CPU usage too low on software mode

[Imgema]

So i was trying Okami on the emulator and since it doesn't look anywhere near the real thing (too many visual effects missing) i decided to try the software mode to see the difference. As far as i know, software mode doesn't make use of the GPU and its more compatible. But its slower because all the work must be done by the CPU, correct?

Since my CPU is a i54670 3.4ghz which means it has 4 cores i also enabled the multicore hack option to maximize the CPU usage.

The result? The game looks pretty close to the real thing and of course its slow as hell, however, for some reason the CPU usage (according to the task manager) is around 30 to 35%. Also, while all cores are used (according to the graph), non of them is ever above 50% usage. So, despite the fact that the game is struggling at 50% it's speed, meaning that something is holding it back, the CPU doesn't seem to care. I know that the GPU isn't the bottleneck here since i use software mode. So what is holding the game back? It runs at around 50% speed which means that if the CPU was used more (like 80 or 90%) it would run nearly full speed.

Seems like a waste, doesn't it?

[jesalvein]

try setting extra rendering threads to 3

[Imgema]

Thanks for the suggestion.

There is a definite improvement, now CPU usage is at 55 to 65% max and the game runs at around 90 - 95% its full speed.

I'll try finding other options to see if i can get it to 100%.

[StriFe]

Don't put the speedhacks TOO high though, if you would put them too high you will get false readings. But 90 to 95% is atleast decent playable, for me it was a couple of years ago with Xenosaga as an example on my old dualcore. It wasn't really perfect, but I could atleast enjoy the game in a better quality then on my old PS2.

[Imgema]

It wasn't really perfect, but I could atleast enjoy the game in a better quality then on my old PS2.

Well, hardware mode gives me full speed with 2x resolution while the CPU almost stays idle actually. But the game shines in software mode because all these missing effects in HW mode makes it look like a different game. So you can't really play this game at higher quality than PS2, its either just higher resolution with tons of missing effects (HW) or the same as PS2 (SW).

[StriFe]

For that game you might be right, never played Okami, but I used Xenosaga as an example since that game can be on the heavy side aswell. Every game reacts different to HW mode or SW