New features suggestion for futur release: pre-configured profils

[Whisper]

Hey everyone !

First of all let me put a big thank you out there for all the PCSX2 developers, who have truly been doing a amazing jobs for over a decade now. I've been using PCSX2 since the 0.9.6 version, and I can't stop to be in awe when playing my ps2 game in HD with my xbox360 controller ^^

I've been thinking of a feature for quite a while now, a feature that I think could really improve the users experience when it comes to the configuration part. Chances are that you already thought about it though, if that the cases just ignore this post

The only pain in the ass when using PCSX2 is when you have to look for and try a lots of different parameters and configurations guides to make one difficult game working well. For example I spend a lot of time looking for the good parameters to make Soul Calibur 3 playable, and I haven't quite found them yet.

So, what would be very useful is a profil feature in PCSX2. You would load profile for a game, and it would automatically configure the emulator to the best working parameters for this particular game. No more ticking 10 differents parameters in 5 menus, and trying that a dozens time before finding something playable !

For this to work, it will need a team work with the forum: a new sub-forum could be dedicated to the profiles, with ONE thread per game. Users will upload the profile that works the best for them to share it with the community. The first post could even offered a "developers approved profile", but I guess you guys have more important coding to do on others part of the emulators

I think this would make PCSX2 even more user-friendly by greatly decrease the configuration time needed before playing a game.

Has this profile idea already been considered ?

[SamSoNight]

One main problem: It depends on your machine what config you can use.

[Whisper]

One main problem: It depends on your machine what config you can use.

Not so much, from my experience. The cpus are for the most part SSE4.1, the GPU dx10 and 11, and windows 7 64bits is quickly replacing older versions. And I think others factors like drivers doesn't really change anything as long as they are quite recent.

For example, ICO and Final Fantasy X both requires special configuration to work properly, regardless of your pc (otherwise they will crash in game).

[synce]

I think that's a good idea. Usually if a game doesn't work well with either hw or sw mode I just give up and play on the PS2

[iviv]

Not so much, from my experience. The cpus are for the most part SSE4.1

Only Intel ones, AMD ones only have SSE2 (Well, and SSE3 and SSE4, but pcsx2 uses SSSE3 and SSE41, so that's not much use).

[hellbringer616]

Could be a good idea.

I'm thinking more it enables speed hacks that have no impact on that game by default. Or change things FFX for example has backwards characters And you can fix that by changing it to i think it's exta+ Preserve sign. Could be enabled by default.

I doubt that would happen, My preconfigured profile idea would be so it can hot swap settings that you've saved.

Nothing annoys me more then playing FFX then popping in Okami and having to change a million things (GPU can't handle it well )

[Shadow Lady]

Preconfigured speedhacks is a bad idea and it really depends on the user's system and user preferences, needed settings like gamefixes and round modes are already enabled for known games (ICO for example has them enabled already in the latest beta as far as I remember and the FFX round modes aren't 100% safe all the time). Stuff like DX10 and SSSE3/SSE4 for the system sounds fine and I'm sure that if it was an easy job the devs would have done it already (or if it was worth it)

Seems what you want to get is a speed based profiles, and SamSoNight said it already it, depends a lot on your machine. Just take the popular gran turismo 4 thread as an example, there's been a lot of "best settings" posts there and all depend on the user's machine and the user needs...

[Whisper]

Only Intel ones, AMD ones only have SSE2 (Well, and SSE3 and SSE4, but pcsx2 uses SSSE3 and SSE41, so that's not much use).

My bad, I was certain AMD's cpus were SSSE3 and SSE4.1 compatible. But nevertheless, these different modes only change the emulation speed, don't they ? I've never found a game that work in SSE4.1 and doesn't work in SSE2 for example, or bugs that are present only in SSE2...

Nothing annoys me more then playing FFX then popping in Okami and having to change a million things (GPU can't handle it well )

Couldn't agree more The profile would also make switching between games quicker.

Seems what you want to get is a speed based profiles, and SamSoNight said it already it, depends a lot on your machine. Just take the popular gran turismo 4 thread as an example, there's been a lot of "best settings" posts there and all depend on the user's machine and the user needs...

Yes, but with Gran Turismo for example, instead of ticking 10 boxes and try each "best settings" manually, you only would have to load each users profiles to test their settings. Much quicker and simple, don't you think ?

[nosisab Ken Keleh]

Simple? yes, useful? maybe, better for everyone... NO!

It was already stated more than once, speed hacks aren't desirable things, they are just needed things to allow weaker hardware to play an enjoyable experience otherwise impossible, but they defeat the quest for accuracy and often do more harm than help.

Still, the idea already was thought and the embryo already implemented, it's called games database. When it will be fully implemented as intended, If it will, I don't know. There are still many things to enhance in the emulator itself to keep the devs working hard for a long time yet.

Don't get it wrong, this thread is useful in it's own merit because suggestions may bring solutions never thought before... should not surprise if one makes it's way to the emulator itself...

[rama]

Whisper:
We have recently added something you'll probably like: Configuration presets.
You get a slider that configures various PCSX2 settings with one click.
The settings go from safe/good emulation to majorly speed hacked, in small steps.

This comes close to your suggestion and creates considerably less work for us