Gaming Virtual console quality

[blaisedinsd]

Ok, I did some play testing here and I definitely have some issues with the virtual console.

There is some delay and it really effects game that rely on twitch.

I always thought it was some sort of video processing delay in my tv, but I am thinking it's just a virtual console problem. I recently got an original NES and a copy of ninja gaiden. This game is all about timing and twitch. Hooking this up to a CRT television and playing it, man it play like a dream. I dominate this game and beat it 3 times. I have it on wii virtual console and man I struggle. So figuring its the tv I hooked the NES to the HDTV and to my surprise it plays fine and I dominate. On vc, I tried playing on the gamepad screen and the tv, didn't notice any difference. Bad on both. The graphics look much nicer on vc, but the controls man.

I have had troubles with punchout and some with mario, most noticeably trying to bounce on those music note blocks on smb3.

I thought I had played decent on on vc hooking it up to a CRT television in the past. I may try that again to test.

Any real data on vc lag or anything? I think there is an easy way to measure lag between gamepad screen and tv, anyone know on that?

Regardless, wow am I a believer now on playing games on the original hardware. It's so much better for these types of games. Vc looks pretty, but The control is more important.

 

[MarioFanatic64]

It might be a audio-video delay from the HDMI cable. But if the same thing's happening to the Game Pad then probably not.

Either way, I suggest you may as well try a different cable if you have one laying about.

 

[driverdis]

the Wii U gamepad does have a slight input and video lag as it is wireless.
I am not sure video processing delays when used over HDMI are the problem. usually, HDMI goes through very little video processing steps and usually is input lag free. normally,only using composite on an HDTV will cause lag from the steps it takes to convert composite (NTSC or PAL) to RGB(or whatever other format the TV uses internally) before being displayed onscreen.

 

[blaisedinsd]

I wonder if most of the lag is just from being wireless, the bluetooth connection. Even the 1-up trick in SMB3 world 1-2 is a pain because of the lag...I can do it but it is way more difficult and therefore takes much longer to max out my lives.

I guess I can try on the old wii and plug in a gamecube controller to see if it is better.

Since the composite cables on the HDTV seemed to be fine from the NES I am thinking the video processing is not the problem. I had my Wii connected with component cables to the HDTV and had problems then as well.

It is only noticeable on games where twitch is very important. Kind of sad those types of games are not very common. I do not game online much but isn't this a huge problem for competitive online shooters and madden and such? I guess those games have always had whatever lag so it is normal, but playing an old school twitch game designed for wired controllers and a CRT television it will be noticeable.

I have played these games on emulators on the DS and PC and lag was not an issue.

 

[Catastrophic]

I noticed this quite well in Star Fox 64 the other day. I played through it on a real N64 and then switched to the VC version. Instantly noticed that there was input lag in the VC version.

It's most likely some kind of emulation flaw, nothing that can be done about it. Have you tried playing the game in FCE Ultra GX?

I played the game on the original Wii, just to clarify.

 

[tbgtbg]

I am not sure video processing delays when used over HDMI are the problem. usually, HDMI goes through very little video processing steps and usually is input lag free.

It's entirely possible the lag is due to the TV processing the video signal.

Check your TV for something called "game mode" and turn it on. This will reduce such lag. Also, if you have a 120hz or higher LCD or TV, turn that shit off while gaming, it absolutely will introduce lag (on plasma you want 600hz, as that's equivalent of 60hz on other TV's). Also turn off any other fancy features in the settings of the TV, the names will vary by brand and model, but anything that's designed to remove artifacts or noise you want off.

And yes, even after all that, you still could have lag from the wireless controllers. But you can't really help that on WiiU

 

[blaisedinsd]

Yeah I have turned off all those setting and use game mode. It does help a ton on plenty of games. It's just these virtual console twitch based games that are still a problem.