Tutorial
Updated
Guide and Discussion Thread
The purpose of this thread is to gather all the information/tips/guides about the PS2 emulator within the PS4 in one place.
Please feel free to share your findings on what works and what doesn't, hopefully this way we can all share our knowledge for the best gaming experiences.
If you were not aware that PS2 was a thing for the PS4, you can read an article about it here : PS2 emulator found within PS4 PaRappa
Related GuidesRelated WebsitesDownloadsConfig Files
[PS2toPS4] Widescreen & Progressive Patches
PS2Emu Commands
(PS4)PS2 Classic Emulator Compatibility List
Playstation 4's Playstation 2 Emulator Dev Wiki
Official PS2emu Configuration Files
PCSX2 Forum - Widescreen Game Patch Thread
ps2wide.net
PCSX2 Forum - No interlacing codes
PS2 Emulator Configuration write up by Kazarovv
(PS4)PS2 Classic GUI application by xXxTheDarkprogramerxXx
mymc (PS2 Memory Card Manager for PC)
PS4 Save Manager Mounter
PS2 Classics Replacer
Kazarovv's PS2emu configuration Files
I know some people like to keep the game vanilla as much as possible, and some want to have a more modern experience. You are free to set the settings how ever you want, if you feel like you've found something interesting. Please share
Most of the information here are gathered from psdevwiki, github repository like Kazarovv, and information from various forums. I will try to link all the sources(At least those that I'm allowed to post here).
I Hope this thread will serve you well.
While the PS3 is most likely the prefered way to play PS2 games, due to the compatibility being very high with the PS2 backward compatible hardware.
The compability on the PS4 is not so great, but those that run properly combining with some extra settings, it can look very modern on the PS4. (Upscaling,Widescreen,Progressive Mode)
For example: Star Ocean Till the end of time lags on the PS4/PS3's PS2 emulator.
Not sure how the PSN version fairs, it probably has custom settings.
So this thread will focus solely on the Playstation 4 platform, there are plenty of guides out there for the Playstation 3.
PS2 Classic GUI
Use xXxTheDarkprogramerxXx's PS2 Classic GUI application to create PS2 FPKG using your own iso, icon and background picture.
While the latest version of the PS2 Classic GUI has the ability to use custom config files from Kazarovv's github, not all the configs may suit to your needs.
So I will be posting my config files below, please feel free to post your findings as well, as testing these take time.. rebuilding fpkg, test... rince and repeat... lol
Setting Support:
Unlike the PS3 where you can set the emulator settings easily in XMB, toggle between standard/widescreen, smoothing on/off.
Not so lucky on the PS4 side, essentially each PSN Classic game includes the PS2 emulator, and each game has it's own individual config-emu-ps4.txt, so there's no easy way to toggle 4:3/16:9.
And if you want to change the settings, tough luck, you gotta rebuild the FPKG.
Fortunately using the PS4 game patch system, you can build a custom game patch only containing the param.sfo and config-emu-ps4.txt, installing a 4mb pkg over network is quick and easy to test. If you want to find out more on FPKG patch creation. Google: how to make a custom patch fpkg for game modding. (can't link it here as it contains Sony proprietary tools/files)
There's also an app called the PS2 Classic Replacer, basically it's a placeholder app that copies an ISO from the USB, but no multi disc support, but it does have a config editor. I have not used it.
PS2 Settings:
https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps4/PS2_Emulation#Commands
Common settings you want to play around with is:
--gs-uprender=2x2
--gs-upscale=EdgeSmooth
--gs-progressive=1
--gs-force-bilinear=1
--host-display-mode=full
--gs-upscale=EdgeSmooth
--gs-progressive=1
--gs-force-bilinear=1
--host-display-mode=full
Not all commands work, some games will crash. These settings varies from game to game, so don't expect a universal config file.
If you can get the PSN version (PS2 Classics) of the game, it will most likely offer the best compatibility and gaming experience since it has custom settings build in for each game.
Widescreen/Progressive Mode Support:
Most PS2 games don't have native 480p or widescreen support, here is a list of games that have 480p/ws support. The way how widescreen worked for the PS2 especially back in the days with the old CRT TVs and early HDTVs, a 16:9 picture outputs at a 4:3 resolution, and you would toggle the TV scaling feature, basically it stretching the picture to full screen. Although it wasn't true widescreen, and the picture might be slightly blurry, in most case it was better than 4:3.
Game Patches:
Some games will work without making any modifications, most won't boot without them, in some cases crash if certain settings are enabled.
For example:
Dragon Quest VIII US NTSC
To get widescreen working properly, you need to add the following setting "--host-display-mode=full" to your config file. (File->Add Custom PS2 Config->config-emu-ps4.txt)
Tales of the Abyss
Game boots up to Title screen, but loads into blackscreen when upscaling or widescreen enabled/patched(wiki says it "should" work).
For custom Widescreen Patches, see my thread thread.
Here's a compatibility list:
https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps4/PS2_Classics_Emulator_Compatibility_List
Some configs here:
https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps4/Talk:PS2_Classics_Emulator_Compatibility_List#
https://github.com/kozarovv/PS2-Configs
Typically a config file would look like this,depending on the game, most of them are pretty self explanitory.
You can check out the different settings here https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps4/PS2_Emulation#Commands
--path-snaps="/tmp/snapshots"
--path-recordings="/tmp/recordings"
--path-vmc="/tmp/vmc"
--path-emulog="/tmp/recordings"
--config-local-lua=""
--load-tooling-lua=0
#--path-patches="/app0/patches"
#--path-trophydata="/app0/trophy_data"
#--path-featuredata="/app0/patches"
#--path-toolingscript="/app0/patches"
--ps2-title-id=SLUS-#####
--max-disc-num=1
--trophy-support=0
--gs-uprender=2x2
--gs-upscale=EdgeSmooth
--gs-progressive=1
--gs-force-bilinear=1
--host-audio=1
--rom="PS20220WD20050620.crack"
--verbose-cdvd-reads=0
--host-osd=0
--host-display-mode=full
--path-recordings="/tmp/recordings"
--path-vmc="/tmp/vmc"
--path-emulog="/tmp/recordings"
--config-local-lua=""
--load-tooling-lua=0
#--path-patches="/app0/patches"
#--path-trophydata="/app0/trophy_data"
#--path-featuredata="/app0/patches"
#--path-toolingscript="/app0/patches"
--ps2-title-id=SLUS-#####
--max-disc-num=1
--trophy-support=0
--gs-uprender=2x2
--gs-upscale=EdgeSmooth
--gs-progressive=1
--gs-force-bilinear=1
--host-audio=1
--rom="PS20220WD20050620.crack"
--verbose-cdvd-reads=0
--host-osd=0
--host-display-mode=full
PS2 Saves (Export/Import):
With the PS4 Save Mounter, you can FTP your existing PS2 saves to/from your PS4. The PS4 uses the PS2 virtual memery card format, rename the VMC0.card extention to VMC0.ps2 and read it the memory card manage like mymc.
PCSX2 memory card saves works too, just export/import the saves.
Mods/Undub/Cheats/Etc:
Most of you may know, the PS2 scene has so much to offer in terms of patches/mods/undubs etc.. And with the ever growing list of PS2 Widescreen patches from the PCSX2 forums.
You can apply those widescreen patches directly to the iso, and works on PS4 with varied success. (just make sure the full screen setting in config file is on).
Noticed that if you run PS2 FPKG from an external HDD, sound skips. Install on the internal HDD for best performance.
Things I'm currently testing/trying:
- Figuring how "--path-vmc="/tmp/vmc" path works, and where it lies. With a shared virtual memory card, so we can manage all ps2 saves into 2 single files (VMC0/1).
Figuring out how to use the PS4 Patch System to easily update the config-emu-ps4.txt, rather than rebuilding the whole game everytime.
Last edited by xYuunax,
