Emulation central - recommendations in 1st post

[spekkio]

BROs, OP was inclined declined.

Changes:
- Switched to the newshit version of EmuGen Wiki.
- Made Retroarch a default emu for as many platforms as possible (GBA, PCE, PS1, NDS). Retroarch is just better than original emus (sync, gui). Not applied to Yabause and PPSSPP due to their fast development. Still - resistance is futile.
- Used one link for both official and unofficial builds of Retroarch. Glory to the Buildbot. You will be assimilted.
- Added info about bSNES-Mercury fork, replaced Snes9x-Next with regular Snes9x as a recommended RA core.
- Replaced VBA-Next with regular VBA-M as a recommended RA core.
- Replaced Desmume-future (currently M.I.A.) with regular Desmume as a recommended RA core.
- Added Compatibility lists for Dolphin & Pcsx2.

That is all.

 

[Siveon]

Ugh, I can't stand the Retroarch GUI. Keyboard-only and cumbersome interface, ugly text and background, it's terrible. The emulation itself is fine, fantastic even, but there need to be some improvements to the UI, Jesus.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by Dolphin's and PCSX2's graceful interfaces. Here's hoping somebody makes a better libretro frontend.

 

[tuluse]

Ugh, I can't stand the Retroarch GUI. Keyboard-only and cumbersome interface, ugly text and background, it's terrible. The emulation itself is fine, fantastic even, but there need to be some improvements to the UI, Jesus.

Switch your menu driver to one of the other options and enable mouse.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by Dolphin's and PCSX2's graceful interfaces.

 

[spekkio]

Keyboard-only

IMO it's designed to be operated with a gaypad. Which works fucking fine.

ugly text and background

I think it's made with Overlays in mind. I don't use any, since the default GUI is enough for me.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by Dolphin's and PCSX2's graceful interfaces.

Get out.

 

[Siveon]

Well, I admit I'm just used to PCSX2 (and that it's clunky in it's very own special way). At least the PS1 emulator works for me this time around. Better than nothing.

Ugh, I can't stand the Retroarch GUI. Keyboard-only and cumbersome interface, ugly text and background, it's terrible. The emulation itself is fine, fantastic even, but there need to be some improvements to the UI, Jesus.

Switch your menu driver to one of the other options and enable mouse.

How would I do that?

 

[deuxhero]

PCSX2 is a pain in the ass to learn, has no remapable hotkeys and has things buried in the most inane sections, but I'd take its GUI over retroarch's garbage any day.

 

[tuluse]

Well, I admit I'm just used to PCSX2 (and that it's clunky in it's very own special way). At least the PS1 emulator works for me this time around. Better than nothing.

Ugh, I can't stand the Retroarch GUI. Keyboard-only and cumbersome interface, ugly text and background, it's terrible. The emulation itself is fine, fantastic even, but there need to be some improvements to the UI, Jesus.

Switch your menu driver to one of the other options and enable mouse.

How would I do that?

Menu drivers is under drivers, xmb is a sony look alike, rgui is default, and then there is an opengl version of rgui.

Mouse enable is under menu settings.

You may need to turn on advanced settings or something to see these opeions.



Also, you are both insane with regards to interface design.

 

[deuxhero]

Firstly: What system are you using PCSX2/Dolphin on that you find the interface bad and Retroarch superior?

On a windows desktop:
In PCSX2 the most common actions (find game on drives, play it) are piss easy, it's the stuff you hopefully won't have to do much (fiddle around with hacks to get a game working) that's buried in a bunch of different menus and that's largely because it's plugin based.
In Dolphin, PPSSPP, SNES9x, VBA(-M) and DeSmuME everything can be found fairly quick.
In Retroarch the most common stuff is really annoying and time consuming (go through drives and folders with just a keyboard. Even a fucking text prompt would be quicker). Even your own post just said configuring it a pain in the ass (you have to enable an option to even see all the options? Really?)

 

[Siveon]

Well, I admit I'm just used to PCSX2 (and that it's clunky in it's very own special way). At least the PS1 emulator works for me this time around. Better than nothing.

Ugh, I can't stand the Retroarch GUI. Keyboard-only and cumbersome interface, ugly text and background, it's terrible. The emulation itself is fine, fantastic even, but there need to be some improvements to the UI, Jesus.

Switch your menu driver to one of the other options and enable mouse.

How would I do that?

Menu drivers is under drivers, xmb is a sony look alike, rgui is default, and then there is an opengl version of rgui.

Mouse enable is under menu settings.

You may need to turn on advanced settings or something to see these opeions.

Ah, thanks. It's not really an improvement (I would argue it's quite the opposite), since I'd still have to scroll through long lists and the calibration is always off. But hey, I appreciate the effort.

I guess there's always phoenix if that ever gets off the ground.

 

[tuluse]

Firstly: What system are you using PCSX2/Dolphin on that you find the interface bad and Retroarch superior?

On a windows desktop:
In PCSX2 the most common actions (find game on drives, play it) are piss easy, it's the stuff you hopefully won't have to do much (fiddle around with hacks to get a game working) that's buried in a bunch of different menus and that's largely because it's plugin based.
In Dolphin, PPSSPP, SNES9x, VBA(-M) and DeSmuME everything can be found fairly quick.
In Retroarch the most common stuff is really annoying and time consuming (go through drives and folders with just a keyboard. Even a fucking text prompt would be quicker). Even your own post just said configuring it a pain in the ass (you have to enable an option to even see all the options? Really?)

PPSSPP has the best interface ever, no argument there.

 

[deuxhero]

That it works with mouse, touchscreens and controllers without any real issues for any of them is pretty nifty.

 

[Dreaad]

PPSSPP is in general an amazing piece of work, UI included.

 

[spekkio]

anyone tried these yet? http://pcsx2.net/269-major-gsdx-progress-monthly-reports.html

BROs, how about a nice cup of testing?



pcsx2-v1.3.1-525-g9316806-windows-x86

Overall, this build is finally as fast as the last one I've been using (Pcsx2 1.2.1, aka latest official). Previous daily builds have been visibly slower than 1.2.1. This is no longer a case, and some games are even faster than before (same rig since 2012).
OGL may indeed have some nice new features, but it's way too slow ATM (much slower than DX9 in most games).
Now, the games..

1) Shadow Hearts 1

Slowdowns in HW mode still present.

2) Shadow Hearts 2

Higher internal res still fucks up the GUI (vertical lines). New HW hacks (round sprite / align sprite) don't help here.

3) SMT - DDS1

Aggressive-CRC HW Hack SCO mentioned indeed removes the blurrines. Not really visible in screenshots, but certainly visible in videos.

4) ICO Platinum

Default:

Aggressive-CRC HW Hack removes the blurry filter:

5) Boulder's Gate - Dark Alliance

HW mode is still borked:

You have to patch the emu with the NTCore's 4GB Patch, or it will crash during the initial ingame segment.
SW mode works fine:

6) Burnout 3

Looks great, runs at almost full speed (faster rig required).

7) Wipeout Fusion

Looks great, runs at almost full speed (faster rig required).

8) Valkyrie Profile 2

Looks and works great, much faster than before (constant 60 FPS).

9) Haunted Ground

Still has graphical bugs in HW mode.

SW:

HW DX9:

HW OGL (the new one):

10) Silent Hill - 0rigins

Looks and works great, much faster than before (constant 60 FPS).

11) Jak and Daxter

Graphical glitches in HW are still present:

SW:

12) Onimusha 1

Looks and runs good, but finding proper interlacing method can be a bitch.

13) Growlanser - Heritage Of War

Graphical glitches in HW (lines around sprites in non-native internal) are gone, without using any hacks.

:sma:

SW looks fine as well:

14) Silent Hill 2

Looks and works fine.

15) Sly Cooper 1

Graphical glitches are gone, game works faster than before, but still a bit slow.

16) God of Decline 1

Looks and works great, much faster than before (constant 60 FPS).

That is all.

 

[SCO]

There is not only a CRC hack for nocturne, DDS1 and DDS2 but also a new progressive mode cheat. I don't think it's yet merged to the cheat_ws.zip (and if it is, you have to open it and search for the games ID yourself to uncomment it)
BUT it does make the games have less aliasing. And the videos look much better without those fucking interlaced shaders.

You can find them on megaten subreddit or the pcsx2 (closed, because people on the pcsx2 forums are responsible for merging cheats) bug reports

 

[SCO]

As for the 4gb patch signs are that it may become unnecessary soon:
https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/issues/596

 

[spekkio]

Quick update:

The new "Round Sprite" hack isn't necessary for some "sprite heavy" games. For example Atelier Iris - Eternal Mana works fine without it:

But it's indeed required for others. Ar Tonelico 2 - Melody Of Metafalica default:

And with hack enabled:

 

[Dreaad]

Anything to fix shadows in Front Mission 5?

 

[yes plz]

Man, Shadow Hearts is one of those games where anytime I see it I get the itch to replay.

fucking spekkio

 

[SCO]

Besides both Mana Khemia's which Atelier game has the better combat?

And by 'better' i mean difficulty and engagement u fags. Also something that is not a real time abomination (at least if it isn't a real time with pause abomination at the level of Growlanser IV).

 

[CryptRat]

1) Shadow Hearts 1

Slowdowns in HW mode still present.

SH1 is the only game I remember playing on my PC and not on my PS2. Everything was playable, except for a part where you are in a town surrounded by a curse, a blood cloud or whatever it was. This part was slow as fuck (the speed got back to normal when the curse was removed), anything before or after was correct.

 

[spekkio]

It had to be some p. old build, as slowdowns in this game are a well-known and persistent problem.
Or your definition of "full speed" is different than the general opion.
Or you were lucky...

 

[CryptRat]

I remember it was playable, It may have been slow though, I don't remember.

 

[iZerw]

It's fullspeed in software mode.

 

[yes plz]

Any recommendations on how to get the sprites to look their best in Gust games on PCSX2? Decided to give Mana Khemia another go after having given up on it around the time of its original release.

 

[SCO]

I played the PSP version of mana khemia I think it only loses out on the huge FMV intros, which i don't care about and has some gameplay extras. Pity the PSP sequel was never translated (but it exists, so maybe someday).

Why couldn't it be the vita key to get leaked...