How demading is PCSX2 0.98? (looking for an solution for low fps/lag)

[Shinomori]

Well, i'm trying to run some games in this emulator, like FFX, Zone of the Enders and DQV, until now the only one that was really playable was DQV, and only using Speed Hacks.
FFX reaches 60fps, but it's usually around 20~30 (at least during the beginning) even during the battle with the first boss (it was running so slow that I stopped right there).
Z.O.E. only reaches 20fps during gameplay, using some different configurations only the intro reached 40fps.
DQV reaches 60fps, but sometimes suffer from slowdowns going down from 60 to 35 fps.)
My system specs from the emulator log:

PCSX2 0.9.8.r4600 - compiled on Apr 27 2011
Savestate version: 0x9a010000

Host Machine Init:
Operating System = Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Edition (build 7600), 64-bit
Physical RAM = 12214 MB
CPU name = Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU 650 @ 3.20GHz
Vendor/Model = GenuineIntel (stepping 05)
CPU speed = 3.199 ghz (4 logical threads)
x86PType = Standard OEM
x86Flags = bfebfbff 029ae3ff
x86EFlags = 28100000

x86 Features Detected:
MMX.. SSE.. SSE2.. SSE3.. SSSE3.. SSE4.1.. SSE4.2
Plug-in:
gsdx-sse4-r4600 (Direct 3D11 Hardware), Native resolution, 8-bit allowed
SPU2:
SPU2-X r4779 2.0.0 (SPU2-X), XAudio2, Catmull-Rom
SpeedHacks Enabled

Windows 6.1.7600
NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 1Gb

Is it enough to play PS2 games other than DQV?
Is there a good configuration to enhance the fps of the forementioned games?
What would be the specs of a computer capable of playing the most demanding games for PS2 at the moment?

[meganova]

Is it enough to play PS2 games other than DQV?
Is there a good configuration to enhance the fps of the forementioned games?
What would be the specs of a computer capable of playing the most demanding games for PS2 at the moment?

Yes, it is more than enough, at least above the min requirement. Plus, you have higher specs than mine, so it should perform well, if not better.
Just use the settings you have now, and you should be okay.

Enable only certain Speedhacks, and use the Turbo Boost, or disable the frame limiter.
Like for example, FFX - EE Cyclerate set to 2 or 3, the FPS may increase about 10 - 20 or so, and that still depends on your CPU.
or use Turbo Boost(TAB button while playing) or disable frame limit(F4), you will get an increase about 20 - 40 maybe? well, that happen at my end.
For DQV, I haven't experienced any slowdown though, the FPS stay constant at 58 - 60, until at the end of game, without Speedhacks(got 150 - 200 with F4).
As for ZOE, the game did slowdown at my end(about 40 -45 FPS), however with Turbo enabled, I roughly got about 50 FPS+, but that's better and doesn't affect much on the gameplay.
Oh, you may use VU Cycle Stealing, but don't set it too high, since it always give you fake fps, but runs better for some games.

There are no specific specs, even those with higher specs still having issues to emulates demanding games like GT4, ToL, SotC and some other.

[Shinomori]

Thanks for the reply!
I tried using what you recommended me, but... Cyclerate 2/3 had the same results oddly... Turbo had no effect at all, and neither did the frame limiter, with FFX and ZOE
And about DQV, there's a strange thing about the audio, since i need to use Direct Audio or there'll be a bug when i receive an special item, like the map and no sound at the beginning (causing a freeze in this part), and in this case i'm beginning to think the problem is with the audio causing the slowdowns.

Yes, it is more than enough, at least above the min requirement. Plus, you have higher specs than mine, so it should perform well, if not better.
Just use the settings you have now, and you should be okay.

Unfortunately, i don't know why, the performance is way worse. XD

[ZuNinja]

Sure you don't have anything else running in the backround while the emulator is running? Your computer kills mine and games run perfect for me even with the speedhacks off, especially FFX. Just a suggestion. Maybe there are some programs for you that run on startup?

[meganova]

Thanks for the reply!
I tried using what you recommended me, but... Cyclerate 2/3 had the same results oddly... Turbo had no effect at all, and neither did the frame limiter, with FFX and ZOE
And about DQV, there's a strange thing about the audio, since i need to use Direct Audio or there'll be a bug when i receive an special item, like the map and no sound at the beginning (causing a freeze in this part), and in this case i'm beginning to think the problem is with the audio causing the slowdowns.

Unfortunately, i don't know why, the performance is way worse. XD

For the DQV, did you use the translated version? If yes, that freeze is known on PCSX2,
it will happen when the game failed to load the background music, but fixable by restart and play the game from the beginning.
Also, try applying the hotfix patch if you haven't.

Clear all settings, reconfigure your memcard, bios, plugins, and try using DX10 if you can(and try different GSdx version, SSE2 or SSSE3),
Hardware and Native enabled, disable/enabled 8-bit, EE Cyclerate set to 3, and automatic game fixes on.
Run the game with fast boot, and use either Turbo or F4(disable Speedhacks first).

You'll get better sound by using DirectSound but that would affect the overall FPS, so its better using XAudio, which is recommended.

[Shinomori]

Just my antivirus and Windows usual things basically, oh and something from Nero that i can disable. Could this be the problem?



Editing as i got your reply just now:

For the DQV, did you use the translated version? If yes, that freeze is known on PCSX2,
it will happen when the game failed to load the background music, but fixable by restart and play the game from the beginning.
Also, try applying the hotfix patch if you haven't.

Clear all settings, reconfigure your memcard, bios, plugins, and try using DX10 if you can(and try different GSdx version, SSE2 or SSSE3),
Hardware and Native enabled, disable/enabled 8-bit, EE Cyclerate set to 3, and automatic game fixes on.
Run the game with fast boot, and use either Turbo or F4(disable Speedhacks first).

You'll get better sound by using DirectSound but that would affect the overall FPS, so its better using XAudio, which is recommended.

Yes, it's the translated version, but didn't knew about this hotfix, i'll look for it.
I'm using DX11, and already tried other SSE versions but nothing changed when i did it.
I just tried using fast boot, in the beginning it was faster but when Yuna appeared during the opening, the fps 60 just dropped to 45, when Tidus was walking and during the part of giving autographs the fps was between 20~35fps.
And as i commented before Turbo and F4 don't change a thing.

[meganova]

Yes, lots of workload behind the scene will always give negative impact on the emulator
Try disable them all (except the antivirus).

[Shinomori]

Disabled all the startup itens listed above (except the antivirus) now and... nothing changed O_o'
Just in case i forgot something...


Well, i disabled the speedhacks, changed configurations to a lot of different ones and the result of most of them was a low fps...
The best result i had until now was with these settings:











However...

[meganova]

Here, compare yours with mine.

The FPS stays at 45 - 46 without Speedhacks.



When speedhacks is enabled with EE Cyclerate at 3, the FPS increase between 55 - 57 FPS.



Don't use VU Cycle Stealing, it will only make the game slow, and show a fake FPS.

[Shinomori]

Just used your configurations and the result is:



That doesn't make any sense, there must be something wrong here...

[meganova]

Try using custom resolution instead, by uncheck the Native, and choose Custom on the Scaling.
How about the Preset option, does that make any changes?

[skullpoker]

I thought the PCSX2 0.99 was giving people better results than older versions. Is there a specific reason you are using the outdated version?

[meganova]

It does, but not for all system, plus the SVNs release is not very much stable compared to official release.

[skullpoker]

Ok, just making sure you know about/have tested the 0.99 release. Cheers yo.

[Shinomori]

Changing to custom resolution just enhanced the graphics but... the difference i'm looking for was minimal. The part where they show the party members even got faster on the first try but when i reseted the game... it was again at the same speed i got with Native... in this case, even with speed hack 1 there was no difference.
About the preset option... nothing changed...
Any more ideas? ^^'