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JuanMena

JuanMena

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Level 27
90s Kid, Old Skull Gamer & Artist. 32 From the 90s
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  • JuanMena
    After 3 months of 12+ hours daily work, I can finally halt temporarily Papalotl.
    I do plan to continue it's development, but due to hardware limitations, I've decided that I can't improve this further.
    There's no amount of optimization that will squeeze out more performance for CPU based 30/60FPS real time capture.
    Free download/trial: https://ko-fi.com/s/f73d0b069f

    PS: I'm not "trying to reinvent the wheel" and it's the main reason why I'm providing a trial version.
    I hope you find it useful. Please try it.
    If it's not for you, simply delete the .exe.

    This is not abandonware.
    I literally can't improve this further without sacrificing output quality massively.
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    I would like to say I had fun... but it was somewhat painful at first.
    Figuring out why things broke, allowed me to progressively attempt to improve it further and further with each script version.

    I think it's "mature enough" to be put out to test... and again, can't improve this further... I've exhausted all my posibilities at this point.
    It was fun learning and fixing/solving/improving surely has made me more confident with my logical thinking skills.

    Hope you find it useful!
    It is for me, otherwise I wouldn't have spent so much time on this.
    And it's not because I wanted, it's because It's physiologically impossible for me to sleep longer than 3 or 4 hours every day... so I occupied my mind into this project daily.
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Lol... have y'all heard "I work better under stress"???
    Well... suddenly my neck and back and shoulder and hips and legs hurts... :creep:
    JuanMena
    Papalotl.exe is nearing it's development.
    I've managed to merge "Lite" and "Pro" into one. Basically, took the capture method of either is copy pasted on the script of the other, added a toggle button that upon clicking simply calls the appropriate capture method for each version.

    Lite Mode: Less CPU ussage = Bigger File Sizes = Less intrusive on whatever you're recording.
    Pro Mode: More CPU ussage = Smaller File Sizes = More intrusive on whatever you're recording.
    Both has a decent video quality output at lowest settings.
    Both has an acceptable performance at best settings possible.
    Lite.PNG

    Pro.PNG


    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    No need to continue experimenting with "3.X.X" branch, I've decided the recording method on both "3.2.7 - Lite" and "3.2.7 - Pro" which are merged into "Papalotl 4.0"
    Have in mind it's all CPU recording. I had to find proper balance between CPU ussage and the heaviest task my i3-2120 can do:

    - Dolphin + Recording at Native Resolution, 30FPS with Audio Capture.

    In theory:
    - Papalotl is so light, that it does not affect CPU under stress (according to personal tests)
    - Papalotl is efficent enought, that even in framedrops, it maintains Audio and Video in sync.
    - Papalotl in theory, should perform better with better/faster CPU's than mine (Intel i3-2120 @3.3GHz)
    - Papalotl does NOT use GPU recording methods, which should be the fastest way to record. Don't have access to GPU... so maybe for "Papalotl 5" ? :unsure:
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    The other day while I was trying to find the appropriate Dolphin version for my "PC", I noticed a lot of versions updates, many of which only stated:
    "Changelog = typo"

    And I was like: Wow! What a nice way to justify versions without working at all!

    "New update! I made a typo in a header! Ooops! Give me money."

    EDIT: Not demeriting. Just find funny that a typo justifies a new update.
    • Haha
    Reactions: x65943
    JuanMena
    Today's test was:

    - Papalotl 3.2.7 - Lite: Uses different capture method, produces larger file sizes while maintaining good quality even at the lowest settings.
    - Papalotl 3.2.7 - Pro: Uses different capture method, produces smaller file sizes while maintaining good quality even at the lowest settings.

    This only begs for a unified version of both scripts into one with a toggeable button...

    - This would benefit me in my tests to find "the best" capture method depending on task. I'd be free to focus in improving just one script, not both at the same time...

    Tests indicates:
    - Lite: Good for emulation, but causes larger file sizes. Better for everything else.
    - Pro: Even better for emulation, causes smaller file sizes. Slightly lower for everything else.
    SEE THE DILEMA?
    JuanMena
    Yay new bug :toot:
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Yes, I kinda know what could be causing it.
    No need to: "Well huuuuur it's obvious"
    JuanMena
    I'm tired of dreaming I'm in a high building.
    It's always either:
    - Dream normal shit, sleep 3 hours max.
    - Dream I'm in high building, sleep 6/8 hours because I can't wake-up until I touch the ground.
    Either way I wake up feeling legs and arms heavy.
    :mellow:
    JuanMena
    There should be a USB Mouse & Keyboard with a tiny flash memory of 1GB.
    Anything you Right-Click -> Copy gets stored in Flash, connect the Mouse or Keyboard to another PC to transfer files.
    • Like
    Reactions: impeeza
    VinsCool
    VinsCool
    My bluetooth wireless mouse comes with such a USB dongle that also has 1GB of storage, but only when the USB dongle is inserted, otherwise I could just use it with bluetooth if the hardware is compatible.
    JuanMena
    Lol found a nasty bug. Anyway, new version.
    SERIOUS QUESTION TO ANYONE READING: Besides me, are YOU SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN USING MY FULLY FEATURED SCREEN RECORDER?
    If YES... I might consider releasing for free... because, you know, I don't need money, I live out of Internet Points.


    Screenshot (7).png
    • Haha
    Reactions: x65943
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Not kidding.
    I'm aware that this might be actually useful for many people like me, those restrained to low-end PCs.
    So, I'm being honest.
    If there's legitimate interest, say... 100 immediate users, I will definitely consider it.

    I'M DOING THIS FOR MYSELF, HAVE THAT IN MIND.
    I DO NOT LOSE ANYTHING IF I'M THE ONLY USER.
    :teach:
    MeowthBlep
    MeowthBlep
    Oke
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Okay, with me and meowthwsthever it's 2 users.
    Find 10 more, and convince each to convince 10 more and convince each to find 10 more, and so on and so fort.
    JuanMena
    I'm not sorry... I know I'm not tripping... and this is why I'm staying closed source.

    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Wonder if there's more room for improvement :unsure:
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    I found a BIOS update that MIGHT let me use QuickSync... in other words... GPU Capture :mellow:
    20260603_004816.jpg
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    At this point not so sure if I should keep working on this...
    • Papalotl wasn't made to record Emulation. Yes I can use it for that, but it's not my main purpose. Should I keep trying encoders to squeeze FPS out of Dolphin when the real bottleneck is literally the Intel i3-2120? Yes, it's stable in some light games... but is it really worth it? Specially since I'm the only user currently...
    • Papalotl already does what neither Wondershare Filmora nor OBS did for my personal use, which was recording drawing process without lag... Papalotl already does that, since v1.
    • Papalotl can be improved, yes, with QSV/GPU Encoders... but no way to test them, my N3700 doesn't benefit from the encoder alone, and Intel i3-2120 has no support for such feature.

    JuanMena
    Papalotl 3.2.5 - Lite Encoders version.
    "Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience."

    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    I beg you don't cry ;0;
    JuanMena
    Haven't touched the Pause / Resume glitch... but tests indicates that frame drops in Dolphin + Papalotl.exe is NOT because of Papalotl recording.
    My i3-2120 is not enough to run Twilight Princess.
    It's a relief! I don't have to try to optimize Papalotl further.

    View previous comments…
    x65943
    x65943
    I mean I don't usually mess with trials and stuff

    But if it stopped working after 72 hours, my guess would be I would use it once?

    Ofc you could probably just keep downloading it and use it indefinitely?
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Exactly.
    That's the main issue.
    Trial Version will only work for 72 hours. There's also copy protection added. Once your trial is done, re-download doesn't work. At least in theory. It's why I'm building a 1 hour trial version, to check if my trial period works and if the copy protection triggers.

    I KNOW IS TOO MUCH FOR AN "INDIE" but I'm not looking to get money nor compete with already free tools.

    Just want to provide a fair use, and validate my efforts.
    If it's not for you, user doesn't loose anything, I don't loose anything either.
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Offer is still up:
    - You use my app once, discard after.
    - I use :p1ng: once, discard after.
    JuanMena
    In the remote case I achieve stable 30FPS in Dolphin while recording with Papalotl 3.X.X... I swear the only changelog I'll be able to provide will be:

    "Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience."
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    That's literally all I've been doing since Papalotl 2.2.5... Optimize 12 lines of capture method.

    Literally: "Minor adjustments to enhance user experience" :mellow:

    What doesn't kill you makes you stranger :mellow:

    :p1ng::wub:
    JuanMena
    Last Papalotl Update 3.2.2.
    Note: The desync you see in the bridge is me "Pausing / Resuming" Papalotl 3.2.2...
    Note to self: Address "Pause / Resume" bug :rofl2:
    JuanMena
    Such a silly game.
    Japanese version is uncensored!

    x65943
    x65943
    So uh, by uncensored do you mean the girl is naked or?
    JuanMena
    JuanMena
    Yes, and there's a mini game after the cutscene in which you can make the anime waifu wiggle her ass or breasts (depends on how far you progress). Not kidding.
    In Censored version (American), the minigame keeps the waifu dressed but the minigame consists in zooming in or out only.
    JuanMena
    Me recuerda a cuando me llevaba mi GBA a la primaria y lo jugaba en el recreo, con la bola de tarados a mi alrededor... hace 25 años 😏

    Screenshot_20260529_210659_RetroArch.jpg
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JuanMena

JuanMena

90s Kid, Old Skull Gamer & Artist.
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