my best config, OGL2, FF9

[dbhankins]

Problems I've seen that this config resolves, and how it resolves them:

- Various graphics glitches (framebuffer settings)
- Sound glitches ("Update before accessing register" in Eternal)

I've played through:

- FMVs
- Scripted 3D engine cutscenes
- Field map
- Battles
- Menus

which should cover most of the problems people have had. I haven't gotten far enough in the game to switch disks, so that's an issue that's yet to be resolved; I know some games have problems when switching.

Since this is an OGL2 config, prerequisites are a card and driver that supports OpenGL 2.0 (DirectX 9 in DirectX terms). If you have a barely-DX9 card (like an NVidia 5200FX), turn the shader stuff off as that impacts performance. You may also want to do things like reducing resolution, turning off full-screen filters, etc.

As always, your mileage may vary.

OS: WinXP SP2
Gfx: ATI X850XT PCI-Ex
Snd: C-Media Rear Panel Audio
CPU: Intel P4 HT 3GHz 800Mhz FSB
RAM: 2G
PAD: DualShock2 on RadioShack USB adapter

Emulator: ePSXe 1.60
GPU: Pete's OpenGL2 2.7
SPU: Eternal 1.41
CDR: Mooby2 (image made with Alcohol 120%)

GPU settings:


SPU settings:


CDR settings:


Options:


PAD settings:



Dan

[hushypushy]

*cough* ePSXe 1.6.0 shouldnt be used with FF9

__________________
Dedicated to mediocrity and repetition since 1994.

[dbhankins]

When or if I run into problems with FF9 on ePSXe 1.6.0, I'll update the post with corrected info.

What particular problems should I be expecting in FF9 when using this version of ePSXe?


Dan

[Stevedroid]

You might want to make SSSPSX the default recommended emulator now. Seems to be really good. I got slowdowns before and after battles with ePSXe 1.6.0 and 1.5.2, but SSSPSX, nothing. Coming up in the world indeed, I think it could easily surpass ePSXe if they fix some of the rough edges regarding the interface. Heck, as far as running the games, it's already ePSXe's superior in my opinion.

[dbhankins]

Depends on the game. I generally use ePSXe as the default because I run a lot of games, and therefore need a frontend. ePSXe is the one that works best with ePSXeCutor (or Delta, if that's what you like).

If I just can't get ePSXe 1.6.0 to work right with something, especially if there's a timing problem that causes slowdowns in a game though FPS remains steady, then I have sssPSX as a second choice.

So far I've only found one game that doesn't work right in either ePSXe or sssPSX: Resident Evil 3 Nemesis. Don't recall exactly what the problems were with it, but neither ePSXe nor sssPSX would run that one properly. Had to use PSXeven.


Dan

[fireblaster_lyz]

Hmmm...RE3 Nemesis works completely fine with me using ePSXe 1.6.0.
Perhaps, a configuration problem?

__________________
Regards,
fireblaster_lyz


Plugin(s) Configuration:
ePSXe/PSXeven/SSSPSX
Pete's OpenGL GPU v2.7 | Eternal SPU v1.41 | P.E.O.p.S CDR Plugin

Plugin(s) Links:
Pete's Bernert
Lewpy

Configuration Guides:
Troubleshooting FAQ (READ ME FIRST)
Kane

General Configuration Guide (in Japanese)
Click here. (Dumping BIOS, Everything)

"Because i want my computer to stay a computer. I dont want to be just a psx. "

[hushypushy]

ok ok guys, keep the other games out of this thread

in response to Stevedroid, i've been playing FF7 for a while on ePSXe 1.5.2 and i havent noticed any slowdowns (and i play at 1280x1024 with shaders, i only get like ~65 fps in battle as it is). my computer is semi-beefy (athlon 2500+, geforce 6800) so i can understand why people with lower specs can have trouble...

__________________
Dedicated to mediocrity and repetition since 1994.

[Stevedroid]

Originally Posted by hushypushy

ok ok guys, keep the other games out of this thread

in response to Stevedroid, i've been playing FF7 for a while on ePSXe 1.5.2 and i havent noticed any slowdowns (and i play at 1280x1024 with shaders, i only get like ~65 fps in battle as it is). my computer is semi-beefy (athlon 2500+, geforce 6800) so i can understand why people with lower specs can have trouble...

I don't see any slowdowns with FF7 on ePSXe either (though I do with FF9), it has other problems though. Some sounds are missing, especially sounds that play during FMVs. For example in the opening cinematic the sort of ambient humming at the swirlng stars is missing, Aeris has no foostep sound, and the train sounds are missing, basically only the music plays. SSSPSX doesn't have this problem and I'm using the exact same sound plugin and settings on both.
-edit-
I realized the missing sounds in cinematics was due to not having "Enable XA sounds" checked in ePSXe's sound settings. It's disabled by default andI had no idea what the heck it was since there's no help for it.
-edit-

As far as any FF9 slowdown being related to my spec well I've got:
Athlon 64 3500+
1GB PC3200 memory (dual channel 2x512)
AIW Radeon X800XT

I think it's safe to say it's probably related to the emulator I find that on average SSSPSX uses about 8-12MB less memory at any given point than ePSXe. ePSXe also has the odd occasional stutter which I don't get with SSSPSX. Also SSSPSX seems to suffer less when multi-tasking; for example I have an All-In-Wonder which has a built in TV tuner. The TV application is pretty perforamnce intensive and if I tried to run it and ePSXe at the same time I have major slowdown problems with both. With SSSPSX, it's still far from perfect, but it's actually runnable.

In my experience SSSPSX just seems to be a more efficient emulator. Heck you can just look at the executable sizes. ePSXe is 167KB while SSSPSX is 40KB. Typically, smaller size = less code = more efficient; that's not a rule set in stone of course, you can write a 5K program that does the same thing more slowly than a 50K program, but typically smaller=faster.

---

Last edited by Stevedroid; October 7th, 2005 at 22:29..

[TheMaister]

Originally Posted by hushypushy

ok ok guys, keep the other games out of this thread

in response to Stevedroid, i've been playing FF7 for a while on ePSXe 1.5.2 and i havent noticed any slowdowns (and i play at 1280x1024 with shaders, i only get like ~65 fps in battle as it is). my computer is semi-beefy (athlon 2500+, geforce 6800) so i can understand why people with lower specs can have trouble...

65 fps in battle?!?!?! lol?!

I only have a Radeon 9800 pro, I use shaders, and I get like 150 fps in battle. Is shaders THAT slow with nVidia?!

Anyways. At least for my comp, ePSXe 1.5.2 have been superior in every way.
In the FF-games: Absolutly PERFECT. Sound, graphics, speed.. Perfect!
The only game I had problems with was Chrono Cross.

sssPSX is a good emulator. Despite the exe-size, it was slower on some occations...
However, since I can't use a frontend with it, I deleted it...

---

Last edited by TheMaister; October 8th, 2005 at 12:20..

[hushypushy]

heh, i use GSLlang smoothing at level 2 and i play at 1280x1024 with the settings i mentioned above. i get plenty of FPS (i dunno like 100+ something i never really unlimit actually..) out of battle but in battle it hangs around mid 60s. i have a feeling it's my CPU working backwards on me, the old 2500+ is really lagging these days..

__________________
Dedicated to mediocrity and repetition since 1994.

[TheMaister]

No, I don't think it has so much to do with the CPU. With OpenGL2 it depends mostly on the GPU.
Just a tip:
GSLang smoothing is really SLOW. IMO, Pseudo Median w/o Luminace is better looking and faster than GSlang.

With Pseudo, I get like 150 fps. With GSlang I get 100-110. You should try to change the shaders.

[Lewpy]

Originally Posted by Stevedroid

In my experience SSSPSX just seems to be a more efficient emulator. Heck you can just look at the executable sizes. ePSXe is 167KB while SSSPSX is 40KB. Typically, smaller size = less code = more efficient; that's not a rule set in stone of course, you can write a 5K program that does the same thing more slowly than a 50K program, but typically smaller=faster.

That is one way of looking at it. The other way is that: smaller size == less code == can't do as much.
Now, I'm not saying this is the case, but it's something I've observed over the years I've been assisting with PSX emulation.
When a new emulator hits the masses, it normally has been developed round a core group of games: the games the developers owned, and probably the ones they liked the most
What that means is the emulator is tuned to work for those games. Now, to get certain games working, not all the PSX system needs emulated, and certainly not 100% (nor accurate). However, other games may completely fail to run under those conditions.
Now, as the emulator matures, it starts to emulate things more completely and accurately. This normally means more code, which in turn increases the file size.
My plugin itself "bloated" from about 170kb to 480kb over the years. Although some of that could be shaved off (I am sure), most of it was extra code to handle more accurate emulation.
Okay, what I am getting at is: don't judge a book by its cover, nor an emulator by its file size

[Stevedroid]

Originally Posted by Lewpy

Okay, what I am getting at is: don't judge a book by its cover, nor an emulator by its file size

Well yes, but of course that wasn't the only thing I was judging it by. As said, in my experience, SSSPSX also runs the games faster and uses less memory.

May well be that it is designed around a select group of games as you describe though. Seems to work great with all the FFs though, and really, beyond those what else matters

[TheMaister]

Originally Posted by Stevedroid

Well yes, but of course that wasn't the only thing I was judging it by. As said, in my experience, SSSPSX also runs the games faster and uses less memory.

May well be that it is designed around a select group of games as you describe though. Seems to work great with all the FFs though, and really, beyond those what else matters

Well.. That's weird. On my comp, it runs slower than ePSXe.

[fireblaster_lyz]

Perhaps, something is bugging your SSSPSX. Lol.

__________________
Regards,
fireblaster_lyz


Plugin(s) Configuration:
ePSXe/PSXeven/SSSPSX
Pete's OpenGL GPU v2.7 | Eternal SPU v1.41 | P.E.O.p.S CDR Plugin

Plugin(s) Links:
Pete's Bernert
Lewpy

Configuration Guides:
Troubleshooting FAQ (READ ME FIRST)
Kane

General Configuration Guide (in Japanese)
Click here. (Dumping BIOS, Everything)

"Because i want my computer to stay a computer. I dont want to be just a psx. "

[TheMaister]

Heh. Yeah maybe it does.. Anyways, I have had no problems (except one)with ePSXe so I'll stick with that emu.

[cloud727]

I am using ePSXe 1.5.2 to play Final Fantasy IX. I used the reccomended setup for my GPU and it looks great. I am having problems w/ my SPU. I am using Eternal and its having problems w/ playing the CG scenes like in the beggining (sp?) when Vivi and Puck go to the concert. If i use the ePSXe SPU core audio plugin it works fine. Should i just stick with the core plugin or does anyone have any suggestions. I dont know if it makes a difference but the Eternal and Eternal lite plug ins worked with Final Fantasy VII.

__________________
Cloud 727

Windows XP Professional, 100 GB HD @ 4200 RPMS, 512 MB Ram, Athlon 64 3200+, ATI Radeon Xpress 200M 128 MB

[hushypushy]

i'd say stick with eternal 1.41 for any game...if you're having trouble with MDECs or XA sound, then it's probably your CD plugin. either change/reconfigure it (i'd suggest Peops CDR) or just make an ISO.

__________________
Dedicated to mediocrity and repetition since 1994.

[Slider]

Great guide, appreciate it. I'm just replaying ff9 again with a 3000+ a64 @ 2.2ghz/2GB ram/6600gt and it looks great. thanks.

[industrian]

I've been playing through FF9 on my PC for a couple of days now with no problems whatsoever. I'm on Disk 3 right now and everything is running sweet.

I'll put up my plugin configurations and some screenshots later. Right now my home PC has no access to the outside world.

Just for reference though, I'm using 1.6.0. I'm a bit surprised when it comes to a lot of people talking about problems with the Dali cutscene, etc. I had no problems there.