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ps2homebrew / Open-PS2-Loader

Game and app loader for Sony PlayStation 2
https://ps2homebrew.github.io/Open-PS2-Loader/
Academic Free License v3.0
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[ISSUE][SLUS_212.07] Audio stutters with Dragon Quest 8 (USA) [SMB] [non-Deckard only] #408

Open edwardz opened 3 years ago

edwardz commented 3 years ago

Disclaimer Issue reports for OPL version which were not downloaded from the official GitHub repo are not accepted. Before posting the issue confirm that you meet the below requirements. :heavy_check_mark: I have checked existing OPL issues for duplicates and found none https://github.com/ps2homebrew/Open-PS2-Loader/issues :heavy_check_mark: I am using either OPL beta version from https://github.com/ps2homebrew/open-ps2-loader/actions?query=workflow%3ACI+is%3Asuccess++ or OPL stable version from https://github.com/ps2homebrew/Open-PS2-Loader/releases

Describe the issue There is intermittent audio stutter with Dragon Quest 8

Configuration (please complete the following information):

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

  1. Place DQ8 ISO into DVD folder of SMB share.
  2. Load the game via OPL v1.0.0 (or v1.1.0-Beta-1629-453052c)
  3. Watch the opening movie.
  4. Notice audio stutter in the opening movie. There's also strange audio stutter in-game when transitioning to different areas w/ different music (ie, going into a church)

Side note: I found a Reddit thread discussing this exact issue and there's a claim that the regression happened sometime after v0.9.1: https://www.reddit.com/r/ps2/comments/i7ijif/opl_smb_audio_stuttering_in_dq8/ Unfortunately I'm unable to get SMB working with v0.9.1 on my PS2 so I can't test it with that version.

J013k commented 3 years ago

Theoretically you could check compatibility modes, e.g. 1+3+6, 1+2+3+6... but I have notice that user at Reddit did that...

Currently as a workaround you can test this game through a USB device.

edwardz commented 3 years ago

I don't have a spare FAT32 USB drive lying around but I would think that it doesn't change the fact that this is a legitimate regression that should be looked at right?

J013k commented 3 years ago

Of course it is a regression. Thanks for your report.

edwardz commented 3 years ago

Thank you for confirming! @J013k I can live with the audio stutter, but I just wanted to make sure this issue was on the radar.

Pacorretaco commented 3 years ago

Thank you for confirming! @J013k I can live with the audio stutter, but I just wanted to make sure this issue was on the radar.

Yes, this should be on the radar because it's more severe than it sounds in my opinion. I believe this is a more general issue that affects many different games and therefore a lot of users. But they may think it is normal while it's not. It's s shame that this regression has been carried over for so long.

DQ8 is just an easy way to test for this issue, as the music stuttering is severe and obvious right from the start.

However other games may still be affected but in more subtle ways. Sporadic audio "pops" here and there, especially in cutscenes or other intense data streaming scenarios.

But even the gameplay can suffer in other games, such as Champions and Ch. RTA, with the issue manifesting as heavy framerate drops in many different areas. Very reproduceable and off-putting. Or driving fast in open world games, textures can disappear because they aren't loaded fast enough.

Notice how I'm only talking about rather popular games... I'm sure there are other manifestations of this issue that haven't been reported or linked together.

I have tested and even 0.9.3 works fine. This regression was introduced approximately right before the time PADEMU was implemented. So this 1.0.0 was the first major release that unfortunately included this problem even if the issue is old.

Pacorretaco commented 2 years ago

Just a reminder that this is one of the scenarios where the Modular Core idea is already helping in an effective way. https://github.com/ps2homebrew/Open-PS2-Loader/pull/556

By simply enabling the 0.9.3 core for these titles as a compatiblility setting, this issue disappears and everything works smoothly again.

It is obviously not a "true fix" but certainly a useful workaround in the meantime for the end user and a valuable tool for debugging as well.

Cheers

kobyj commented 2 years ago

I'm running 1.1.0 and enabling mode 1 seems to have fixed this issue for me, at least for Dragon Quest 8.

Pacorretaco commented 2 years ago

I'm running 1.1.0 and enabling mode 1 seems to have fixed this issue for me, at least for Dragon Quest 8.

Hm, then please give some more details because for me enabling mode 1 is not enough. Still stutters badly in 1.1.0 (or 1.0 or other betas) I tested both DECKARD (90k) and non-deckard (70k) and both stutter. However I must say DECKARD seems a bit better. Still stutters but not so bad. Intro almost OK. Area transitions still bad.

All while OPL 0.9.1 works wonderfully on both, just as was mentioned, without any compatibility modes. No stutters 0.9.3 also OK

10522 commented 1 year ago

Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King [SLUS_212.07]:

OPL Stable 1.1.0 SMB - audio works well

OPL Beta 1.2.0 1979 SMB - audio works well

My PS2 model is SCPH-90008. I use redump images and don't use PADEMU, VMC, GSM.

Somnolus commented 1 year ago

This issue seems to be present primarily on phat PS2 models from what I can tell. I have a 30001 and 50001 each with official lan adapters(SCPH-10281) that have this issue. it occurs with any modes I try but mode 1 and 2 seem to make the most difference. When I tested on a slim model scph-75001 the issue wasn't present at all. mode 2 eliminates it completely on the slim. Maybe it has to do with the cpu boost the slims have 294mhz vs 299Mhz.