Some things that need to be addressed

[stoochmaster]

Sorry if this is a little lengthy but I am providing as much detail as I can because this situation is way to intricate to lave out any details.

Now before I begin, here are my comp specs:

Windows 7 64 Ultimate
i7 @ 2.8ghz L3 8MB cache
12GB GDD3 RAM
Nvidia Geforce gtx 560ti

I have also used several different versions of the Emulators and currently using 1.1.0 but I have used older versions including various versions of the 1.0.0 versions including the newest one.

Now I have spent several days looking for solutions on my own and I've done an exhaustive search on my own and now I've run into a wall. My point is that I didn't just post this topic for no reason I really went and did all this work on my OWN first and now I'm just done because I cannot take looking for this crap anymore in short it was a complete waste of time because there is no information that answers anything I need to know because of how everything is. So here is the situation:

For the past 5 days I've been around this forum going through a lot of various things and testing them only to find out that a lot of the things I've tested either don't work or there are plug ins that people say to use that don't even exist. There are also settings in the emulator that people say to use that not only don't exist, but there are settings that aren't clear about where they actually are in the emulator.

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Here is a list:

1. Any game where the configuration is set to DX9/DX11 SOFTWARE runs beyond slow and cannot play. Only when hardware is selected does the game run at the speed it should. I've tested this on over 19 games and it's the same result every time. So the problem is that people are saying to run the game in software mode Which is a setting that doesn't even allow the game to run even remotely near correctly.

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2. The plugins in a lot of these settings that people say they used don't even exist. For example I have searched and scoured this forum and Google for the following plug ins and cannot find this plugin anywhere
GSdx 5570 SSE41 [23 02 2013]
In fact I cannot find any plug in that has 557x in it's number the only one I can find anywhere is 53xx But yet the configuration in games shows that plug in was used.

There are also guides that say to actually DISABLE certain settings in the emulator, and then tell you to configure certain settings that can only be done, if the settings you just disabled, are enabled.

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3. Why is it there is nothing about EXACTLY what the 4GB patch is needed/used for. Some people say it's needed for some games but at the same time it's only mentioning about 32OS so. Let me clarify exactly what information is needed to clear up any confusion:

a. The way people talk about that patch is that the patch itself is 4GB in size. So this needs to be clarified is the patch 4GB in size or not. Whatever the case a fully detailed explanation needs to be provided to stop the misunderstanding.

b. What exactly requires that patch. Is it something for 32 OS only, or does the emulator itself actually need it regardless of what OS you have because the games cannot run without it. or is this not even needed anymore and it's obsolete..if it's obsolete it shouldn't even be found when searching anything on this forum.

Either way clarification on this is needed.

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4. Some games need to be taken off the compatibility list as working and having been tested because first of all, as I said above, games cannot run in software mode. Using Snowblind games as in this example Snowblind games such as Champions of Norrath Baulder's Gate, etc...They either lag so badly and have sever graphical glitches, or they freeze when loading. And I find it an insult to go and read how someone somehow magically got a game to run to test it when no one else has been able to. using plugins that don't exist and using settings that teh game simply could not have run in.

The point here is that, my computer is powerful enough to play these games with said settings, but yet I cannot get the same result. So it's impossible for someone to have gotten the game to run, but I cannot, never mid being able to test the games.

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5. What's with the mystery settings that seem to only exist for certain people but not others? For example I have seen countless threads people in various other threads as well as being listed in the settings of the compatibility list, that mention this setting:
DC and MTGS

I have never seen that setting in any PCSX2 emulator at all I even read that in order to get that setting to show up you have to select

If people who make guides are going to state to use settings, then they need to explain exactly where those settings are, and in some cases, explain how to get the setting to show up if it's not there. For example this:
DC and MTGS
I have never seen either of those options in any version of the PCXS2 that' I've used. I even did a search for DC and MTGS on this forum and found this reply

Its Called "MTGS" -> Hit Config and than ->CPU, you´ll find it there

Well here is the config menu, as you can see there is no such option as CPU to click, and this is the same in every version of PCSX2



So what the hell is this person talking about and why is he saying to use options that do not exist?


Here are some other mystery settings that seem to only exist for some people and not for others. (SOURCE - Compatibility game list setting)

Where are these options/settings in the emulator:
DC and MTGS | VU1Rec and VU0Rec | rCache 0 | Console 1 | Patches 0

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So here is what the problems are summed up

1. The setup guides are incomplete and need revising

2. If people mention to use certain plugins and settings then don't assume people either know what is being talked about, or that someone has them. Instead leave a direct download link to the specific things people are using, along with the exact way to access those settings So that way people can get the same result..because as I said above I cannot find anywhere some of the plugins people are using or where they are getting them from or some of the settings they're using..

3. Anything that is only used by certain things need to be explained it is specifically for those certain things. (Such as the 4GB patch)

4. Anything obsolete need to seriously be removed from the forum altogether.

5. Any game someone claims they've gotten to work needs to show the entire process of exactly every setting they used, how they accessed those settings, where they got the plugin's from, and explain exactly how they didn't wind up with any problems in order to test the game (Such as Champions of Norrath) Which is currently being listed in the compatibility section of this site with nonexistent plains and settings that don't seem to exist.

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Well that's all I have to say thanks for reading.

[avih]

- You can post corrections or suggestions or issues with any specific guide, and if it should be fixed, then I guess it will. But you should be more specific with your requests for corrections. As far as I know, the official guides don't have glaring issues, but if you found one, then please be specific when pointing it.

- Software mode does work, and even in full speed on many systems. It's not the place to find why it doesn't on your system, but accept this fact regardless.

- Even if it wasn't possible to run in full speed in SW mode, games should still stay on the compatibility list as "playable" if they meet our definition of playable. Regardless, as noted earlier, om many systems, most/all games could be played in full speed with SW rendering.

- Revisions 55xx are SVN or nightly builds which came after the current official release of 1.0 (which is r5350 IIRC). You can find nightly builds here: http://pcsx2.net/download/development/svn.html

- MTGS was an option on old PCSX2 (up to 0.98 IIRC), but now it's enabled by default and doesn't have UI to change it. It's still possible to change it AFAIK via ini files, but there's no gain in turning it off.

- There's no need in any 4G patch. Such patch allows the patched exe to use more than 2G ram, but PCSX2 doesn't need more than 2G, so there's no point in using it. The only case where this patch might help is if there's a bug which causes a memory leak (could be game specific), but currently I'm unaware of games which cause PCSX2 to leak memory to the extent where such 4G patch would help. So unless you monitor the PCSX2.exe process and see that it reaches 2G ram usage and then crash, the 4G patch will do nothing.

- As for "people mention settings/plugins which can't be found/used/don't-exist", people can write whatever they want to. We don't edit every post which says incorrect things, but we (and other experienced users) do try to correct the info in another post on that thread if it's noticed. Not everyone is always right, and you should accept that some people are wrong, and sometimes it's you which doesn't understand how to find/use/etc.

- We will not delete obsolete posts from the forum. They may apply to whatever version which was out back then. It's up to you to notice that you're reading a 5 years old "guide" while the latest version is 1 year old.

- As for specific setup for the compatibility list, we do try. Most games just work with default settings, but those which don't usually have this mentioned at the compatibility forum. Like "only works in SW mode" or "this and that setting has to be set like that" etc. It may contain incorrect info, or info which was correct but not anymore, so if we (or you) find out about it, we'll try to correct it. However, you should also remember that we can't update compatibility info for thousands of working games too often, as it requires tons of work, and no one is getting paid to do this. That being said, we do manage to maintain a reasonably updated compatibility list. Your help with specific updates would be appreciated.

[refraction]

Okay im going to be a little more brief than you have been as i hate writing super long posts, but i will try and address your points.

1. This is not true, many, if not most games can be run at full speed in software mode, providing you have a decent computer (your's is actually under recommended spec, overclocking to 3.4Ghz or more will suffice) and you have the extra rendering threads set correctly to your processor. For an i5/i7 cpu, it's recommended you set this to 3.

2. Those GSDX versions exist in the SVN revisions, which we do not hide on the forum or on the website, there is an entire download section for these builds. The 53xx versions were done for the 1.0.0 release. You can get the SVN builds from here: http://pcsx2.net/download/development/svn.html

3. Use of the 4GB patch hasn't been widely used until recently, we "could" implement this to be automatically on, but we are worried about if this might cause other problems.
In short the 4GB patch enables a flag on the exe known as "LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE", this is to force windows to use up to 4GB of RAM for a program. Generally, windows will allocate a maximum of 2GB to a program, if it uses all this, it will simply crash, enabling the flag allows it more room. This is true for both 32bit and 64bit versions of windows, however to take advantage of the flag on 32bit operating systems, you will need to enable what is called the "/3GB switch", which as it suggests, can only use 3GB as 32bit operating systems cannot address a whole 4GB of RAM.

4. We will never take games off the compatibility list, however we do change their status if we feel necessary. As stated games do and can run smoothly in software mode and in the case of the Snowblind engine games fixes a very annoying half screen bug, although the game requires a very fast CPU (around 4.5Ghz) to run at full speed, although it generally runs at 30-40 on a 3.4Ghz machine in software mode which is playable. The other graphics glitches you talk about, some were fixed i think after the 1.0.0 release which fixed a majority of the graphics, the other problems which remain are due to the emulator running out of memory causing the graphics do disappear randomly and eventually crash. This is where the forementioned 4GB patch comes in and i believe the game is playable in software mode on recent SVN's with the 4GB patch.

5. If you start looking at super old threads, you will find gems like this which refer to settings which no longer exist. The one you mentioned is actually always on now by default and it can't technically be disabled (although there is a pseudo-non MTGS mode under the configuration tabs called Synchronous GS). As for pruning these old threads to get rid of incorrect information, never going to happen. Some old threads can contain good information for people trying games, others like that do not. This forum alone has over 20,000 threads and i am not going to scour each one finding out which ones have valuable information and which ones don't, all i can say is, don't look as such old threads or take what's mentioned in them with a pinch of salt. Alternatively, if you want to recreate what they managed, you can download the version they were using from our archive and you can recreate their experience. They can be downloaded from here: http://pcsx2.net/download/releases/archi...nload.html

As for the "DC and MTGS | VU1Rec and VU0Rec | rCache 0 | Console 1 | Patches 0" Yeah i guess these shouldn't really be posted any more, they are kind of irrelevant now, it's just the standardized post we used to use for posting test results, some testers have just always used them.

[Coornio]

1) Software rendering is done entirely by your CPU so how fast it runs depends entirely on how many threads are allocated for emulation using the Extra Rendering Threads of the GSdx options panel, and of course the speed at which each individual CPU thread runs at. There are more parameters to it all but that's the most of it.

2) They do exist, they are versions available from the SVN, you can get compiled builds from the buildbot site: http://buildbot.orphis.net/pcsx2/

3) The 4GB patch is simply a small hack which patches an executable to be able to allocate more RAM for itself than Windows will usually allow. It can only be used on 64-bit systems as far as i know, and it's requested that you use it if you want to play some problematic games that cause the memory usage to skyrocket due to certain bugs.

4) You want to play games from Snowblind? Tough luck, they're so full of bugs, getting a near playable speed is short of a miracle.

5) removed

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That was a long rant you had there, i've probably missed a few spots, but yea, it's better to ask for new help than look into 1+ year old threads, hoping to make sense out of the ramblings of some random person who doesn't know what he's talking about

EDIT: and it seems i was overtaken, so much for trying to type a bit faster than usual

[Arcadius]

I normally don't dribble in posts like this due to a lengthy amount of reasons, but just for you, I'll give this a shot.

First, we need a list of games that you're attempting to run because depending on that list, your measly 2.8 GHz i7 (model please) just might not be fast enough to render games at the native software rendering mode.

Second, Hardware mode is a combination of the CPU and GPU whilst Software mode means that the CPU is handling all of the PS2 processors to give the most accurate rendering possible. Hardware mode is intended to give a speed up to games by utilizing the GPU to aid the CPU in rendering games, although hardware mode may have graphical glitches and bugs (Texture not being aligned correctly when scaled, certain effects missing etc...), whilst the software mode won't. Just because it's not running at the 60fps target you want, doesn't mean the game is glitching out or broken.

Third, you say you've spent five days scouring the interwebs looking for the plugins you want when all you have to do is look at the SVN page for the most up-to-date builds of PCSX2. For instance, I'm currently using the 5570 build of PCSX2, which includes 5570 version plugins.

Fourth, every game reacts differently to the hardware rendering mode and may require certain features ticked, half ticked, or not ticked at all to stay true to the accurate representation of the software mode. If the guides you're reading are giving you bugs, it's best that you go to the PCSX2 wiki website and check there, and then if that doesn't help, either post a forum here about the game or try combining hacks and settings to fix your issue, PCSX2 is a work in progress and not every game in the world will be perfect.

Fifth, I've never heard of a 4GB patch being needed for PCSX2, but then again, I've only been around for several years. The patch you're referring to is developed by NTCore and it's mean to give x86 (32bit programs) executables the ability to use 4GB's of RAM instead of 2, if you only have 4GB's of ram, by the looks of things. This sounds old and something like this shouldn't be needed for Windows Vista or 7, but I'm no expert.

Sixth, PCSX2 is updated all the time, some features may break a game while others can fix a game, I recommend going to the wiki and checking what plugins and settings made the game work, if anything, running in Software mode will have the game running perfectly, but depending on the computer specifications may mean that the game runs slowly. Remember, Green doesn't mean it's flawless, it means you can start the game and beat it, problems may occur.

Seventh, like most of my previous posts, you need to check up on how long ago those posts were and what versions those people were using. There are people on the forum that may or may not know what they are talking about, if you feel people are lying to you, then only trust the PCSX2 Coders/developers or admins. Like the people here at PCSX2 say, just because someone said something, doesn't mean it's true, happens all the time when people try to follow YouTube guides.

Assuming the Rec in VU1 and VU0 stand for Recompiler, that setting is found in Config>Emulation Settings>VUs. Console is under Misc. and others have changed identities.

http://pcsx2.net/download/development/svn.html SVN for the latest releases, http://wiki.pcsx2.net/index.php/Main_Page wiki for game needs,
Supposed 4GB Patch: http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php
Champions of Norrath post: http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Champions...5-U--28705

This took me 5 minutes to find, you're either awful at using the internet, or you're simply lying. If I were you, I wouldn't touch the 4GB patch unless your PCSX2 crashed while playing Champions because of Memory issues, use the Task manager to see how much the game uses while you're running it.

Edit: Welp, looks like everyone else took care of this, good job guys!

[avih]

Edit: Welp, looks like everyone else took care of this, good job guys!

And what a collective waste of time it was. Way too many detailed answers to a serial ranter which likes to rant much more than actually trying to get answers.

Oh well... life goes on.

[WTFisthis]

http://pcsx2.net/download/development/svn.html SVN for the latest releases, http://wiki.pcsx2.net/index.php/Main_Page wiki for game needs,
Supposed 4GB Patch: http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php
Champions of Norrath post: http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Champions...5-U--28705

This took me 5 minutes to find, you're either awful at using the internet, or you're simply lying. If I were you, I wouldn't touch the 4GB patch unless your PCSX2 crashed while playing Champions because of Memory issues, use the Task manager to see how much the game uses while you're running it.

I've already been to all those links and those are for Linux so Why are you giving me a link to Linux things that I already went to then acting like I'm the one that didn't look around. I have Windows 7 64 and what's in that link says LINUX right next to it and don't bother saying it's not for Linux IT SAYS LINUX RIGHT NEXT TO IT. if it's not then remove the word Linux from it because this is what I'm talking about with incomplete guides that don't answer anything

That's a Linux AUDIO plug in, and the plug in I am asking for was something no one has provided.

here is a very simple thing

Make a frigging updated emulator with all the updated plugins ALREADY IN IT, and post the direct download link to it.

You claim you are using that stuff but you still have yet to post where you're got it all All you did was post a link to pages with all this crap on

Thanks for not helping me with anything I asked.

i tried being nice but you people are just plain outright jackasses. and have no desire to help anyone and if someone doesn't understand what it posted you tell them too bad and call them names.

And games cannot be run in software mode and here is a video PROVING it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTRNQpLoxy8

Want to argue then you're just purposely trying to piss me off and cause a problem

[Coornio]

I've already been to all those links and those are for Linux so Why are you giving me a link to Linux things that I already went to then acting like I'm the one that didn't look around. I have Windows 7 64 and what's in that link says LINUX right next to it and don't bother saying it's not for Linux IT SAYS LINUX RIGHT NEXT TO IT. if it's not then remove the word Linux from it because this is what I'm talking about with incomplete guides that don't answer anything

That's a Linux AUDIO plug in, and the plug in I am asking for was something no one has provided.

here is a very simple thing

Make a frigging updated emulator with all the updated plugins ALREADY IN IT, and post the direct download link to it.

You claim you are using that stuff but you still have yet to post where you're got it all All you did was post a link to pages with all this crap on

Thanks for not helping me with anything I asked.

i tried being nice but you people are just plain outright jackasses. and have no desire to help anyone and if someone doesn't understand what it posted you tell them too bad and call them names.

And games cannot be run in software mode and here is a video PROVING it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTRNQpLoxy8

Want to argue then you're just purposely trying to piss me off and cause a problem

I'm no moderator, and this may get me a warning but someone needs to put you in your place. First of all, you're the one trying to create a problem when everyone at first was trying to help. If you've got such a big problem, you're free to go, no one is holding you here, but you just keep coming back to start a riot, just like a spoiled brat that doesn't get what he wants.

There is no Linux audio plugin. It's merely a change only affecting linux systems, and you would have known had you bothered to READ. But that's a big word, isn't it.

Here's another idea, shut your mouth, be polite, help yourself when others tell you exactly what you do and stop expecting stuff to get fixed on its own simply because you wish it would. I watched your video. You basically told us that the windows glitch does not occur when launched in SW (and how painfully slow it is, because you've been told your CPU is too underpowered to handle it) and that it does if launched in HW. You also ranted about how not to bother you with all the linky stuff because non of it means anything to you and how you don't know what things mean so you have to look it up. WELCOME TO THE INTERNET WHERE YOUR PARENTS DON'T HOLD YOUR HAND. There's a guide, things are explained in a relatively simple way given how complex an emulator can really be, and yet you do not want to become involved because you would prefer if PCSX2 was kinda like the PnP, pop the game and play without problems or worries.

Playable is the game being playable, meaning that you can FINISH IT, regardless of graphical glitches or speed. It's INGAME when some problem prevents you from finishing it. So don't go assigning your own terms to compatibility just because you feel better about it, it's what it is and you should deal with it.

/end_rant

[Arcadius]

It's obvious you're upset, mad, angry and a little delusional, if you'd have spent time reading instead of making duplicate accounts to ***** about my post or create some half-assed YouTube video, you'd understand that every SVN comes with the most up to date plugins, the change-log is there to tell you what they've fixed/changed, so while SVN 5731 changed some Linux audio issue, it doesn't mean that the SVN is only for Linux. Software is flawless compared to hardware, regardless of what you think. The first thing most people ask others to do is run in Software mode to see if the issue still exists, since if it does, it's an emulation issue, not a hardware rendering mode bug/glitch.

If you can't understand any of our "lingo" then go read the stickied posts on the General Discussion and Support (Windows) page, a little tip, they say READ FIRST in blood red..... I won't reply to you again and you'll likely be banned.
This is why I don't bother posting, people are dicks.