Homebrew RetroArch - A new multi-system emulator

[Rydian]

I know that Chrono Trigger is heavy on the palette writes during some of the spells... I'm not sure how much the windowing effect causes slowdown, I know the older versions of the emulator were terrible with it. Haven't played CT on the PSP emulator yet so I can only make a few guesses.

Palette writes seem to be the main cause of slowdown I've found (as the video points out). If that could be worked around a lot of the graphical issues (from games that are set to have them cut back or removed entirely) or slowdown (from them, you know, existing) would be gone.

 

[seam]

so im using doom2... and ive renamed my music mp3s to match what is listed in the prboom-soundtrack-list the best that i could... however i ran into a few issues. what song is "read_m.mp3" out of the 2 soundtracks i have, i dont see a song that resembles that name... also "MAP25 adrians dead" i dont see this one listed in the prbdoom-soundtrack file... do i dont know what to name it to.. it'd be nice if the prboom-soundtrack-list file was just a little more clear.

sorry to bump... but can anyone shed some light on this please?

 

[the_randomizer]

Speaking of the Snes9x 1.52.1 port, has anyone looked into the palette issues? Games that use gradient text boxes (Square RPGs for example) where the colors blend, don't blend in as smoothly as they should (inconsistent gradients, if that makes any sense)? What is the RGB palette output of a real Snes, or rather, will Snes9x Next eventually use it?

Here's a comparison I used to simulate what I see on the emulator (using the Windows port and some filters to simulate the palette issues): (can't post direct images here for some stupid reason, so I'll have to send just the links)

Before (how it normally looks, take a look at the text box and how the colors blend together)
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/ff6gradientbefore.png/

After (how Snes9x Next outputs it, not sure if it's on my end though)
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/ff6gradientafter.png/

Again, the dithering or gradient colors are inconsistent to how they should be outputted. Snes9xGx outputs it correctly, but I'm positive this issue can be resolved fairly easily.

 

[zerofalcon]

so im using doom2... and ive renamed my music mp3s to match what is listed in the prboom-soundtrack-list the best that i could... however i ran into a few issues. what song is "read_m.mp3" out of the 2 soundtracks i have, i dont see a song that resembles that name... also "MAP25 adrians dead" i dont see this one listed in the prbdoom-soundtrack file... do i dont know what to name it to.. it'd be nice if the prboom-soundtrack-list file was just a little more clear.

sorry to bump... but can anyone shed some light on this please?

I downloaded the music from here http://www.doomworld...p?wad=doom2.wad

I like more the midi sound so I downloaded all the midi files and converted to mp3, the name of mp3's matches the same as the instructions of prboom soundtrack list.

 

[Hielkenator]

Confirming that most Konami ARCADE games are working !
Tried Sunset Riders, Bells & Whistles, Vendetta, Teenage Mutant Nnja Turles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles: Turtles in Time.
Awesome games.

Also Somewhere in this thread it was mentioned that Streetfighter II World Warrior/ Turbo, Champion Edition were'nt working.
I've got them to work perfectly.
Also most Irem, Namco and Taito shooters are working perfectly.
Great! Can't wait for More!

 

[Toad King]

Speaking of the Snes9x 1.52.1 port, has anyone looked into the palette issues? Games that use gradient text boxes (Square RPGs for example) where the colors blend, don't blend in as smoothly as they should (inconsistent gradients, if that makes any sense)? What is the RGB palette output of a real Snes, or rather, will Snes9x Next eventually use it?

Here's a comparison I used to simulate what I see on the emulator (using the Windows port and some filters to simulate the palette issues): (can't post direct images here for some stupid reason, so I'll have to send just the links)

Before (how it normally looks, take a look at the text box and how the colors blend together)
http://imageshack.us...ientbefore.png/

After (how Snes9x Next outputs it, not sure if it's on my end though)
http://imageshack.us...dientafter.png/

Again, the dithering or gradient colors are inconsistent to how they should be outputted. Snes9xGx outputs it correctly, but I'm positive this issue can be resolved fairly easily.

Don't seem to see it on my end, but I'm not sure I completely understand the issue you're looking at. How exactly are you taking those screenshots? Also, here's a screenshot directly from the EFB on my Wii from an earlier scene (ignore the debug text): http://i.imgur.com/eQ23E.png Does this have the same issue?

 

[Kypiyo]

I think what he is trying to say is that lag occurs only when are using the Classic Controller or another device attached to the Wiimote, but not when you are just using the Wiimote by itself.

So, I guess there is something wrong, This shouldn't have happen. If there is any lag, it should be equal between the Classic Controller and the Wiimote.

Yes thanks, this i is trying say. Sorry for my english

Are you using an official Classic Controller? Pro or not? Unfortunately, since Squrepusher did the Classic Controller testing, I cannot help much.

I have a CC Pro, it isn't offical.
This model http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=251023957582&ssPageName=STRK:MERFB:IID

I did this test:

My TV + Wii Game + wiimote = NO Lag
My TV + Wii Game + wiimote + CC Pro (no Official) = NO Lag

My TV + Wii Virtual Console Game* + wiimote = NO Lag
My TV + Wii Virtual Console Game* + wiimote + CC Pro (no Official) = NO Lag

My TV + Wii RetroArch* + wiimote = NO Lag
My TV + Wii RetroArch* + GC Gamepad (no Official) = NO Lag
My TV + Wii RetroArch* + wiimote + CC Pro (no Official) = "input LAG"

* Same game, i did try Mario Bros 3 and Super Ghouls'n Ghosts

This lag only affect the controls, the speed's game runs normal

If there are any test I can do for help, let me know

 

[Toad King]

I think what he is trying to say is that lag occurs only when are using the Classic Controller or another device attached to the Wiimote, but not when you are just using the Wiimote by itself.

So, I guess there is something wrong, This shouldn't have happen. If there is any lag, it should be equal between the Classic Controller and the Wiimote.

Yes thanks, this i is trying say. Sorry for my english

Are you using an official Classic Controller? Pro or not? Unfortunately, since Squrepusher did the Classic Controller testing, I cannot help much.

I have a CC Pro, it isn't offical.
This model http://www.ebay.com/...=STRK:MERFB:IID

I did this test:

My TV + Wii Game + wiimote = NO Lag
My TV + Wii Game + wiimote + CC Pro (no Official) = NO Lag

My TV + Wii Virtual Console Game* + wiimote = NO Lag
My TV + Wii Virtual Console Game* + wiimote + CC Pro (no Official) = NO Lag

My TV + Wii RetroArch* + wiimote = NO Lag
My TV + Wii RetroArch* + GC Gamepad (no Official) = NO Lag
My TV + Wii RetroArch* + wiimote + CC Pro (no Official) = "input LAG"

* Same game, i did try Mario Bros 3 and Super Ghouls'n Ghosts

This lag only affect the controls, the speed's game runs normal

If there are any test I can do for help, let me know

Do you still get the lag in other Homebrew applications?

Do just the CC buttons lag, or do the Wiimote buttons also lag with it attached?

 

[the_randomizer]

Speaking of the Snes9x 1.52.1 port, has anyone looked into the palette issues? Games that use gradient text boxes (Square RPGs for example) where the colors blend, don't blend in as smoothly as they should (inconsistent gradients, if that makes any sense)? What is the RGB palette output of a real Snes, or rather, will Snes9x Next eventually use it?

Here's a comparison I used to simulate what I see on the emulator (using the Windows port and some filters to simulate the palette issues): (can't post direct images here for some stupid reason, so I'll have to send just the links)

Before (how it normally looks, take a look at the text box and how the colors blend together)
http://imageshack.us...ientbefore.png/

After (how Snes9x Next outputs it, not sure if it's on my end though)
http://imageshack.us...dientafter.png/

Again, the dithering or gradient colors are inconsistent to how they should be outputted. Snes9xGx outputs it correctly, but I'm positive this issue can be resolved fairly easily.

Don't seem to see it on my end, but I'm not sure I completely understand the issue you're looking at. How exactly are you taking those screenshots? Also, here's a screenshot directly from the EFB on my Wii from an earlier scene (ignore the debug text): http://i.imgur.com/eQ23E.png Does this have the same issue?

I took the screenshots from Snes9x Windows because I realized afterwards there was a built-in feature in RetroArch. The gradients of blue in that text box (the hues and tints of blue are inconsistent) are not correct, the issue is that the lines should be more even.

Here's a better comparison http://imageshack.us...omparison2.png/ If you zoom up on the text box, you can see the lines don't blend the way they should.
Snes9xGx however, displays it properly, with or without the filters on, so it's not an issue with that.

http://imageshack.us.../841/floor.png/ From Chrono Trigger, the floor tiles blend properly in 1.53, but in Next, you can see darker tiles that don't blend (they look like black squares on either side of the floor). Also look at the tree tiles in A Link to the Past, they don't blend with the grass tiles, but stick out like a sore thumb. In Snes9x 1.53 they blend but in Next, they don't. This can't be just on my end. I know that if you look hard at the FF6 image, you will irrefutably be able to tell a difference.

 

[LibretroRetroArc]

Speaking of the Snes9x 1.52.1 port, has anyone looked into the palette issues? Games that use gradient text boxes (Square RPGs for example) where the colors blend, don't blend in as smoothly as they should (inconsistent gradients, if that makes any sense)? What is the RGB palette output of a real Snes, or rather, will Snes9x Next eventually use it?

Here's a comparison I used to simulate what I see on the emulator (using the Windows port and some filters to simulate the palette issues): (can't post direct images here for some stupid reason, so I'll have to send just the links)

Before (how it normally looks, take a look at the text box and how the colors blend together)
http://imageshack.us...ientbefore.png/

After (how Snes9x Next outputs it, not sure if it's on my end though)
http://imageshack.us...dientafter.png/

Again, the dithering or gradient colors are inconsistent to how they should be outputted. Snes9xGx outputs it correctly, but I'm positive this issue can be resolved fairly easily.

Don't seem to see it on my end, but I'm not sure I completely understand the issue you're looking at. How exactly are you taking those screenshots? Also, here's a screenshot directly from the EFB on my Wii from an earlier scene (ignore the debug text): http://i.imgur.com/eQ23E.png Does this have the same issue?

I took the screenshots from Snes9x Windows because I realized afterwards there was a built-in feature in RetroArch. The gradients of blue in that text box (the hues and tints of blue are inconsistent) are not correct, the issue is that the lines should be more even.

Here's a better comparison http://imageshack.us...omparison2.png/ If you zoom up on the text box, you can see the lines don't blend the way they should.
Snes9xGx however, displays it properly, with or without the filters on, so it's not an issue with that.

http://imageshack.us.../841/floor.png/ From Chrono Trigger, the floor tiles blend properly in 1.53, but in Next, you can see darker tiles that don't blend (they look like black squares on either side of the floor). Also look at the tree tiles in A Link to the Past, they don't blend with the grass tiles, but stick out like a sore thumb. In Snes9x 1.53 they blend but in Next, they don't. This can't be just on my end. I know that if you look hard at the FF6 image, you will irrefutably be able to tell a difference.

All the same I think it's pretty extreme nitpickery over essentially nothing IMHO. With regards to the color banding, I think SNES9x Next in that FF6 screenshot actually looks better there in that regard - the color banding is worse' in the 'accurate' picture from SNES9x 1.53. I know it was that way on the SNES as well but still...

However, I will re-do SNES9x Next from scratch - so I will pay special attention to some of these issues you raised (a 'done from scratch' re-port of SNES9x Next should have happened a long time ago since the code changes were pretty messy - however, I've never goten the time and there was no real urgency to do it before). I'll also be doing a SNES9x 1.43 port because the Gamecube does need a faster SNES9x port than 1.52 - certain levels in Donkey Kong Country 1 (world 2-1) with lots of color addition/subtraction going on can slow down to around 51/47fps - I think SNES9x 1.43 would nail it on Gamecube.

 

[the_randomizer]

All the same I think it's pretty extreme nitpickery over essentially nothing IMHO. With regards to the color banding, I think SNES9x Next in that FF6 screenshot actually looks better there in that regard - the color banding is worse' in the 'accurate' picture from SNES9x 1.53. I know it was that way on the SNES as well but still...

However, I will re-do SNES9x Next from scratch - so I will pay special attention to some of these issues you raised (a 'done from scratch' re-port of SNES9x Next should have happened a long time ago since the code changes were pretty messy - however, I've never goten the time and there was no real urgency to do it before). I'll also be doing a SNES9x 1.43 port because the Gamecube does need a faster SNES9x port than 1.52 - certain levels in Donkey Kong Country 1 (world 2-1) with lots of color addition/subtraction going on can slow down to around 51/47fps - I think SNES9x 1.43 would nail it on Gamecube.

Crap (overstepped my bounds) I shouldn't have brought it up...now I feel like a jerk for bitching about the RGB palette "issue". I figured I should let someone know since, well, me being as accustomed to how a real Snes outputs the palette....Yeah, I'll shut my mouth, I've already said way too much on what I noticed was "wrong"...

Other games have weird palettes issues, such as ALLTP and Chrono Trigger.

 

[LibretroRetroArc]

All the same I think it's pretty extreme nitpickery over essentially nothing IMHO. With regards to the color banding, I think SNES9x Next in that FF6 screenshot actually looks better there in that regard - the color banding is worse' in the 'accurate' picture from SNES9x 1.53. I know it was that way on the SNES as well but still...

However, I will re-do SNES9x Next from scratch - so I will pay special attention to some of these issues you raised (a 'done from scratch' re-port of SNES9x Next should have happened a long time ago since the code changes were pretty messy - however, I've never goten the time and there was no real urgency to do it before). I'll also be doing a SNES9x 1.43 port because the Gamecube does need a faster SNES9x port than 1.52 - certain levels in Donkey Kong Country 1 (world 2-1) with lots of color addition/subtraction going on can slow down to around 51/47fps - I think SNES9x 1.43 would nail it on Gamecube.

Crap (overstepped my bounds) I shouldn't have brought it up...now I feel like a jerk for bitching about the RGB palette "issue". I figured I should let someone know since, well, me being as accustomed to how a real Snes outputs the palette....Yeah, I'll shut my mouth, I've already said way too much on what I noticed was "wrong"...

Other games have weird palettes issues, such as ALLTP and Chrono Trigger.

Nah, it's good you brought it up - any and all criticism is good when taking into consideration things to improve in future ports - so by all means, do continue to shoot.

Make me some screenshots of these palette issues you're alluding to in Chrono Trigger and ALTTP.

 

[Hielkenator]

All the same I think it's pretty extreme nitpickery over essentially nothing IMHO. With regards to the color banding, I think SNES9x Next in that FF6 screenshot actually looks better there in that regard - the color banding is worse' in the 'accurate' picture from SNES9x 1.53. I know it was that way on the SNES as well but still...

However, I will re-do SNES9x Next from scratch - so I will pay special attention to some of these issues you raised (a 'done from scratch' re-port of SNES9x Next should have happened a long time ago since the code changes were pretty messy - however, I've never goten the time and there was no real urgency to do it before). I'll also be doing a SNES9x 1.43 port because the Gamecube does need a faster SNES9x port than 1.52 - certain levels in Donkey Kong Country 1 (world 2-1) with lots of color addition/subtraction going on can slow down to around 51/47fps - I think SNES9x 1.43 would nail it on Gamecube.

Crap (overstepped my bounds) I shouldn't have brought it up...now I feel like a jerk for bitching about the RGB palette "issue". I figured I should let someone know since, well, me being as accustomed to how a real Snes outputs the palette....Yeah, I'll shut my mouth, I've already said way too much on what I noticed was "wrong"...

Other games have weird palettes issues, such as ALLTP and Chrono Trigger.

Well if you look closely, the lines are there, You should calibrate your monitor.
Saturation is different, agreed.Maybe this is a palette isseu.

What I find more annoying is snesnext loading the Konami intro, the sound is garbled.
And the wrong button mapping.

 

[the_randomizer]

Nah, it's good you brought it up - any and all criticism is good when taking into consideration things to improve in future ports - so by all means, do continue to shoot.

Make me some screenshots of these palette issues you're alluding to in Chrono Trigger and ALTTP.

Well, I wasn't sure how else to put it, as some people on other emulation forums have ripped me to shreds for constructive criticism, but I'm glad you take it so well I can't take screenshots right now since I need to go to work soon, but I should be back around 4-4:30PM, so I'll post the screenshots then and point out where I see the issues.

Well if you look closely, the lines are there, You should calibrate your monitor.
Saturation is different, agreed.Maybe this is a palette isseu.

What I find more annoying is snesnext loading the Konami intro, the sound is garbled.
And the wrong button mapping.

I think the audio garbling is due to the sampling frequency changing every time you open/close the menu, so I believe it to be a libogc-related issue (such was the case in Snes9xGx). I could be wrong, though.

 

[Rydian]

I'll also be doing a SNES9x 1.43 port because the Gamecube does need a faster SNES9x port than 1.52 - certain levels in Donkey Kong Country 1 (world 2-1) with lots of color addition/subtraction going on can slow down to around 51/47fps - I think SNES9x 1.43 would nail it on Gamecube.

I only have a PSP to test, but yeah, without any palette write limiting that level gets down to 20fps on the PSP. With "simple" it's ~45, with "off" it's 60.

 

[LibretroRetroArc]

And the wrong button mapping.

Wrong button mapping for what?

 

[Hielkenator]

The buttons for classic controller etc are initial wrongly mapped.
y is not really y, b is not really b etc.

I wish you guys could look into it.
It's workable, but still...

 

[LibretroRetroArc]

The buttons for classic controller etc are initial wrongly mapped.
y is not really y, b is not really b etc.

I wish you guys could look into it.
It's workable, but still...

Do you mean - only for SNES9x or other emulators/games as well?

 

[Hielkenator]

The buttons for classic controller etc are initial wrongly mapped.
y is not really y, b is not really b etc.

I wish you guys could look into it.
It's workable, but still...

Do you mean - only for SNES9x or other emulators/games as well?

Hmm, not sure have problems for the cps game for sure.

I'll post asap.

 

[Hielkenator]

PCE mednafen needs to have Y and B ( 1 and 2 )switched for classic controller.
Also vba next initializes with partly cg/classic controls.

Resr seems to be spot on.