A newbie with various questions.

[SL the Pyro]

Greetings all. I've started dabbling with Dolphin recently, and the first thing I have to say is that I love it. I'm fortunate enough to have a beast of a computer with which to run the games, and for the most part they are so perfect that you'd never be able to spot the differences without attentively looking for them. I'm very pleased and impressed with the work you've done.

That being said though, unfortunately I am attentive, and a bit of a perfectionist. So while I'm not new to emulation, but am new to Dolphin, there's just a few minor questions I'd like to ask.

1) Is there any way to edit the game save files on the Wii side of Dolphin? I figured out how to use the GameCube memory card interface, but I can't find anything pertaining to the Wii memory manager.

2) How well does Netplay work? What's required? This is the aspect of Dolphin I'm most eager about. Mostly I'm concerned about the emulator settings for all the connected users having to be the same as my own, since the people I know may or may not have a computer as decent as mine.

3) Just a minor question about New Super Mario Bros. Wii: why don't the small coins spin? I know there was a thread about this game specifically stating "there is no way to fix graphical errors," and that this is a really minor glitch, but it just seems like something that's really, really easy to fix. (Honestly, I'm only concerned about this because if I start Netplay with people and post the videos on YouTube or something, that I'm going to get a bunch of jack*** comments about the game being emulated.)

That's all the questions I have for now, if I can't think of anything else. Thanks in advance.

[wildonrio]

I can answer your third question. Go to Graphics>Advanced and switch EFB to RAM instead of Texture. This slows down the game for most, but if your computer can handle it, the coins should spin and you'll be happy.

[SL the Pyro]

(08-27-2011, 05:29 AM)wildonrio Wrote: I can answer your third question. Go to Graphics>Advanced and switch EFB to RAM instead of Texture. This slows down the game for most, but if your computer can handle it, the coins should spin and you'll be happy.

Tried it. The coins do indeed spin, but sadly it reduces the game speed by a factor of two (a factor of four in some places)... though just in the stages. I wonder whose brilliant idea it was to program the game so that the coin-spin animation -- or whatever process it's a part of -- took up half the Wii's RAM.

Oh well, had to try. Thanks anyway.

[Starscream]

(08-27-2011, 05:44 AM)SL the Pyro Wrote:

(08-27-2011, 05:29 AM)wildonrio Wrote: I can answer your third question. Go to Graphics>Advanced and switch EFB to RAM instead of Texture. This slows down the game for most, but if your computer can handle it, the coins should spin and you'll be happy.

Tried it. The coins do indeed spin, but sadly it reduces the game speed by a factor of two (a factor of four in some places)... though just in the stages. I wonder whose brilliant idea it was to program the game so that the coin-spin animation -- or whatever process it's a part of -- took up half the Wii's RAM.

Oh well, had to try. Thanks anyway.

It's the way it has to be for the coins to spin at all, if you're not happy with it, do not use that option, or do not use Dolphin at all. Having that sort of ignorant disrespectful attitude will get you no where, so chill out before it's too late.

[SL the Pyro]

(08-27-2011, 05:51 AM)[SS] Starscream Wrote: It's the way it has to be for the coins to spin at all, if you're not happy with it, do not use that option, or do not use Dolphin at all. Having that sort of ignorant disrespectful attitude will get you no where, so chill out before it's too late.

Sorry, I just found it odd was all; I don't know too much about how the Wii really works, since I'm not keen on taking it apart to see what it's made of. I didn't mean any disrespect.

[neobrain]

2) http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/showthread.php?tid=18778&pid=168948#pid168948

[SL the Pyro]

(08-27-2011, 06:14 AM)neobrain Wrote: 2) http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/showthread.php?tid=18778&pid=168948#pid168948

Thanks for that, neobrain. I have it figured out now. It's a bit unfortunate that Wiimote Netplay support isn't implemented yet, but one thing at a time I suppose.

I'm still having trouble finding the Wii save files though. If/when Wiimote Netplay support is added and I can actually play NSMBWii online, I'll need to know where the save data is so I can make sure everyone has the same data.

[neobrain]

To be honest, by the time Wiimote support gets added to netplay, you'll most likely have lost interest in Dolphin..

Anyway, in the game list, just right click your NSMB iso and select "open Wii save folder".

[Felfire90]

On the Wii side I use brawl, and when I first opened it up it asked if I wanted to make a save file and I did. The Wii side saves stuff as blocks for some odd reason. If your Wii side games aren't asking if you want to make a save file it's because they're not compatible with dolphin.

The Dolphin Netplay allows you to play against/with other people across the internet/world on your game.
How to do it
If you're connecting to someone hosting a session, I believe you must type in the IP adress they used to host the session. The first thing you will get after clicking start netplay is asking if you want to connect to a host.

If you choose to host a game, you must browse ISO directories to have them listed on your main games for dolphin. You will be able to host a session and any amount of people can connect to you, however you must remember to set the amount of pads/controllers which will be used for 2 people to play. Otherwise you'll get one guy controlling the game the other guy just doing nothing.

The connection will only go to dolphin players at the moment, also I think you and the person you're playing with are recommended to use the same settings for the best performance. So leave everything on default first if that screws up then read up the list of settings you want to change for netplay and try again.

If you want to play with someone you have to know their IP or they have to know yours to type it in and connect. I THINK. I don't know what the port does, your friend will tell you.

On the third question, that can't be helped. And besides, if they troll your comments section you should say it's emulated because you lost the disk for the game or you got the red ring of death on your console (means hardware failure) or whatever you get for the wii/GC. And I don't think anyone will troll, they'll probably just point out the fact that it's buggy.

If you dont know what the red ring of death is there is a video about it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZxZOKpDzYw
and it's basically the death of an XBOX 360, the same thing can happen to a wii I think. Just a different light flash or something like that.

[SL the Pyro]

(08-27-2011, 07:20 AM)neobrain Wrote: To be honest, by the time Wiimote support gets added to netplay, you'll most likely have lost interest in Dolphin..

Anyway, in the game list, just right click your NSMB iso and select "open Wii save folder".

That's hardly reassuring... but I'm nonetheless optimistic. If you can get the Wiimote to connect to the computer and work with an emulated Wii game to begin with, then surely getting it to work online is within the realm of possibility. Besides, your userbase will probably double if/when you do pull it off.

Anyway, thanks for all your prompt responses, guys. You really helped me out.

EDIT: Just saw Felfire's post. I haven't had the chance to actually test my Netplay capabilities yet, mostly because the people I usually play with are indisposed. All my games save fine and we've done plenty of Netplay stuff with other programs in the past though, so that shouldn't be a problem.