Relevant technobabble and concurrent questions.

[Guest Grimloq]

I've been looking into emulators (They're legal, if any of you don't know and are worried) for GameCube so I can play some StarFox, namely Adventures and Assault. I found something called 'Dolphin' which looks promising I've seen screenshots of it running SF: Adv.

I'm not gonna ask where I can get .GCMs ('Backdoor' channels are out - an eight-month download wasn't what I had in mind), so don't worry. What I /am/ asking is, since somebody here probably knows... How do you think my computer will be able to handle it?

CPU: 2.0 GHz AMD Athalon 3200+ (64-bit)

Mobo: Asus A8V - Pretty much on par with the CPU (64-bit)

HDDs: Not impressive but they work for everything else.

RAM: 1024 MB (Well above Dolphin's suggested requirements)

Video Card: ATI Xtasy 9600 XT (Above Dolphin's suggested requirements)

Audio Card: Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum; WELL above requirements for pretty much everything.

Joystick for Dolphin's refusal to use anything else (With enough buttons)

(Keeping in mind I will likely have /only/ this up at any given time.)

Suffice to say I can run Half-Life 2 at /ALL/ maximum detail (Except antialiasing because that's brutal on the card) without getting any slowdown.

I read somewhere screen rates were 8-20 FPS, which, to be frank, would drive me quite insane in all probability. I don't know the system specs for that review. I know the GameCube is very powerful and more than a bit odd, and as such extremely difficult to emulate, so I was wondering what kind of performance you'd think I'd get and what kind of limitations I might run into. Any suggestions on emulators themselves or tweaks or anything are more than welcome, but I'm not buying a GameCube nor borrowing a friend's, sorry.

To be blunt, over my dead body will I buy a game console. ^^;

[EvolutionSFox]

Umm, I thought they were illegal? But if they aren't, wow, I'm very surprised... and I might look into this too, because...

Adventures = bomb

[Orbital Fox]

I never got to working that Dolphin program... my brother's more computer nerdish, he told me you need some kind of a plug-in that I don't have... and a couple other things. And as for it being legal or illegal I'm unsure of that.

[Ludvig11]

Emulators are Not illegal, Roms are.. becuase thier are free-versions of games that cost..

[Guest Grimloq]

Yeah. I have no intention of 'stealing' the games. Think of it like this: if you use Firefox (Again freeware) instead of Internet Explorer to be on the internet, that's not illegal, though I can't say Microsoft is jumping with joy over it.

<edit> Oh, and I decided to throw together two little constructs in the GIMP that now manifest themselves as my signature pic and my avatar. Likey or no?

And don't worry Evo. Despite the pic, Krystal is still all yours.</edit>

[Mr. Krystal]

Emulators are Not illegal' date=' Roms are.. becuase thier are free-versions of games that cost..[/quote']

Exactly, and don't say that they are because, at this time, based on the actual law, the posession/use of a ROM is illegal. The Internet Explorer/Firefox analogy doesn't make sense and has nothing to do with this problem.

Your computer is about on par with my old PC and it won't run the Dolphin emulator. Sorry. Don't feel too bad though, Adventures won't run on emulator currently and Assault runs unusably slow. You should investigate this again in about 3 or 4 years.

[Guest Grimloq]

The Internet Explorer/Firefox analogy doesn't make sense and has nothing to do with this problem.

...Having spent the last five minutes trying to figure out what point I was trying to make, I do believe you're right: it doesn't. I'll make the excuse it's 'cause I'm on hour thirty-two without sleep.

Anyway, as for the rig, that's too bad. Guess I'll be sticking with random RPs, reading and artwork. Not that I can draw or write to save my life.

Danke.

<Edit> ..You know, that's kind of scary... Not to boast but that's a pretty powerful system. Is there a huge step-up in power needed when emulating or does the GameCube really just /have/ that much capability?</edit>

[Mr. Krystal]

32 hours!? That ain't healthy!

You have to remember that you aren't just running the game code, you're running a software version of the actual Gamecube hardware. To run an emulator for anything, you basically need a computer that is like 10 times faster in every way. Right now, computer's processers are only about 6 times faster, not to mention that the bus speed on current computers is only maybe three times faster than the Gamecube's.

[Guest Grimloq]

There was a LAN, don't worry. It doesn't get heavily unpleasant until 48 hours and brain damage doesn't ensue until 72. My record is 50 (It's freakish), but that's not important. Dun worry, I'm going to sleep soon.

Hmm... And ouch. Major ouch. And since hardware is fixed on those, you can't turn down detail options on console games, can you...? Well fwah. Oh well.

[Mr. Krystal]

Not really. That tends to be a purely PC game concept for exactly that reason. There really is nothing wrong with buying a console. You can get a Gamecube cheap. OR, wait until the end of the year and buy a Revolution which will play Revolution, Gamecube, N64, Super NES, and NES games plus a DVD player. Is that value or what?!

[Guest KCat]

Neither emulators or ROMs are illegal. Unauthorized copying and distribution of ROMs is illegal, but according to copyright law, you are allowed to make "a reason amount of" personal backups of copyrighted works. Just like ripping a CD to your computer isn't illegal, but sharing those rips is.

[Mr. Krystal]

Ah, of course. Sorry for my inaccuracy.

[Guest Grimloq]

It's not a matter of money so much, even though it would be a waste of mine because I'd only use it to play Starfox a few times in all probability. (And have a DVD player), it's mostly how it would be used idiotically little and I. Hate. The. Controllers.

I mean I despise them. I was brought up on a mouse and keyboard. I've expanded to a joystick as well to some amount. But all gamepad controllers are shunned by me, not because I'm a n00b and since I suck with them I complain of others as 'cheating', but because no matter how much I play with them I can't get used to them and therefore simultaneously suck at the game and have no fun.

I heard rumours of a keyboard/mouse attachment for some consoles, but I think that was the Xbox.

[DZComposer]

Well, actually gamecube ROMS of commercial games are illegal. Even though the law permits copying for backup purposes, a sucky llittle law called the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed in 1998 which explicitly makes it illegal to curcumvent a compy protection scheme for any reason. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all encrypt their games. In fact, Nintendo could argue the small disc formfactor itself as copy protection scheme (the DMCA doesn't define "copy protection").

[RANT]

And as long as the special-interest oriented dipwads still control congress, it will only get worse. The MPAA and RIAA want congress to pass a law that would make it illegal to copy a CD onto your iPod or any other device that hasn't been invented yet.

The copyright law situation in the US is horrifying and it is high time the public sees this and starts writing letters. I wrote one, but the dipwad ignored it. It needs numbers to be effective.

[/RANT]

BoT; no workstation computer can successfully emulate the GCN and play games at the same time. If you can get the game to play, you will find it to be a not-so-great expiriance. While the machine you mention is definately superior to the cube's hardware, you must remember that you are not only running the game, but also a virtual machine, which uses a lot of resources itself.

[Guest Grimloq]

Hmm... Well, I'll start with the basics then.

How about an N64 or SNES emulator and the corresponding Starfox games?

If my computer can't emulate an N64, let alone an SNES... Then please hand me that rope and point me to the nearest tree.

[Ludvig11]

your comp will emulate N64 just fine.

aslong when you have the rigth/best used plugins, options, and Emulators.

[Guest Grimloq]

...

Oh my God.

...

I've been playing some of the original Starfox on an emulator.

I LOVE IT.

I mean... XD It's not just endearment at how stupid and bad it is, I really do like it! It's addictive!

But guh.. I still wanna play Assault and Adventures (Mostly Assault). >.< Eh, someday maybe.

In the meantime, I've decided Falco is totally leet. Besides my obsession with falcons in general (Peregrines are PERFECTION), how can you not like someone who does a half-flip over the edge of his fighter into the cockpit? ~_~ He's awesome. *Goes to make a Falco banner*

[EvolutionSFox]

^

[Guest Grimloq]

Got SF64 up and running... It's kind of sad, it's a bit choppy at high resolutions on /my/ rig, but well within acceptable standards.

Problem though, which I don't expect any of you to know how to fix (Though ideas are welcome); the sound card is on the fritz. In the N64 emulator, Uplink, Reason and Half-Life (but not its MODs...), there's constant squeaks, chirps, beeps, crackles and otherwise distorted and warped sound. Unfortunately, it's annoying enough that I can't play SF64 and have it be a good experience... But I'm working on this. It's definitely software problem - if it were damaged hardware, the problems would be universal. But what problem exactly? Not crosstalk, worked that out... It's just infuriating. I have every intention of messing with this until it gets fixed and playing through SF.

As a side note, I like the music. Expect me to mess with some of the themes heard and putting them into songs...

[DZComposer]

SF64 has some chronic emulation problems due to it's filesystem structure. It is the only game done in this way. Sound distortion is part of the SF64 emulation problem.

If you remember, Miyamoto said the SF64 was not only a game, but also a testing platform for the N64. Hence the expiramental file structure.

[Mr. Krystal]

I wouldn't worry too much about not being able to adapt to controllers. It took me years to get the hang of it. If you don't start now, you'll never get it.

[Guest Grimloq]

No, the sound issue has shown to be on my end, not the emulator's or the game's. While the sond may still be distorted, literally all I can hear is static most of the time. When I get that fixed, it will be better, at least. Also, all the distortion I hear I can recognise (Yes, it's been there that long: I recognise it) as my end. Then again, maybe I'm wrong. We'll just see.

However, so far I'm very much liking SF64. ^.^ I love the gameplay. And somehow... It's cinematic. There's so many weird stunts you can do.

I'll admit that I tend to flaunt flying. So somersault/barrel-roll kills are numerous for me if I can make them. You should see me in Freespace or Descent. I'll dive in on someone and deliberatley time it so I'll rip through their explosion and debris but not take splash damage. it. ^^;

(Not to boast or anything I'm still a complete toddler at this game, and I haven't even figured out all the controls.)

Is Assault the same thing? I like the Assault Arwing models better. And the graphics pwn.

(For the record, my framerates average from 20-60 most of the time - oddly enough, they only get at that lowest part during cutscenes, so it's fine).

As for the controllers... Maybe. I just have no wish to. Besides, I think there's a mouse/keyboard attachment for GameCube out there somewhere. We'll just see what happens...

And ZOMG FALCO TOTALLY AND UNDENIABLY PWNZ! 'Hey Einstein, I'm on YOUR team!'

@_@ If I were a girl I'd be in love.

[Ludvig11]

I can play SF64 with 90% perfection.. even thougth I have a much slower comp..

the FPS should be maximum of 30 or the sound can get really bad..

it Should be an FPS-limiter in the Emu, if not, check this site: www.emutalk.net its the main forum for the emulators. ask there if you need any help.

I also uses Texture-mods for the game, with help of a special graphics-plugin, that use to create alot of lag in games, but it works perfect on SF64.

[Guest Grimloq]

Sounds promising, linky?

[Guest Grimloq]

Sorry for reviving and doubleposting, but I have some more...

First off, finished the game. In one sitting. Kind of sad, but apparently there's two end bosses and bunches of stuff I haven't found yet, so I'm nowhere near done (Final score of ~700 with about 7 or 8 Arwings left over, for the record)

Anyway, I loved it.. That is seriously an awesome game. That is how flying SHOULD be if it's 3rd person.

And that aside... Now I'm looking back into Adventures and, more so, Assault. I know emulation is near impossible, but I'm going to annoy you guys one last time about it (About Assault that is. Adventures I'm not in too much a hurry to play) - any possible, POSSIBLE way I could get it bumped up to 20-30 FPS on average? Or even 15-25? Those are low but playable (For me. I'm weird like that. After playing Homeworld 2 on a PIII for an hour let alone half a year... Yeah.), and I'm not optimistic but I'm just wondering... Tweaks? Overclocking (Have a liquid cooling system coming possibly)? /Anything?/ I've seen a report of 5-20 FPS for some peopple... Below 15 isn't playable, but anything above that is tolerable.

Yeah, I know I may be beating a dead horse... So please accept my apologies. But I really am trying to find out every possibility since getting a GC simply is not possible at this time.