The dangers of using NKit on Dolphin

[12GaugeRabbit]

The latest Dolphin dev now has a warning about using NKit files when I boot the game (the most affected using Nkit are Netplay and TAS). NKit files save on disk space though because a regular image also have unnecessary dummy files. These images are also playable on real GC or Wii hardware. (I'm not talking about piracy here, I'm just thinking about using Nkit because of the warning in the latest dev.) Can anyone give a reason why.

[MayImilae]

We went into detail in the latest Dolphin Progress Report - https://dolphin-emu.org/blog/2020/07/05/dolphin-progress-report-may-and-june-2020/#about-the-nkit-format

[JosJuice]

(08-01-2020, 05:31 PM)12GaugeRabbit Wrote: Can anyone give a reason why.

The warning contains a list of reasons. If the warning is annoying to you, simply click "Don't show this again", and it won't show up again.

(08-01-2020, 05:31 PM)12GaugeRabbit Wrote: NKit files save on disk space though because a regular image also have unnecessary dummy files.

There are other formats that can accomplish the same space savings without the drawbacks of NKit, most notably RVZ.

(08-01-2020, 05:31 PM)12GaugeRabbit Wrote: These images are also playable on real GC or Wii hardware.

Only if it's a GameCube game. Wii NKit disc images are not playable on retail consoles.

[12GaugeRabbit]

Now, is the RVZ file format playable on real console? I keep thinking if the RVZ could be usable.

[JosJuice]

(08-02-2020, 06:01 PM)12GaugeRabbit Wrote: Now, is the RVZ file format playable on real console? I keep thinking if the RVZ could be usable.

No, it is not, and I don't believe it ever will be. I suppose NKit is fine for playing GameCube games on console, since USB loaders on console don't try to accurately emulate the CAV aspects of the disc drive timing anyway.

[SeiBiT]

Is there a way to batch convert from Nkit to RVZ?

[JosJuice]

You can batch convert from NKit to non-NKit using the NKit app and batch convert from ISO/GCZ to RVZ using the Dolphin GUI, but there is currently no way to convert directly from non-RVZ NKit to RVZ non-NKit.

[DrHouse64]

Personally, my whole game collection is in RVZ format, and I create an ISO file of them when I need to play a game on the real hardware, it's fine since it's not happening very often. I ditched non-lossless and error-prone formats completely.

[Paper Thin]

(08-04-2020, 12:36 AM)DrHouse64 Wrote: Personally, my whole game collection is in RVZ format, and I create an ISO file of them when I need to play a game on the real hardware, it's fine since it's not happening very often. I ditched non-lossless and error-prone formats completely.

Nkit is technically lossless with only a lossy option. That being said, it does have a few errors that I think are caused by it not preserving disc access patterns like RVZ does.

[JosJuice]

(08-06-2020, 03:12 AM)Paper Thin Wrote: Nkit is technically lossless with only a lossy option. That being said, it does have a few errors that I think are caused by it not preserving disc access patterns like RVZ does.

Yeah, it causes more problems in Dolphin than any other format. Though the problems do go away if you convert it back to a normal ISO, which as you say can be done losslessly.