Random slowdowns on PS Games with Retropie 3 B

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 :)

stoo

@tiagop Cool. There are still some framerate drops whenever the mansion is in view (like in the vid below at around 3mins 20secs), but I've tested and that is present in lr-psx-beetle as well, which means it's present on a real PS1.