FFTA - "Link Broken" during in-game multiplayer/Link missions, trading works fine

[Musty260]

Tested on Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (EU (En,Fr,De,Es,It), version 1.0).

• mGBA version 0.10.2
• Windows 10 64-bit

When attempting a "Team Up" mission (through the ingame Link feature) with another save file running in another multiplayer window, the chosen mission loads fine ingame, party members from both save files are represented correctly, and either player is allowed to move their units. However, as soon as any character performs an action (Attack, a-ability, etc.), the Link breaks and the "Link Broken" error message appears on both windows.

The error seems to be the same experienced by this user in the VBA-M issues board, and earlier in that thread someone references this bug as being an issue with FFTA's usage of General Purpose Mode during Linking.

Another old ngemu.com thread also references this same issue caused by General Purpose Mode not being supported by VBA at the time, although a download link to the attached fix is dead.

Trading Items works fine, I haven't tested trading units. If needed I can upload 2 save files/save states with the Link function unlocked to replicate.

[endrift]

General Purpose mode is...well, there's no timing associated and it's just raw spewing bits at each other. It'll be difficult to support in mGBA, but it's worth keeping this here at the very least for documentation.

[corigne]

Is there anything that could be done as a fix for this without switching to a different emulator?
I've been playing through this title on mGBA, and got to the point that I would like to be able to link.
Using mGBA because it works well on linux. Not sure what I would switch to otherwise that could support multiplayer.

[leoxxx]

You can link this game with No$GBA.
SAV/SNA File Format == Raw
But please edit the ini to change the save to RAW, default is compressed save, compressed save can't be load in other emulator.
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1qm421T7wb/ (Now the account I can't login for some reason, so it is abandoned)
This is my link game video. All missions can be played. But have error link occasionally.

[leoxxx]

General Purpose mode is...well, there's no timing associated and it's just raw spewing bits at each other. It'll be difficult to support in mGBA, but it's worth keeping this here at the very least for documentation.

Maybe you can as per NO$GBA.