Is it normal for CPU to always be a 99%?

[boogerthe2nd]

Instead of using Vsync, use Frame limiting. Config > CPU > select 'Limit' bullet.

[ph34rme]

Instead of using Vsync, use Frame limiting. Config > CPU > select 'Limit' bullet.

Got it. I actually have V-sync AND frame limiting on currently.

I'll change it tonight if I get the chance and see if it has any result.

[ph34rme]

Just to update, disabling V-sync made a huge difference. Now instead of always being 99%, I can see the actual load on my system, it varies from game to game.

[Shadow Lady]

As expected, what FPS do you get on the very slow parts now?

[ph34rme]

It varies to be honest. Framerate jumps anywhere between 23.4fps to well over 100fps depending on the game and what's on screen.

Arc the Lad: ToTS runs pretty stable framerate, but only at about 65-80% speed (I think 43fps?)

Whereas Guilty Gear X2 runs mostly at 100%, 59-60fps, except on Potemkin's level (and whenever I fight potemkin in general, his sprite is huge!

Kingdom hearts has been steady 55-60fps, though I haven't played very far to know for sure if it will be stable all around, but I believe it's fine, 90% or higher.

MGS3 is 23.4 fps, stable, not surprising and slow.

[Shadow Lady]

Yeah MGS3 is a very demanding game, "VU cycle stealing" (in the beta) set to the max should be able to help with it tho.

[ph34rme]

Yeah MGS3 is a very demanding game, "VU cycle stealing" (in the beta) set to the max should be able to help with it tho.

I'll try it. I've not tried MGS3 in the beta yet, but it's not high on my priority list, MGS3 isn't even one of my favorite games.

The games I must absolutely get running are the following:

Arc the Lad: ToTS
Guilty Gear X2
Kingdom Hearts
Grandia 2
SSX Tricky (and maybe SSX 3)
Growlanser Generations (I love GL2, and still have yet to play GL3)

(and of course whatever games are appended to the list later )

Out of those, KH seems to run fine, or I should say well enough so far. Guilty Gear is highly playable, having framerate dips in rare cases (fighting Potemkin, and on two stage backgrounds with a lot of stuff going on), but is for the most part fine (which is good, still the only game I play every week with a friend of mine. It's the best fighting game ever made IMO).

Arc: ToTS is in bad shape, runs very slowly. The initial cutscene runs beautifully, but once it switches to the in-game cutscene, it bogs down terribly, dropping as low as 29 fps, and running, in general, at 60-70% of full speed even at native (DX10 mode. DX9 mode, yeesh, forget it!).

I haven't had the chance to sit down and try SSX tricky yet, I only just got it back from a friend I lent it to and ripped it this weekend, but no time to test. Likewise, I haven't even put SSX3 on there yet, if Tricky doesn't run there's no point, and of the two Tricky is a bit more fun (plus I can play in quick bits with the stages, I loved SSX3, but I'll sit down and try to burn through the whole thing to run the whole mountain races and drive myself nuts).

Grandia 2 I'm sure will run, but is a non-issue since I sold it ages ago, and won't be able to check it out until I can actually spare a few bucks to pick it up (and pray that my local gamestop still carries it, I'm not interested in getting beat on Amazon's shipping rates for a game that already sells that cheap).

Growlanser 2 and 3 both run beautifully and upscale to 2xres at full speed for me, plus texture smoothing(not surprising, they're not heavy games and was originally designed for PS1). This was a big one and I'm very happy it runs, I love the old GL games (not so fond of the newer full 3d ones). GL3 is exciting and new to me, so I hope to have time to actually play it through in the near future.

All in all, I'm extremely happy with the emulator's progress. I've been following this project...I want to say off and on since 0.9.1, several years now. I still remember when it did nothing but crash and games ran at 6fps! I'm definitely looking forward to the next revision with the new GUI when the team releases it, I'm already hearing it's even faster than 0.9.6 and the public beta, and sounds exciting!

As for my current playability, I know my laptop is the weakest link, with the 2.1Ghz C2D. The m8600GT falls into the "good enough" range, but my CPU is too slow to run most games. Can't really do much about that currently, the laptop is only a year old, and while I could upgrade the processor, it'd only be to a 2.6Ghz C2D, and for $250. For that price I could get started on a much better desktop, were I so inclined, rather than a minor upgrade, I'm not made of money here. I'll just have to wait, my games aren't going anywhere.


Umm...and sorry for the really, REALLY long reply!

[KrazyTrumpeter05]

Everyone's made of money, if you think about it! Kidneys certainly fetch a good price on the black market

[Shadow Lady]

Arc the lad can be pretty slow, speedhacks are a must and there's not much you can do about it with your processor really.

[ph34rme]

Everyone's made of money, if you think about it! Kidneys certainly fetch a good price on the black market

Oy, I wish, but I'm saving mine for my wife, just in case

Honestly, I just wish I could still play my actual PS2 so emulation would be a non-issue. It's not that it doesn't work, it's the awkwardness of using it in my current living room setup. It's got to run to a projector on my ceiling with the theater system/Entertainment items/computer desk several feet behind the couch, and the projector screen several feet in front. Then on top of that, even if I didn't mind trailing cables all over and tripping anyone at the computer desk, it still looks like crap when displayed on 720p at 65-100 inches depending on whether I'd like to play full screen or in native mode on the projector.

The emulator project is convenient, since I still get to play the games, some even at higher res and better looking than on the original console. The PS2 itself was collecting dust in my attic sadly, even though it's my favorite console (my 360 seems to have a nice heft as a paperweight though, can't discount that "feature"). The PS2 is now temporarily parked at a friend's house, since we get together every weekend for a few hours of GGX2. Better than collecting dust, especially for all the years I've maintained the system through personal maintenance, realignment of lens and ports, regreasing rails, lens cleaning, et cetera. I think I've treated my PS2 better than my freaking car!