this isn't the average post about StarFox since I've gotten it to sorta work although actually finishing the game is still slightly beyond the reach of the emulator at the moment.
I've managed to fart around with my settings and get it to a point where certain levels load and certain parts crash or hang.
1) EFB
as near as i can tell there seems to be a problem with the EFB settings in dolphin and the settings in the game properties somehow seem to be working better than the ones in the Configure menu. adjusting the EFB in the game properties to the system memory over the GL hack seems to make some missions more stable (IE flight missions usually need it in the system where on foot need them in the texture hack) disabling it all together breaks transparency textures and seems to negatively affect the rigs of characters and vehicles.
2) skipping
as far as game play contributing to the instability it seems the more cut scenes a player skips causes the game to become unstable and crash or causes glitches.
I've let the game sit threw every cut scene and the amount of visual artifacts and defects drops significantly. with EFB system memory set on the first level if you let the game sit threw all cut scenes the problems with the end of level bosses almost disappear where as if you skip every cut scene the chances of even making it to them drop to about 20% when you make it to the boss battle they are screwed up and in the wrong positions.
how i got threw the first level (on my build) was to change the settings to GL hack and sit threw all the cut scenes. the briefing and the intro video where the only cuts i skipped and the game loaded and unloaded the mission to where i could clear the level.
3) Game time/Play time
the longer this game seems to run the less stable it becomes. being able to beat a mission quickly seems to be the best way to get from one mission to the other because the only way you can keep playing is if the emulator makes it to the post mission debriefing where it auto saves.
save data does work however the game usually crashes immediately after or shortly after data is written. I've managed to get the next level to load after a save maybe 2 times since I've been testing this and noticed that the fallowing level is almost unplayable either by model glitches or performance hits due to errors.
after reloading the entire emulator and game save all of the problems are usually gone. if the game is stopped (and not the emulator) and reloaded the errors persist though are not as serious. you can reach the end of the next level but its unlikely you could finish it.
4) random crashing errors
I've gotten a few of these although i don't remember my settings and I haven't been able to replicate them.
on mission 5 when you are entering the Aparoid base under construction a large infested mech appears and if you have the wrong settings just as it comes into view (you see its feet) an error appears sending you into the dolphin error loop which you have to terminate the program.
this is the exception log from dolphin on that problem.
you can avoid this error by changing your settings however as I said before if you have the wrong EFB settings you can't clear a level and this is an example of where and how I've gotten stuck.
up until this point I've been able to finish every level but as soon as i beat the end of level boss the game locks up and the emulator freezes.
since i understand that most people can't get that far I'm willing to share my save file with the dev's to get this fixed if they think it will help. I'm currently stuck on mission 5 where the exception log was created (although i haven't gotten another error like that since I've changed my settings since then)
if a dev needs my save just ask and I'll email it.
I've managed to fart around with my settings and get it to a point where certain levels load and certain parts crash or hang.
1) EFB
as near as i can tell there seems to be a problem with the EFB settings in dolphin and the settings in the game properties somehow seem to be working better than the ones in the Configure menu. adjusting the EFB in the game properties to the system memory over the GL hack seems to make some missions more stable (IE flight missions usually need it in the system where on foot need them in the texture hack) disabling it all together breaks transparency textures and seems to negatively affect the rigs of characters and vehicles.
2) skipping
as far as game play contributing to the instability it seems the more cut scenes a player skips causes the game to become unstable and crash or causes glitches.
I've let the game sit threw every cut scene and the amount of visual artifacts and defects drops significantly. with EFB system memory set on the first level if you let the game sit threw all cut scenes the problems with the end of level bosses almost disappear where as if you skip every cut scene the chances of even making it to them drop to about 20% when you make it to the boss battle they are screwed up and in the wrong positions.
how i got threw the first level (on my build) was to change the settings to GL hack and sit threw all the cut scenes. the briefing and the intro video where the only cuts i skipped and the game loaded and unloaded the mission to where i could clear the level.
3) Game time/Play time
the longer this game seems to run the less stable it becomes. being able to beat a mission quickly seems to be the best way to get from one mission to the other because the only way you can keep playing is if the emulator makes it to the post mission debriefing where it auto saves.
save data does work however the game usually crashes immediately after or shortly after data is written. I've managed to get the next level to load after a save maybe 2 times since I've been testing this and noticed that the fallowing level is almost unplayable either by model glitches or performance hits due to errors.
after reloading the entire emulator and game save all of the problems are usually gone. if the game is stopped (and not the emulator) and reloaded the errors persist though are not as serious. you can reach the end of the next level but its unlikely you could finish it.
4) random crashing errors
I've gotten a few of these although i don't remember my settings and I haven't been able to replicate them.
on mission 5 when you are entering the Aparoid base under construction a large infested mech appears and if you have the wrong settings just as it comes into view (you see its feet) an error appears sending you into the dolphin error loop which you have to terminate the program.
this is the exception log from dolphin on that problem.
Code:
Unhandled Exception
Code: 0x80000003
Call stack info:
DolphinIL!0x00472C77 : ?
0x100248BC : ?
0x100246A6 : ?
0x10024817 : ?
0x003DB740 : ?
Unhandled Exception
Code: 0x80000003
Call stack info:
DolphinIL!0x00472C77 : ?
0x024E48BC : ?
0x024E46A6 : ?
0x024E4817 : ?
0x003DB740 : ?you can avoid this error by changing your settings however as I said before if you have the wrong EFB settings you can't clear a level and this is an example of where and how I've gotten stuck.
up until this point I've been able to finish every level but as soon as i beat the end of level boss the game locks up and the emulator freezes.
since i understand that most people can't get that far I'm willing to share my save file with the dev's to get this fixed if they think it will help. I'm currently stuck on mission 5 where the exception log was created (although i haven't gotten another error like that since I've changed my settings since then)
if a dev needs my save just ask and I'll email it.
System Build
Asus M3N72-D (mobo), AMD Phenom 9600 2.3 x4 AM2+ (processor), 4 gigs of 1066 DDR2 Patriot (memory), Asus [Nvidia] EN9400 GT (Video)
Asus M3N72-D (mobo), AMD Phenom 9600 2.3 x4 AM2+ (processor), 4 gigs of 1066 DDR2 Patriot (memory), Asus [Nvidia] EN9400 GT (Video)