So, I’ve finally had enough time to properly test the new core build, version 0.5.
Tests and observations:
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Per-game compatibility fixes - these actually work. I verified them directly against Duckstation’s own gamedb.yaml file, using the games I have that are listed in this patch file (Metal Gear Solid, Parasite Eve II, Chrono Cross, Front Mission 3) - a message in the bottom right corner notifies you about enabled fixes (you might need to tweak the notification widget a bit if many fixes are enabled -
the text overflows), but they aren’t displayed in the core settings themselves, though they do work. I understand that the gamedb.yaml file is now contained within the GooseStation core itself and doesn’t require external sources in the system folder?
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Lightgun - personally, I was really looking forward to this feature, since no existing PSX core in RetroArch supports it properly - Beetle PSX HW doesn’t support it at all, Beetle PSX supports it but with hardware rendering limitations, and SwanStation supports it but very selectively. When compiling the core, a file named cursor_only.cfg appeared in the folder with the finished core; judging by its contents, it seems to be some kind of overlay settings for the mouse cursor, but I still haven’t figured out which settings folder exactly this file should be placed in. I’d appreciate a quick guide, @hueponik. Since I mostly play in windowed mode - even when maximized to full screen - my mouse cursor doesn’t disappear, and the lack of a crosshair doesn’t really bother me. “Time Crisis” and “Time Crisis - Project Titan” performed great; just don’t forget to save the custom core settings that switch to GunCon controls for these games.
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Rumble - isn’t exactly my go-to feature for gaming, but if it’s there, why not use it? My Xbox One Series X Wireless Controller initially refused to produce any vibration until I noticed in Duckstation itself that it uses the XInput driver for it; I switched the controller driver in the RetroArch settings, and everything worked, though I had to remap all the buttons, as they differed from the settings with the DInput driver. Tested on Chrono Cross, Need for Speed 5 - Porsche Unleashed, and Quake II.
The game “Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee” now looks great - all textures render properly, with no light bleeding or strange transparency where it shouldn’t be, no blurring of text on the scrolling text display, and no ghosting of the character where he just passed. It now looks just as good as it does on Duckstation.
Now, regarding the minor glitches that remain and that I’ve managed to spot:
- Fighting Force - the game starts to stutter when you destroy any destructible object (gate, car); after the destruction animation finishes, the game’s frame rate returns to normal.
- Chrono Cross - slight stuttering when you enter the character menu (via the triangle button); even the music starts to slow down. After exiting this menu, the game speed returns to normal.
- When the BIOS loading screens appear, there is a slight crackling sound and stuttering in the animation. This occurs when loading any game. It’s not that this causes any major issues, but we want this core to be perfect.
So far, that’s all I’ve been able to notice; if I find anything else, I’ll be sure to let you know. Now this core can be used for more games, which means we can dive deeper into testing.
Oh, one more thing - I noticed that now the memory card files in the saves\GooseStation\ folder are created only after saving progress in the game itself; in previous core versions, the memory card files were created immediately after launching the game. Now, even if you try to access the memory card in a game (in which there are no saves yet) in an attempt to load something, the memory card file still isn’t created. There are some games in which you can save controller settings or a player profile with a name and settings to a memory card - in that case, the memory card file is created without any actual progress in the game itself.
This is perhaps even more logical behavior than creating a memory card file for every game you launch; sometimes you download a game, launch it to check if the image works, but don’t have time to play, and you shut it down until next time, but the memory card file is already created (on another core or in another emulator) - it’s not that those 128 KB would burden me much, but the fact itself.
