Sonic Adventure 2: Battle - Audio faster than video

[Anvanaar]

Hello, everyone! :)

I have a bit of a problem with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle on Dolphin 3.0.
The problem is: The sound is way too fast. Or the video is too slow. You pick. ^^

I will give you some informations about my Dolphin configuration and my system and also what exactly the problem is!

System:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1100T (6 CPUs), 3.3 GHz
GPU: nVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (4049 MB)
RAM: 8192 MB
(Drivers: Up to date)
(Sound device used while playing: Logitech G35 Headset)
(Controller used while playing: Wireless BigBen USB Controller - don't know which model)


Dolphin configuration:
(Dolphin 3.0, 32 Bit version*)
*(Somehow the 64 Bit version won't start.)

General:


Audio:
*
*(I use "XAudio2" because otherwise the sound is not clean in this game.)

Graphics:
*
- Nothing checked in "Advanced"
*(I've tried out every single backend except for "Software Renderer".)


Problem:
The audio is way ahead of the video - I mean that when the sound of the intro of the game ends, the video itself is still running.
(I noticed this in the intro scene of the game and didn't try it elsewhere yet!)


What I noticed:
- In the intro scene of the game, the game speed is at around 80 to 96 percent - never at full 100 percent.
- The FPS and VPS are in synch, but they never really reach 50 in the intro. Always at around 40 to 45.
- The game doesn't lag around and stuff. It is too slow compared to the sound, yes, but it runs smoothly.


That should be it!
Should give you all the information you need to help me out on this one. ^^

Hope you know what's going on!

Greetings,
Anvanaar


P.S.: Don't quite know - but if my english is a bit sloppy, forgive me, I am german. ^^

[Shonumi]

If you want the audio and video to run in sync, you'll need to run this game at fullspeed (50 FPS for the PAL version). You should overclock your CPU a bit, though not too much since you're not that far from fullspeed. Your settings are fine; this is a hardware issue most likely.

[Anvanaar]

Okay - a hardware issue?
So... if I choose Software Renderer, could that help?

And I wonder - I think my CPU is quite strong!
I am able to record Assassin's Creed in Full HD, with 60 FPS and Lossless RGB Capture and highest possible ingame graphics settings without any lags, for example. (FRAPS)

I'd hate to overclock my CPU.
Doesn't do it any good...

Greetings,
Anvanaar

[Shonumi]

Okay - a hardware issue?
So... if I choose Software Renderer, could that help?

Dolphin's Software Renderer is primarily for debugging. You can play games using it, but it'll be slower than OpenGL, DX9, or DX11. It's not recommended.

And I wonder - I think my CPU is quite strong!
I am able to record Assassin's Creed in Full HD, with 60 FPS and Lossless RGB Capture and highest possible ingame graphics settings without any lags, for example. (FRAPS)

PC games often use a computer's resources very differently from how Dolphin will use a computer's resources. Most modern PC games rely on the GPU for most of their performance, and a strong CPU isn't always required. Dolphin tends to rely a lot on the CPU for its performance. In Dolphin, the GPU is responsible for things like the Internal Resolution and Anti-Aliasing. If your GPU is sufficient for your settings (which yours is) the rest of Dolphin's performance will be determined largely by what CPU you have.

I'd hate to overclock my CPU.
Doesn't do it any good...

For Dolphin, it will. It might not make a difference for other applications, but overclocking is often the only way to gain significant improvements in Dolphin performance, especially for particularly demanding games. Like I said, your CPU can almost play this game a full-speed (50 FPS). Overclocking it just a bit will probably let you play this game properly.

[LordVador]

As Shonumi said without overclocking you'll have to deal with this.
Nevertheless, and if you don't wanna overclock, you should get this issue only in cutscenes

[Anvanaar]

Okay then - would you tell me HOW to overclock py CPU? XD
Never did that.

As long as overclocking it a BIT is enough, it's fine.
Like - just "turn it on" for Dolphin and off again after playing.

Do I need any software or stuff?

[DefenderX]

nope, you can overclock easily through the BIOS/EFI/UEFI.

There are several OC guides in the web, you just have to find them

[ExtremeDude2]

Like - just "turn it on" for Dolphin and off again after playing.

You will probably just leave in on all the time.

[Granville]

I've got a worse PC than yours. I use an Athlon II x2, which has a somewhat worse architecture and lower stock clockspeed than your CPU. I've gotten the NTSC version to run very well though, usually at 60fps but with rare dips to 50-55fps in some instances. Right click on the game in the game list in Dolphin and click on properties. Check the box labeled "accurate Vbeam emulation". That option brought my FPS in the intro up from the 40fps range to fullspeed, pretty massive speed boost. Game itself usually goes at fullspeed when in levels, only seen some very rare instances where the speed will drop.

I don't know whether this option has any negative side effects in this game. I've not beaten the game in Dolphin but I have played through a considerable number of levels and haven't had any problems so far. Great speed boost. I also checked the disk speedup option in the game properties as well (not sure but I think it improved some stuttering I was having when the game loaded certain scenes and such). Try it out yourself though. I think Dolphin 3.0 had these options, I can't recall for sure. I'm also not sure whether using 32bit is at all limiting to your speed either, i'm using a 64bit version. But try it yourself and see.

[Anvanaar]

Hey, Granville - your solution perfectly solved the problem, and I didn't need to overclock!
Runs smoothly at 100 % game speed.
Thank you so much!

Problem solved!
Thread can be closed.

Greetings,
Anvanaar