Homebrew Snes9x GX 4.4.0 Beta - Feedback requested

[Bladeoner]

Is it ultimately due to the Wii CPU being not powerful enough? Just curious.

Yes ultimately it is the Wii's hardware not being powerful enough. So every change makes it difficult. For example the change I made is perfect for Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius. In the current version the FPS drops dramatically and with the change it is stable around 58 /60. But it seems like it is impacting Super Mario RPG and Kirby's Dreamland 3 but it is not. In the end it is the limitation of the hardware. In Snes9x they don't use hacks for these two games because on the computer you have more resources.

For example the new fork Snes9x RX is nice but it's build with an older core where some issues with games occur other then the issues in Snes9x GX where some of the issues are fixed but other issues arise. So also with that there is no perfect. And because the core difference not all code is interchangeable. For example Robocop vs Terminator is not working correctly but what has been done is a complete overhaul of the core to get that game and some other games depending on the same change to work for example daffy duck.

What is nice is that when Snes9x changes we can backport it now in Snes9x GX because the code used is almost identical.

 

[the_randomizer]

Yes ultimately it is the Wii's hardware not being powerful enough. So every change makes it difficult. For example the change I made is perfect for Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius. In the current version the FPS drops dramatically and with the change it is stable around 58 /60. But it seems like it is impacting Super Mario RPG and Kirby's Dreamland 3 but it is not. In the end it is the limitation of the hardware. In Snes9x they don't use hacks for these two games because on the computer you have more resources.

For example the new fork Snes9x RX is nice but it's build with an older core where some issues with games occur other then the issues in Snes9x GX where some of the issues are fixed but other issues arise. So also with that there is no perfect. And because the core difference not all code is interchangeable. For example Robocop vs Terminator is not working correctly but what has been done is a complete overhaul of the core to get that game and some other games depending on the same change to work for example daffy duck.

What is nice is that when Snes9x changes we can backport it now in Snes9x GX because the code used is almost identical.

So this leads to the other question, is there a reason a more recent Snes9x core (1.58) is used over 1.54 or 1.53, when 1.58 requires more resources on PC/Wii than the older cores? Forgive my indiscretion and trivial questions, but I'm genuinely curious. Sorry Obviously, one doesn't want to go back too far, but I'm just curious. I'm not trying to come down on the hard work you and your team have done, just curious mostly.


Edit: Never heard of the RX build.

 

[Bladeoner]

So this leads to the other question, is there a reason a more recent Snes9x core (1.58) is used over 1.54 or 1.53, when 1.58 requires more resources on PC/Wii than the older cores? Forgive my indiscretion and trivial questions, but I'm genuinely curious. Sorry Obviously, one doesn't want to go back too far, but I'm just curious. I'm not trying to come down on the hard work you and your team have done, just curious mostly.


Edit: Never heard of the RX build.

Snes9x RX: https://gbatemp.net/threads/snes9x-rx-a-new-fork.527131/

The main reason is to be able to backport changes and new features and fixes from Snes9x to Snes9x GX. Yes an older core performs better on an older system. But an older core is limited in what can be done with it.

 

[the_randomizer]

Snes9x RX: https://gbatemp.net/threads/snes9x-rx-a-new-fork.527131/

The main reason is to be able to backport changes and new features and fixes from Snes9x to Snes9x GX. Yes an older core performs better on an older system. But an older core is limited in what can be done with it.

I suppose that's fair, apologies for the trivial question

Edit: Never mind, had OP on ignore.

 

[niuus]

To perform the test I used a savegame, it is worth mentioning that the rom is patched into Spanish using an ips file.
Attached the savegame that probably works with the normal version of the game.
I show the part where the game has serious problems (mushroom kingdom), especially at the entrance of the castle.

Using 4.4.1, i get 60fps at the entrance of the castle, the exact place shown in your pic. What's exactly the problem you're getting?

 

[Edu64]

Using 4.4.1, i get 60fps at the entrance of the castle, the exact place shown in your pic. What's exactly the problem you're getting?

The tests were performed with the file Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_SA1_Test.zip which is no longer available for what I notice.
Possibly Bladeoner was trying to make adjustments with the games that occupy the SA1 chip.
The problem was frames skip in a noticeable way.

 

[Bladeoner]

@niuus @Edu64, sorry I removed Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_SA1_Test.zip and didn't send an update here.

I replaced the file and uploaded Snes9x.GX.4.4.1.zip could you try again and see how the performance is.

The SA1 code has been changed and merged with the master Snes9x GX, I don't know if it's better now I changed some things before it got merged into the master.
Actually I got good results, no 60 FPS but overall better FPS with more games like Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius, Kirby Superstar without intro issues and no hacks applied.

This new SA1 code has been backported to Snes9x by 'bearoso', a guy named 'VitorVilela' made a SA1 pack for Super Mario world: https://github.com/VitorVilela7/SA1-Pack
He is like the "godfather" of SA1 so it should be good.

As I send before with new fixes other games will break but if this is overall better it's good and then we have time to tweak the rest some more.

It seems VitorVilela also made a SnesSpeedTest SA1 speed rom: https://github.com/VitorVilela7/SnesSpeedTest

 

[Edu64]

@niuus @Edu64, sorry I removed Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_SA1_Test.zip and didn't send an update here.

I replaced the file and uploaded Snes9x.GX.4.4.1.zip could you try again and see how the performance is.

The SA1 code has been changed and merged with the master Snes9x GX, I don't know if it's better now I changed some things before it got merged into the master.
Actually I got good results, no 60 FPS but overall better FPS with more games like Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius, Kirby Superstar without intro issues and no hacks applied.

This new SA1 code has been backported to Snes9x by 'bearoso', a guy named 'VitorVilela' made a SA1 pack for Super Mario world: https://github.com/VitorVilela7/SA1-Pack
He is like the "godfather" of SA1 so it should be good.

As I send before with new fixes other games will break but if this is overall better it's good and then we have time to tweak the rest some more.

It seems VitorVilela also made a SnesSpeedTest SA1 speed rom: https://github.com/VitorVilela7/SnesSpeedTest

I have tested version 4.4.1 (of the home page) with super mario rpg and there is a performance fall in the same part as before, I changed the rom without the ips patch to Spanish and there are also problems, the fps fall between 51 a 55

 

[Bladeoner]

@Edu64 thanks for the feedback, I send a message to bearoso to ask for some help with the SA1 games:
https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/479

To clarify, the code changed so much that I don't understand what to adjust to get the same result.
If bearoso can clarify that we can see what to change to make a hack again but this time only for the games experiencing the performance drops.

 

[Bladeoner]

@Edu64, could you please test the file I just uploaded on the first page:
Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test.zip

I don't know if I broke the emulator with the change but we will see.

 

[Edu64]

@Edu64, could you please test the file I just uploaded on the first page:
Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test.zip

I don't know if I broke the emulator with the change but we will see.

I have tested the version Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test.zip and the game stops working with the sound running at the beginning of the introduction, however, it is possible to exit to the emulator menu.

 

[Bladeoner]

I have tested the version Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test.zip and the game stops working with the sound running at the beginning of the introduction, however, it is possible to exit to the emulator menu.

I also tested it, it is running the same, maybe the IPS patch has some difficulties. But I think I pinpointed a little bit where the issue comes from.

By running the same I meant, I use the US version which boots but 54 FPS.

 

[Bladeoner]

@Edu64 I uploaded a new file Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test2.zip could you test again please.

 

[Edu64]

@Edu64 I uploaded a new file Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test2.zip could you test again please.

I have tested the version Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test2.zip and the game does not stop but the performance falls in the same way (in the same area) as the other versions.
It is worth mentioning that for this test as well as the previous one I used a rom without an ips patch, with extension .sfc (rom usa)

 

[Bladeoner]

I have tested the version Snes9x.GX.4.4.1_Super_Mario_RPG_Test2.zip and the game does not stop but the performance falls in the same way (in the same area) as the other versions.
It is worth mentioning that for this test as well as the previous one I used a rom without an ips patch, with extension .sfc (rom usa)

Thanks for testing, I send some additional information to bearoso.

 

[ultramodern]

@Bladeoner and dborth Thank you for all your work

You do not think that the music of the forwarder (Dragon Roost Island, even if it is beautiful) does not really think about the SNES ? ^^

So I change the music with a Star Fox, you will notice that the sound is sync with the appearance of the logo

What do you think ?

Thanks for this custom channel I like it better than original.

 

[Bladeoner]

Removed all emulator files on the first page and uploade "Snes9x.GX.4.4.1.zip" which might fix the Super Mario RPG issue.

@Edu64 would you please test that one?

Thanks in advance.

Never mind, I got a message from bearoso, he explained that SA1 was running too slow with core 1.55 and with 1.56-1.58 it was running too fast so with this new code it is the most accurate timing.
But because of the cpu limits it seems it is using the 100% of it which are causing the FPS drops.

 

[Edu64]

Removed all emulator files on the first page and uploade "Snes9x.GX.4.4.1.zip" which might fix the Super Mario RPG issue.

@Edu64 would you please test that one?

Thanks in advance.

Never mind, I got a message from bearoso, he explained that SA1 was running too slow with core 1.55 and with 1.56-1.58 it was running too fast so with this new code it is the most accurate timing.
But because of the cpu limits it seems it is using the 100% of it which are causing the FPS drops.

Hi!
I have tested version 4.4.1 of the home page and the results of Super Mario rpg are the same as before.
What intrigues me is what niuus said, he had tested a version 4.4.1 where Mario rpg worked ok.
According to what he said bearoso, then the most current nucleus would be incompatible with the limitations of Wii, this spoken of mario rpg and other games with the chip SA1.
If this is correct, there is a problem on which way the emulator should follow on Wii, we should see the pros and cons of using the previous core versus the new one.
In my case and taking into account the games I have, I decided to continue with the previous core, I am well satisfied with version 4.3.9, only would be the topic of top gear 3000.
As a curious fact, I tried the version 4.4.1 in wiiU, using a channel installed in the main menu of Wiiu (not Vwii), this channel was the emulator of nintendo 64 for wii that was compatible with the gamepad and as an addition used the power extra from the WiiU cpu.
The result is that the gamepad could be used in the snes9x 4.4.1 emulator but it did not use the extra WiiU power.
Finally, I would like to suggest something, in the option of correction of aspect in panoramic screen, the image does not remain in 4: 3, but it seems 16:10, the solution is to manually adjust the screen horizontally to 89% when applying correction aspect 16: 9, this was compared with the classic mini snes and with other emulators such as genplus gx.
I will be attentive in the little free time I have during the week to test future additions.

Thank you!!

 

[niuus]

Removed all emulator files on the first page and uploade "Snes9x.GX.4.4.1.zip" which might fix the Super Mario RPG issue.

I forgot to mention before, in case it is fixable, preview images are broken on the GCN side, they do not show up.

 

[LumInvader]

Not sure if this helps, but IIRC, this speed hack from snesadvance.dat works on the PSP.

• 1B8A0625|Super Mario RPG - Legend of the|4|0|0|0|0|0|A41=42,302FF=42,202E9=42DB,9F5=42

1B8A0625 is the CRC from the US ROM and the code following the game title is the speed hack itself.