PS1/2 Emulator WiiStation - Another Fork of WiiSXRX released

[ssjkakaroto]

Wiistation v3.0 was released.
https://github.com/xjsxjs197/WiiSXRX_2022/releases
Ver 3.0:

• 240p/Lightgun/Mouse/Multitap support.
• CHD v1-v5 compressed format support.
• Add Force ntsc mode.
• Rewritten PCM decoding logic using the paired single instruction,
  There is a slight increase in corresponding speed.
• Imported the latest SPU, GPU, BIOS, Cdrom and other modules from PCSX ReARMed.
• Add separate save function, each game can save its own settings.
• Add old dynamic compilation core, For games where the Lightrec core cannot run,
  you can try the old dynamic compilation core.
• Many other minor corrections.

It seems that libchdr was not updated to include Zstd support.

 

[Disorarara]

A new build of WiiStation for addressing some issues related to audio (SPU/XA and even CDDA maybe?) decoding.
Compiled until git 64651a7
https://github.com/xjsxjs197/WiiSXRX_2022/commit/64651a783e7ff3f3a87146369b3a0ff0d4e6ba82

@rexus_pl can you test this new build for see if the audio related issues are solved?

Thanks

Bakumatsu Roman still has extremely harsh and awful sound. The sound quality in this game wasn't great to begin with so not having any kind of interpolation on the audio makes it sound completely awful.

Post automatically merged: Feb 7, 2024

Bloory Roar 2 works faster but not quite fullspeed yet, 54-58 seems to be the usual performance.

This falls a bit outside of the realm of WiiSX emulation but I believe Bloody Roar 2 actually has a way to enable 240p mode in the code (the arcade version it's based off of had both 480i and 240p modes). This would surely run full speed but I think you need to use cheats to enable it.

EDIT: Just tried it using action replay and the debug menu code, it does indeed work full speed found on this page, it works full speed but the graphics unfortunately break in the menus. Use 512x240 resolution.

https://tcrf.net/Bloody_Roar_2_(PlayStation)

Perhaps a PSX hacker could make a patch to only enable 512x240 res in fights, then it would run perfectly on WiiSX and other PSX emulators running on limited hardware.

 

[MeXen]

First time it was around 3 games, second time around 10, it hasn't happened a third time yet I just know it will happen randomly. Not the biggest issue in the world since it's only between game loads so no progress is lost and it shouldn't affect loaders. I also haven't been able to get microstutters on any 2D games yet.

Did you delete your old config files too?

 

[rexus_pl]

@rexus_pl can you test this new build for see if the audio related issues are solved?

Quick test, your and official builds:
- Moto Racer 2 - I can't hear any diffrence
- Vib-Ribbon - on your build game loses controls while selecting difficulty (emulator works, I can return to menu by pressing RESET button on console, but controller is dead); on offical build works fine and can sound good, but... I can confirm what @Skylab noticed: run emulator, load Vib-Ribbon - sounds bad, load Moto Racer 2 (sounds bad), again load Vib-Ribbon and it sounds good.

Not very important thing, but in "Credits" Wiistation is still 2.4

 

[Disorarara]

Did you delete your old config files too?

Always when changing versions

 

[Ouaz]

although I still notice some jittery FPS still on 3D NTSC games that run at 60fps

Tested Wiistation 3.0
Settings 240p, dithering None, any other filters disabled.

I noticed these microstutters too on 3D games @ 60FPS. It happens since a few builds.

What I also noticed, is that FPS are somewhat erratic now.

For example, on R4, it can drop to 58 and bursts to 61.33 regularly.
In previous builds (without microstutters), the FPS were somewhat more consistent, always being between 58.80~59.97 (never going above, or very rarely).
I wonder if it is what causes these weird hiccups now.

On the other hand, games have never been so fast (maybe too fast?)

-----
Image quality has never been so good. I don't know if something has been modified in that area, but the rendering is stunning. Very good work.

------
Also, PAL games are semi-fixed now:
- with Force NTSC set to off, screen display is OK.
- with Force NTSC set to on, the screen is still shifted vertically (a black bar appears at the top, and the bottom part of the screen is cut)

 

[Disorarara]

Tested Wiistation 3.0
Settings 240p, dithering None, any other filters disabled.

I noticed these microstutters too on 3D games @ 60FPS. It happens since a few builds.

What I also noticed, is that FPS are somewhat erratic now.

For example, on R4, it can drop to 58 and bursts to 61.33 regularly.
In previous builds (without microstutters), the FPS were somewhat more consistent, always being between 58.80~59.97 (never going above, or very rarely).
I wonder if it is what causes these weird hiccups now.

On the other hand, games have never been so fast (maybe too fast?)

-----
Image quality has never been so good. I don't know if something has been modified in that area, but the rendering is stunning. Very good work.

------
Also, PAL games are semi-fixed now:
- with Force NTSC set to off, screen display is OK.
- with Force NTSC set to on, the screen is still shifted vertically (a black bar appears at the top, and the bottom part of the screen is cut)

I suspect the change in video renderer and experimental triple buffering is the cause of it, as a similar issue happens in WiiSX 4.1 which also has experimental triple buffering. It works great on games that don't run at 60FPS but unfortunately causes occasional microstutter in games that do. Although it has noticably improved in Wiistation at least for 2D games. The older builds of Wiistation had no issue staying at a solid smooth 59.97 fps except in the cases of slowdown and lightrec caching. Agreed with you on video quality this is easily the cleanest image I've seen on any emulator on the Wii.

 

[ssjkakaroto]

in Resident Evil 1 when forcing NTSC the screen is cropped and in the menu when selecting an object it makes a strange sound

Just out of curiosity, what advantage is there in running PAL games in NTSC when there's a NTSC version of the same game?
I can understand it when the game was only released in Europe.

 

[SaulFabre]

Just out of curiosity, what advantage is there in running PAL games in NTSC when there's a NTSC version of the same game?
I can understand it when the game was only released in Europe.

Some PAL games fixed internal game bugs/issues that were present in its NTSC counterparts (ex. Driver 2).

 

[Kirby6417]

Amazing progress!!

However, some of you have done extensive testing over the last few months and I’ve heard a lot about microstuttering and unsmooth behavior. Would you say older versions are better then (as long as the game you want to play works on that version)?

 

[Disorarara]

Amazing progress!!

However, some of you have done extensive testing over the last few months and I’ve heard a lot about microstuttering and unsmooth behavior. Would you say older versions are better then (as long as the game you want to play works on that version)?

The oldest version I consider the best and has no microstutter is the "Force NTSC" build by jokippo which remains still the only one that keeps the image centered when using it. However the audio channels are reversed still so that might be an issue.

 

[GustavoReis]

This version 3.0 is incredible, wiistation has never been as fast and with an excellent image as it is now, congratulations to @xjsxjs197 for all the great work

 

[Ouaz]

I suspect the change in video renderer and experimental triple buffering is the cause of it, as a similar issue happens in WiiSX 4.1 which also has experimental triple buffering. It works great on games that don't run at 60FPS but unfortunately causes occasional microstutter in games that do.

Oh, ok, I undertstand now. Thanks for the explanation.
Let's hope it can be improved then (though it's not big deal)

Would you say older versions are better then (as long as the game you want to play works on that version)?

Go for 3.0
It's the best and fastest version.

 

[MeXen]

Oh, ok, I undertstand now. Thanks for the explanation.
Let's hope it can be improved then (though it's not big deal)


Go for 3.0
It's the best and fastest version.

One issue i found, in certain 3d games like Grandia or Pacman World, there's like a bit of scanline crunch in the middle of the screen.

 

[popckorn]

I tried installing the updated wiistation onto my Plug In Megathread Pack SD, but now wiiflow wont boot, it gets into the spalsh screen and then returns to System Menu.

I have a backup SD and it allows loading Wiiflow, I copied all the contents of the SD minus the videos folder and the ROMs folder (too big and unrelated to the loader) and removed all the other folders from the faulty SD, copies all the folders from the working SD, and tried booting wiiflow with the "retrofitted" faulty SD, but Wiiflow wont boot.

I am now backing up the Videos and ROMs as well so I "fix" the card or reformat it hoping for the Wii to recognize its Wiiflow file system dol and booter, because Videos do load through WiiMC, so I know the SD is working it is only Wiiflow that is no longer loading.

I run on linux, but I did update the Wiistation on a Windows machine and I think I changed USB ports a couple times, and I might have changed the Drive Letter assigned by windows to the SD.. but I do not know really, maybe the USB port from which I accessed the SD does not leave a fixed Drive Letter?

Running Linux I cannot see the letters Windows assigns, so it might have nothing to do with my error mode.

Please send help lol
Backing up 200GB of videos will take 3 hours, and then I must fix and or reformat the micro SD and copy all back onto it (249GB) for 6 hours only to see whether it will boot Wiiflow with a copy of the working SD filesystem backup... I am so confused, I already rolled back the changes to the faulty SD and it still wont boot...

 

[MeXen]

I tried installing the updated wiistation onto my Plug In Megathread Pack SD, but now wiiflow wont boot, it gets into the spalsh screen and then returns to System Menu.

I have a backup SD and it allows loading Wiiflow, I copied all the contents of the SD minus the videos folder and the ROMs folder (too big and unrelated to the loader) and removed all the other folders from the faulty SD, copies all the folders from the working SD, and tried booting wiiflow with the "retrofitted" faulty SD, but Wiiflow wont boot.

I am now backing up the Videos and ROMs as well so I "fix" the card or reformat it hoping for the Wii to recognize its Wiiflow file system dol and booter, because Videos do load through WiiMC, so I know the SD is working it is only Wiiflow that is no longer loading.

I run on linux, but I did update the Wiistation on a Windows machine and I think I changed USB ports a couple times, and I might have changed the Drive Letter assigned by windows to the SD.. but I do not know really, maybe the USB port from which I accessed the SD does not leave a fixed Drive Letter?

Running Linux I cannot see the letters Windows assigns, so it might have nothing to do with my error mode.

Please send help lol
Backing up 200GB of videos will take 3 hours, and then I must fix and or reformat the micro SD and copy all back onto it (249GB) for 6 hours only to see whether it will boot Wiiflow with a copy of the working SD filesystem backup... I am so confused, I already rolled back the changes to the faulty SD and it still wont boot...

........what?

 

[popckorn]

Unrelated SD "single file corruption" that set WiiFlow to crash at boot, while the rest of the SD data was being red properly.
Data corruption most likely due to an error by unplugging the SD card from the PC while it was writing onto it (a good minute or two after copying the files onto it, according to GUI).

Original Post:
I fixed the SD card with Linux Disks Utility.
Fsck Error, a bit was wrongly labeled with a second FAT, the first FAT in the Root sector was ok and intact so it was copied to the wrong sector and the mislabeled bit was erased. The error was reported to have been a bad unmounting, corrupting said bit. I am trying it now.

It did not work. I am reformatting the SD card and restoring the backup previous to my failed Wiistation update. My working backup is a clean install of the Plug-In Megapack by Running Snakes, with Wiistation 2.4, so i will stay like that until there is an "official" update to the megapack, KEK

I am utterly ignorant about what I am doing.

EDIT: Reformated my new large microSD, no errors on the card, copied the 64 GB of data from the backup (Working WiiFlow )microSD card to the new 265GB, along with some media.

The media, radio stations, the series and TV, everythings works, WiiMC, WiiRadio all detect the new, larger microSD inside the Wii..

BUT WIIFLOW IS STUCK IN A LOOP! IT BOOTS THE SPLASH SCREEN AND REVERTS TO THE WII MENU. EVER SINGLE TIME.

Is there some kind of log with discrepancies that I can delete to enter WiiFlow?
All files are there! that is the odd thing, maybe one identifies the larger card as smaller and wii is not refreshing the new SDCard just like it doesn't refresh boxcovers.

I just do not know which cache file to delete to be able to boot INTO WiiFlow past the SpalshScreen.

 

[MeXen]

I fixed the SD card with Linux Disks Utility.
Fsck Error, a bit was wrongly labeled with a second FAT, the first FAT in the Root sector was ok and intact so it was copied to the wrong sector and the mislabeled bit was erased. The error was reported to have been a bad unmounting, corrupting said bit. I am trying it now.

It did not work. I am reformatting the SD card and restoring the backup previous to my failed Wiistation update. My working backup is a clean install of the Plug-In Megapack by Running Snakes, with Wiistation 2.4, so i will stay like that until there is an "official" update to the megapack, KEK

I am utterly ignorant about what I am doing.

EDIT: Reformated my new large microSD, no errors on the card, copied the 64 GB of data from the backup (Working WiiFlow )microSD card to the new 265GB, along with some media.

The media, radio stations, the series and TV, everythings works, WiiMC, WiiRadio all detect the new, larger microSD inside the Wii..

BUT WIIFLOW IS STUCK IN A LOOP! IT BOOTS THE SPLASH SCREEN AND REVERTS TO THE WII MENU. EVER SINGLE TIME.

Is there some kind of log with discrepancies that I can delete to enter WiiFlow?
All files are there! that is the odd thing, maybe one identifies the larger card as smaller and wii is not refreshing the new SDCard just like it doesn't refresh boxcovers.

I just do not know which cache file to delete to be able to boot INTO WiiFlow past the SpalshScreen.

try using a USB 3.0 thumbdrive

 

[popckorn]

try using a USB 3.0 thumbdrive

I run a USB HDD on a USB port and the microSD using an SD adapter, but to format and fill up the microSD I use an USB adapter in Linux, so I do not know whether the SD card is being mislabled as USB disk at some level that conflicts with the name given to the microSD when formated in a Windows Machine using its own SD port. The SD card was a perfect copy of the backup (which is working) and I only tried to update wiistation, after that WiiFlow got crazy in this new SD... it was already working! I am so confused lol

 

[Skylab]

I run a USB HDD on a USB port and the microSD using an SD adapter, but to format and fill up the microSD I use an USB adapter in Linux, so I do not know whether the SD card is being mislabled as USB disk at some level that conflicts with the name given to the microSD when formated in a Windows Machine using its own SD port. The SD card was a perfect copy of the backup (which is working) and I only tried to update wiistation, after that WiiFlow got crazy in this new SD... it was already working! I am so confused lol

I don't think your problem have to do anything with wiistation.