Emulation Help & Fixes - PJ64 v1.7

[Desert Drifter]

(----UPDATED 10/07/07----)

Okay, these are settings that may work on lower-end PCs without lagging problems, though settings I said not to use, since they may lag performance, might not be a problem on higher-end PCs. Project 64 v1.6 is very similar to v1.7 then what I marked that is not. The purpose of this is to help newbies to this emulator and to improve the quality of game play, though bumped into a few unfixed errors here and there…

-Running:
*PJ64 v1.7.0.49 (Beta)
(The only problem with v1.7, they took out the "Self-Mod Code Methods" dropdown selections from v1.6, making the CPU run a lot slower on lower-end PCs. Checking "Check Memory Advance" runs it at super speed in v1.6, though you might need "Limit FPS" checked... Though the new version fixes all known graphic errors in most games, though a glitch here and there, but harder to run perfect, speed wise, getting lots of lagging. They took a small step back on the CPU, but did fix a lot of known graphic errors. Don’t forget their new fancy icon.)

-On PC:
*PIII 866 w/384Ram w/Win2000 Pro
(No service packs installed)

-W/Video:
*Nvidia GeForce4 MX440-SE DDR AGP 4x 64MB
(Used a Nvidia GeForce2 MX/MX 400 AGP 4x 32MB - Worked pretty well, just a tad bit slower then the Geforce4. New card shows better texture displays (sun and glare effects) though shows a blacked out graphic hear and there (Majora's Mask/a couple of others) though whiteout graphic textures here and there no longer show (Pilotwings/a couple of others).

-Using Directx:
*8.1

-Using Plugins:
*Jabo's Direct3D 8.1.7.0.53 – (PJ64 v1.7 only)
(The one that fixes the known graphic errors in the past)
*Azimer's HLE Audio v0.56 WIP 2
(Still the best)
*N-Rage’s Direct-Input8 V2.1.82
(Still the best)
*RSP Plugin 1.7.0.2 – (PJ64 v1.7 only)
(RSP emulation Plugin 1.6 runs a tad faster, but the one above runs at better quality.)

NOTE: TO FIDDLE WITH SETTINGS I LISTED, YOU MUST UNMARK “HIDE ADVANECED SETTINGS” IN THE “SETTINGS (MENU) – OPTIONS (Tab)”…

-Options - Settings:
*High LV GFX – (PJ64 v1.7 only) Check
(Will crash without)
*High LV Audio – (PJ64 v1.7 only) Uncheck
(On RSP Plugin 1.7.0.2, it disables the sound in 007-TWINE & Gauntlet Legends with it on, though will improve sound quality with it checked, but a tad slower on lower-end PCs.)

(Settings – Advanced tab, set to: CPU Core Style/Recompiler, Function Lookup Method/Physical, Default Memory Size/4MB, Advanced Block linking/Off, & all other options checked but "Protect Memory" & "Enable Debugger", which both seem to slow down performance.)

-Options Menu:
(Configure Graphics Plugin, set to: Windowed Resolution/640x480 Full Screen Resolution/640x480 Full Screen Sync/Triple Buffer Anisotropic/2x & all other options checked off. Setting Full Screen to 512x384 actually runs a lot faster and applies a pixelate filter to it, but may not display well on higher resolution desktops, mine is at: 800x600 for Dual view support. Setting Anisotropic as high as it lets you, improves graphic clearness and quality, if your video card enables it, but checked off might run the emulator a tab bit faster, though doesn’t slow it down that much, best if at least 2x. Checking “Super 2xSaI textures” & “Always use texture filter” will fix and improve pixeled graphics/text but will slow down big time on lower-end PCs.)

(Configure Controller Plugin, set to: Deadzone of 10% & Analog Stick Range of 100% + Real N64 Range checked, seems to work best without movement problems and delays, though Kirby 64 has a problem with it...)

(Configure RSP Plugin, set to: RSP emulation Plugin 1.6/Have both "Send Audio & Display to Plugins" checked, but noticed in 077: TWINE & Gauntlet Legends sound is disabled, so must check off "Audio to Plugin" to enable it, though slows down sound performance in lot of other games. RSP Plugin 1.7.0.2/Can’t be configured.)

-System Menu:
(FPS: off - runs faster without, though may “Flicker” & have “second pauses” here and there since games will be running past the speed they should be on extremely fast PCs.)

--Games That Work Fine: (For you to see how my system runs)
*007-TWINE (Actually works perfect. Crappy speech? Who cares, I turn it off. :P)
*Aidyn Chronicles (A tad bit slow at times - no big deal)
*Armorines (Actually works perfect)
*Asteroids Hyper (A tad bit slow - no big deal)
*Banjo-Kazooie (Actually works perfect)
*Body Harvest (A tad bit slow at times + jittery menus - no big deal)
*Castlevania & L.O.D (Lags, drives me nuts.)
*Donkey Kong (Lags a little + startup screen appears off-screen, drives me nuts, though plays okay.)
*Earthworm Jim 3D (Actually works perfect – though a graphic may not appear here and there)
*Extreme-G (Actually works perfect)
*Glover (Actually works perfect)
*Goemon (Lags a little, drives me nuts.)
*Goldeneye (A tab bit slow on loading screens - no big deal)
*Harvest Moon (Actually works perfect)
*Mortal Kombat 4 (Actually works perfect)
*Hybrid Heaven (A tad bit slow at times - no big deal)
*Jet Force Gemini (v1.7 missing file (pif2.dat) from v1.6, causing “Copy protection failure LUT” error & crashes, though when copied over, plays fine, though a tad bit slow – no big deal)
*Kirby (A tad bit slow only when jumping, plus has movement delays here and there, probably can be fixed - no big deal)
*Load Runner 3D (A tad bit slow at times - no big deal)
*Majora's Mask (Actually works perfect - though on a Geforce2: it turned day and night perfect and no floors where black in certain areas - now does on Geforce4)
*Ocarina of Time (Actually works perfect)
*Mario Golf (A tad bit slow at times - no big deal)
*Mario Kart (Actually works perfect)
*Mario Party (Actually works perfect)
*Paper Mario (A tad bit slow at certain animations + glitches before battle screen - no big deal)
*Perfect Dark (Lags on the demo screen though a tad bit slow here and there during game play - no big deal)
*Pilotwings (Actually works perfect)
*Quest (Sprite whiteout problems, though plays fine - No big deal)
*Rayman 2 (A tad bit slow at times - no big deal)
*S.C.A.R.S (Actually works perfect)
*Star Fox (A tad bit slow on map screen - no big deal)
*Super Mario 64 (Actually works perfect)
*Super Smash bros. (A tad bit slow at times - no big deal)
*Turok 1, 2, & 3 (Actually works perfect, though the third one might be a tad slow here a there.)
*Yoshi's Story (A tad bit slow at times + Black line graphics on water/fire levels - no big deal)

--Problem With games: (Ones that pest me)
*Banjo-Tooie (v1.7 missing file (pif2.dat) from v1.6, causing “Copy protection failure LUT” error & crashes, though when fixed, plays fine, though lags like hell. The fix to "No controller": Set, Settings - Rom Settings tab - & Default Save Type to: "16kbit Eeprom".)
*Gauntlet Legends (Lags a little, flickers continuously, and blacked out graphics everywhere - Don't play cause of it)
*Mario Tennis (Lots of blacked out graphics and lags a little - though plays fine)
*Spiderman (Lots of sprite visibility problems, buildings, you name it - though plays fine)
*Starwars EP1 Racer (Menus displays half off monitor/TV - though game plays fine)
*Vigilante 8 & 2nd Offense (Menus messed up, appears half off monitor/TV, & lags like hell - Don't play because of it)

I have a minimum system here, maybe this could help someone else, though just found that "Advanced Block Linking" prevented a lot of games from running, giving them constant break point errors. Some games have delayed music and sounds, though play fast but haven't played every game all the way though, so might be a glitch here and there, but emulation isn't perfect, eh? Where using 1964, but PJ64 seems to have fixed a lot of missing graphics in many games plus runs a lot smoother. Maybe someone knows the deal, with the problem games, maybe I set something wrong or missing something, but appreciate all the help and hope this helped you, thanks.

-NOTE: Will test more games, but don't have much time other then what I messed with so far. Was very slow on most games when first tried it, but fiddled a little over time to get where it is now…

[Desert Drifter]

Not to double post, but this isn't a leaked copy I have, like Emutalk accused me of. Paid the "worth it" 20$ for it, though heard they are releasing a newer version... Not updated for long, eh? ;)

[ulaoulao]

Good post, just to make a note..

Gauntlet Legends

FIX: If you use 1964 and do a game save you can then resume play in pj64 by loading that file. I forget if there was a converter or just renaming it.. . The rest of the game runs ok.

[Desert Drifter]

How do you edit a post, kind of want to update the settings above, got Banjo-Tootie & JFG working, plus using a better controller plugin...

[Jale]

Post cannot be edited when a certain amount of time has passed.

[Desert Drifter]

Oh, might have to make a new topic... Have version 1.7 not 1.0.7. :P Also want to list 1.6 for those whom don't have 1.7. Any way ya can fix the topic title and disable time limit on edits? Might help perfect this here, thanks. :)

[Jale]

Only administrators have the rights to modify that (edit post time limit). Title changed.

[azoreseuropa]

pj64 1.7 will release to public in 2008. :)

[Desert Drifter]

The only problem with v1.7, they took out the "Self-Mod Code Methods" option making the CPU run a lot slower. Checking "Check Memory Advance"
runs it at super speed, though you might need "Limit FPS" checked...
The new version fixes all graphic errors in most games, though a glitch
here and there, but harder to run perfect, speed wise, getting lots of
lagging, plus "Advanced Block Linking" problems, and harder to run on
lower PCS. They took a step back on the CPU, but did fix a lot of
graphic errors in ROMs...

[Desert Drifter]

If an admin could copy the post above and paste in over the first post, that would help and edit topic title to: Emulation Help & Fixes - PJ64 v1.7, since I'm using one of the first editions. Also, edit the post above to quote: "Moved it up". Thanks and sorry for posting it twice, though missed some things...:)

[Jale]

Done. Next time you do an update, let me know through PM (to me only, Jale. Don't bother the other admins/mods).

[Desert Drifter]

Done. Next time you do an update, let me know through PM (to me only, Jale. Don't bother the other admins/mods).

Wow, thanks. :) Now if ya can drop .49 from the title. :p Thanks again and will ask you if I update it again, but small updates can be just posted...

[Desert Drifter]

Alright, even though it runs almost perfect with these settings I have, it lags here and there and drives me nuts. See if I can work those lags out and test it some more. v1.6 & v1.7 are pretty similar, but 1.7 seems to be made to run on a faster PC. Give me some time, work a lot too, so try to see what I can do here.

Jale: I'll PM ya the updates when I finish. Suppose PM stands for: Pesting Memos :p

Another thing I found, try setting the full screen to 512x384, which runs a little faster, but shows screen edge glitches (Majora's Mask mostly when day runs out). It actually applies a pixellet filter in smaller resolutions, but too small makes it really crappy, though the one I mentioned doesn't do so bad plus stretches to a full screen, not just cropped.

[Desert Drifter]

Alright, feel like I'm talking to myself, found the fix to "No controller" in Banjo-Tooie: Set, Settings - Rom Settings tab - & Default Save Type to "16kbit Eeprom". After that, it should run perect, just a tad slow on large animations. See if that works. :)

EDIT: Sorry, meant: Lags like hell then any game there is, must be an expansion pack excusive type game. Some games may lag, but not that bad, this one is heavy on the 8MB. :p Oh well, like the original better anyway...

Now Kirby needs a movement fix here. Can't seem to move him to the "right", but no problems in any other roms....

EDIT 2: Included above + a couple of missing facts. :)

[Desert Drifter]

---------------------
-Configuring a N64 Controller:
(For those who don’t know how to setup the right buttons for it. Seems to be a known problem lately…)

There is the Analog, the middle control stick (Usually the control that moves the main character or vehicle), a directional pad, the up/down/right/left pad (Usually not used for anything, though Kirby 64 uses it to move instead of the Analog), Two action buttons (A and B. A is blue and B is green), four C buttons, the four yellow up/down/right/left buttons (used for extra action buttons or moving game-view camera around), two shoulder buttons (L and R), a Z-trigger (Used for firing, etc.) and a Start button (Use to pause, quit, or set game options) to program and completely control the game.

Now you know this fact, lets program them. A control stick is best for the Analog, since it handles movements of 180 degrees, which a directional pad cannot. A directional pad for the barley used control pad, two free shoulder buttons for L and R, two free action buttons for A and B, though six total to cover the C buttons, though I programmed them to another free control stick like the Gamecube controller, since I only have four action buttons. Now the Z trigger, I programmed that to a free shoulder button (have four on mine) though have two other free action buttons, but like to keep those blank. Don't forget the Start Button (have two free middle buttons on mine) set that to a middle button if possible. (Using a: two Analogs, one directional pad, four action buttons, four shoulder buttons, two middle buttons, controller, so keep this in mind) Should be set after this. Hope this helps. ;)
---------------------

(Sorry to keep posting. Would include this on the first post, but since I didn't, it's posted here. I'm fine with that, just feel free to post any ideals. ;) )

EDIT: The stuff I wrote lately is now included above in the first post, if you didn't notice, but the "Configuring A N64 Controller" so ignore the posts above, but this one and the first one. Trying to perfect the file here. :) Thanks to Jale for doing so, he works hard and is a great super mod. Other then that, nothing to post until I discover something new. Maybe I should do a ZSNES file here... Get a lot of questions lately about that also... ;)

[Jale]

Thanks for the compliment. Let's be more specific with this thread and avoid extending it. I mean, you're writing too much text in a single post. Try rewriting a complete and updated post so I can edit it.

[Desert Drifter]

Thanks for the compliment. Let's be more specific with this thread and avoid extending it. I mean, you're writing too much text in a single post. Try rewriting a complete and updated post so I can edit it.

Sorry about that, probably have more from where that came from. Explaining everything takes a lot of writing. Try rewriting it in sections next time. ;) For now, nothing to update, probably only need the first post and "Configuring a N64 Controller" post while the rest I did can be deleted, their already updated in the first. :p Would like to fiddle with the other plugins for those whom can't use Jabo's Direct3D 8 plugin, but post another post just for that, guess the first post is getting way too big there... Sorry and hope this would be useful to someone or am I just wasting my time... Ha, do plenty of that...

EDIT: Better yet, I'll just make a new topic next time and post it in sections, that way you can edit the section that needs updated. Should of done this in the first place, but has expanded since then. But if I get around to it and do, you can just delete this topic and we'll use the new one. ;)

[Desert Drifter]

Jale: Did the work for you, updated it in sections, though probably won't be updating it for a while since got more testing to do plus work will keep me from doing so.... but go ahead and delete this one, using the new one, thanks and let you know if I need to update any part of the new topic down the line. ;)