Biggest complaints with snes9x.

If you're having problems with Snes9x, or think you've found a bug, this is the place to be.

Biggest complaints with Snes9x.

compatibility
7
7%
customization
11
12%
lack of language support
7
7%
buggy/locks up
8
9%
to slow
5
5%
lack of suitable netplay
18
19%
controls hard to setup
9
10%
zipped snes9x scares me (I know you are out there)
4
4%
other (write a little about it below)
25
27%
 
Total votes: 94

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consumer
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Post by consumer »

That is a nice bug report you posted.

Not only have you taken the time to play the game (go figure!) you managed to come out of it having noticed some problems, and taken some nice screen shots of those problems too.

Next time I play FF3 on Snes9x, perhaps my annoyance with the bug will get the best of me, and I'll use another emulator. Fortunately, I may not notice it though, since I rarely use Mog in my party, and even when I do, I do not typically use his dances [but my guess is these bugs surface elsewhere as well].

I can see why we have a different preference in emu's too. I do not use the bilinear filters with Snes9x, nor do I like to use Super2xai, or Super Eagle with Zsnes of Snes9x. SOMETIMES I interpolate, but usually, that isn't align with my taste either. I pretty much like the default rendering engine of each emu, with scanlines, and snes9x does it a bit better. The other reason I use snes9x is for the two glaringly obvious glitches that occur in Breath of Fire 2 (freezes up after battless) and Final Fantasy 6 - Sky Render Retrans (map screen seems to flash to static and back to normal between steps). I believe it mentions in Zsnes docs. that these errors will pretty much not ever be addressed, because it has to do with something that requires a complete overhaul of the emulation (65012 or whatever that chip is called, timing accuracy). Since I have switched, I haven't come into any serious troubles with 9x yet.

Do you use NES emulators? Try this challenge. See if you can find an emulator for the NES that will allow you to play a full game of Classic Concentration without spazzing out. In my experience, only fceultra can do this...these are the kinds of little tests I use to pick my preferred emulator.
Sometimes our greatest failures are merely our greatest accomplishments at the apex of an inversion.
Deathlike2
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Post by Deathlike2 »

consumer wrote:Next time I play FF3 on Snes9x, perhaps my annoyance with the bug will get the best of me, and I'll use another emulator. Fortunately, I may not notice it though, since I rarely use Mog in my party, and even when I do, I do not typically use his dances [but my guess is these bugs surface elsewhere as well].
It surfaces it other forum, it isn't limited to Mog's dances.. it is always the same bug... it is VERY noticible when you go into battle, that you see a change in the color palette (if you look for it)

Before the battle really starts/After the battle ends:
Image
During the battle:
Image

Notice the slightly different background (very same battle).. this bug affects EVERY battle background in FF3... such a bug does not exist in ZSNES.
I can see why we have a different preference in emu's too. I do not use the bilinear filters with Snes9x, nor do I like to use Super2xai, or Super Eagle with Zsnes of Snes9x. SOMETIMES I interpolate, but usually, that isn't align with my taste either. I pretty much like the default rendering engine of each emu, with scanlines, and snes9x does it a bit better. The other reason I use snes9x is for the two glaringly obvious glitches that occur in Breath of Fire 2 (freezes up after battless) and Final Fantasy 6 - Sky Render Retrans (map screen seems to flash to static and back to normal between steps). I believe it mentions in Zsnes docs. that these errors will pretty much not ever be addressed, because it has to do with something that requires a complete overhaul of the emulation (65012 or whatever that chip is called, timing accuracy). Since I have switched, I haven't come into any serious troubles with 9x yet.
I understand if you don't use the filters (it is obviously a choice). For BOF2, I've already posted a suggestion to that (it works for me)... Try saving the game, and then reloading/resetting the game... the bug apparantly goes away (it seems to some sort of "beginning game" bug).

As for the map screen glitch, that's finally FIXED in the 2/19/06 WIP. Yes.. this bug is fixed it in all FF3 varients (version 1.0, 1.1, and Japanese). You need to be more up to date on these things.... this was a Mode 7/DMA bug (There's still a bunch of Mode 7 bugs in ZSNES... I know Snes9x does a better job implementing Mode 7.) The map bug was exposed by the translation. It's not the translation's fault, because there used to be a hack employed. There is no hack now. However, the translation really sucked ass though with the tiny font. Heck, even the fabled RTO support (the FF3 cursor bug) is finally implemented in ZSNES now.
Do you use NES emulators? Try this challenge. See if you can find an emulator for the NES that will allow you to play a full game of Classic Concentration without spazzing out. In my experience, only fceultra can do this...these are the kinds of little tests I use to pick my preferred emulator.
I don't really use NES emulators (I'm primarily first and foremost a SNES emulator user). There are emulators that allow certain bad hacks... I don't remember which, but there is a current emulator that hacks Super Mario Brothers 3 (clean ROM, mind you) that it removes something that is visibily obvious (the top line or something) that normally appeared in the actual game... these are the kinds of hacks that are unacceptable (if anything, it should have a toggle... a toggle that has that hacks off by default). Of course there are other hacks to "run a game" or "fix a problem"... and these are hacks that really need to go away (especially with the NES emulators, which has probably has the longest time to mature)...
Last edited by Deathlike2 on Sun Feb 26, 2006 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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consumer
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Post by consumer »

As for the map screen glitch, that's finally FIXED in the 2/19/06 WIP. Yes.. this bug is fixed it in all FF3 varients (version 1.0, 1.1, and Japanese). You need to be more up to date on these things....
Thanks for the update. Thats handy info. for me. You are persuading me back to Zsnes (a few trans like Wonder Project J have been doing the same).

Unfortunately, staying up to date is not normally an option for me. I do not have internet access at my home. I get a handful of weeks like this where I can use the net a few times a year, so I end up not updating my emulators until said periods come by--so I normally have to work around bugs and such on my own. I actually already had acquired the 2/19 WIP, just haven't gotten around to reading about it or testing it yet.
Saving me that trouble, was kind of you; thanks again.
there are emulators that allow certain bad hacks... I don't remember which, but there is a current emulator that hacks Super Mario Brothers 3 (clean ROM, mind you) that it removes something that is visibily obvious (the top line or something) that normally appeared in the actual game... these are the kinds of hacks that are unacceptable
I couldn't be sure, but I doubt that it was fceultra. It seems to run every game I play on it flawlessly. In the Classic Contration example I mentioned, what actually happens is this:

after the first time the game goes away from the playing-board and returns to a view of the contestants, the screen goes scrambled with every NES emu, but fceultra. I figure it must be a mapper that isn't supported by others, because, perhaps, it isn't a common mapper and therefore not really in demand (considering Classic Concentration was cancelled from TV years ago, I am probably the only person on Earth who still plays the NES game). I would post screenshots to show you exactly what Im talking about, but have no webspace with which to do that,...
Just let it be said that the following NES emulators have the problem...

Jnes, Nestopia, NSten, Nesticle (no surprise there), NesterJ, RocknesX--and probably others, but I never got far enough into testing others to know. All of those emulators are pretty good. Except NSten, which I personally despise and think is/was terribly over-rated. Jnes seems to get the most updates and has a nice built in cheat feature (but im not big on cheats).

Actually, FCE has one flaw that every emu has. In \"Little Nemo - The Dream Master\" (capcom's masterpiece platformer from the 8-bit era) there are some messed up graphics that are clipped at the edge of the screen. Since every NES emulator does this same thing, I had suspected it was something an actualy NES did, but wasn't noticeable, because of a TV output as opposed to a PC, which is more exacting. In any case, most good NES emu's have an option to clip off that section of the screen. Doing so doesn't normally effect gameplay--(the presence of this option in every NES emu I know was what led me to believe that it was something that happened on an actual NES).

Well, I know you said that NES wasn't your cup of tea, but I figured I would share anyhow. I got high hopes for BSNES over the next few years. What do you think of it?
Sometimes our greatest failures are merely our greatest accomplishments at the apex of an inversion.
Deathlike2
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Post by Deathlike2 »

Here's a thread that I've finally found discussing the SMB3 Hack...
http://board.zsnes.com/phpBB2/viewtopic ... bros#79695
consumer wrote:Well, I know you said that NES wasn't your cup of tea, but I figured I would share anyhow. I got high hopes for BSNES over the next few years. What do you think of it?
I'd rather stop the NES discussion altogether.. :P

As for BSNES, it lacks certain features like Savestates to become much more useful (the autho has said that himself).. however it is pretty close to reproducing certain sounds and video... it still has bugs (there's a special thread in the ZSNES forums dedicated to it).

I think it's great... IF you have a powerful computer to run it with... (and it's a huge IF)
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consumer
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Post by consumer »

Ok, after a little experimentation with Final Fantasy 3, and Final Fight 2 with the the SuperEagle2xai filter on, I have to totally concede your correctness, Deathlike2.

At first, I thought you were being a little too demanding, and on my end (as nothing more than a gameplayer), the little things didn't seem like anything to throw a fuss about--the games still played. To me, an emulator doesn't have to be a Canon describing perfectly a CPU and its corresponding coding language, so long as it gets a convincing job done. But after checking on what you're saying, I see. Final Fantasy 3 really would be irratating to play through with the palette changing in the middle of battles (it actually seems to change the palette more than once at times). And even though I do not use the filters the pixels all over the screen in Final Fight 2, suggests a more deeply rooted problem. Something that, who knows, could surface in the final battle of a game you've dumped 30 hours into playing.

If snes9x were the only emulator out there, I wouldn't be too neurotic about it--i'd just play and enjoy despite the flaws. But since Zsnes and other emulators are around, there is really no reason to continue any further with 9x. As long as I have been using emulators 9x has been behind zsnes (except, maybe when I first started playing them).

Thanks for bringing these things to my attention. There really is no excuse to use 9x over Z. I feel like such a turd for ever flip-flopping in the first place now.

I am also surprised that you weren't met with more enthusiastic agreement on some of the links you posted...

even byuu wrote...
And good lord, I simply do not see what the hell you're talking about in that screenshot. What circle?
He was either trying to be gentle toward snes9x, or didn't take the time to notice.

I noticed in the pictures, and tested it out in the game, and noticed there too...quite annoying really, since once you know, you can't not notice--you've basically expelled my belief in santa clause. thanks again, jerk.
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Deathlike2
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Post by Deathlike2 »

consumer wrote:Ok, after a little experimentation with Final Fantasy 3, and Final Fight 2 with the the SuperEagle2xai filter on, I have to totally concede your correctness, Deathlike2.

At first, I thought you were being a little too demanding, and on my end (as nothing more than a gameplayer), the little things didn't seem like anything to throw a fuss about--the games still played. To me, an emulator doesn't have to be a Canon describing perfectly a CPU and its corresponding coding language, so long as it gets a convincing job done. But after checking on what you're saying, I see. Final Fantasy 3 really would be irratating to play through with the palette changing in the middle of battles (it actually seems to change the palette more than once at times). And even though I do not use the filters the pixels all over the screen in Final Fight 2, suggests a more deeply rooted problem. Something that, who knows, could surface in the final battle of a game you've dumped 30 hours into playing.
Well, with the overworld bug that used to be in ZSNES.. I didn't think it was the worst thing in the world to deal with... neither is Snes9x palette issue with FF3...
If snes9x were the only emulator out there, I wouldn't be too neurotic about it--i'd just play and enjoy despite the flaws. But since Zsnes and other emulators are around, there is really no reason to continue any further with 9x. As long as I have been using emulators 9x has been behind zsnes (except, maybe when I first started playing them).
I think the ZSNES docs quote my opinion very well... it is to use every possible emulator you can (at least the ones that appear worthwhile). There's no reason to stick with one emulator if another does a better job. I find that ZSNES does lots better job overall.. that doesn't mean I shun Snes9x entirely. It's always best to use the emulator that runs best (and hopefully the most accurate) on a particular game. Although I run ZSNES practically 100% of the time, I still use Snes9x as a reference point.. just to see/hear the differences (though audiowise, Snes9x is just plain inferior... there are some things Snes9x does better and has implemented that ZSNES does not)
Thanks for bringing these things to my attention. There really is no excuse to use 9x over Z. I feel like such a turd for ever flip-flopping in the first place now.

I am also surprised that you weren't met with more enthusiastic agreement on some of the links you posted...
As I said.. use both emulators... hell, use as many emulators as you can.
even byuu wrote...
And good lord, I simply do not see what the hell you're talking about in that screenshot. What circle?
He was either trying to be gentle toward snes9x, or didn't take the time to notice.
If I did some work on the pics (highlighted the differences, it would have been more apparent. Not byuu's fault (it is subtle for some people).
I noticed in the pictures, and tested it out in the game, and noticed there too...quite annoying really, since once you know, you can't not notice--you've basically expelled my belief in santa clause. thanks again, jerk.
Santa Claus != Christmas.. there are values that the Christmas is supposed to bring out of people.. and that's the real meaning (but hey, I love roasting Easter Bunnies :wink: )

I'm just trying to point out that Snes9x is just as flawed as ZSNES.. it depends whether or not you think which is more acceptable on the whole.
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King Of Chaos
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Post by King Of Chaos »

Deathlike2 wrote:I'm just trying to point out that Snes9x is just as flawed as ZSNES.. it depends whether or not you think which is more acceptable on the whole.
The only BIG difference between the two is, ZSNES is actively being developed....Snes9x isn't...
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Post by Clintoris »

Partially correct, but mostly incorrect.
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Prime
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Post by Prime »

First of all, thanks for making the universal binary of version 1.5.


My big complaint now is that the emulator doesn't have HQ4x yet.
I don't know how hard it would be to implement, but the source code is available here:
http://www.hiend3d.com/hq4x.html


If this feature was implemented, I would have no reason to use a different emulator. Thanks for the hard work!
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