Homebrew Question Smooth n64 Emulation on switch with retroarch

[The Real Jdbye]

I tried over clocking retroarch and it did not work, still video stuttering when loading up Pokemon Stadium 2, i also tried Lakka, still same issues, very very strange.



thanks for your reply, I've tried those options, if someone perhaps could test pokemon stadium 2 and Mario kart to see if they get any video stuttering I suppose.

As an update nothing has worked sadly, I've tried everyone suggestions and just hasnt worked at all. Pokemon stadium 2 has video stuttering, test mario kart as well and I still get video stuttering both drop the audio as well when video stuttering.

As this point, heck if someone could solve the issue i'd pay them because this is getting so frustrating, 90% of the reason I hacked the switch was to play n64 games.

I appreciate everyone's help so far, just can't seem to find any solution.

Does RetroArch have different graphics plugins like other N64 emulators? If so, try different ones?

 

[phonz]

I tried over clocking retroarch and it did not work, still video stuttering when loading up Pokemon Stadium 2, i also tried Lakka, still same issues, very very strange.



thanks for your reply, I've tried those options, if someone perhaps could test pokemon stadium 2 and Mario kart to see if they get any video stuttering I suppose.

As an update nothing has worked sadly, I've tried everyone suggestions and just hasnt worked at all. Pokemon stadium 2 has video stuttering, test mario kart as well and I still get video stuttering both drop the audio as well when video stuttering.

As this point, heck if someone could solve the issue i'd pay them because this is getting so frustrating, 90% of the reason I hacked the switch was to play n64 games.

I appreciate everyone's help so far, just can't seem to find any solution.

I'll check those two games out when I get some time.
If I find they work, I'll post my mupen64plus-next settings.
Otherwise I'll let yeh know if it's stuttery for me.

 

[Deleted User]

Different versions of the core perform differently for certain games. I know myself i use 1.7.7 for the zelda Ocarina of time hd pack still on one switch because running it on later versions distorts the item screen and the sound crackles. It is unfortunate. Another example is perfect dark multiplayer. In older versions that actually works. But is broken in current. There are so many different games and it becomes difficult when the versions have such different performance across games. But all in all that would be my advice. Try different versions of core and retroarch to see if it makes a difference for your favorite game. Sadly you also need to tinker with options on a per game basis. What works for one may not work for another.

 

[Geridious4]

I'll check those two games out when I get some time.
If I find they work, I'll post my mupen64plus-next settings.
Otherwise I'll let yeh know if it's stuttery for me.

Thanks so much, i really appreciate that

 

[phonz]

Thanks so much, i really appreciate that

So mario cart works great. I even took the CPU clock back down to 1Ghz (most games that don't require frame buffer emulation work at 1Ghz).
You can see in the image album below my settings, along with the build # of mupen64plus-next.
Also I recorded a clip using the switch.


I had another thought, did you accidentally enable Shader effects? Because that will kill your fps.

I tried Pokemon stadium 2, I had to enable framebuffer emulation to fix the transparency issues. The game is playable at 1.5Ghz, but still experiences slow down, 1.7ghz helped a little bit but I usually don't like keeping my switch running at that speed.

You can run the game at better speeds without framebuffer emulation, but some things won't look right.

You can also run at Original Frame rate instead of Fullspeed

Last edit: you can also change the rendering resolution. I think default is 240p.

 

[kristianity77]

Also remember that when using title redirect (pressing r on a title to boot retroarch). Any overclocking you do in retroarch will be overwritten by any overclock set for the game you booted from. Retroarch will appear to change overclock settings in the menus, but it won't actually stick. It will revert to any overclock settings you have for originally launched title.

Took me a while to figure this out!

 

[ganons]

Does Banjo Kazooie play at full speed on retro arch?

 

[Reecey]

Does Banjo Kazooie play at full speed on retro arch?

Both Kazooie & Tooie run at “very close” full speed! I’ve been playing Banjo Tooie for a while now and it runs nearly perfectly. Expect the odd glitch in places but it is very playable and fun and I don’t think the game is ruined at all it feels great.

 

[ganons]

Both Kazooie & Tooie run at “very close” full speed! I’ve been playing Banjo Tooie for a while now and it runs nearly perfectly. Expect the odd glitch in places but it is very playable and fun and I don’t think the game is ruined at all it feels great.

With our without OC?

 

[zacly]

Delete your retroarch config file. You are supposed to do this anytime you update RetroArch. Last time I had an issue with N64 this fixed it.

 

[Reecey]

With our without OC?

With full overclocking, it won’t hurt your switch don’t worry. Have a look at my comment earlier I have suggested some settings also I suggest always use the latest full title nsp as your redirection to retroarch this does help with performance.

 

[Reynardine]

I used the sys-clk homebrew to apply maximum overclock to the hbmenu nsp I use to launch retroarch and also set the CPU speed to the maximum in the retroarch settings. All N64 games I tried on mupen64plus-next run fullspeed for me, even demanding games like Majora's Mask or Conker's Bad Fur Day.

Maybe it is just my imagination, but using sys-clk seems to give better results than just setting maximum clockspeed in the retroarch settings menu.

Rayman 2 for Dreamcast runs fullspeed as well, haven't tried any other DC games yet. Oh, and Rayman 1 for Atari Jaguar does too, not that anyone would care.

 

[spotanjo3]

With our without OC?

Of course. Overclocking but it wont hurt your Nintendo Switch at all. Nope. HOWEVER.. I repeat HOWEVER... It will drain your battery faster. Make sure you watch your battery or just plug it and you will be fine.

Oh, and Rayman 1 for Atari Jaguar does too, not that anyone would care.

Oh yeah.. I care. LOL! I dont care about Atari Jaguar.. A worst console ever!

 

[Reynardine]

Speaking of N64, has anyone gotten Super Mario 64 hacks like Star Road to work?
They all crash for me. It seems to be a problem with extended Mario 64 roms.

I can get to the Mario face screen, but when I press start it crashes right before loading the file select screen.

Decompressed Zelda 64 roms work fine though.

Oh yeah.. I care. LOL! I dont care about Atari Jaguar.. A worst console ever!

I like Rayman, but yeah, it's about the only good game on a pointless crap console. But maybe the Phillips CDi, or the 3DO are even worse consoles, not sure. Ah, I'm just happy that N64 runs smoothly.

 

[spotanjo3]

I like Rayman, but yeah, it's the only good game on a pointless crap console. Along with Doom and Tempest. But maybe the Phillips CDi, or the 3DO are even worse consoles, not sure. Ah, I'm just happy that N64 runs smoothly.

My best friend liked Rayman from PS3. He prefer that. Anyway, you are absolutely right. I think 3DO was the worse console as well.

 

[Reecey]

I was going to suggest this I didn't because I'm not sure how safe it is but now it has been mentioned above.

You can use this: https://gbatemp.net/threads/sys-clk-under-overclocking-sysmodule.531372/

with this: https://gbatemp.net/threads/universal-clock-settings-for-sys-clk-and-sys-clk-editor.548829/

Set Retroarch or homebrew menu under the "Games" tab to maximum settings. It does make a big difference and all N64 games even Conkers Bad Fur Day runs run full speed but Like I said use at your own risk I really don't know how safe it is, it works with the latest sxos as well

Edit: I only set handheld mode up as maximum settings just to be safe at least when it's charging it's back to normal. I don’t think anyone has reported frying there switch fully overclocking as yet I’m sure we would all know if there had been and will probably be some mad users out there that will of tested it to the max just to try and fry their switch only to make a point! but I’m just making everyone fully aware.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

So mario cart works great. I even took the CPU clock back down to 1Ghz (most games that don't require frame buffer emulation work at 1Ghz).
You can see in the image album below my settings, along with the build # of mupen64plus-next.
Also I recorded a clip using the switch.


I had another thought, did you accidentally enable Shader effects? Because that will kill your fps.

I tried Pokemon stadium 2, I had to enable framebuffer emulation to fix the transparency issues. The game is playable at 1.5Ghz, but still experiences slow down, 1.7ghz helped a little bit but I usually don't like keeping my switch running at that speed.

You can run the game at better speeds without framebuffer emulation, but some things won't look right.

You can also run at Original Frame rate instead of Fullspeed

Last edit: you can also change the rendering resolution. I think default is 240p.

Mario Cart would be a very different game

Speaking of N64, has anyone gotten Super Mario 64 hacks like Star Road to work?
They all crash for me. It seems to be a problem with extended Mario 64 roms.

I can get to the Mario face screen, but when I press start it crashes right before loading the file select screen.

Decompressed Zelda 64 roms work fine though.


I like Rayman, but yeah, it's about the only good game on a pointless crap console. But maybe the Phillips CDi, or the 3DO are even worse consoles, not sure. Ah, I'm just happy that N64 runs smoothly.

Does the CDi even qualify as a console, considering most of the stuff on it is interactive slideshows? It's even in the name, "CD-interactive".
Not sure if it was advertised as a console at the time, I guess probably so as it's more familiar to people rather than trying to sell them on interactive slideshows and FMVs.
The 3DO is actually kind of cool in a way. It was ahead of its time, released before both the N64 and PSX, but the hardware was not quite up to the task of 3D games (much like the Jaguar) so it couldn't compete when the PSX came along. Can't fault them for the effort though, it was not a bad attempt at early 3D, certainly seemed more capable than the Jaguar and that came later. If it didn't have to compete with the N64 and PSX it might have been a success. Well, that and wasn't it ridiculously expensive? Certainly doesn't help things.

 

[SebTheThing]

I had some issues with Mupen64 Plus until I realized SysDVR was the problem. If you've installed it, there's a good chance all the slowdowns and stutterings are coming from there

 

[Geridious4]

So mario cart works great. I even took the CPU clock back down to 1Ghz (most games that don't require frame buffer emulation work at 1Ghz).
You can see in the image album below my settings, along with the build # of mupen64plus-next.
Also I recorded a clip using the switch.


I had another thought, did you accidentally enable Shader effects? Because that will kill your fps.

I tried Pokemon stadium 2, I had to enable framebuffer emulation to fix the transparency issues. The game is playable at 1.5Ghz, but still experiences slow down, 1.7ghz helped a little bit but I usually don't like keeping my switch running at that speed.

You can run the game at better speeds without framebuffer emulation, but some things won't look right.

You can also run at Original Frame rate instead of Fullspeed

Last edit: you can also change the rendering resolution. I think default is 240p.

thank you so much for all your hard work in finding settings and testing that out I really appreciate it, unfortunately, no such luck disabling framebuffer emulation did help alot with Mario Kart and making it pretty smooth when playing so that's great, but of course, killed trying to boot up Pokemon Stadium 2.

Delete your retroarch config file. You are supposed to do this anytime you update RetroArch. Last time I had an issue with N64 this fixed it.

which config file? I did delete all retroarch folders from the switch when I updated to the latest one but just to be sure since i've exhausted all options, not the autoconfig one but the config one that has remaps as a folder in it?

 

[Emanuelssjin]

What are your settings for tooie? Could send a pic? I can not ever get it running I been looking for a while