Homebrew Retroarch Emulation Thread (Nightly Builds Included)

[aplant92]

Hi all,

Perhaps this is a fairly well known issue, but with the 1.3.3 version of Retroarch, the gPSP emulator seems to be freezing randomly (either just after the game begins loading), or just after the game has loaded and a scene change occurs (Pokemon Emerald is the game, and the scene change could be something like a battle).

It seems to do this everytime my n3DS is left turned off for a few hours. After restarting it works fine. Turning off Dynarec also seems to stop the freezing, but obviously performance suffers massively as a result.

I've got the CIA installed and am using the Luma 3DS CFW. Is this just one of the things I'll have to deal with if using Retroarch? Or is there some fix?

Also, to clarify, I'm using 1.3.3 as anything above seems to have vertical tearing (however I haven't tried an updated version using the integer scaling set to 1 and a 1:1 ratio, so might give this a shot tonight).

Any ideas?

TL;DR gPSP keeps freezing randomly on 1.3.3 and I think Dynarec is the culprit. Any solution that doesn't involve disabling Dynarec?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

And I've been using the LQ2x and 2xSai filters just for reference.

Everything else has it's default value.

 

[kenseiden]

gpSP's broken dynarec is a pretty well-discussed issue at this point, actually; it's been brought up several times in the thread previously. As you mentioned, the only way to avoid the random crashes at this point is to disable dynarec.

Honestly at this point, I think it might be best to start a separate thread for the post 1.3.3 version issues, or maybe just inform people to search the thread?

 

[aplant92]

gpSP's broken dynarec is a pretty well-discussed issue at this point, actually; it's been brought up several times in the thread previously. As you mentioned, the only way to avoid the random crashes at this point is to disable dynarec.

Honestly at this point, I think it might be best to start a separate thread for the post 1.3.3 version issues, or maybe just inform people to search the thread?

Ok I figured as much. Do you know of a more reliable alternative that is still playable? Or is putting up with the random freezes the best option at this point?

And apologies for bringing this up again, I was lurking a few days ago reading people talking about the same issue, but I couldn't for the life of me find out where that was again. And so the Dynarec has been broken even including 1.3.3? And It hasn't been fixed in any later versions?

 

[kenseiden]

At this point, I'm more than okay with putting up with the random crashes, haha. But from what I've used of it, the standalone mGBA emulator is a good alternative to Retroarch gpSP. I don't think it has dynarec yet, but even at this stage, it runs GBA games at near-perfect speeds (with some frameskip needed) and it also has Gameboy/Gameboy Color support as well.

 

[cots]

Which leaves us wondering, why the 3DS is such a low priority for them?

Squashing bugs is not a high priority for the RetroArch team. Creating new buggy features is.

 

[aplant92]

At this point, I'm more than okay with putting up with the random crashes, haha. But from what I've used of it, the standalone mGBA emulator is a good alternative to Retroarch gpSP. I don't think it has dynarec yet, but even at this stage, it runs GBA games at near-perfect speeds (with some frameskip needed) and it also has Gameboy/Gameboy Color support as well.

Fair enough! Has it crashed for you during gameplay though? At this stage it's only crashing at the start of a save being loaded or as the game is loading (and not all the time either), so I haven't lost any progress, but I'm definitely worried it might do this at some point after I've been playing for a few hours and haven't saved. Perhaps going the direct injection route is a better option for now (at least for me).

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[kenseiden]

Fair enough! Has it crashed for you during gameplay though? At this stage it's only crashing at the start of a save being loaded or as the game is loading (and not all the time either), so I haven't lost any progress, but I'm definitely worried it might do this at some point after I've been playing for a few hours and haven't saved. Perhaps going the direct injection route is a better option for now (at least for me).

Thanks for your suggestions!

It's super random, quite honestly, haha. I've made it through an hour of Minish Cap without crashes, but sometimes it'll crash within the first five minutes of starting a game. But yeah, maybe GBA injection might be the best route for now if you just want to play GBA on your 3DS.

Also, no problem! Just glad to help however I can.

 

[aplant92]

It's super random, quite honestly, haha. I've made it through an hour of Minish Cap without crashes, but sometimes it'll crash within the first five minutes of starting a game. But yeah, maybe GBA injection might be the best route for now if you just want to play GBA on your 3DS.

Also, no problem! Just glad to help however I can.

It definitely seems that way. Which is disappointing, because the performance otherwise of the emulator is great! Hopefully aliaspider comes out of their hiatus soon!

 

[Korma]

Does anyone know if the savestates in the gpsp core in retroarch are 1:1 compatible with those used in uo gpsp kai for the psp? If not, how would I go about converting them? I'd like to resume playing games on my 3ds from my psp.

 

[Radius4]

Squashing bugs is not a high priority for the RetroArch team. Creating new buggy features is.

Go away

Does anyone know if the savestates in the gpsp core in retroarch are 1:1 compatible with those used in uo gpsp kai for the psp? If not, how would I go about converting them? I'd like to resume playing games on my 3ds from my psp.

Hmmm I don't think there would be a way, I think PSP is little endian, not sure about the 3ds, I think ARM is dual endian but not sure about the 3ds particularities.
In-game saves should be compatible

 

[cots]

Go away

I know, there is no stating the facts when they don't shine a bright light on this project. Biased much?

 

[Radius4]

I know, there is no stating the facts when they don't shine a bright light on this project. Biased much?

Not sure why you're so butthurt about RetroArch, but yeah I'm biased, I'm part of the team and I do work on fixing bugs. Not everything is within my reach of course but I try. That's a lot more than just spewing BS on a forum.

 

[cots]

Not sure why you're so butthurt about RetroArch, but yeah I'm biased, I'm part of the team and I do work on fixing bugs. Not everything is within my reach of course but I try. That's a lot more than just spewing BS on a forum.

Why is it when anyone points out something bad about your project that they are attacked? I guess I could be more productive and submit bug reports, but the facts are the facts - Retroarch is plagued with bugs and new buggy features are constantly introduced.

 

[Seriel]

I guess I could be more productive and submit bug reports,

Then why don't you do that instead of complaining.

 

[Radius4]

Why is it when anyone points out something bad about your project that they are shunned or turned away. I guess I could be more productive and submit bug reports, but the facts are the facts - Retroarch is plagued with bugs and new buggy features are constantly introduced.

Who is getting shunned or turned away, I have actually acknowledged the issues.
What am I now obliged to hack my 3DS and learn enough programming to fix everything myself?

 

[cots]

Then why don't you do that instead of complaining.

Because I'm just a normal end-user putting out his point of view; is that so wrong?

 

[Seriel]

Because I'm just a normal end-user putting out his point of view; is that so wrong?

Nothing wrong with expressing your point of view, it just can get a bit whiny if you do it loads lol (Which you haven't yet done )

 

[cots]

Who is getting shunned or turned away, I have actually acknowledged the issues.
What am I now obliged to hack my 3DS and learn enough programming to fix everything myself?

If you're acknowledging the issue then that is an improvement. At least you don't attack me with a wall of text containing personal info (as another one of your developers does). No, I don't think you should learn about the 3DS and attempt to fix bugs. I actually don't expect many bugs to be addressed at all and I hope I'll be proven wrong, but by the track record of this program I doubt I will be.

 

[pdapanda]

I won't expect bugs being fixed, too. I think they haven't got a proper n3ds for development.So you can't really rely on the retroarch developers.

 

[nyder]

If people are going to bitch about bugs, then learn to fix them yourself. Personally I feel lucky we have people working on these projects at all. May not be perfect, but thanks to RetroArch and the people who put in their time, I have some decent emulators I can play on my New 3DS. Thanks everyone who contributes to RetroArch!