Game Hang

[Xiedo]

I just set up ePSXe and I've tried playing Chrono Cross, Legend of Dragoon, and Parasite Eve all successfully... except that there's an occasional hang when the emulator has to load a new screen/load a battle or sometimes load a new song or character animation (like casting elements in CC).

It's only a 2-3 second hang where the game and the music stop and then the game picks up again like normal, no slowdown at all. Any way to make a game run smoothly? I use the Pete DX6, Eternal SPU and ePXSe CDR plugins as they seem to work best.

I've got a 1.5 GHz Celeron and 448MB RAM, but I don't know how to figure out my CD-ROM speed so I don't know if it's too slow. Would it help to burn ISOs so theres no need to read the disc? (I use all commerical PSX discs).

Thanks. Any advice welcome.

[montpics]

I've got a 1.5 GHz Celeron and 448MB RAM, but I don't know how to figure out my CD-ROM speed so I don't know if it's too slow. Would it help to burn ISOs so theres no need to read the disc? (I use all commerical PSX discs).

Yes, it help to reduce the memory usage for reading the discs, therefore it may boost up the game better.

You can look any softwares like Alcohol 120%, ISO Producer or etc. to do that kind of job. :cool:

[hagbard]

I recommend using DaemonTools to mount your ISO image, specially if has CD audio tracks

[Xiedo]

Used ISOProducer w/ the SaPu plugin... ran the ISO... works perfectly, no load times. Thanks a lot. :happy:

One other thing though... I've got what I think are some scratched FFVIII discs that I want to use to create ISOs but they are the PC version.

If ISOProducer works using PSX plugins does that mean it can't make ISOs of PC games?

[hagbard]

That should be possible with not protected/older PC games. I guess FVII PC port isn't protected at all.

[Xiedo]

I'll try that then.

Something else came up though. When I access the character status screen in Chrono Cross the game freezes. I tried a few different video plugins but no luck.

[hagbard]

About Chrono Cross, you have two possible workarounds:

A) If you're using ePSXe v1.6.0, try v1.5.2 instead

B) Start ePSXe v1.6.0 with the command line option -noauto: for example, create a shorcut to epsxe.exe, then right click it -> "properties" and add -noauto where is path to epsxe.exe. Perhaps easier is cretaing a .bat or .cmd file in the emulator folder, with the following text:
epsxe -noauto

[Xiedo]

I looked up another thread that recommended enabling special fixes in the video plugin. I'll try them all.

EDIT: Special fix did it. Thanks.:happy:

[hagbard]

The odd/even bit hack I guess. Nevermind.

[Xiedo]

Yeah, thanks it's working fine... :happy: just something else now. I made an ISO of the 1st FFVIII disc, but when I tried to run it off the E: (image) drive using Daemon Tools, the game only looked on my D: drive (my physical drive).

So I uninstalled the game, then made an ISO of the install disc and installed it on the E: drive but it still looks for the disc in the D: drive. How do I get it to look in the E: drive?

[hagbard]

Most PC games try to use the first mapped optical drive, like "D:" in your case. However you can switch the drive letters to let the DT virtual drive be "D:". First change the DT drive to "F:", for example:

Right click DT tray icon -> "Virtual CD/DVD-ROM" -> "Device 0: [E:]..." -> "Set
device parameters" -> "Drive letter": "F:"

Now if you are running Windows XP, log as Admnistrator, then change your phisical drive letter to "E:", for example:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307844&sd=tech#ESACAAA

Once you did it, switch the DT drive to "D:" and hopefully you're done

[Xiedo]

Most PC games try to use the first mapped optical drive, like "D:" in your case. However you can switch the drive letters to let the DT virtual drive be "D:". First change the DT drive to "F:", for example:

Right click DT tray icon -> "Virtual CD/DVD-ROM" -> "Device 0: [E:]..." -> "Set
device parameters" -> "Drive letter": "F:"

Now if you are running Windows XP, log as Admnistrator, then change your phisical drive letter to "E:", for example:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307844&sd=tech#ESACAAA

Once you did it, switch the DT drive to "D:" and hopefully you're done

Yep, it worked. The FMVs still skip though (the problem I was trying to fix)... I guess an ISO of a scratched disc still doesn't help.

[hagbard]

The FMV skipping should be another problem not related to CD/ISO access speed, and if your CD were scratched enough to make those movies skip, you won't succeed into making an image with that software. Remember FFVII is not intented to work on XP, but you can make a google search, there're some patches out there

[-=VampyR=-]

To have movies skip you need a VERY BADLY scratched disk.

If the original disc skips movie in a console,usually a disc image will be perfect,unless is as I said before badly scratched.

[hagbard]

Yeah, that's why I said he won't be able to make the image with ISOproducer if the CD is that badly scratched, so I deduct this might not be the problem

[Xiedo]

This is very strange. To clarify:

This is the PC version of Final Fantasy 8. Original discs, not CD copies or ISOs.

The discs are taken care of very well--only minor scratches if any.

The polygon gameplay is perfect, no slowdown or anything.

It is only the FMVs that skip (video and audio).

My comp can easily handle the specs for this game so I don't get it... I may just buy/rip the PSX version, though I'm still curious what the problem is here.

EDIT: I also installed the non_GeForce patch since I have an ATI card... no effect. I don't think the patch was for graphics bugs anyway.

[-=VampyR=-]

It is only the FMVs that skip (video and audio).
Do you have it running from a real DVD/CD drive ?
Skipping movies is the first sign of lens failure in your optical drive.

Advice:
Try and see if the movies skip every time in the same place.

1.If they do you have damaged disc.
2.If they don't and skip randomly say bye-bye to your DVD/CD drive. :(

I think codec problems are not an issue here.

The fact that you have powerful PC has nothing to do with the fact that movies skip.Movies work even on very low-end computers.
Also try changing your CD-R plugin in your ePSXe and check if you set a big speed for CD reading,or maybe too low for your optical drive.

[hagbard]

VampyR, this is the PC version of FFVIII, not the PSX one.

If you've created ISO of that CDs, and the vides still skip, the problem is about the game: I've already said that game was make before XP exist, and is no longer updated, so problem are expected. I think it would be better if you got the original PSX game

[-=VampyR=-]

VampyR, this is the PC version of FFVIII, not the PSX one.

It's the same thing if he runs the game from CD.
Lenses fail either if they're PC drives or console drives.
Like you said if the .iso skips video it's the game/disc.

A friend of mine ran FF VIII on XP perfect.

[montpics]

VampyR, this is the PC version of FFVIII, not the PSX one.

If you've created ISO of that CDs, and the vides still skip, the problem is about the game: I've already said that game was make before XP exist, and is no longer updated, so problem are expected. I think it would be better if you got the original PSX game
hagbard, I need to clarify that FF8 (PC version) works on WinXP (yeah I tested it once). The only problem is GeForce bug which naturally happened on any latest NVIDIA graphic card on XP.

Secondly between PS version and PC version, I still prefer PC version especially FF8 as that version has included mini-game that enables you to play Chocobo adventure on 'PocketStation' simulation.

Thirdly, you better try other CD imaging software as ISOProducer was originally made for making PS CD images. (You will never know unless you try it.)

Finally, want a saved game? I could send it to you if you want it. :cool:

[Xiedo]

It has to be the discs. I can run other commercial CD/DVDs off my drive just fine and I just made ISOs of a bunch of my PSX games which all turned out fine (except for Chrono Cross 2nd disc... there's an error at the same place every time so it's probably got a scratch somewhere. Is there a reliable way to see a scratched disc? Cause mine look alright, though they obviously aren't.


Finally, want a saved game? I could send it to you if you want it. :cool:

Thanks, I'm good. :happy: I did get halfway through disc 2, so I'll have to start over on the PSX version, but discs 1 and 2 are my favs anyway. And while Chocobo world is a plus, I hear the PC MIDI music doesnt do FFVIII the justice it deserves.

[hagbard]

IAnd while Chocobo world is a plus, I hear the PC MIDI music doesnt do FFVIII the justice it deserves.
@montpics: That's why I said the PC version has "problems", not to mention it would became not compatible on MS OS sooner or later.

Of course ther're better programs for ISO creation/burning, I like Nero or CDrwin for example, or even CloneCD, but are not free. ImgBurn it's a nice solution, whenever the CD image had only one track

[Xiedo]

Well... I have Nero, but I couldn't figure how to make ISOs with it. When you say better what's that exactly? I thought one ISO of a game is no different from another.

[hagbard]

Basically you have more options and it's a bit mor reliable. On Nero, Menu "Recorder" -> "Copy Disc". A new window will appear, select "CD" or "DVD" to match your needs. Now click tab "Copy Options", and uncheck "On the fly" to create an image, and also the "Source Drive". On "Read Options" tab select the most exact profile ("Data CD" will do most of the times, or "Mixed mode" for multiple tyracks CDs). You can also make images instead of burning with "Recorder" -> "Choose Recorder" -> "Image Recorder"

[Xiedo]

Hagbard, you said that games with CDA tracks run better when the ISO is mounted on an image drive (using Daemon Tools), right? Are there any drawbacks? Like why bother using Run ISO on ePSXe?

[-=VampyR=-]

Hagbard, you said that games with CDA tracks run better when the ISO is mounted on an image drive (using Daemon Tools), right? Are there any drawbacks? Like why bother using Run ISO on ePSXe?
It's your choice really.Sometimes I'm too lazy to mount an image and its easier to just RUN ISO...

[hagbard]

Hagbard, you said that games with CDA tracks run better when the ISO is mounted on an image drive (using Daemon Tools), right? Are there any drawbacks? Like why bother using Run ISO on ePSXe?
The main problem it's the CD audio tracks won't play if you don't mount the image with a proper CUE, MDS or CCD file, not BIN, MDF or IMG, for example. The information about the CD tracks are described on those small CUE, etc files, so if it's not mounted like this only the first track is "readable". But this shouldn't be a problem it the game has only one data track.

[Xiedo]

Is ePSXe supposed to use a lot of CPU? I.e. 100%?

[hagbard]

That also depends on your hardwar and config, but mostly it shouln't if you limit the frame rate at 50/60 FPS (PAL/NTSC standard playing)

[Xiedo]

That also depends on your hardwar and config, but mostly it shouln't if you limit the frame rate at 50/60 FPS (PAL/NTSC standard playing)

When I said Chrono Cross was running with no slowdown earlier I was probably overexcited. There was a drastic change in performance but I notice all the games I run still stutter here and there and always drain at least 95-100% of my CPU. Without any program running the CPU doesn't pass a few percent so it's not like I've got a ton of processes in the background.

Ive got a 1.5Ghz Celeron, 448MB RAM, and an ATI RADEON XPRESS 200m card running on XP. I tested my games using Pete's OpenGL2 (set to Fast @ 60 FPS), Eternal SPU, and SapPu plugins. I tried other video plugins that work on ATI cards. I also ran the games as ISOs and then ran them mounted on virtual drives with DT... it hogs the CPU either way. I even ran CC on PSXeven with the default plugins and then the same plugins I use on ePSXe. Nothing changes.

Maybe it's normal for games to stutter and it's not a big deal but I've tried most of the ordinary stuff and think maybe I'm forgetting something simpler. If you guys get smooth gameplay what configs do you use?

[hagbard]

OpenGL2? Did you try Pete's OGL or D3D? OpenGL2 should rquire more CPU & GPU power for sure, specially if you video desn't support it and runs via software, using a lot of CPU time.

[montpics]

Don't ever use Pete's OpenGL2 as it would take a lot of memory if your graphic card is not the latest card. Use other Pete's GPU plugins instead. :)