A tool to automate ROM installation for the Pandora Games 3D and PANDORA 3D SAGA (Jailbreak may not work for GOLDENSKY G6 / PANDORA 9H)
pandorytool is "shareware", licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), with the additional condition that you do not provide/redistribute compiled binaries of the source code. If you wish to use pandorytool commercially, exceptions to this license are available from @emuchicken.
We will not take any responsibility on the destruction of your device, or for anything done with this tool. A backup of your system is recommended - so clone your microsd with win32imager before any alterations are made. Removing 2 PLAYER PSP titles at this time is IRREVERSIBLE! Be careful of what you remove from your original PANDORA system.
If you wish to provide feedback, need help, or just come to say hi! - Please join the Discord channel @ https://discord.gg/Az94Rxn Any major issues can be added to the github.
Pandorytool has been worked on with blood, sweat and tears. If you would like us to continue work on this tool, please consider grabbing us a Coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CKZbiXa.
1 coffee : The current, unlocked, version of Pandory will sent. (more than 20 roms per system limit lifted)
3 coffees : As above, and your email will be saved to a maillist, where you will be sent all major revisions of the UNLOCKED Pandorytool.
5 coffees+ : All of above, and shall be remembered forever in the HIGHSCORE CHART underneath with optional message
git clone https://github.com/emuchicken/pandorytool.git
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
Pandory will also compile on operating systems for grown-ups, such as MacOS/Linux, as long as you have a gcc toolchain, make, cmake and the relevant libraries installed.
1. Target Drive preparation for roms. Note: - Your Pandora device searches for a main games folder in the order of drive: "USB Stick" > "microSD". If it finds no such folder it will try installing it to the Pandora internal memory.
(choose one from below)
1a. Add to current microSD in Pandora May break games, so be careful. It is recommended to CLONE your microsd before you alter it! (use win32imager or alternative).
- Format a USB stick, exfat unit size 32kb
- Keep microSD with Pandora games in system when you insert USB stick in step 5.
1b. "Notty stick" Prep USB stick for rom installation- Does not alter Pandora microSD. When removed, original Pandora games from the microsd are playable.
- Format a USB stick, exfat unit size 32kb
- Create a folder in the root of the USB Stick, named "games" then continue to step 2.
1c. Creating a fresh microSD No Chinese games, but will miss 2 player functionality on PSP titles. (currently not supported) Users who have destroyed their Pandora games library can start here.
- Format a USB stick, exfat unit size 32kb
- Format your microSD, exfat unit size 32kb.
- Create a folder in the root of ONLY the microSD, named "games"
- Make sure no games folder exists in the root folder of your USB STICK in step 5.
2. Prepare a ROM directory on your hard drive, and distribute your roms accordingly:
- Pandory already has the folder ready in the release build. You can easily extract it from the archive.
- Pandory can also create the required folders by using the argument "prepare", for example: "pandory prepare c:/roms" will create the directory tree in your c:/roms folder.
| Folder name | Required filetype | Rom-set |
|---|---|---|
| 32X | 32X | |
| dreamcast | CDI | |
| fba | ZIP | FBA 0.2.97.42 |
| gba | GBA, BIN, AGB, GBZ | |
| gbc | GB, SGB | |
| gbc | GBC, SGB | |
| mame19 | ZIP | Mame 0.190 (0.185 ok) |
| mame139 | ZIP | Mame 0.139 |
| mame37 | ZIP | Mame 0.37b5 |
| mame78 | ZIP | Mame 0.78 |
| mastersystem | SMS | |
| megadrive | MD, SMD, GEN, BIN | |
| n64 | N64 | |
| nes | FDS, NES, UNF, UNIF | |
| pcengine | PCE, CUE, CCD, CHD | |
| playstation | IMG, PBP | |
| psp | ISO | |
| snes | SMC, SFC, SWC, FIG, BS | |
| wswan | WSC |
3. Scrape the game data. -Download Skraper (skraper.net) -Use the setup wizard. Create RECALBOX file type, select the root ROM folder (step 2), and check "include non-Recalbox rom folders". Check NEXT, then FINISH. -Add missing arcade MAME systems using the add system option. Click the + button next to the "Wizard", Under "Emulation Arcade" click MAME, then OK. The new box should be highlighted, click the "GAMES & FRONTEND" then change the folder to the first mame139 directory. Repeat this step for mame37 and mame78. -Click ALL SYSTEMS on the left, then MEDIA. Click on the 4 IMAGES MIX, then change MEDIA TYPE to VIDEO. Click on BOX 3D, then the minus to remove it. -HIT THE PLAY BUTTON (bottom right) to start scraping.
4. Run pandory tool to prepare the USB stick -Load up command prompt (Windows key & R, then type in CMD), navigate to the folder you have extracted pandory to. -Use the tool. (If roms directory was C:/roms, and the USB stick was drive O:) pandory add c:/roms o:/ -Let the tool prepare the stick, then safely remove.
5. Install the games! -Turn on your Pandora Games 3D. -When on the games menu, insert USB stick to the BOTTOM USB port of the Pandora Games 3D. -Hit the A button to install games
6. Play!
A step-by-step tutorial video can be found here:
or here: https://www.bitchute.com/video/AgxJKugYWDU4/
There is a possibility that the install will fail. Please go through this checklist before asking for further assistance.
-
No more space on destination drive. Make some space by hitting the back "settings" button on the back of your Pandora device, then go to Games Settings, remove game.
-
Pandory already installed games of that device at an earlier date.
In order to automate the process, our tool renames files in bulk. Starting the tool once more, the counter starts from 1, so it'd be like you are trying to install a file with the same name. As above, push the "settings" button on the back of your Pandora, Games Settings, and remove all the games you have added- FOR THAT SYSTEM ONLY. You can then re-run Pandory and the installation process. -
MAME title has multiple entries. Even if the folder is separate, the Pandora unit places the MAME titles in the same folder, and the filenames cannot be altered. Please go through your selection and select one title- OR use a rom with another filename. An example being captcomm.zip (parent rom) and captcommu.zip (the USA release)
- The restricted free build will only support up to 20 titles per system. Unrestrict this by donating a cup of coffee @ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CKZbiXa
- This method will install games to the MicroSD inside the unit. Please make sure you have enough space for the added titles. If you would like to install them to the same USB stick, you need to create a folder in the root of the stick named "games", and then inside this, "download".
- From Pandory 1.0.4, we have included the "stick" modifier to the pandory tool. We can create USB sticks to perform different tasks for our PG3D. For these operations, make sure we have a cleanly formatted exfat w/ 32kb partition size.
- Load up command prompt (Windows key & R, then type in CMD), navigate to the folder you have extracted pandory to.
- Use the tool. If the USB stick was drive O: pandory.exe stick backup O:/
- Let the tool prepare the stick, then safely remove.
- Start up your Pandora (with microsd inserted)
- Insert your usb stick into bottom USB port, and wait.
- Once finished, your Pandora should reboot into the games menu.
- Turn off system, insert usbstick into PC, then copy off all files to your computer for safe keeping.
*note: It SHOULD reboot then load up into an Android robot screen backing up. It usually takes around 10 minutes for the whole processe to complete. If you get Chinese writing, please reboot and try once again. It may hang on the Android robot screen- if this is the case, please wait a little longer, longer than 30 minutes? Then try a reboot and start once more.
- Load up command prompt (Windows key & R, then type in CMD), navigate to the folder you have extracted pandory to.
- Use the tool. If the USB stick was drive O: - pandory.exe stick jailbreak O:/
- Let the tool prepare the stick, then safely remove.
- Start up your Pandora (with microsd inserted)
- Insert your usb stick into bottom USB port, and wait.
- Once Jailbreak has finished, you should be greeted by a new video and bumped into the Android menu.
- Now every time you wish to enter Android- please enter this same stick. This is now your "Android stick".
*note: It SHOULD reboot then load up into an Android robot screen backing up. It usually takes around 10 minutes for the whole processe to complete. If you get Chinese writing, please reboot and try once again. It may take 2-3 times to work, if any reason it should fail, please start from the first step.
Now that we have the Jailbreak on the system, we can add other scripts to bump into said emulator on usb insertion- These will be added in the near future after testing.
- cfg files that are in the controls/mame139 will automatically be applied to the install when adding games with pandory. It compares the .zip rom filenames, so if you are using a split rom, please rename the controller config to reflect that.
- You can update your controller cfg files by visiting the pandory github, and downloading from the controls master, or check out our discord
- If you would like to create your own, you can try loading mame32 on a computer, edit the controls- and check in the cfg folder of the mame32 folder. You can take the cfg of the title you want to work on, then fiddle with the cfg in a text editor. To test, paste the cfg file in the pandory/controls/mame139 folder, and add the game with pandory.
- Sharing is caring! Once happy with the results, you can share with other users! Make sure your information is added directly after the xml header (an example is in default.cfg in the controls folder)- If you would like us to share on the github server / for the next build, please visit our discord https://discord.gg/Az94Rxn and upload to the pandory-gamecfg channel.
- We have included a custom skin for your build. If you want to help our cause, please use the skin/ logo, and share the love! ;-D
- To install, simply copy over the skin folder, and place it onto the root of your games destination folder.
- If you would like to share YOUR skin, please pop into the discord and we can possibly include it on a newer release.
- The Pandora Games 3D encrypts the data when we use this (mcgames) method. Unfortunately, at this point in time, we cannot change data once it's on the device, which means no changing of controls re: PSP analogue sticks, perhaps the N64 controls etc. If you want to do this, I'd place the rom in the games/download folder, then alter the data from the configs that were created once running the Pandora. There may be a way around it if you used a USB N64 pad or something similar however, but more testing is needed.
- PSP games imported with this tool will not include "2 player support". Due to the way it's programmed, we cannot easily add these with our current tools.
- It is impossible to test every single game imported. If you find a game that doesn't work, please include in the Games Compatibility list on the Pandory github.
- The current device this was programmed for is the Pandora Games 3D (GB3000, blue board), which came with many titles preinstalled. Whilst this tool may work with other systems, it will not be a universal PANDORA "KEY". There are too many models / clones!
- If the rom is not found in skraper, you can change the names of them, which may help SKRAPER find them. If your game video has not been found, that is not the fault of the PANDORY tool.
- Runningman2020
- Someone
- tinkleman710
- G.M.Spectre
- Thomas Bouvrette: Providing the original pbobble3 archive demonstrating how to add roms to the Pandora unit
- Querol: Providing some informative Pandora Games 3D pdfs to the community.
- FilePirate: Providing information re: game configs, the headaches.
- akira84: Confirmation on working / PANDORA 9H
- CrashCat: Confirmation on working / GoldenSky G6
- Xaviertb78: Confirmation on working / Pandora SAGA units
- Robinvenderkuijl - Goldensky G6 testing - Glass breaking
- Those active, that keep us sane- Gazza7126, TotalKI, spokito, sutart, gmspectre, etc
- ALL in our discord and FB groups that keep the wheels turning
- Noise Complaint: Allowing us to use their music @ https://noise-complaint.bandcamp.com/
- Dirty Clide: Allowing us to use their music @ https://dirtyclide.bandcamp.com/
- Lyndsay Bullock: Allowing the use of her "Pyro" work on our default skin @ https://www.facebook.com/lyndsaybullock.artist/
- OCRemix - for allowing us to share awesome remixes, not pissing on content creators
- and... YOU! To anyone who has supported us, and continues to help share info with other Pandora users.