FFX -almost- playable, but need help on my specs/config!

[DARKGuy]

Hey! :D

Long-time lurker, first-time poster here ^_^. I'm gonna make it kinda quick since it's late already, I've been testing a lot of PCSX2 configs for about 2 hours now. This is what I've got and figured out. First of all, my specs:

CPU: Intel P4 3.2Ghz HT/EM64T
GPU:NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX+ 512Mb GDDR3 (740Mhz core, 1100Mhz mem, 1836Mhz shaders).
GPU Drivers: Latest, 19 Nov. 2008 (ForceWare 180.48)
Memory: 1x1Gb + 1x512Mb. (1.5Gb total)
Mainboard: Biostar P4M980-M7 TE
OS: Windows XP SP3

Now, as far as I've been testing, I've been able to get around 40-50 FPS with the following settings. It's playable but... huh, not very enjoyable.

PCSX 0.9.4

Process priority: High (seems to give better results than Normal)
Console: disabled
Plugins: from the website, and the zerogs one in the beta plugins.


CPU Config:

EERec enabled
VU0rec enabled
VU1rec enabled
MTGS enabled
DC disabled (this ain't a dual-core)
Frame limiting: VU Skip (better FPS as far as I've researched). I have no options to change the limiting or anything like I've seen in some threads around (I'd wish... any ideas where to get such versions?)


Video (GSdx 846 (MSVC 15.00, SSE2) 0.1.9):

Resolution: Windowed
Renderer: D3D9 Hardware
Shader: PS 3.0
Interlacing: None
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
D3D Internal Res: Native
SW rend. threads: Disabled
NLOOP Hack: gray but checked
Texture filtering: disabled
Wait vsync: disabled
Enable tv-out: disabled
Logarithmic Z: enabled
Alpha Correction: enabled


Sound (P.E.Op.S. SPU2 1.9.0):

Volume: loud
Reverb: no reverb
Interpolation: none
Everything else is disabled (blank)
I've also tried the null SPU plugin. The FPS gain isn't much.


CDROM (P.E.Op.S. CDVD (CCDA mod) 1.3.0):

Interface: W2K/XP
Drive: D:
Caching mode: Thread read
Use +4Mb data cache: enabled
Everything else is default. Try again on reading error is enabled (5)


BIOS: USA v02.00 (14/06/2004).

Now, I don't plan on overclocking any of my hardware. I know I could get a dual-core, and I'm planning to soon, but for now this is what I have.

I wonder, is there any way to improve framerates? Are there any configuration suggestions? other binaries I should try?

I've also tried 0.9.5 (from the website) and it doesn't seem to improve anything, even with the speedhacks enabled, in fact, it seems slower than the 0.9.4 binary, even with the same configuration.

Yes, I also did my homework. I looked at the guide on the forums, and the guide on the website before posting here :).

The FFX version I'm attempting to run is, according to the compatibility list:

" Final Fantasy X SLUS 20312 U PS2 Playable 0.9.5"

0.9.5? wtf?

Any help is greatly appreciated! :D

[ryllian]

There's nothing you can do to get better performance/looks with a P4 I'm afraid.

You can however, bump up the resolution in gsdx to something like 2048x2048 since you have a nice graphics card, but apart from that, the beta/playground versions of pcsx2 won't do you much good (maybe ~4fps extra?).

Also, run the game from a iso using the linuzappz CDVD plugin, as it generally gives a speed boost. You can also turn off sound by using a null driver if you want the max fps possible, since the game has subtitles anyways.

[Shadow Lady]

Not much you can do, you have already done what possibly could have been done, I'd recommend to you to keep the beta with speedhacks enabled as they maybe not speed up everywhere but they help on some places.

Also try using ZeroSPU2 instead of P.E.Op.S or enable thread mode in P.E.Op.S as they may increase speed a bit, however this may produce skiping sound also so it's up to you really. Afraid not much can be done anymore.

[Izzi]

Damn, I wanted to do a similar topic... Would you mind if I give also my specs and config here?

Sorry for lame english...

[ryllian]

Sure, go nuts.

[Izzi]

I think it means "yes" ?

My system specs :

Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 @ 2.1GHz
3GB DDR2 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 9500M GS

(yes, it's a Laptop)

PCSX2 specs :

CPU :
Everything enabled
Frame limiter on "Normal"

Graphics :
ZeroGS KOSMOS 0.97.0

Bilinear filtering enabled
FFX hack enabled
Everything else disabled

Sound :
P.E.O.p.S. SPU2

Volume : medium
Reverb : 0
Interpolation : 2 (Gaussian interpolation)
nothing enabled

DVD :
Linuzappz Iso CDVD 0.7.0
(I did a .mdf from my FFX DVD)

Gamepads :
SSSPSX PAD Plugin PRessure Mod 1.6.0


The game runs at about 40FPS with this config. I don't want to disable sound, and because it's a laptop I will not be able to uprage the system specs, but could the game run faster with another PCSX2 config?

Thank you for your answers

[ryllian]

Use gsdx instead of zerogs, also change to frame skip or VU skip rather than limit.

Other than that, all you can do is grab the beta and enable speedhacks.

[Izzi]

I will try it, thank you.
But don't I have to disable MTGS and other CPU stuff if I use GSD?
Which GSD should I use with my specs? I have the choice between GSdx 846 MSVC 15.00 SSE2, SSE41 or SSSE3.

Thank you

[ryllian]

Latest gsdx sorry, not gsd (typo) >.< And you should also grab the latest dx9 end user runtimes while your at it.

Also, use the highest SSE version your CPU supports (it should say which ones in the pcsx2 dos window).

[Izzi]

What are those dx9 end user runtimes?

I use the SSE2 version, and I configurated the plugin like this :

Resolution : windowed
Renderer : D3D9 (Hardware)
Shader : PS3.0
Interlacing : None
Aspect Ratio : 16:9

D3D Internal res : 1024x1024 (Native disabled)
SW rend. threads : (grey) 1

NLOOP hack (grey) enabled
Texture filtering : enabled
Wait vsync : disabled
Enable TV-Out : disabled
Logarithmic Z : disabled
Alpha Correction : enabled

Anything to change?

I tried with the latest beta version, it runs at 48-51 FPS and better graphics than with ZeroGS :D Cinematics are also better, but with vertical lines O_o

Well, thank you. It's great now ;) I'll try later with FFXII and KH.

[ryllian]

Enable log-z in gsdx, as that helps smooth out graphical glitches sometimes.

Also, your laptop should support the newer instruction sets (SSE3 or SSSE3 at least), so use those versions of the plugin instead as they give a slight performance boost.

[Izzi]

Finally, I saw that it supports SSE4.1, so I use that plugin.

I will ebable log-z, thank you for your help. FFX runs now perfectly, but FFXII crashes or runs slowly (about 35FPS) when I disable MTGS and DC like it was told in the FFXII help topic. Any ideas about how to speed it up?

(Should I open a new topic for this problem?)

[ryllian]

Why would you disable MTGS and DC? Whoever said that needs to get skullraped.

MTGS and DC options both work fine with FFXII, I've played through the whole game and I can tell you this for a fact, so just re-enable both options.

As for the crashing, it's most likely due to a speedhack, so just toggle them on/off and see which one is causing it.

[Izzi]

Ok, I'll try it later. I will tell you if it worked. Can you just explain what those speedhacks are, and maybe how they work?

[ryllian]

Which speedhacks are you referring to? The general ones in the beta just double or triple cycle rate of the EE or IOP I think (don't have the beta file on my computer to check).

I couldn't really tell you in detail how they worked though, as you'll have to ask a dev or programmer to explain better.

[Izzi]

Ok, thank you. As I said, I will try it tomorrow and tell you if it worked.

[JAhU]

I wonder, is there any way to improve framerates? Are there any configuration suggestions? other binaries I should try?


There comes one thing to my mind, but that might be a difficult to do : try a PAL version of FFX. I have no idea if it would make the game run faster (50fps is normal for PAL games) or made no difference. Also having the image on your hdd in one piece (not fragmented) can speed up the game a bit (mostly loading times, but that can make the slowdowns go away). To achieve that you have to make sure that no data is saved on the same partition as the game while you dump it from your DVD. There is also windows defragmentator, but it takes too much time to defragment one partition.

[ryllian]

What? A separate partition won't make things go faster at all. Perhaps a separate HDD might, but not a partition.

[JAhU]

What? A separate partition won't make things go faster at all. Perhaps a separate HDD might, but not a partition.

Thats not quite what I meant. HDD isn't a RAM device (access time varies depending on where the data is located on the HDD). Having the data unfragmented(I don't know if its the right word) can speed loading times a bit. If you can assure that game image data isn't mixed up with other data, access times will be better.

Having a separate HDD is a good idea as well.

[Izzi]

What about an external USB HDD? If I copy my games on it, instead of having them on my internal HDD (always 4GB...It's only a Notebook, HDD space goes away quickly ^^ ), will it be as fast as games which are on the internal one?

[JAhU]

Internal one will probably be faster than the USB one.

[Izzi]

Ok thanks.

I played a bit FFXII... It's very slow :s about 34FPS only. But I think, it is the limit of my CPU, no?

[Butz_san]

Ok thanks.

I played a bit FFXII... It's very slow :s about 34FPS only. But I think, it is the limit of my CPU, no?

Try to reduce your internal resolution in GSdx plugin :thumb:

[Izzi]

I'm running it at 1024x1024, to how much should I reduce it?

[Shadow Lady]

512x512 would be optimal for speed/compatibility but shouldnt be needed with your card

[ryllian]

Thats not quite what I meant. HDD isn't a RAM device (access time varies depending on where the data is located on the HDD). Having the data unfragmented(I don't know if its the right word) can speed loading times a bit. If you can assure that game image data isn't mixed up with other data, access times will be better.

Having a separate HDD is a good idea as well.

I never said an extra HDD would function as RAM?:S Getting another partition is complete waste in this scenario, especially since the OP probably has no idea how to use any type of DISKPART utility.

Besides from that, the windows defragmenter only uses the SPACE method, which means it's completely useless (it simply squashes data together regardless of their relation).

Even if the OP bought a professional defrag program, pcsx2 would not get a speed boost, unless you count perhaps a 0.1ms improvement during loading. Main benefit for defragmenting is for PC games, where the on-the-fly texture streaming causes the game to stutter if the drive head takes too long to seek out fragmented files.

Ok thanks.

I played a bit FFXII... It's very slow :s about 34FPS only. But I think, it is the limit of my CPU, no?

You may be able to get 45fps+ if you use speedhacks and whatnot, but I doubt you'll ever get fullspeed on that laptop I'm afraid.

[Izzi]

watnot?

I think FFXII isn't fully playable with 0.9.5? I use PAL version.
So I will not be able tu use speedhacks :s or am I wrong?

[ryllian]

FFXII is fully playable with the 0.9.5 SVN version.

By 'whatnot' I was referring to Frame/VU skipping and the more advanced speedhacks not found in the public versions.

[JAhU]

I never said an extra HDD would function as RAM...

I think we are misunderstanding each other even more now. I never said you said that and I never said that anyone should make a new partition. My point was that having the image in one piece could speed up loading times in the game. I was basing that assumption on the fact that I got such boost after making a new image of my DVD (I didn't use any defragmentation tools). Of course I can be wrong and that speed up was caused by something completely else.

I guess further arguing will lead us nowhere, so there is no point continuing it.

P.S. My English isn't the best, so you can blame it for this misunderstanding.

[ryllian]

I think we are misunderstanding each other even more now. I never said you said that and I never said that anyone should make a new partition. My point was that having the image in one piece could speed up loading times in the game. I was basing that assumption on the fact that I got such boost after making a new image of my DVD (I didn't use any defragmentation tools). Of course I can be wrong and that speed up was caused by something completely else.

Well, I'm sorry for implying anything, I'm just tired of people recommending defragmentation for every single speed or stutter related issue on the internet.

Specially for PC games, where the developers write crap texture streaming code and then tell customers to "defrag" when it's obviously a fault on their behalf.

Whereas it's the reverse when it comes to pcsx2 since the arrogant newbies always blame the devs for errors when 99% of the time it's their own ignorance to blame.