Tutorial How to play PS1 games on New 3ds ~50-60fps!

[CeeDee]

edit: what bios version are you using

I think I have all available BIOS files in the BIOS folder

 

[enderer]

is there a new compatibility chart? i'd like to contribute. I.Q. runs perfectly 58+fps

 

[LowEndC]

is there a new compatibility chart? i'd like to contribute. I.Q. runs perfectly 58+fps

just post here.

 

[Fates-Blade-900]

If someone could, test Tales of Phantasia please.

 

[Zense]

@LowEndC is there no need to convert to .pbp anymore since you've removed the link to it in the first post?

 

[LowEndC]

@LowEndC is there no need to convert to .pbp anymore since you've removed the link to it in the first post?

same brainwave
its seems all my bin files play just fine, if the game doesnt work or has considerable drop in FR then try a .pbp version

 

[Zense]

I see. Most of the one's I've used are .pbps. Seems like for the most part you should leave sound off either because of frame rate drop (most 3d games like Spyro, Crash, Dalmatians etc..) or because of crackling sound (Bomberman World runs 59 fps with sound on but there's constant crackling.) Also I noticed that if you use frameskip 1 on 2d games (like bomberman and Rayman) you don't notice the skipping as much as with 3d games (I'd almost say its unnoticeable to the untrained eye)

What is the difference in the options for audio driver? Why is nearest the one to go for? Wouldn't it require more?

For the moment I'm trying Pal games since I figure they're a good compromise for allowing sound and maintaining stable 50fps.

I've been trying games with redbook audio like Mickey's Wild Adventure and Rayman by combining them into one .bin with isobuster but the soundtrack is completely lost. I might have to convert them to .pbp instead. Rayman has a buttery smooth 60fps with audio disabled though.

 

[Zense]

If someone could, test Tales of Phantasia please.

Tested it. It generally runs full speed (sometimes above at 80fps and sometimes below at 45 fps) without sound enabled. Took some time before I figured that circle was the select button.

Spoiler: Screenshots of Tales of Phantasia

Other than that I did some testing of PAL games but it seems the emulator has a hard time figuring out the timings. It tries to play the games at 60fps with vsync on even though I set the region to PAL. I have all the bioses.

I tried Metal Slug X and it ran at 60fps with sound enabled. The only problem was the load time but I seem to remember it being this way in the game on original hardware as well. The loading animation is delayed even though the loading starts so at first when I saw the black screen I thought it had crashed. The sound quality is actually OK, didn't notice much crackling.

 

[LowEndC]

I see. Most of the one's I've used are .pbps. Seems like for the most part you should leave sound off either because of frame rate drop (most 3d games like Spyro, Crash, Dalmatians etc..) or because of crackling sound (Bomberman World runs 59 fps with sound on but there's constant crackling.) Also I noticed that if you use frameskip 1 on 2d games (like bomberman and Rayman) you don't notice the skipping as much as with 3d games (I'd almost say its unnoticeable to the untrained eye)

What is the difference in the options for audio driver? Why is nearest the one to go for? Wouldn't it require more?

For the moment I'm trying Pal games since I figure they're a good compromise for allowing sound and maintaining stable 50fps.

I've been trying games with redbook audio like Mickey's Wild Adventure and Rayman by combining them into one .bin with isobuster but the soundtrack is completely lost. I might have to convert them to .pbp instead. Rayman has a buttery smooth 60fps with audio disabled though.

keep in mind this core was originally designed for the pandora handheld system, then ported to the 3ds, then basically abandoned.

i never tried sound.
but i also havent been playing it much
been busy grinding EOX

also, if the games running too fast, turn v-sync on.

 

[Zense]

keep in mind this core was originally designed for the pandora handheld system, then ported to the 3ds, then basivally abandoned.

i never tried sound.
but i also havent been playing it much
been busy grinding EOX

also, if the games running too fast, turn v-sync on.

I'd love to start playing EOX myself but I gotta find the time to start it...

I found that V-sync on has an impact on the fps as well so I only use it in the games where there's a margin for using it.

Would be great if there was a framelimiter that didn't impact the performance as much. Like the frame-throttler impacts it a lot too..

Basically seeing how well this is running, I don't see much reason as to why a specific ps1 emulator for the n3ds that runs games at full speed shouldn't be possible. Hopefully in the future we will see it...

 

[LowEndC]

Yeah But I found that V-sync on has an impact on the fps as well so I only use it in the games where there's a margin for using it.

Would be great if there was a framelimiter that didn't impact the performance as much. Like the frame-throttler impacts it a lot too..

for v-sync, i had meant if its going crazy fast, i played a game once and the game was like fast forwarding till i turned v-sync on.
looks like we'll have to jimmy-rig with frame-skip to circumvent am absent frame-limiter.

besides, if i am using pcsx rearmed, im usually playing jpg or jrpgs so i dont notice much lag.
we could use an update...

 

[Fates-Blade-900]

Tested it. It generally runs full speed (sometimes above at 80fps and sometimes below at 45 fps) without sound enabled. Took some time before I figured that circle was the select button.

Spoiler: Screensh ots of Tales of Phantasia

Other than that I did some testing of PAL games but it seems the emulator has a hard time figuring out the timings. It tries to play the games at 60fps with vsync on even though I set the region to PAL. I have all the bioses.

I tried Metal Slug X and it ran at 60fps with sound enabled. The only problem was the load time but I seem to remember it being this way in the game on original hardware as well. The loading animation is delayed even though the loading starts so at first when I saw the black screen I thought it had crashed. The sound quality is actually OK, didn't notice much crackling.

Thank you very much and can it run with sound and still play fine?

 

[Zense]

Thank you very much and can it run with sound and still play fine?

I will check it out, but I imagine I will have to set frameskip to 1, which shouldn't be that noticeable in this type of game anyways.

 

[LowEndC]

I will check it out, but I imagine I will have to set frameskip to 1, which shouldn't be that noticeable in this type of game anyways.

as a user of emulators for about 17 years, you kinda just know how to make different games work with different settings.
its hard to explain.
maybe i just smoke too much bud

 

[Zense]

I tried it with sound and I'm surprised how little impact sound has on the fps. Only with voice does the fps take an impact. I played with vsync and no frameskip, with audio on at lowest quality. In towns there's 59,8 fps, while in the world map you should expect around 40-50fps while looking at land, whereas if you look towards the sea you get 59 fps. Battles run smoothly. The only real problem is the encounter animation which decreases to 30fps plus it doesn't look emulated right. During voice overs there's a drop in fps but I think you can disable voice in the options. I'd recommend playing with speakers on a low volume in order to avoid hearing the crackling sound too much.

 

[LowEndC]

I tried it with sound and I'm surprised how little impact sound has on the fps. Only with voice does the fps take an impact. I played with vsync and no frameskip, with audio on at lowest quality. In towns there's 59,8 fps, while in the world map you should expect around 40-50fps while looking at land, whereas if you look towards the sea you get 59 fps. Battles run smoothly. The only real problem is the encounter animation which decreases to 30fps plus it doesn't look emulated right. During voice overs there's a drop in fps but I think you can disable voice in the options. I'd recommend playing with speakers on a low volume in order to avoid hearing the crackling sound too much.

could you tell me what kind of files you are using when you hear the crackling? also, are you using headphones when u hear that crackle?
oh and the audio settings?

 

[Zense]

could you tell me what kind of files you are using when you hear the crackling? also, are you using headphones when u hear that crackle?
oh and the audio settings?

What files do you mean specifically? I'm running the .pbp converted redump file. Driver is nearest, sample quality lowest, interpolation off, reverb off. I'm able to hear it with high volume on the speakers but it definetly is more evident using headphones for obvious reasons.

 

[LowEndC]

ok, first, if using sound, try to turn on the interpolation and reverb. or experiment with one or the other if FR is affected too much.

i meant were you using an iso, or a bin, but you are using a pbp. (iso and wav causes crackling)

redump is good.

when using headphones, at least with some older hardware, headphones that have an integrated mic will cause some back ground noise, not sure if its the same with "crackling" because of supposed video analog trying to transfer through the 4th ring on the 3.5mm connector.
headphones with no mic have 3 rings.

sample quality lowest might be a factor with the crackling.

maybe try a bin/cue format for that game from redump?
first with your current settings,
then with the ones i just gave you in this post.

let me know
i want to figure out your problem and also make a better archive of info for this Emulator
report back soldier.

it is logical to have three different versions of a game and test each version with different settings to see which one works best.
iso/bin/pbp

as the compatibility list is outdated af, once there is enough info on this thread i will make an excel sheet and attach it to the tutorial, or i can post a link instead, and people can edit it on the go

EDIT: thats alot of games to test...
i have redump a-j

 

[Zense]

ok, first, if using sound, try to turn on the interpolation and reverb. or experiment with one or the other if FR is affected too much.

i meant were you using an iso, or a bin, but you are using a pbp. (iso and wav causes crackling)

redump is good.

when using headphones, at least with some older hardware, headphones that have an integrated mic will cause some back ground noise, not sure if its the same with "crackling" because of supposed video analog trying to transfer through the 4th ring on the 3.5mm connector.
headphones with no mic have 3 rings.

sample quality lowest might be a factor with the crackling.

maybe try a bin/cue format for that game from redump?
first with your current settings,
then with the ones i just gave you in this post.

let me know
i want to figure out your problem and also make a better archive of info for this Emulator
report back soldier.

it is logical to have three different versions of a game and test each version with different settings to see which one works best.
iso/bin/pbp

as the compatibility list is outdated af, once there is enough info on this thread i will make an excel sheet and attach it to the tutorial, or i can post a link instead, and people can edit it on the go

EDIT: thats alot of games to test...
i have redump a-j

Sure, thanks for the tips.
I can already say I tried to set interpolation to simple, sample quality to normal, both at the same time and separately without any luck. There seems to be more of this sound when frames drop so I figure a more stable 60fps would be a fix, since turning off vsync seems to diminish this problem however the fps starts going all over the place. Setting frame throttle to 1.0x didn't help either. Then audio sync had a big impact on fps (it went to 45-50fps from 59fps).

 

[LowEndC]

ok, that makes sense.

Edit:
i need to stop using people as my guinea pigs.
lol
i also might be suffering from speed loss from my sd card in its current state. i have yet to back everything up and quad format the sd card then transfer everything back.
(slow system boot)
i dont notice lag in 3ds games or any emulator besides pcsx,
i need to do this so i can have a better feeling about my tests.