Return of the King (Android_LG-G6)

[RabbitFu]

*opening Dolphin related pun*
*pleasantries*



*Actual Details of Post*

I am trying to get the gamecube version of LoTR: Return of the King to run at full speed on Android, and am having quite a few issues.

I am running Dolphin V #5.0-3318 on an LG G6, using Open GL. (I tried Vulcan, which is supported on the G6, but movement causes a wierd black ghosting effect. Example: Sword swing causes a black shape behind it that eventually fills the entire bottom of the screen and does not go away)

I have it on Dual Core, Clock Speed of around 75%, the lowest (native) resolution of 640x528, anti-aliasing and anisotropic both at 1x, and fast depth calc / gpu texture decoder toggled on.

On the opening level, and on cutscenes, the audio is a crackly mess (mostly the voices and explosion sounds), and the game runs about about 70% native speed. I have tried toggling the emu clock speed up and down, but it's current speed seems to be the best I can get with my current settings.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what else I can do to speed it up? If possible I would like to avoid turning off the audio, as 90% of the fun of LoTR is the audio score. Also, "Get new phone" need not apply, as the LG G6 is less than a week old....

Is LoTR: Return of the King just so effect heavy and graphic intensive, that it will not run well on Dolphin regardless of my settings?

[degasus]

(04-13-2017, 12:22 AM)RabbitFu Wrote: Is LoTR: Return of the King just so effect heavy and graphic intensive, that it will not run well on Dolphin regardless of my settings?

No, but mobiles are in general just so slow that even light games don't run full speed. There is no need to suggest to get another phone, as the snapdragon 821 is the best available mobile SOC right now for dolphin, but of course the 835.

Are you fine with an answer that is likely still possible to speedup by 10% to 20% with quite hard modification to the ARMJIT64? How well is you coding knowledge?

[RabbitFu]

(04-13-2017, 12:45 AM)degasus Wrote: No, but mobiles are in general just so slow that even light games don't run full speed. There is no need to suggest to get another phone, as the snapdragon 821 is the best available mobile SOC right now for dolphin, but of course the 835.

Are you fine with an answer that is likely still possible to speedup by 10% to 20% with quite hard modification to the ARMJIT64? How well is you coding knowledge?

I would love a 10% to 20% boost, but my coding experience is only moderate. I learn my coding on a need to know basis, I.E. I learn as much as I need to accomplish what is required via coding for my website / app / etc. So, if it is extreme modification it is likely beyond my current coding capabilities.

Shame they didn't make a PSP version of the game, as PPSSPP Gold runs flawlessly on my G6, even at 4x+ resolution.

[degasus]

The easiest one is likely:
https://github.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin/blob/master/Source/Core/Core/PowerPC/JitArm64/JitArm64_SystemRegisters.cpp#L250

The JIT itself is a programm written in C++ which emits raw ARM64 instructions. A good way to start is to copy the interpreter instruction into any compiler, trying to understand what it does, and rewrite it with a custom register allocation.

Feel free to ask me everything about this stuff. Best on #dolphin-emu @freenode.

EDIT: Don't use this link any more, it pointed to an TODO which is done already. Thanks to merry.

[RabbitFu]

(04-13-2017, 02:35 AM)degasus Wrote: The easiest one is likely:
https://github.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin/blob/master/Source/Core/Core/PowerPC/JitArm64/JitArm64_SystemRegisters.cpp#L250

The JIT itself is a programm written in C++ which emits raw ARM64 instructions. A good way to start is to copy the interpreter instruction into any compiler, trying to understand what it does, and rewrite it with a custom register allocation.

Feel free to ask me everything about this stuff. Best on #dolphin-emu @freenode.

I managed to get the game running...Full Speed, with sound finally functioning properly! Hurray!! I changed a few additional settings, and now the game runs like butter. I will post my details below, and what I changed for others who might wish to duplicate.

What I changed: checked "Override Emulated CPU Clock Speed", changed CPU speed to 35%, checked Disable Fog, Changed External Frame Buffer from Disabled to Virtual.  SUCCESS! Audio went from wrong pitch, garbled / crackling sounds to pitch perfect. Game now also runs as close to full speed. Completely playable!!

I could swear I toggled these settings before while testing, but I guess I just didn't do it all together or in this exact specific amount? Either way, Yay!

Full Setting Details: Dolphin V #5.0-3318 on an LG G6, using Open GL, Dual Core checked, checked "Override Emulated CPU Clock Speed", changed CPU speed to 35%, checked Disable Fog, Changed External Frame Buffer from Disabled to Virtual, the lowest (native) resolution of 640x528, anti-aliasing and anisotropic both at 1x, and fast depth calc / gpu texture decoder toggled on, Skip EFB/Ignore Format/Store EFB all checked.

[degasus]

(04-13-2017, 04:48 AM)RabbitFu Wrote: checked Disable Fog, Changed External Frame Buffer from Disabled to Virtual

Those settings should not affect the performance. Virtual XFB is even a bit harder than disabled XFB - or is this a variable FPS game?

[RabbitFu]

(04-13-2017, 04:52 AM)degasus Wrote: Those settings should not affect the performance. Virtual XFB is even a bit harder than disabled XFB - or is this a variable FPS game?

Honestly, I am not certain. I am not overly familiar with Dolphin, spending the vast majority of my tinkering with PSP and older emulators. Today would be my second day with Dolphin on Android.

However, the results speak for themselves. It went from as graphically stuttering mess, with constant audio issues (crackling, warping, and pitch issues) to now playing smooth with no audio issues. I will do some experimenting and toggle all three on and off to various degrees and see what it affects.

Perhaps it was the 35% Emulated CPU? But why is that the magic number? I tried below that number and above with no success. It is something about the particular combination I did that seems to be working.

[obedabisai@gmail.com]

(04-13-2017, 05:02 AM)Thanks RabbitFu i follow Wrote: RabbitFu
Honestly, I am not certain. I am not overly familiar with Dolphin, spending the vast majority of my tinkering with PSP and older emulators. Today would be my second day with Dolphin on Android.

However, the results speak for themselves. It went from as graphically stuttering mess, with constant audio issues (crackling, warping, and pitch issues) to now playing smooth with no audio issues. I will do some experimenting and toggle all three on and off to various degrees and see what it affects.

Perhaps it was the 35% Emulated CPU? But why is that the magic number? I tried below that number and above with no success. It is something about the particular combination I did that seems to be working.

Thanks RabbitFu I used your configuration with my LG G6, and thats works , i tried with Sunchine and works well, microfrezze sometime , but playable!!!