mirror of https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2.git
PCSX2: PCSX2 1.6 Documentation Overhaul. (#3139)
Update all documentation for 1.6. Source files for documentation are in md format and are kept in pcsx2\pcsx2\Docs, final exported/converted docs are in pdf format (Configuration_Guide and PCSX2_FAQ). Update First time wizard to reflect recent documentation changes. Update cmake to reflect recent documentation changes. PO/POT/MO Localisation needs to be updated for the First time wizard to include the documentation changes. NSIS installer needs to be updated to reflect the recent changes.
This commit is contained in:
RedPanda4552
GitHub
parent
63eaea26d2
commit
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@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ if(PACKAGE_MODE)
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/linux_various/PCSX2.desktop" DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/applications")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/linux_various/PCSX2.desktop" DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/applications")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/linux_various/PCSX2.xpm" DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/pixmaps")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/linux_various/PCSX2.xpm" DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/pixmaps")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/docs/PCSX2_FAQ.pdf" DESTINATION "${DOC_DIR}")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/docs/PCSX2_FAQ.pdf" DESTINATION "${DOC_DIR}")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/docs/PCSX2_Readme.pdf" DESTINATION "${DOC_DIR}")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/docs/Configuration_Guide.pdf" DESTINATION "${DOC_DIR}")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/docs/PCSX2.1" DESTINATION "${MAN_DIR}/man1")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/docs/PCSX2.1" DESTINATION "${MAN_DIR}/man1")
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if(NOT DISABLE_PCSX2_WRAPPER)
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if(NOT DISABLE_PCSX2_WRAPPER)
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/linux_various/PCSX2-linux.sh" DESTINATION "${BIN_DIR}")
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INSTALL(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/linux_various/PCSX2-linux.sh" DESTINATION "${BIN_DIR}")
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54
README.md
54
README.md
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@ -5,50 +5,44 @@ PCSX2 is a free and open-source PlayStation 2 (PS2) emulator. Its purpose is to
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# Project Details
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# Project Details
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The PCSX2 project has been running for more than ten years. Past versions could only run a few public domain game demos, but newer versions can run many games at full speed, including popular titles such as Final Fantasy X and Devil May Cry 3. Visit the [PCSX2 homepage](https://pcsx2.net) to check the latest compatibility status of games (with more than 2000 titles tested), or ask for help in the [official forums](https://forums.pcsx2.net/).
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The PCSX2 project has been running for more than ten years. Past versions could only run a few public domain game demos, but newer versions can run most games at full speed, including popular titles such as Final Fantasy X and Devil May Cry 3. Visit the [PCSX2 compatibility list](https://pcsx2.net/compatibility-list.html) to check the latest compatibility status of games (with more than 2500 titles tested), or ask for help in the [official forums](https://forums.pcsx2.net/).
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The latest officially released stable version is version 1.4.0.
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The latest officially released stable version is version 1.6.0.
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Installers and binaries for both Windows and Linux are available from [our website](https://pcsx2.net/download.html).
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Installers and binaries for both Windows and Linux are available from [our website](https://pcsx2.net/download.html).
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Development builds are also available from [our website](https://pcsx2.net/download/development/git.html).
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Development builds are also available from [our website](https://pcsx2.net/download/development.html).
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# System Requirements
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# System Requirements
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## Minimum
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#### Minimum
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* OS: Windows 7 or GNU/Linux
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* CPU: Any that supports SSE2 @ [1600 STR](#Notes)
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* GPU: DirectX 10 support
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* RAM: 2GB
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## Recommended
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| Operating System | CPU | GPU | RAM |
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* OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) or GNU/Linux (64-bit)
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* CPU: Any that supports AVX2 (Core series Haswell or Ryzen and newer) @ [2000 STR](#Notes) or better
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| - Windows 7 or newer (32 or 64 bit) <br/> - Ubuntu 18.04/Debian or newer, Arch Linux, or other distro (32 or 64 bit) | - Supports SSE2 <br/> - [PassMark Single Thread Performance](https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html) rating near or greater than 1600 <br/> - Two physical cores, with hyperthreading | - Direct3D10 support <br/> - OpenGL 3.x support <br/> - [PassMark G3D Mark](https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html) rating around 3000 (GeForce GTX 750) <br/> - 2 GB Video Memory | 4 GB |
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* GPU: DirectX 11 support or better
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* RAM: 4GB or more
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## Notes
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*Note: Recommended Single Thread Performance is based on moderately complex games. Games that pushed the PS2 hardware to its limits will struggle on CPUs at this level. Some release titles and 2D games which underutilized the PS2 hardware may run on CPUs rated as low as 1200. A quick reference for CPU **intensive games**: [Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Category:CPU_intensive_games), [Forum](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-The-Most-CPU-Intensive-Games) and CPU **light** games: [Forum](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-Games-that-don-t-need-a-strong-CPU-to-emulate)*
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- You need the [Visual C++ 2015 x86 Redistributables](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145) for this version to work.
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#### Recommended
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Note: Visual C++ 2017 is directly compatible with Visual C++ 2015. While the project is built with Visual C++ 2015, either version will work.
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- PCSX2 1.4.0 is the last stable version to support Windows XP and Direct3D9. Windows XP is no longer getting updates (including security-related updates), and graphics drivers for Windows XP are older and no longer maintained.
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| Operating System | CPU | GPU | RAM |
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| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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| - Windows 10 (64 bit) <br/> - Ubuntu 19.04/Debian or newer, Arch Linux, or other distro (64 bit) | - Supports AVX2 <br/> - [PassMark Single Thread Performance](https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html) rating near or greater than 2100 <br/> - Four physical cores, with or without hyperthreading | - Direct3D11 support <br/> - OpenGL 4.5 support <br/> - [PassMark G3D Mark](https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html) rating around 6000 (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) <br/> - 4 GB Video Memory | 8 GB |
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*Note: Recommended GPU is based on 3x Internal, ~1080p resolution requirements. Higher resolutions will require stronger cards; 6x Internal, ~4K resolution will require a [PassMark G3D Mark](https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html) rating around 12000 (GeForce GTX 1070 Ti). Just like CPU requirements, this is also highly game dependent. A quick reference for GPU **intensive games**: [Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Category:GPU_intensive_games)*
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## Technical Notes
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- You need the [Visual C++ 2019 x86 Redistributables](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2977003/) to run PCSX2.
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- Windows XP and DirectX 9 support was dropped after stable release 1.4.0
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- Windows 7 support will be dropped after stable release 1.6.0
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- Make sure to update your operating system, drivers, and DirectX (if applicable) to ensure you have the best experience possible. Having a newer GPU is also recommended so you have the latest supported drivers.
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- Make sure to update your operating system, drivers, and DirectX (if applicable) to ensure you have the best experience possible. Having a newer GPU is also recommended so you have the latest supported drivers.
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- Because of copyright issues, and the complexity of trying to work around it, you need a BIOS dump extracted from a legitimately-owned PS2 console to use the emulator. For more information about the BIOS and how to get it from your console, visit [this page](https://pcsx2.net/config-guide/official-english-pcsx2-configuration-guide.html#Bios).
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- Because of copyright issues, and the complexity of trying to work around it, you need a BIOS dump extracted from a legitimately-owned PS2 console to use the emulator. For more information about the BIOS and how to get it from your console, visit [this page](https://pcsx2.net/config-guide/official-english-pcsx2-configuration-guide.html#Bios).
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- PCSX2 uses two CPU cores for emulation by default. A third core can be used via the MTVU speed hack, which is compatible with most games. This can be a significant speedup on CPUs with 3+ cores, but it may be a slowdown on GS-limited games (or on CPUs with fewer than 2 cores). Software renderers will then additionally use however many rendering threads it is set to and will need higher core counts to run efficiently.
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- PCSX2 mainly takes advantage of 2 CPU cores. As of [this commit](https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/commit/ac9bf45) PCSX2 can now take advantage of more than 2 cores using the MTVU speedhack. This can be a significant speedup on CPUs with 3+ cores, but it may be a slowdown on GS-limited games (or on CPUs with fewer than 2 cores).
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- Requirements benchmarks are based on a statistic from the Passmark CPU bench marking software. When we say "STR", we are referring to Passmark's "Single Thread Rating" statistic. You can look up your CPU on [Passmark's website for CPUs](https://cpubenchmark.net) to see how it compares to PCSX2's requirements.
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- Requirements benchmarks are based on a statistic from the Passmark CPU bench marking software. When we say "STR", we are referring to Passmark's "Single Thread Rating" statistic. You can look up your CPU on https://cpubenchmark.net to see how it compares to PCSX2's requirements.
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# Screenshots
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# Screenshots
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Want more? [Check out the PCSX2 website](https://pcsx2.net/demo-videos-screenshots/screenshots.html).
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== How To Update PCSX2 Docs ==
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Source Directory: ./pcsx2/pcsx2/Docs
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Release Directory: /pcsx2/bin/Docs
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Docs should be written in the source directory first in an easily editable
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format. Currently, Markdown is the preferred format due to its simple markup and
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easy portability. GitHub's built-in preview functions are a huge benefit as
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well.
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Visual Studio Code is a cross platform text editor/development platform that can
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handle Markdown syntax, plus extensions are available to enable in-editor
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previewing and PDF generation. However, this is not a requirement since other
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editors will support Markdown, and worst case GitHub supports editing Markdown
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files in-browser.
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Once docs are finished, convert them from Markdown to PDFs using the tool of
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your choice. Move the PDFs to the above Release Directory.
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# PCSX2 First Time Setup and Configuration
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This guide will walk through the initial setup process of PCSX2 and the basics of configuration.
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*Note: While this document is using Windows screenshots, you can still follow this guide for Linux.*
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---
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## First Time Setup
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The first time you launch PCSX2, you will be prompted with a First Time Configuration wizard.
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### Language Selection
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You may choose to change the UI language of PCSX2 here.
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*Note: Translations may not be accurate or actively maintained by translators. If you find translation issues and want to fix them yourself, please get into contact with the PCSX2 team by opening a [thread on the PCSX2 forums](https://forums.pcsx2.net/) or an [issue on GitHub](https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/issues).*
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<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
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### Plugin Selection
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Most users running on a modern PC will be able to continue normally here without changing any settings.
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If you try to continue with setup and you get a warning that the GS plugin failed to load or was incompatible, change the GS plugin from the default AVX2 option to the SSE4.1 option. If the same issue occurs, change the GS plugin from SSE4.1 to SSE2. If the issue persists, your PC may be severely outdated and we recommend asking for help on the [PCSX2 Forums](https://forum.pcsx2.net).
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If you have a custom plugin, you may wish to add it to the default plugin folder. Hit the "Open in Explorer" button to jump straight to the plugin folder.
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If you are an advanced user or developer, you may wish to change the plugin directory. Uncheck the "Use default setting" box to do so.
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### BIOS Selection
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PCSX2 will now ask you to provide your PS2's BIOS dump. Use the "Open in Explorer" button to open the BIOS folder, and drop your BIOS files inside. Then use the "Refresh List" button to show your BIOS in the list. Click it, then hit Finish.
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Advanced users may wish to use a different folder for their BIOS, you can do so by unchecking the "Use default setting" box and then hitting Browse to select a new folder.
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---
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## Post-Setup Configuration
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A large number of games work out-of-the-box on default PCSX2 settings. However, a subset of games require special settings to run, and some games require special settings to be upscaled. This guide will briefly cover some frequent problems and configuration settings to address them.
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### Multi-Threaded VU1 (MTVU)
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The MTVU option is a unique case of a recommended setting that is **not** enabled by default. MTVU boosts performance for PCs with at least 3 cores with almost no consequences for the overwhelming majority of games. However, a small number of high profile games are incompabible with MTVU and will break if it is enabled. For these reasons, we do not enable it by default, **but strongly recommend you do so yourself**. If your game fails to boot, crashes, stalls, or has other problems with it enabled, disable it and try again.
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### Specific game solutions
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Looking for information specific to a single game? Head to the [PCSX2 Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Main_Page) and search for your game using the search bar in the top right. Known issues and solutions should be towards the bottom of a game's wiki page.
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<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
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### General solutions
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Want some general ideas to try that are not specific to a game? Here are some more commonly known issues and solutions to try.
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*Note: For some of these issues, multiple solutions are given one after the other. Before moving from one solution to the next, **undo the previous solution**. Stacking multiple fixes on top of each other is usually unnecessary and likely to introduce new issues.*
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#### Grid-like pattern on screen
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Usually this is due to upscaling, which can cause sprites and 2D textures to misalign. Any fixes will be found in the GSdx Advanced Settings and Hacks:
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`Config > Video (GS) > Plugin Settings > Advanced Settings and Hacks`
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First try the two Round Sprite modes, Half and Full. Then try Align Sprite or Merge Sprite. Then try the Half Pixel Offset modes. If all else fails, consider using the Texture Offsets.
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#### Outlines on shapes or models are improperly sized/aligned
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Usually this is because of an upscaling hack known formerly as Unscale Point and Line. This is now enabled by default because the overwhelming majority of games work nicely with it or need it. Navigate to the GSdx Advanced Settings and Hacks:
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`Config > Video (GS) > Plugin Settings > Advanced Settings and Hacks`
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Check the Disable Safe Features box.
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#### Ghosting and bloom misalignment
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Upscaling can cause some screen elements, usually but not always bloom effects, to misalign. Navigate to the GSdx Advanced Settings and Hacks:
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`Config > Video (GS) > Plugin Settings > Advanced Settings and Hacks`
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Try the various Half Pixel Offset modes. The further down the list you go, the more aggressive the hack gets. Once you find a mode that properly fixes the ghosting/misalignment, do not push it further. Also note in some games, the further you upscale, the worse the ghosting/misalignment gets. In some of these games, Half Pixel Offset may mitigate the issue, but not be able to fully resolve it.
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#### Flickering or improper lightning
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Sometimes a game uses blending for lighting effects and needs more accuracy for blending to work correctly. Navigate to the GSdx Plugin Settings:
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`Config > Video (GS) > Plugin Settings`
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Increment Blending Accuracy until the problem goes away. Note, higher Blending Accuracy substantially increases performance requirements.
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#### Flickering or improperly shaped shadows
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This can either be a GS or VU problem so solutions will vary wildly by game.
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##### GS
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Navigate to the GSdx Advanced Settings and Hacks:
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`Config > Video (GS) > Plugin Settings > Advanced Settings and Hacks`
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Try checking Disable Safe Features.
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<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
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##### VU
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Navigate to the VU settings:
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`Config > Emulation Settings > VUs`
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Try different combinations of VU0/VU1 Advanced Recompiler Options. Only change one of them at a time, and keep trying all possible combinations. If none of these work, Restore Defaults and then try changing the Recompiler/Interpreter modes. Only try Interpreter as a last ditch effort.
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#### Spikey Polygon Syndrome (SPS)
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SPS is the tendency of world geometry or character models to deform into wildly incorrect shapes, usually resulting in the generation of spikes. This is almost always a VU problem. Navigate to the VU settings:
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`Config > Emulation Settings > VUs`
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Try different combinations of VU0/VU1 Advanced Recompiler Options. Only change one of them at a time, and keep trying all possible combinations. If none of these work, Restore Defaults and then try changing the Recompiler/Interpreter modes. Only try Interpreter as a last ditch effort.
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#### Menu items or text overlays missing
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This is usually a VU issue, but can sometimes be an EE issue. Navigate to the VU settings:
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`Config > Emulation Settings > VUs`
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Try different combinations of VU0/VU1 Advanced Recompiler Options. Only change one of them at a time, and keep trying all possible combinations. If none of these work, Restore Defaults and then try changing the Recompiler/Interpreter modes. Only try Interpreter as a last ditch effort. If the issue persists, navigate to the EE settings:
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`Config > Emulation Settings > EE/IOP`
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Try different combinations of EE/FPU Advanced Recompiler Options. Only change one of them at a time, and keep trying all possible combinations. If none of these work, Restore Defaults and then try changing the Recompiler/Interpreter modes. Only try Interpreter or Enable EE Cache as a last ditch effort.
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#### AI pathfinding/vision and other behaviors, progress flags not triggering, or world objects missing
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This is usually an EE issue, but can sometimes be a VU issue. Navigate to the EE settings:
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`Config > Emulation Settings > EE/IOP`
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Try different combinations of EE/FPU Advanced Recompiler Options. Only change one of them at a time, and keep trying all possible combinations. If none of these work, Restore Defaults and then try changing the Recompiler/Interpreter modes. Only try Interpreter or Enable EE Cache as a last ditch effort. If the issue persists, navigate to the VU settings:
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`Config > Emulation Settings > VUs`
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Try different combinations of VU0/VU1 Advanced Recompiler Options. Only change one of them at a time, and keep trying all possible combinations. If none of these work, Restore Defaults and then try changing the Recompiler/Interpreter modes. Only try Interpreter as a last ditch effort.
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There are some known issues with specific games that are programming level issues rather than configuration level; please check the [PCSX2 Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Main_Page) if these solutions do not help.
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#### Colored vertical bands appear on screen
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This is an old issue that is believed to be resolved, but there may still be a game or two that this has not been reported on yet. Unfortunately, this is a programming problem and not a configuration problem. If you encounter this, please submit a [bug report on the forums](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Forum-Bug-reporting) or an [issue on GitHub](https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/issues). To remove the color banding, switch GSdx to a Software Renderer using the F9 key or by going in to your GSdx Plugin Settings:
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`Config > Video (GS) > Plugin Settings > Renderer`
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/* PCSX2 - PS2 Emulator for PCs
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/* PCSX2 - PS2 Emulator for PCs
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* Copyright (C) 2002-2012 PCSX2 Dev Team
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* Copyright (C) 2002-2019 PCSX2 Dev Team
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*
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*
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* PCSX2 is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
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* PCSX2 is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
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* of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software Found-
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* of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software Found-
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# PCSX2 - Frequently Asked Questions
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## About the PCSX2 Project
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### What is the purpose of the PCSX2 project?
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PCSX2 intends to emulate the PlayStation 2 console, allowing PS2 games to be played on a PC. This requires having an original PlayStation 2 console to supply a BIOS dump, and of course the original games to either be played directly off the disc, or be dumped and played as ISO images.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Is PCSX2 open source?
|
||||||
|
PCSX2 is open source, licensed under the GNU General Public License, v3. [Source code is kept on GitHub](https://github.com/pcsx2/pcsx2).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### How can I help the project?
|
||||||
|
There are a number of ways to help the project, whether it be bug reporting, game patching, or even writing code for the emulator itself. Some examples:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
* Want to make changes to emulator code? [Check out the issue tracker](https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/issues), or [fork the PCSX2 repository and work on your own ideas](https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2).
|
||||||
|
* Want to patch games? [Check out the cheats and patches forum thread for inspiration](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Post-your-PCSX2-cheats-patches-here). There are other threads to find as well, [such as those dedicated to 60 FPS patches](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-60-fps-codes) or [widescreen patches](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-PCSX2-Widescreen-Game-Patches).
|
||||||
|
* Want to report bugs you have discovered in your games? [Head over to the Bug Reporting section of the PCSX2 forums](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Forum-Bug-reporting). Also check out our [GitHub issue guidelines](https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/wiki/How-to-create-useful-and-valid-issues) for info on how we handle GitHub issues.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Is PCSX2 ready to run out-of-the-box?
|
||||||
|
No, PCSX2 is not ready to run immediately. First, you must dump your PlayStation 2 console's BIOS using the BIOS dumper. The BIOS dumper is [available on the PCSX2 website](https://pcsx2.net/download/releases/tools.html).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
After dumping your PlayStation 2 console's BIOS, you may launch PCSX2, step through the first time setup wizard, and then begin playing.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
---
|
||||||
|
## Technical Details of PCSX2
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### What are the PC requirements to use PCSX2?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### Minimum
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
| Operating System | CPU | GPU | RAM |
|
||||||
|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|
||||||
|
| - Windows 7 or newer (32 or 64 bit) <br/> - Ubuntu 18.04/Debian or newer, Arch Linux, or other distro (32 or 64 bit) | - Supports SSE2 <br/> - [PassMark Single Thread Performance](https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html) rating near or greater than 1600 <br/> - Two physical cores, with hyperthreading | - Direct3D10 support <br/> - OpenGL 3.x support <br/> - [PassMark G3D Mark](https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html) rating around 3000 (GeForce GTX 750) <br/> - 2 GB Video Memory | 4 GB |
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
*Note: Recommended Single Thread Performance is based on moderately complex games. Games that pushed the PS2 hardware to its limits will struggle on CPUs at this level. Some release titles and 2D games which underutilized the PS2 hardware may run on CPUs rated as low as 1200. A quick reference for CPU **intensive games**: [Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Category:CPU_intensive_games), [Forum](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-The-Most-CPU-Intensive-Games) and CPU **light** games: [Forum](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-Games-that-don-t-need-a-strong-CPU-to-emulate)*
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### Recommended
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
| Operating System | CPU | GPU | RAM |
|
||||||
|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|
||||||
|
| - Windows 10 (64 bit) <br/> - Ubuntu 19.04/Debian or newer, Arch Linux, or other distro (64 bit) | - Supports AVX2 <br/> - [PassMark Single Thread Performance](https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html) rating near or greater than 2100 <br/> - Four physical cores, with or without hyperthreading | - Direct3D11 support <br/> - OpenGL 4.5 support <br/> - [PassMark G3D Mark](https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html) rating around 6000 (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) <br/> - 4 GB Video Memory | 8 GB |
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
*Note: Recommended GPU is based on 3x Internal, ~1080p resolution requirements. Higher resolutions will require stronger cards; 6x Internal, ~4K resolution will require a [PassMark G3D Mark](https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html) rating around 12000 (GeForce GTX 1070 Ti). Just like CPU requirements, this is also highly game dependent. A quick reference for GPU **intensive games**: [Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Category:GPU_intensive_games)*
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### How many CPU cores can PCSX2 use?
|
||||||
|
By default, PCSX2 uses two cores for emulation. Enabling the MTVU speedhack allows the PS2's VU1 coprocessor to run on a third core, which is safe for most games.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Software rendering in GSdx can be set to use as many or as few rendering threads as desired. We recommend using no more than 8, or the number of cores (including hyperthreads) that your CPU has, whichever is the lower number.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### My CPU isn't being used 100%. Why?
|
||||||
|
The CPU load as reported in software such as Windows' Task Manager is usually a *summation* of CPU usage, across *all* cores. Software can only use the resources of the individual CPU cores it is actually running on, and cannot "borrow" CPU time from other cores.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Will SLI or Crossfire help with performance?
|
||||||
|
No. PCSX2 does not use or require SLI or Crossfire.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### How do I check if a game is playable?
|
||||||
|
The PCSX2 website has a [compatibility list](https://pcsx2.net/compatibility-list.html) with every game that has been tested.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Do PS1 (PSX) games work on PCSX2?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### If you want to enjoy your PS1 games without issues
|
||||||
|
No, they will not work. Please use a proper PS1 emulator, such as Mednafen.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### If you are a tinkerer and like to break things
|
||||||
|
PS1 games may work on PCSX2, but compatibility is very limited. Specific settings are often required to get a game to boot, and there are other universal problems including missing and pitch shifted audio, and severe FMV corruption. A [forum thread for PS1 compatibility](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-PSX-Mode-Unofficial-Compatibility-List) is tracking some fixes and compatibility reports.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
*While we encourage discussion about PS1 games and improving compatibility, bug reports are NOT being accepted for PS1 games. Any reports for PS1 games will be closed immediately as invalid.*
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### My game doesn't work like it did in an earlier PCSX2 version. Why?
|
||||||
|
One change to the emulator may fix one game, but cause problems for another. If the issue is severe and not fixable with different settings, you can always revert back to the last known PCSX2 version to work, and report the build number that broke the game. [Development builds](https://pcsx2.net/download/development.html) are very helpful for finding the exact change that caused a regression.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Why is PCSX2 slow?
|
||||||
|
The PlayStation 2 is a complex console, and this complexity substantially raises the PC requirements to emulate it at full speed, accurately. [This forum thread](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Why-is-PCSX2-slow) helps explain some of the technical reasons behind it, and our current guidelines for PC requirements are listed above.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Where do I get a PS2 BIOS?
|
||||||
|
You have to dump the BIOS files from your PlayStation 2 console. There is a BIOS dumper tool [available on the PCSX2 website](https://pcsx2.net/download/releases/tools.html) to do this. If you need a guide, check the bottom of this FAQ for links to BIOS guides.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Where do I get PS2 games?
|
||||||
|
You can use games from your personal collection of discs, purchase them from local stores that resell old games, or look online at sites like eBay or Amazon.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Can I use PS2 discs directly with PCSX2?
|
||||||
|
Yes. However, some games have speed problems, because unlike the PS2 which would constantly keep the disc spinning, PCSX2 will not do the same to your PC's disc drive. It is recommended to instead dump your games to ISO images. ImgBurn is a popular software to do this with, and we recommend [installing ImgBurn by using Ninite](https://ninite.com) to avoid any issues with the ImgBurn installer.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### How do I play a game?
|
||||||
|
If you are using an ISO image:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
1) Click the CDVD menu
|
||||||
|
2) Check that "ISO" mode is selected.
|
||||||
|
3) Go to "ISO Selector", then Browse.
|
||||||
|
4) Locate your ISO image.
|
||||||
|
5) Click the System menu, then Boot ISO.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
If you are using a disc:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
1) Click the CDVD menu
|
||||||
|
2) Check that "Plugin" mode is selected.
|
||||||
|
3) Click "Plugin Menu", then "Plugin Settings". Verify your disc drive shows up in the menu.
|
||||||
|
4) Click the System menu, then Boot CDVD.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### What is the difference between Full and Fast boot?
|
||||||
|
Full boot will launch the PS2 BIOS, which will then launch the game. Some games need this for multi-language settings or times to work.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Fast boot will directly mount and launch the game without first launching the PS2 BIOS. Though slightly faster, this may cause some multi-language games to boot into the wrong language, or games that use the clock to give inaccurate times.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### How do I compile the PCSX2 source code?
|
||||||
|
* [Windows compile guide](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/PCSX2_Documentation/Compiling_on_Windows)
|
||||||
|
* [Linux compile guide](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/PCSX2_Documentation/Compiling_on_Linux)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### When will the next version be released?
|
||||||
|
It will be released when it is ready. Please don't waste your time and ours asking when.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
---
|
||||||
|
## PCSX2 Configuration
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### How do I configure the emulator?
|
||||||
|
Refer to the Configuration_Guide.pdf (located in the same folder as this FAQ) for an initial setup guide and solution manual to some common known issues.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### I see framelimiter options. What are those? Will they boost my FPS?
|
||||||
|
The framelimiter has a few options that allow you to alter the pacing of your games. This will directly affect the game's speed itself, NOT your framerate. Useful for speeding through sections of games, or slowing down for precision.
|
||||||
|
* Turbo (Tab): Bumps the framelimiter to 200%, allowing a game to run up to 2x faster than normal.
|
||||||
|
* Slowmo (Shift + Tab): Drops the framelimiter to 50%, restricting a game to 0.5x its normal speed.
|
||||||
|
* Framelimiter Disabled (F4): Completely disables the framelimiter. The game will run as fast as your PC can push it.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Some settings are greyed out; these are advanced counters that should only be modified by those who understand the effects they have on a game's playback speed and frame pacing.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### What is the normal speed for a PlayStation 2 game?
|
||||||
|
* NTSC games will play at 59.94 FPS
|
||||||
|
* PAL games will play at 50 FPS
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
These framerates are what the PlayStation 2 console would push to a real TV through its video cable. A game itself, typically, internally generates only half of those frames, and repeats frames to fill the gaps. This is why a "full speed" game may not "feel like 60 FPS". The console's "speed" (meaning AI, sound, physics, *everything*) is tied to the playback framerate, which is what PCSX2 reports as its "FPS".
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### What are Gamefixes?
|
||||||
|
Gamefixes are specialized fixes built into PCSX2 for specific games. Gamefixes mostly fix core emulation problems that would crash or soft lock a game, rather than graphical or performance issues. By default, the "System > Automatic Gamefixes" option is enabled, meaning any games that need gamefixes will have them automatically applied, regardless of what gamefix settings you have enabled.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Most games will not need gamefixes, however if your game is having issues, you can try manually enabling them in Emulation Settings.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Gamefixes are not FPS boosters; more often than not, they will degrade performance slightly.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Are Speedhacks safe?
|
||||||
|
As the name says, speedhacks are hacks to make things faster. They will speed up games, but risk causing stability problems or crashing some games. PCSX2 ships with some speedhacks enabled in the default "Safe" preset. This selection of speedhacks has been reviewed thoroughly and determined to be safe for nearly all games.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
*Bug reports of issues caused by speedhacks will NOT be accepted, and will be immediately closed as invalid.*
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### What are all these EE/IOP and VU options?
|
||||||
|
The PS2 EE, IOP and VU processors are substantially different from a PC CPU and require different rounding and clamping modes to do math accurately. Most games work fine on the default options, but some games might need a different setting. You can check the [PCSX2 Wiki](https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Category:Games) to see if your game needs an alternate setting, or check the [PCSX2 Forums](https://forums.pcsx2.net/) to see if anyone else has posted about it there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### What are PCSX2 plugins?
|
||||||
|
PCSX2 uses a plugin framework for various sections of the emulator. A plugin is a small, incomplete piece of software that, when plugged in to another piece of software, provides some sort of additional function. PCSX2 uses plugins for:
|
||||||
|
* Video (GSdx)
|
||||||
|
* Audio (SPU2-X)
|
||||||
|
* Controls (Lilypad for Windows, OnePad for Linux)
|
||||||
|
* CD/DVD Drives (CDVDGigaherz)
|
||||||
|
* PS2 Networking/HDD Adapter (DEV9ghzdrk)
|
||||||
|
* USB (No plugin included)
|
||||||
|
* Firewire (No plugin included)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Each plugin will have its own Plugin Settings menu, and can be found under the Config menu.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Why is my sound garbled up?
|
||||||
|
PCSX2's default audio playback mode is Timestretch, which will attempt to stretch sounds out when the emulator is unable to play at full speed, to fill the gaps in the sound playback and prevent even harsher stutters. If you are unable to get the game running at full speed or an acceptable speed where timestretching does not ruin the sound, you can try changing from Timestretch to Async, but this may break games.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### I have a controller here. Is it supported?
|
||||||
|
For Windows users running LilyPad, PCSX2 will ship with XInput bindings already created. This will automatically work with an Xbox One controller or any other XInput controller. Bindings can easily be made for DirectInput controllers, such as Xbox 360 controllers. PS3, PS4, or Switch Pro controllers should be set up using a compatibility software, such as Steam's Big Picture mode.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
For Linux users running OnePad, PCSX2 will automatically detect and bind controls to any recognizable controller. If your controller is not automatically detected, you can try using Onepad Legacy to manually bind controls for it.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<div class="page"/> <!-- Because PDFs are terrible -->
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
---
|
||||||
|
## Useful Links
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### BIOS Dumping Guides
|
||||||
|
* [pgert's guide to BIOS and memory card tools](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-An-orientation-through-some-of-the-PCSX2-BIOS-memcard-tools-Windows?pid=183709#pid183709)
|
||||||
|
* [One of the original BIOS dumping guides, originally from ngemu](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Guide-to-Dumping-Your-PS2-Bios-over-LAN)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Memory Card and Save File Guides
|
||||||
|
* [pgert's guide to BIOS and memory card tools](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-An-orientation-through-some-of-the-PCSX2-BIOS-memcard-tools-Windows?pid=183709#pid183709)
|
||||||
|
* [An older guide on merging GameFAQs saves into PCSX2 memory cards](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-How-to-use-the-myMC-tool-to-import-export-saves-from-PCSX2). Note, while the concepts in this guide are accurate, the MyMC software is old, and probably will not run on your PC without some tinkering.
|
||||||
|
* [MyMC+, a newer replacement for the original MyMC referenced in the above guide](https://github.com/thestr4ng3r/mymcplus),
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### PCSX2 Cheats and Patches (PNACH)
|
||||||
|
* [The currently accepted master-guide to cheats and patches](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-How-PNACH-files-work-2-0).
|
||||||
|
* [The original guide, outdated](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-How-pnach-files-work).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### PCSX2 with Netplay Support
|
||||||
|
* [The latest Netplay fork of PCSX2](https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-PCSX2-Online-Plus).
|
||||||
Binary file not shown.
|
|
@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
|
||||||
---------------------------
|
|
||||||
/pcsx2/Docs/ Folder
|
|
||||||
---------------------------
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
This folder contains original "editable format" documents that are packaged with releases.
|
|
||||||
Changes and updates should be made to these files and then exported to PDF format into the
|
|
||||||
/bin/docs/ folder prior to running installers or packaging zip files.
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
Also contained in this folder for now are GPL license and header files.
|
|
||||||
These are not needed for building public releases.
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
The legacy/ folder contains changelogs and blogs for the CVS development branch of PCSX2
|
|
||||||
(being 0.9.4 and prior releases).
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
IMPORTANT: Documents saved here must be of a format that everyone (or mostly everyone) can
|
|
||||||
read! This seems to exclude Word 2007 and ODT (openoffice) formats; the latter because Word
|
|
||||||
likes to save non-standard ODT files that OpenOffice can't read correctly (Whoops). So far the
|
|
||||||
*best* choice seems to be the Word 97/2000 format. It's fairly feature-full, and seems to be
|
|
||||||
well-supported by most word processors these days (most importantly Word and OpenO).
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
When editing and re-saving doc files, please make sure that you have enabled legacy
|
|
||||||
Word 97/2000 output.
|
|
||||||
Word and OpenOffice should be set by default to retain the format, but may prompt you
|
|
||||||
to upgrade to a newer version. IGNORE IT.
|
|
||||||
|
|
@ -70,14 +70,16 @@ Panels::FirstTimeIntroPanel::FirstTimeIntroPanel( wxWindow* parent )
|
||||||
{
|
{
|
||||||
SetMinWidth( MSW_GetDPIScale() * 600 );
|
SetMinWidth( MSW_GetDPIScale() * 600 );
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
FastFormatUnicode faqFile;
|
FastFormatUnicode configFile, faqFile;
|
||||||
#ifndef DOC_DIR_COMPILATION
|
#ifndef DOC_DIR_COMPILATION
|
||||||
|
configFile.Write( L"file:///%s/Docs/Configuration_Guide.pdf", WX_STR(InstallFolder.ToString()) );
|
||||||
faqFile.Write( L"file:///%s/Docs/PCSX2_FAQ.pdf", WX_STR(InstallFolder.ToString()) );
|
faqFile.Write( L"file:///%s/Docs/PCSX2_FAQ.pdf", WX_STR(InstallFolder.ToString()) );
|
||||||
#else
|
#else
|
||||||
// Each linux distributions have his rules for path so we give them the possibility to
|
// Each linux distributions have his rules for path so we give them the possibility to
|
||||||
// change it with compilation flags. -- Gregory
|
// change it with compilation flags. -- Gregory
|
||||||
#define xDOC_str(s) DOC_str(s)
|
#define xDOC_str(s) DOC_str(s)
|
||||||
#define DOC_str(s) #s
|
#define DOC_str(s) #s
|
||||||
|
configFile.Write( L"file://%s/Configuration_Guide.pdf", WX_STR(wxDirName(xDOC_str(DOC_DIR_COMPILATION)).ToString()) );
|
||||||
faqFile.Write( L"file://%s/PCSX2_FAQ.pdf", WX_STR(wxDirName(xDOC_str(DOC_DIR_COMPILATION)).ToString()) );
|
faqFile.Write( L"file://%s/PCSX2_FAQ.pdf", WX_STR(wxDirName(xDOC_str(DOC_DIR_COMPILATION)).ToString()) );
|
||||||
#endif
|
#endif
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
@ -101,11 +103,11 @@ Panels::FirstTimeIntroPanel::FirstTimeIntroPanel( wxWindow* parent )
|
||||||
*this += GetCharHeight() * 2;
|
*this += GetCharHeight() * 2;
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
*this += new wxHyperlinkCtrl( this, wxID_ANY,
|
*this += new wxHyperlinkCtrl( this, wxID_ANY,
|
||||||
_("Configuration Guides (online)"), L"https://pcsx2.net/config-guide/official-english-pcsx2-configuration-guide.html"
|
_("Configuration Guide"), configFile.c_str()
|
||||||
) | pxCenter.Border( wxALL, 5 );
|
) | pxCenter.Border( wxALL, 5 );
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
*this += new wxHyperlinkCtrl( this, wxID_ANY,
|
*this += new wxHyperlinkCtrl( this, wxID_ANY,
|
||||||
_("Readme / FAQ (Offline/PDF)"), faqFile.c_str()
|
_("Readme / FAQ"), faqFile.c_str()
|
||||||
) | pxCenter.Border( wxALL, 5 );
|
) | pxCenter.Border( wxALL, 5 );
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
}
|
}
|
||||||
|
|
|
||||||
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Reference in New Issue