defunct Online Content

DLC

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: Was the DLC content all on the cartridge, or was some saved to SRAM? What was the unlocking mechanism? Is there additional DLC that was never released?

The game used the Wondergate's SwanWeb online service to unlock various characters, upgrade items, otherwise unobtainable mobile suits, and stat upgrades for a selection of existing units. Much like the DLC for other Gundam-series games, the DLC was only available after clearing the game.

Though the official site still mentioned the game's DLC in July 2003 (months after SwanWeb was shut down), all references to DLC were scrubbed from the WonderSwan pages for Gather Beat and its sequels by early 2004.

Official list of defunct DLC:

1. Units with improved statistics:
   • RX-79 Gundam
   • MS-06 Zaku II
   • Guncannon
   • Guntank
   • Gundam Spiegel
   • Rising Gundam
   • Shining Gundam
   • Kowloon Gundam
   • Mobile Flat
2. New Units:
   • ZAKU I
   • Gelgoog
   • GM Juggler
   • Hermes 2
   • Eagail
   • Wodom
   • EZ-8 Kai
3. Characters:
   • Chap Adel
   • Alpha Bait
   • Bernard Monsha
   • Ramba Ral
   • M'Quve
   • Koren Nander
   • Norris Packard
   • Haman Khan
   • Lala Sune
4. Upgrade Parts:
   • "角飾り"
   • Sturm booster
   • Hi-Mega Cannon

Hidden URL in ROM

At hex offset 003DDC80 within the ROM is the following text. Archives of the URL show a 403 (Forbidden) error page, rather than a 404 (missing). The domain is one of Bandai's Wondergate servers, and the directory/file name clearly references the game title.

wgg02.channel.or.jp/download/ggene_gb/gggbgate.txt

GET 
 HTTP/1.1

Host: 
HTTP/1.1
Content-Length:
Location:

(followed by a string of 00 and FF, similar to padding areas elsewhere in the ROM). There is no data for the Content Length and Location fields present in the ROM (a single "00" for each).

PlayStation and PocketStation Bonus Content

Bandai also sold the game alongside the Wonderwave IR module as a special edition. It can connect to SD Gundam: G Generation F's PocketStation app, uploading characters and mobile suits. Playing the PocketStation game unlocks bonus cash within Gather Beat when the characters are transferred back to the WonderSwan. Connecting to the PlayStation game, however, unlocks an entire new game mode within F's fourth disc: A small team of Gather Beat characters and their mobile suits fight against waves of enemies in a beat-'em-up minigame for bonus experience and cash.

Japanese	Translation
待機中	Standby.

Japanese	Translation
プレイステーションからの命令を待っています。 終了する場合はSTARTボタンを押してください。	Waiting for commands from PlayStation. Press the Start button to exit.

(Source: https://www.famitsu.com/game/daily/2000/m06/d16/sw10.html)

(Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20030820120419/http://www.swan.channel.or.jp/swan/software/line_up/index_GND04.html)

(Source: http://www.swan.channel.or.jp/swan/software/line_up/index_GND08.html)

(Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20011031140654/http://www.swan.channel.or.jp/swan/software/index_gate.html)