Beetle PSX 0.9.36.5 blackscreen problem (RetroArch 1.2.2)

RetroArch Windows devices
#1

Hello,

I’ve updated my old retroarch to the newest 1.2.2 for my PSX setup. Surprisingly, I have detected a problem with some games I’ve tried. To be more specific, thje Moto Racer series, all 3 games (1, 2 and World Tour), USA versions, seem to show only a black screen after the Playstation bios. The game seems to run, because if you wait some time you can hear the sound and music of normal presentation screens, but nothing appears on the video out.

I’ve tried even a clean install, with no to minor configuration, and the problem persists. My BIOS files are correct, according to wiki:

scph5500.bin (MD5 sum: 8dd7d5296a650fac7319bce665a6a53c) scph5501.bin (MD5 sum: 490f666e1afb15b7362b406ed1cea246) scph5502.bin (MD5 sum: 32736f17079d0b2b7024407c39bd3050)

I’ve checked the MD5’s with MD5Checker.

I haven’t detected the problem happening with any other game yet. All other games I’ve tried work fine (US, PAL or JAP).

Don’t know if it matters, but I’m using the win-x64 stable 1.2.2 build on a win7-x64 os.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

#2

Have you tried the non-Beetle Mednafen-PSX core?

#3

Nope. Navigating through the Core Updater from the UI I only find the “PlayStation (Mednafen PSX)”, whose info file is “mednafen_psx_libretro.info” and its core file is “mednafen_psx_libretro.dll”. But I’m sure it’s actually the Beetle core, because it writes the options on the “retroarch-core-options.cfg” file as follows:

beetle_psx_cdimagecache = “disabled” beetle_psx_widescreen_hack = “disabled” …

How can I download the non-Beetle core? It doesn’t seem to be present on the Core Updater. While searching on the downloads section on this webpage, on the nightly/winx86-64/latest/ there’s only one psx core: “mednafen_psx_libretro.dll.zip”, I’ve downloaded it, but it seems it’s still the beetle core.

Btw, replacing the core file with the core file from the 1.2.1 release, solves the problem. So I gues it’s a bug on the latest version of the core.

Anyway, I would like to download the nonBeetle core… I also love the mendafen’s core “fastboot” option to skip the sony and PS logo, which seems to not be present on the beetle core. Also, according to documentation, the Beetle core should automatically detect and enable dualanalog/dualshock when necessary if the next option remains disabled:

beetle_psx_analog_toggle = “disabled”

But it’s not working for me. It always detects the controller as standard non-analog controller (I’ve tried Ape Escape). Maybe am I missing something?

Greetings,

#4

That actually is the non-beetle core, even though the core options show the beetle prefix. Fastboot was removed from stand alone Mednafen because it caused issues with at least one game, so that might not come back. You can change to an analog controller (DualShock) under Settings, Input, User 1 Device type.

#5

The Beetle cores haven’t been built in ages. In particular, the Beetle PSX core had various deal-breaking graphical glitches that messed with many popular games. I’d like to see them be worked on again, as they seemed to strive to be like a Mednafen-plus-more solution where all the features/compatibility from the main cores plus extra features from other cores/emulators. If you want the standard core, it’s the “mednafen_psx_libretro.dll” file.

It’s still something I’m sure many find annoying to deal with. Ideally the core would read your controller as a DualShock by default and have the option to turn on/off the analog controls either as a button combo or in core options. Then it could be able to work with all games that don’t require a special peripheral. Even worse than just analog or non-analog, the Mednafen PSX core won’t recognize your “DualShock” controller for games that make use of the Dual Analog Controller (specifically Dual Analog, not DualShock, which would mainly apply to some games released in 1997-1998). I don’t see how this can be a thing since it’s not an issue on actual hardware, but it is.

At least that was the case the last time I played PlayStation games via RetroArch. I’m not sure if it’s still that way now.

#6

Hi,

Thanks for clarifications about beetle core, Awakened and bleakassassin. So I’m using the standard mednafen psx core, that’s right. And I understand the DualAnalog/DualShock/PS1 gamepad behavior.

The main problem of my post, though, still remains (black screen on moto mracer series). I’ve been messing around with display drivers, windowed/fullscreen mode, and hours of testing, and I’ve been unable to find what am I missing. Noone else is having this problem??

Btw, I’ve detected this same problem also happens on Ridge Racer Type 4, but in a slightly different way, let me explain:

-On old mednafen core(Retroarch 1.2.1), if I load RR4: I can see Namco logo > I can see a FMV video > I can see the menu > I can get ingame. -On actual mednafen core (RA 1.2.2), if I start RR4: I dont see Namco logo > I can see FMV video > I cannot see the menu > I manage to get ingame (controls and sound are fine) > I can see ingame video.

So, it seems like video is of for some parts. Might be related to a bug with some specific internal resolutions? I know psx games can change its resolution “on the fly”. Maybe there’s a bug with that? Or is it only happening to me?

If other people are not having the same issue I’ll assume it’s a problem with my config/graphic drivers/anything else, and will stick to an older version which works ok for me, there’s no problem, but sounds strange to me. I would prefer someone testing one of the moto racer games or RR4 with latest 1.2.2 (and/or updated nightly psx mednafen core) and verify if it’s really a bug or is just a problem with my setup.

Just another question, I’ve noted newest Retroarch uses .srm files instead of .mcr files for sram saving. I’ve tested it and it will recognize correctly my old mcr files if I rename them to srm files, but it will still create additional mcr files. It seems like if it’s using same data on both srm and mcr files, or I don’t unhderstand. Someone can explain this behavior to me?

Thanks guys.

#7

I tried out R4 and see what you mean about the black screen on the menu. That’s definitely a regression.

Edit: I made an issue report about it on git here: https://github.com/libretro/mednafen-psx-libretro/issues/9

#8

[QUOTE=Awakened;26460]I tried out R4 and see what you mean about the black screen on the menu. That’s definitely a regression.

Edit: I made an issue report about it on git here: https://github.com/libretro/mednafen-psx-libretro/issues/9[/QUOTE]

Thanks Awakened, And thanks for reporting the issue yourself.

Greetings,

#9

It’s fixed now in the latest build of the core.