The Action Replay was one of the first devices available for the PS2, and it has several versions. The encryptions for all versions may be selected from the Action Replay item on the Input and Output menus.
At one time, the Action Replay was distributed as the GameShark by Interact in North America, and as such, the GameShark section of the menu also uses Action Replay encryptions when Interact -> Version 1 or Version 2 is selected. All versions of the Action Replay, except Version 1 support unencrypted codes. It is not necessary for you to encrypt codes for use with it. Version 2 does require a special key code when using unencrypted codes, which is described in its section.
The Action Replay submenu
The Action Replay Version 1 is a very simple device (and one of the oldest). It supports only one type of encryption, selected by simply choosing Action Replay -> Version 1 from the Input or Output menu. Interact's GameShark Version 1 is the same device rebranded, so choosing GameShark -> Interact -> Version 1 will result in the same encryption or decryption being used.
The Action Replay Version 2 is a bit more complex than the earlier version. It supports a fixed number of encryptions, that are determined by inserting "key" codes into the code list. You can select this encryption by selecting Action Replay -> Version 2 from the Input or Output menu. Interact's GameShark Version 2 is, again, the same device rebranded, so choosing GameShark -> Interact -> Version 2 will result in the same encryption or decryption being used. By default, Omniconvert will use the Action Replay Version 1 encryption until it finds a key code. The key value within the key code will be used to set the encryption for all codes that follow it. For simplicity, you may choose to explicitly set a key. This will allow you to properly decrypt or encrypt codes even if you don't have the master code.
You may choose the Set AR1 Key button to set the key value to the Action Replay Version 1 encryption. Doing this allows you specify and change encryptions in your code input as described in the "About Action Replay Version 2 Key Codes" below. Note that if you set the key code to any other value in this menu, that selection will take precedence.
Common Action Replay Version 2 Key Codes
About Action Replay Version 2 Key Codes
The key code is an identifier followed by four one-byte (two-digit) encryption seeds. The identifier is the hex value DEADFACE, which is used as the address, and the key is simply a set of allowed seed values that change the manner of encryption used. There are limits to what the seed values can be. Therefore it isn't recommended that you play around with odd seed values, unless you know what you are doing.
Within code lists, the key code will appear as 0E3C7DF2 followed by an odd looking sequence of hex numbers that serves as the key. This is because the Action Replay Version 2 uses the Version 1 encryption by default. The value 0E3C7DF2 decrypts to DEADFACE, and the value after it decrypts to whatever seeds the code-maker selected. Because of this, you can use Action Replay Version 1 codes on Version 2 without the need for a key code, making it backwards compatible with old codes. However, once a DEADFACE code has been found the decryption will change. Omniconvert emulates this behavior.
Notice in the above screen shot that there is a special button for setting the Action Replay Version 2 key to the Action Replay Version 1 (AR1) encryption. This allows you to do several things.
Firstly, you can explicitly specify a DEADFACE code by simply typing it in. The handiest reason for this is that you can simply type in DEADFACE 00000000 above your enable code to set NULL encryption. Secondly, you can decrypt codes by keeping the enable, or at least the key code in the list. This allows you to decrypt codes that use more than one encryption key. Third, it allows the key code to be dropped from the list when decrypting Version 2 codes. If you have an explicit key specified, the key code may not be decrypted properly. Since it cannot be recognized for what it is, it will be left in the list.
Action Replay MAX (Version 3.x and Up)
The Action Replay MAX is the most recent Datel device, and the only one still supported officially. It is marketed solely by Datel, or at least only as the AR MAX, so there are no rebranded devices that share its encryption. The AR MAX encryption is more complicated than earlier versions, but it has fewer complexities for us to deal with as well. However, in order for the codes to be encrypted properly for your device, you must set a couple of Options first. Select the appropriate AR MAX Region for your device (USA, Europe, Japan), and decide whether you want to create the verifiers yourself (only works with unencrypted AR MAX code input), or whether you want the verifiers created automatically (AR MAX Verifiers -> Automatic or AR MAX Verifiers -> Manual). By default, the verifiers will be created automatically, unless your input is also fully encrypted AR MAX codes. Once that is done, you can simply select the MAX option from the Action Replay menu lists, and your codes will be encrypted or decrypted appropriately.
One thing about the Action Replay MAX that is more complex is its code types. It supports almost all of the standard commands, and also implements many more. For these reason converting between MAX and other devices, like the CodeBreaker is a complicated task. Omniconvert attempts to translate the codes into compatible command structures. In most cases this will work just fine, however it occasionally will encounter commands not supported by MAX, and sometimes MAX commands not supported by other devices. In these instances, it will cease attempting to convert the code and an error will be sent to the output in place of it. It may be possible to translate such codes into something that can be used by the target device, but manual intervention will be required. For that reason, the Unencrypted menu item allows two formats. One is the standard command structure, and the other, Action Replay MAX, is a command structure supported only by MAX.
Omniconvert also allows you to create an Action Replay MAX Disc Hash for your games. This hash is simply a 32-bit CRC that is encoded into the verifier data of the enable code. The hash allows the game to be recognized by the AR MAX's Quick Mode, in which you simply insert the game disc, and after a search, the AR MAX takes you automatically to the code list for it. You can enable Hash generation in the options menu by selecting the drive you will insert the game into from the AR MAX Disc Hash sub-menu. When you convert the codes, it will read the game disc and create a hash code for it. The hash code will then be inserted into every enable code in the list.
You can only create a hash for one game during a single conversion operation. You cannot enter a dozen enable codes, click Convert, and create unique hashes for a dozen games.