Emulation central - recommendations in 1st post

[Maxie]

Whole format (iso etc.) and checksum wars on emu are amazing to watch.

I go to retroarch discord monthly to play new user and ask why developers are retarded and build retroarch around rompacks rather than giving user ability to properly create his own database with art etc.

It gets even more retarded when you factor in eastern europe(or really any part of the world east of germany). Up until 2005-ish most consoles were just not being sold period, nevermind the games those were a straight up unobtanium. There is a number of games that you just cannot buy in eastern europe, not because they cost too much but because literary no one is selling them.

So demanding a legitimate copy of a 20 year old game when that game was barely or not at all sold in those regions is just the dictionary definition of a "dick move".

Easy to check who was an aristocrat here - they saw a Sega console

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Been attempting to play the first Ratchet & Clank game for PS2 on the latest nightly 64-bit build of PCSX2. It runs at a smooth 60 FPS in fullscreen (borderless window?) using DX11 (I tried Vulcan which is choppier) but there is horrendous screen tearing despite enabling in-game V-sync and also testing with Nvidia CP v-sync. I have a fairly powerful rig (i9/RTX 3070) and tried both 1080p and 2160p internal resolutions. Is there a trick to getting this game (or others) running with no screen tearing in PCSX2? Otherwise it looks and runs great. My display is an LG C2 65" TV with g-sync/VRR.

 

[Great Deceiver]

Maybe you're mistaking tearing for bad frame pacing (which used to be really bad in PCSX2 until recently).

Keep v-sync on in the nVidia CP and off in PCSX2 and try this (settings->emulation):

 

[JamesDixon]

Nintendo is going after Dolphin using the cryptographic keys angle to block the emulator as the keys are the DRM. Dolphin effectively bypasses it which makes it illegal under the DMCA. Valve alerted Nintendo about Dolphin being put on Steam for distribution. The video does a good job in explaining everything.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Maybe you're mistaking tearing for bad frame pacing (which used to be really bad in PCSX2 until recently).

Keep v-sync on in the nVidia CP and off in PCSX2 and try this (settings->emulation):

Yeah, just tried it and still get the "tearing" though not as much. But I'm just not used to tolerating any tearing these days, especially on g-sync/VRR displays so even that relatively moderate amount of tearing in PCSX2 (usually on the lower half of the screen) bugfucks me. Many years ago when I used CRTs in gaming I got tearing all the time - didn't even know what "tearing" was - and it wasn't something that really annoyed me, like low framerates did. These days I've become hypersensitive to this shit and won't play any game with noticeable tearing or low, choppy framerates. Maybe I need to re-program myself.

Update: Found a solution. I have a powerscript that toggles between 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh. I usually use 60 Hz most of the time for desktop stuff and some games to save energy. But enabling 120 Hz fixed the tearing issue in PCSX2 with Ratchet and Clank 1 (and presumably other games). Maybe I'll just keep 120 Hz toggled on all the time and use RTSS to limit framerate instead of automatically forcing games to run at 60 FPS by locking refresh rate at 60 Hz. I remember a time when using 120 Hz refresh rate on CRTs shortened their lifespan considerably. I guess that's never an issue with modern non-CRT displays.

What do you guys use as a plugin for game controllers in PCSX2? I have a DS4 emulating a 360/Xone controller under DS4Windows and it feels slightly wrong in Ratchet and Clank.

 

[Great Deceiver]

It seems very weird to me that you use 60hz on the desktop if you have access to 120hz - responsiveness is a big deal for me and I can't go back to 60hz at all. Just keep 120hz with G-sync enabled and limit your framerate to 117fps globally with RTSS.

Re: controllers, PCSX2 natively supports the PS5 DualSense controller, so I use that. Doesn't it also natively support the DS4 without having to use wrappers?

 

[Baron Dupek]

why they had to release Dolphin on Steam in the first place?

 

[JamesDixon]

why they had to release Dolphin on Steam in the first place?

I have no clue. That video just popped up into my recommended. I watched it and figured I would share. All I know is that none of the publishers or retailers want to push the big red button that pushes emulators before SCOTUS to get a ruling.

 

[Derringer]

Nintendo has been using emulators other people have made on their own consoles before without permission including rom dumps so I have no sympathy for them, putting emulators on Steam is nigger tier bullshit though, keep that shit off Steam.

 

[flyingjohn]

Damn, it is really annoying trying to setup emu's for people today.

Past:
-Download emu and files and maybe adjust texture settings
Today:
-Need a GUI
-Need achievements
-Need 4k option on a 720p monitor.
-Need AI texture packs
-Need geometry correction for textures
-Need cheats
The list goes on and on.

 

[Eirinjas]

I bought each of these on Amazon after comparing numerous similar devices. I highly recommend them both. The Anbernic device can do everything up to Playstation 1, as far as I can tell. It also runs PC ports of games like Doom and Blood. The Retroid device can run up to Gamecube/Wii, stream from your PC to the device, and run android games from the Google store. They both have great screens, but the Retroid is a touchscreen, so great for DS games. You can also plug them into your TV using micro HDMI and connect multiple controllers, but I've only had them a few days, so I haven't had a chance to test that out yet.

 

[Puukko]

What are these thumbnails?

 

[Modron]

What are these thumbnails?

It's an average composite of every single nintendo switch owner. Though they were kind and added hair on top.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Was shocked that the latest version of everyone's favorite user-hostile emulator/frontend Retroarch (which I downloaded this week after not having updated it in years) currently has no working PS2 core. Oh, sure, there is something called LRPS2 in the official libreto respository but I couldn't get it to work (error: Failed To Load Content) at all despite having every BIOS. Also, noticed that CRT shaders (especially CRT-Royale) still look like absolute shit, even on my new 4K OLED TV. Aren't they finally suppose to look fantastic at 2160p? Maybe I just haven't found the right one, and should probably look for a 4K update of CRT-EasyMode (the only one I actually liked).

Update on my issue with not getting the PS2 core (LRPS2) working in retroarch. It needs its own specific directory structure for the PS2 bios files (/system/pcsx2/bios). Once I did that it works fine, even at 4K.

 

[Great Deceiver]

Try one of the crt-guest ones. crt-guest-advanced is very powerful and user friendly.

 

[Vyadhis]

1. If I have legit PS3 controllers with touch sensitive buttons how do I enable them for games like MGS2 and 3? I really don't want to buy the ~*ReMaStEr~* that won't even the funny Ape Escape tie ins.
2. Is input lag decent enough now on the ps2 emulator that I can reliably play fighters or should I just stick to rpg and action games?

Was shocked that the latest version of everyone's favorite user-hostile emulator/frontend Retroarch (which I downloaded this week after not having updated it in years) currently has no working PS2 core. Oh, sure, there is something called LRPS2 in the official libreto respository but I couldn't get it to work (error: Failed To Load Content) at all despite having every BIOS. Also, noticed that CRT shaders (especially CRT-Royale) still look like absolute shit, even on my new 4K OLED TV. Aren't they finally suppose to look fantastic at 2160p? Maybe I just haven't found the right one, and should probably look for a 4K update of CRT-EasyMode (the only one I actually liked).

Update on my issue with not getting the PS2 core (LRPS2) working in retroarch. It needs its own specific directory structure for the PS2 bios files (/system/pcsx2/bios). Once I did that it works fine, even at 4K.

Seriously? So I can play ps2 games with crt-royale svideo and not the shitty reshade ports?

 

[flyingjohn]

If I have legit PS3 controllers with touch sensitive buttons how do I enable them for games like MGS2 and 3?

You don't, since the ps2 controller pressure sensitivity is different.

I really don't want to buy the ~*ReMaStEr~

Then your choices are bad emulation in the form of:
-360 xenia mgs collection that is buggy, especially in the audio department
-3ds citra mgs 3 port with shit fps and dogshit controls
-vita vita3k emulator with questionable ability to actually play the game
The remaster will be a functioning version of the hd collection so that will actually be the preferred version for pc gamers.

2. Is input lag decent enough now on the ps2 emulator that I can reliably play fighters or should I just stick to rpg and action games?

Better but not perfect. But then again, you ain't gonna play online so it is perfectly serviceable against AI.

Seriously? So I can play ps2 games with crt-royale svideo and not the shitty reshade ports?

Avoid retroarch ps2 core like the plague. It is pure abandoned garbage.

 

[Vyadhis]

If I have legit PS3 controllers with touch sensitive buttons how do I enable them for games like MGS2 and 3?

You don't, since the ps2 controller pressure sensitivity is different.

I really don't want to buy the ~*ReMaStEr~

Then your choices are bad emulation in the form of:
-360 xenia mgs collection that is buggy, especially in the audio department
-3ds citra mgs 3 port with shit fps and dogshit controls
-vita vita3k emulator with questionable ability to actually play the game
The remaster will be a functioning version of the hd collection so that will actually be the preferred version for pc gamers.

2. Is input lag decent enough now on the ps2 emulator that I can reliably play fighters or should I just stick to rpg and action games?

Better but not perfect. But then again, you ain't gonna play online so it is perfectly serviceable against AI.

Seriously? So I can play ps2 games with crt-royale svideo and not the shitty reshade ports?

Avoid retroarch ps2 core like the plague. It is pure abandoned garbage.

Thanks for educating me then! Guess I have no choice but to buy the remaster when it comes out then. Oh well, could be worse.

 

[flyingjohn]

Thanks for educating me then! Guess I have no choice but to buy the remaster when it comes out then. Oh well, could be worse.

Actually forgot about the 4th option.
Emulate the hd collection in the rpcs3 emu. It should work pretty good (minus some slowdown that can occur in the last areas for mgs 3)since all the motion stuff that is needed you already have with a ps3 controller.
Sorry about forgetting about it, usually people don't have a ps3 controller which makes it playable.

If you are interested, there is also the pc version of mgs 2 that has plenty of fan fixes to run on modern hardware.

 

[Vyadhis]

Thanks for educating me then! Guess I have no choice but to buy the remaster when it comes out then. Oh well, could be worse.

Actually forgot about the 4th option.
Emulate the hd collection in the rpcs3 emu. It should work pretty good (minus some slowdown that can occur in the last areas for mgs 3)since all the motion stuff that is needed you already have with a ps3 controller.
Sorry about forgetting about it, usually people don't have a ps3 controller which makes it playable.

If you are interested, there is also the pc version of mgs 2 that has plenty of fan fixes to run on modern hardware.

Yeah, a year ago I actually tried emulating MGS4 and a few bugs aside it mostly ran well. I haven't tried the ps3 collection option, might.

What's painful is that I learned today the ps3 can't emulate the ps2's version of touch sensitivity for the Silent Hill games so I'm shit out of luck unless I buy a ps2 (I own SH1,2,3 and 4).

Well, there's always the pc versions I could try.

 

[Morenatsu.]

If I have legit PS3 controllers with touch sensitive buttons how do I enable them for games like MGS2 and 3?

You don't, since the ps2 controller pressure sensitivity is different.

You don't? I seems like it's supposed to be possible.

 

[soutaiseiriron]

Was shocked that the latest version of everyone's favorite user-hostile emulator/frontend Retroarch (which I downloaded this week after not having updated it in years) currently has no working PS2 core.

what he said. retroarch ps2 core is a really outdated waste of time and a buggy mess. retroarch is fine up until dreamcast, but after that don't bother.

1. If I have legit PS3 controllers with touch sensitive buttons how do I enable them for games like MGS2 and 3? I really don't want to buy the ~*ReMaStEr~* that won't even the funny Ape Escape tie ins.

it was possible on the older versions that still used plugins, you needed a custom version of lilypad or something or other, but it isn't doable anymore afaik.
just rebind it things to analog triggers, play HD in RPCS3/xenia or wait for the new one and hope it doesn't have denuvo so you can pirate it or something.

 

[Morenatsu.]

or just download a version that actually works lmao

 

[soutaiseiriron]

it didn't work well.

 

[Morenatsu.]

it didn't work well.

downgrade windows