Real-Time Clock (RTC) Games

Some cartridges include a Real-Time Clock (RTC) chip that tracks actual time for in-game events like day/night cycles, growing berries, or daily encounters. Playback fully supports these games.

How RTC works in Playback

1. Reading: When you insert a cartridge, Playback reads the clock data from your cartridge
2. Synchronizing: The software syncs the game’s clock with the current time
3. Playing: During gameplay, Playback keeps the clock running accurately
4. Saving: If “RTC Data in Save File” is enabled, the clock information is stored when you save

Playback automatically calculates how much time has passed between play sessions and adjusts the in-game clock accordingly. Your berries will grow, daily events will be ready, and time-based mechanics will work naturally.

RTC settings

Playback offers two RTC settings that serve different purposes.

RTC Battery State Emulation

Location: Settings > Emulator > System

This setting tells Playback whether to match the actual state of your cartridge’s internal battery.

When to use:

• Leave Disabled if your cartridge battery is dead but you still want time-based events to work
• Enable if you want the game to accurately reflect your cartridge’s battery status

RTC Data in Save File (beta)

Location: Settings > Playback > Data

When enabled, Playback stores the clock data inside your save file.

Benefits:

• Preserves time-based events across play sessions
• Keeps accurate track of elapsed time

Things to know:

• This increases your save file size
• Save files with RTC data may not be compatible with other emulators
• This feature is currently in beta

FAQ

My game’s clock-based features aren’t working

1. Check that your Operator firmware is version 9.5 or higher
2. Make sure “RTC Battery State Emulation” is set to Disabled (especially if your cartridge battery is old or dead)
3. Verify your game actually has RTC features (not all games do)

Will my save files work with other emulators?

If “RTC Data in Save File” is disabled, your saves should be compatible with most other software. If enabled, the additional RTC data may cause compatibility issues.

How do I know if my cartridge has RTC?

Games with day/night cycles or time-based events typically have RTC. Playback automatically detects if your cartridge has an RTC chip.

Does the cartridge battery affect RTC in Playback?

When playing through Playback, the software handles the clock functionality. Even if your cartridge’s battery is dead, you can still enjoy time-based features by keeping “RTC Battery State Emulation” disabled.

Why are there two different RTC settings?

• RTC Battery State Emulation controls how the emulator behaves during gameplay
• RTC Data in Save File controls whether clock data is preserved in your saves

They serve different purposes and can be configured independently.

Troubleshooting

RTC support requires Operator firmware 9.5 or higher. Check for updates in Playback under Settings > Device.