Random slowdowns on PS Games with Retropie 3 B

pjft

Just for clarification, have you confirmed that it is effectively a frame rate drop by turning on the "Show FPS" option in the Video option and confirming that there is effectively a drop there?

That can help narrow down whether it is indeed a performance issue or some other kind of problem (bad ROM image, something else).

Just a thought.

tiagop

@pjft When I use Show FPS it shows 59 FPS even during the slowdowns (I suspect it updates only every 2/3 seconds).

@quicksilver Thanks for testing it out, I'm gonna try to use a different ROM too (since TR II has like 3/4 different ROMS) and see if it's actually a bad ROM. Is it better to use a NTSC or PAL ROM? If I still have the same problem with a different ROM I will flash a new image on my spare SD card to test it!

BobHarris

@tiagop NTSC is almost always better (no black borders on the top and bottom of the screen and many games play slower in the PAL format). I remember back in the day my PAL version of Tomb Raider 2 had a pretty choppy intro..while the NTSC version is completely smooth. I'm glad those PAL/NTSC days are over for newer systems.

PS1 games in the bin cue format are the most reliable in my opinion. Eboots (.pbp = ps1 psp format) occasionally have issues.
I think my copy of Tomb Raider 2 has many bin files, which is a bit cluttery but works great.

tiagop

@bobharris Mine has loads of .bin files too, I hope it's just a ROM problem that's causing this. I can only test it later or tomorrow unfortunately!

stoo

@bobharris @tiagop I tend to compress them to PBP files (PSX2PXP files). Saves space and I haven't had an issue with loading times despite the compression.

I'll give TR2 NTSC a go, see if I experience slowdown. I'm sure I've got it somewhere :P

tiagop

@stoo Thank you, by the way I still haven't mention that I'm using the ROM Tomb Raider 2 (v1.3), I can't remember which version I used on the PSP

stoo

@tiagop That's exactly the version I'm using.

Ok, the slowdown is the game itself. Tried it on my gaming PC which can run lr-psx-beetle without any problems. Native resolution, native everything, there are HUGE framerate drops in the training section.

Game should be called Tomb Raider II - Starring Least Optimized Engine and Least Responsive Controls

tiagop

@stoo Thanks for testing it, then surely the problem is in the ROM? Glad the problem wasn't on my RPi, I will try to test it later but just the Tomb Raider II (no version thingie) @quicksilver is this the ROM you used since you had 0 problems?

BobHarris

@tiagop It's the exact same version as I use. There is some judder when panning around in a new area, but that's it and that is normal. Can't you post a video on youtube showing the slowdown?
Preferably at the worst spot (speedboat venice?).Then we can see if it's normal or not.

tiagop

@bobharris I will try but I can only do that on the weekend :/

BobHarris

@tiagop

That's me playing. I had fun, it's been 20 years since I played this part, which you can see as I got lost at the end. :-)
But the point of the video is: No noticable slowdown at all when riding the speedboat. And I even enabled enhanced resolution (with speedhack), bilinear filtering (smoothing) and a scanlines filter (which combined is often too much for the Pi 3 to handle on many ps1 games without overclocking).

Does the game also gives you the option to play demos of Chicken run and Timesplitters? (Then it's exactly the same version).

tiagop

@bobharris Yes it is the same version, Is that a 1080p TV? My raspberry is rendering at 1920x1080 (defaults), could it be this? In that same zone as the video I notice minor slowdowns on my game yet on your video I don't see them. Thanks for testing it

BobHarris

@tiagop Yes 1080p tv and yes 1080p resolution. I only play N64 games on a lower resolution.

tiagop

@bobharris I'm going to try to make a video later today or tomorrow to show you what happens

quicksilver

@tiagop yes, mine is v1.3 cue/bin format

stoo

@quicksilver @bobharris @tiagop @quicksilver I think maybe I've cracked tiagop's problem:

tiagop are you using the emulated BIOS instead of real PSX BIOS files?

I just deleted my BIOS files to test and the slowdown increased for me like 2x. Put them back and it's fine again.

You need scph5500.bin scph5501.bin and scph5502.bin in /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/

tiagop

@stoo I only placed the SCPH1001.BIN in /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS, I will try to get those 3 files and put it there later today, fingers crossed!

BobHarris

@tiagop I don't think it will make a difference though as I am also using SCPH1001.BIN

stoo

@bobharris It absolutely does. Try it. Play Lara's Home with the 3 BIOS files I mentioned and without. You'll see a huge difference, particularly around the water and trellis climbing areas.

tiagop

@stoo That's exactly where I have problems! I'm gonna delete the SCPH1001.BIN and get scph5500.bin scph5501.bin and scph5502.bin. I will tell you guys how it went, it can't hurt :)