Capcom's CPS-3 arcade board decrypted at last

It wouldn't take too many minutes of perusing the archives here to realize that we're fans of obscure emulation feats, and this one certainly ranks pretty high up there. Apparently, Capcom's CPS-3 arcade system board has finally been cracked, which means that the next logical step of bringing titles such as Red Earth, Street Fighter III, and JoJo to the emulation realm has already begun. A post over at Haze's Mame WIP page notes that the challenge has been duly accepted, and we're hoping that it won't be too much longer before success is found. Of course, it sounds like this will not be an exceptionally easy task, but at least half the battle has already been won.

[Via Exophase, thanks zshadow]

[Geirskogul Posted Jun 11th 2007 2:55AM]

No, the system has NOT been fully decrypted. Read the original page (sure, it's in Spanish, and horrible Spanish at that), it's clear that he has taken a small step forward. The next steps could easily take another 10 years, depending on the nature of the beast.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 9:32AM]

Yes. It. Has. Look again.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 3:46AM]

Considering the speed with which HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have been cracked or even just plain DVDs then why is it taking so long to decrypt something 10 years old?

I haven't been following this so please don't jump down my throat at my ignorance.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 4:07AM]

I think a lot of it has to do with MAME and arcade emulation in general not being as mainstream as Blu-ray and HDDVD. They just don't have a whole lot of people working on this and the equipment that can interact with the CPSIII boards isn't exactly something everyone has in their garage.

[Geirskogul Posted Jun 11th 2007 4:01AM]

Just read up on the draconian CPS-3 decryption. It makes any AACS (stuff used on HD-DVD/Blu-Ray) encoding like simple macrovision.

Here's a very basic rundown:
The data is stored on an encrypted CD-ROM. The key to de-encrypt the CD-rom is stored in RAM (no, not ROM, but battery-backed-up RAM). It's de-encrypted on-the-fly as it's streamed, with virtually no buffer (that means: no buffer reading tools). If there's a single error in decoding, one bit is missed, the CD gets scratched, incorrect gameplay data is sent back, the battery dies/flicks out, corrosion, etc., then the machine erases the decryption key, period. Add that to the fact that the boards are very old and VERY expensive, and you've got a problem. It's a one-shot deal: mess up once, and you end up with a big, expensive brick.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 3:39PM]

wow I hope they come out with an emulator soon!

can't wait to try out all those capcom arcade games on my HTPC

[gerbick Posted Jun 11th 2007 4:17AM]

Perhaps Sony should have used the CELL chip in the Blu-Ray afterall as a standard and do the encryption in realtime. Would have proliferated the CELL chip, made Sony some money to offset the PS3 fiasco they're currently going through (ok, that's bypassing production costs... but I'm fantasizing) and the world would be a better place.

Bah... this is actually cool news. Never knew this system went fully untouched/uncracked for this long. Explains the lack of emulation.

[gerbick Posted Jun 11th 2007 4:20AM]

I meant decryption in realtime. AACS is a waste.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 4:36AM]

Woot, a self-destructing arcade board? With the battery dying and the CD getting scratched on purpose? Nice move capcom! Imagine exploding DVD players and disc-eating drives, the RIAA would be so happy ^^

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 8:17AM]

No, it doesn't scratch the CD on purpose. The user was saying that if a bit was corrupted by a scratched CD, the RAM would erase itself. Plus you have a window of opportunity to replace the battery, but it's extremely slim.

[GOLIATHtheGREAT Posted Jun 11th 2007 11:54AM]

But at this current rate IT SHOULD be done in a few Months at the most

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 11th 2007 12:47PM]

This is an interesting acomplishment but as I already have Both SFIII and JoJo's Bizzare adventure on my dreamcast it's too little too late for me.

[Geirskogul Posted Jun 12th 2007 1:18AM]

@ Leesle

No, it hasn't. Learn Spanish, and read the page again.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 12th 2007 2:48AM]

Considering how now that the keys to all 6 CPS3 games has been found by the time this newspost was posted, this is a moot point. And Andreas has commented on Haze's site that he hasn't updated his site because he was too busy, therefore you were commenting on outdated information.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 12th 2007 2:50AM]

Considering how now that the keys to all 6 CPS3 games has been found by the time this newspost was posted, this is a moot point. And Andreas has commented on Haze's site that he hasn't updated his site because he was too busy, therefore you were commenting on outdated information.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 12th 2007 9:35AM]

They now have some of the games booting. What do you say now?

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 20th 2007 9:09PM]

Awesome

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 20th 2007 9:09PM]

Jake, witch games are playable/bootable ?

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 21st 2007 2:34PM]

All of them.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 26th 2007 10:24PM]

Umm guys, there already has been a CPS3 emulator released - Nebula's CPS3 test version (http://nebula.emulatronia.com/). Been playing SFIII 2nd Impact and 3rd Strike all week. Even though its a test version it's pretty much close to perfect.