PDAFT for dummies, version 10

Project Diva Mega Mix+ is now officially available on PC, so go get it. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1761390/Hatsune_Miku_Project_DIVA_Mega_Mix From now on this guide won't be maintained, however I'm not removing the links. The mods used in the mod packs in this guide at this point are outdated. If you're interested in downloading new mods, whether it's for AFT, Mega Mix+ or other PD games, check out Project DIVA Modding 2nd discord server, since that's where I stole the mods from. https://dyno.gg/server/531630856767406105/Project-DIVA-Modding-2nd And the lewd modding server: https://discord.gg/dVhvVcB

Guide on how to make Arcade Future Tone to run on PC.
Has all of the content of PS4 Future Tone with DLCs and more.
Works on both Nvidia and AMD GPUs.

  1. Game
  2. Patch
  3. PD Loader
  4. Mod pack
    4a. Mega AFT X
    4b. PS4/Switch UI Skins
    4c. _ScarletNeko PPD Song Pack
    4d. Japanese text
    4e. 1080p videos
    4f. Modding notes
  5. PD Loader configuration (launch diva.exe)
  6. Extended credits

1. Game

https://nyaa.si/view/1144697

Extract the .7z file wherever you want, but better make sure the directories don't use non-ASCII characters, such as moon or slav runes
From now on that directory will be referred to as "PDAFT directory"

2. Patch

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UahYpNiWUC0_Sj-kLNpQPfTNP5seLDYq

To bypass Google Drive download limit, right click on the folder and select Download. It'll pack the folder into .zip file for a while and will let you download. The downside is that you'll have to extract the archive one more time.

(MEGA mirror) https://mega.nz/#!79Y1mKwQ!K1vVrhNT3BCcHNalaupveLLzuSu-BQrUCaIidmoesc4

Extract the mdata folder from archive into your PDAFT directory.

3. PD Loader

https://notabug.org/PDModdingCommunity/PD-Loader/wiki/2%29+Installation

At the time of writing, get the lastest stable version or you can get the latest unstable build if you want.
Extract the contents into PDAFT directory.

At this point game is playable. You get 240 songs, which is the same content as Future Tone for PS4 with Season Pass and Extra Encore DLC, but it's all in Japanese
If you're fine with just that, skip to point 5.

4. Mod pack

4a. Mega AFT X 1.0 (20.10.21)

Includes:
-MegaMix / MEGA39's Song Pack by SwigS (14 songs)
-F2nd Song Pack by CoolChar (port of the stages from F2nd, doesn't replace Future Tone songs)
-PPD Song Pack by ホイップクリーム (23 songs)
-Jay's English Patch (using textures from some older version, because I'm too retarded to make the new version compatible with UI mods, also I cut some files for compatibility)
-Sangabc's Module Pack
-Project Diva X Song Pack (33 songs) by CoolChar

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s9tAneDWnqrY4XodliN0UdnXhQgzKV6E

Important: if you installed previous version of the mod, delete 'ram' folder from your PDAFT directory and 'MPF2', 'MSPM', 'MSPO', 'MSPP' from 'mdata' directory. Overwrite any other files.
If you played the game before installing this mod pack, delete ram/databank directory from your PDAFT directory

Extract the contents of archive and copy mdata, patches and ram directories into your PDAFT directory.

4b. PS4/Switch UI Skins

Entirely optional, but recommended. Replaces default skin made for 720p resolution with 1080p assets from PS4 and Switch ports.
Includes 3 variants from PS4 Future Tone (blue, orange, white/rainbow) and Mega Mix skin.
-Future Tone skins by samyuu
-Mega Mix skin by snakemi

From previously downloaded and extracted archive, go into _SKINS folder, open the directory of skin you want to use and copy the mdata folder into PDAFT directory.
You can preview the look of each skin in _SKINS folder.

4c. _ScarletNeko PPD Song Pack

(Updated 20.10.21)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UTUUTGSR6zNbB4DBzJOAut5hfhWJleGs

Optional song pack by _ScarletNeko made to work with Mega AFT X.
Adds 42 new songs ported from PPD.
A list of new songs: LINK, removed Streaming Heart and Raspberry Monster as they're already in Project Diva X song pack.

Extract the archive into your PDAFT directory.

The databanks for this mod are already in Mega AFT.

Only if you installed Mega AFT X 1.0 before 19.11.2021 without installing this PPD Song Pack
Download the databanks from HERE
Delete ram/databank directory from your PDAFT directory.
Extract the archive into your PDAFT directory.

4d. Japanese text

If you want to play the mod pack with Japanese text, delete MZEN folder from mdata.

4e. 1080p videos

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1W0Z7AQ8T_NY9A6Zbn6Bt-ElDQWqtF4j-

Optional download by Kendotlibero.
Changes the 720p MVs used in AFT and songs from this mod pack with 1080p videos.
Works with and without _Scarlet Neko PPD Song Pack

Right click on "mdata" folder and download it.
Extract the archive into your PDAFT directory.

English text for 1080p videos (updated 20.10.2021)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w7qVpqBdePzmAP1IoL6XT1t0pJ_SvwM8
After you installed 1080p videos, extract the archive into your PDAFT directory.

Japanese text for 1080p videos
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18TaGZ5UFTHvN6D9AMtvDjmD9T_9JPxHz
After you installed 1080p videos, extract the archive into your PDAFT directory.

4f. Modding notes

If you plan on installing other mods by yourself, keep in mind:
-if the mod you want to install doesn't work, even though it's supposed to work with other mods in the mod pack, it's definitely the fault of English Patch and/or UI skin mod
-the names for English Patch (MZEN) and UI skins (MZKN) have been given higher priority, since the priority is based on alphabetic order, so make sure the mod you want to install, has higher priority than at least English patch, feel free to either change the name for English Patch folder or the name of your desired mod
-for the sake of compatibility with UI skin mods, English patch is a frankenstein of Jay's English Patch V1 with Jay's Patch Expansion 2 and 2D sprites from older version of the mod
-if you don't use UI skins from PS4 or Switch, you might as well delete English patch folder and replace it with an actual latest version of Jay's English Patch with Jay's Patch Expansion, just make sure it's given priority above MSPM

5. PD Loader configuration (launch diva.exe)

Outlining most necessary stuff, since most of them are self-explanatory

AMD GPU:
Go to Plugins and Patches and enable Novidia.

Nvidia GPU:
Make sure Novidia is disabled.

Increase number of playable songs:
Since it's an arcade game, after 2 or 3 songs the session will "terminate".
You change the number of playable songs in one session by changing Options/Number of Stages. Set it to something like 300.

Toon shader (Mega Mix-like graphics):
In Graphics you can set the shader by changing Toon option.
While in game, you can hot swap the shader by pressing F9.
You can improve the toon shader to look more like in Mega Mix, by enabling toon improvements in Plugins and Patches/ShaderPatch config.

UI skins:
Under Player/Skin you can change UI skin to ones in this link https://docs.google.com/document/d/1al-iq1Ar4y8qldgSX8Euvxs53WZZcgtlg6SKWY2cRHE/edit
Same applies to Level Plates https://docs.google.com/document/d/16tB3VU-PKFXGsteIOrXv09bep7OxImXRBcOq-0Yf8qg/edit

Ghosting effects/artifacts on movement:
Disable TAA if you find it too distracting.

"Please touch the screen" on pad:
Press the Start/Options/whatever it's called on Xbox button on your pad.

Accessing certain options in game:
Some buttons in song selection can't be accessed with pad/buttons. Use your mouse.

Custom keybinds:
In your PDAFT directory go to plugins and edit keyconfig.ini file.
It's possible to bind multiple actions to one button, so you can make multipresses like on PS4 and Switch.

Remove bloat/useless icons from screen:
In Options, enable Hide Volume Buttons, Disable PV UI, Hide PV Watermark, Hide 'FREE PLAY'/'CREDIT(S) and set Network Status Icons to Hidden

What are the specs for the game?
PDAFT was to made to run on Sega Nu (https://segaretro.org/Nu), which was equivalent of pretty much low end PC build from 2012, with i3-3220 and GTX650Ti.
You can easily play or downsample from 4K on more modern hardware.
To downsample enable "Internal resolution" and set resolution above your screen.

Hori PS4 FT Controller
https://notabug.org/PDModdingCommunity/PD-Loader/wiki/3%29+Usage%2C+Modules+%28Costumes%29%2C+Troubleshooting#official-hori-ps4-ft-controller-with-slider

Issue - songs with prerecorded videos, such as songs from PPD Song Pack or majority of Mega Mix songs, don't replay the videos when retrying the song from pause menu.

Some songs have different variants. Some can be accessed by clicking the second time on the title of the song (like Nostalogic) or by changing the module for main singing character (like Tricolore Airline, which has additional variants for Rin, Luka and MEIKO)

For troubleshooting regarding PD Loader, see https://notabug.org/PDModdingCommunity/PD-Loader/wiki/3%29+Usage%2C+Modules+%28Costumes%29%2C+Troubleshooting

Extended credits

(by mod devs, copypasted from mod descriptions)

Arcade Future Tone M39S UI:
samyuu for the ps4ui that i used as a base and AetSet.bt, Skyth for making a spr_db for the megamix spr, Keikei14 for porting the Results Screen from Mega39s

PPD Song Pack:
Real_Pou1et, Schmengar - DIVA charts
Blue Star, PalmtreeFreak, Blizzin - PPD charts
ReDann22 - rework to HD original wowaka's arts
samyuu - PPDCancer, UPDC
Skyth - MMM
deVita(Viladevita), korenkonder - tehnical support
CoolChar - MPF2 and MPPD Compatibility

F2nd Song Pack:
-Skyth for MMM, DBConverter, and FarcPack
-Samyuu for ScriptEditor, UPDC, and AET Conversions/AE Plugin
-Korenkonder for PD_Tool
-Lybxlpsv for the fix for ground shadows, and DivaImGui
-Keikei14 for originally starting this mod, teaching me/providing help for many things, F2ndMouthReplacer, and providing XHD Miku to be included with this mod.

MEGA39's Song Pack:
Skyth for providing the DBs
SwigS-27 for providing DBs for the new dlc
M&M for giving the files needed and for porting DLC Pack 10 & 11
Yukikami for custom Catch the Wave lighting
korenkonder for PD_Tool (used to edit expressions and databanks)
samyuu for Script Editor

_ScarletNeko PPD Song Pack:
Charts: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Gm4VfS_GX5jW7h5bQw-nu9maoNVCoQENrNA1aOU5WrE/

Project Diva X Song Pack:
Skyth for MMM, DBConverter, and FarcPack
Samyuu for ScriptEditor, UPDC, and title AET sprites
korenkonder for PD_Tool, A3DA LT conversion
lybxlpsv for DivaImGui
Keikei14 for F2nd/XMouthReplacer
Fresk/empa_nadas, jorj, and jon (big porno studio) for song select background sprites
Charts: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-7REZFgrpK6YqinzKkD_dGK3Nk2nJ7ERo3ler8ZcNlk

Edit
Pub: 02 Dec 2020 13:41 UTC
Edit: 26 May 2022 22:58 UTC
Views: 34405