Wii Emulators

[donssword]

Yeah, I have to say I'm pretty happy Wii Mednafen. The instability in the other GBA and NES emulators has been a huge killjoy. I love the interface to the other emulators, but the constant crashing in the menus just makes me want to cry.

 

Good call on that SDHC card. Even if you load a card that size up with all your emulators and ROMs (excluding N64 and PSX), and your WiiWare, and backup your save files to it, you'll never run out of room. I was putting TV shows on my card to, but then I figured out how to set up SMB sharing on my Mac, so now my Mac shares my video via wireless to my Wii with ease.

[Nerf Herder73]

Yeah, I have to say I'm pretty happy Wii Mednafen. The instability in the other GBA and NES emulators has been a huge killjoy. I love the interface to the other emulators, but the constant crashing in the menus just makes me want to cry.

 

I've been very pleased with the performance of FCEUltra GX and Visual Boy Advance GX. I wouldn't consider them unstable. The only game that I can recall giving me issues is "Sega Arcade Gallery" which runs slow and choppy.

 

Have you tried alternate copies of the games that you are causing you trouble? It, also, could be your SD card.

 

I'm using Wii 4.3U with Homebrew Channel 1.0.8 on the previously mentioned SanDisk 16GB SDHC card.

Edited October 24, 2011 by Nerf Herder73

[donssword]

My Wii is updated and I use all the latest and greatest versions of my emulators. I don't crash in game, but I crash in the menu at the list of ROMS. I use a good SDHC card from the list of compatible ones:

 

ADATA SDHC 16 GB Class 6

[Nerf Herder73]

My Wii is updated and I use all the latest and greatest versions of my emulators. I don't crash in game, but I crash in the menu at the list of ROMS. I use a good SDHC card from the list of compatible ones:

 

ADATA SDHC 16 GB Class 6

 

Are the crashes occurring while scrolling the list or while you're trying to launch a game? Are there any games that cause repeated crashes?

[philyso]

I just registered to give you the solution for crashes: it's actually a bug with the Homebrew Channel when your network is disconnected.

 

To fix it, either connect your Wii to network, use a forwarder channel or delete the line <no_ios_reload/> in meta.xml files that can be found in the emulator installation folder ( /apps/xxx )

[donssword]

Are the crashes occurring while scrolling the list or while you're trying to launch a game? Are there any games that cause repeated crashes?

 

Usually list scrolling. I got the whole darn ROM library for my emulators, so I have not taken the time to isolate the specific ROMs. I have always been under the impression it has to do with how rapidly the files are loaded as a list, but given that I use a Class 6 card I also find that unlikely.

[donssword]

delete the line <no_ios_reload/> in meta.xml files that can be found in the emulator installation folder ( /apps/xxx )

 

I'm pretty sure they fixed that in the past couple of releases. That was always a real pain in the ass until I found that fix.

[philyso]

delete the line <no_ios_reload/> in meta.xml files that can be found in the emulator installation folder ( /apps/xxx )

 

I'm pretty sure they fixed that in the past couple of releases. That was always a real pain in the ass until I found that fix.

 

No they don't, HBC has not been updated for a looong time. Believe me, I am also an user on a Wii hacking forum and this issue is popping up every 2 weeks. People think it's the emulators but the issue has definitively been identified as a bug with Homebrew Channel that does not shutdown Wifi hardware properly when network connection is not established AND ios (the "OS" running on the other CPU) is not restarted, which results in the loaded application receiving answers from that ios, for requests it didn't issued, then memory exception.

 

The solution is to force Homebrew Channel to reload ios when starting the application (hence the deletion of <no_ios_reload> line in the meta.xml file), which also has the side effect of breaking DVD-R support in emulators (the <no_ios_reload> thing is used to explot a bug that allows DVD access for homebrew).

 

Other explanations for exceptions are unsupported device connected to USB ports (camera, hubs, etc) or gamecube memory cards (though I have one and thisdoes not cause any issues).

 

Hope that helps, at least try what I said, delete that line (or connect Wifi) and see if this is more stable that way.

[donssword]

No they don't, HBC has not been updated for a looong time. Believe me, I am also an user on a Wii hacking forum and this issue is popping up every 2 weeks.

 

Hope that helps, at least try what I said, delete that line (or connect Wifi) and see if this is more stable that way.

 

Huh, you're right. That line is still in the XML. I thought they had pulled it in a previous release, but obviously not.

 

So I imagine you run your Nintendo ROMs each in their discreet emulator rather than all in Mednafen?

 

Also, any insights to share on running a more stable Super Mario Wars?

[Nerf Herder73]

I have always been under the impression it has to do with how rapidly the files are loaded as a list, but given that I use a Class 6 card I also find that unlikely.

 

I was thinking that it was something wrong with the formatting of the card. Good to see that it was an easy fix.

 

You're right. I use a Class 4 card and I don't find the speed to be an issue.

[Rex Dart]

Yeah, doesn't seem to be speed-related. I load mine over a network and it can be fairly slow, but never crashes.

[donssword]

I spent a long time figuring out the SD card formatting issue last year. As a Mac user, I found out that modern Macs (PPC & Intel) can't format the cards correctly for use in the Wii--not with Disk Utility, not even via command line. Eventually I found the best way to format them is via digital camera.

 

When I upgraded to a 16GB SDHC that pretty much negated most of my formatting concerns, because except for the larger N64 ROMs, a 16 GB card fits everything under the sun and then some--and it fits whatever N64 ROMs I feel like putting on there (though most don't work so well).

 

My emulated games almost never crash. 95% of my crashes occur during the file listing in the application file listing interface for NES, SNES, Genesis, and GBA--as you know all these emulators have the IOS load issue in the XML file. I know that the Nintendo emulators are pretty slick, with sound, and really well designed interfaces, and I have speculated that maybe it is something with how the interface manages the hundreds and hundreds of ROMs on my card, when I have removed the line in the XML file. Once I remove that line, things remain "mostly" stable.

 

As much as I love WiiBrew, the forums tend to be a little over managed, so debugging can be a little challenging.

[Nerf Herder73]

I spent a long time figuring out the SD card formatting issue last year. As a Mac user, I found out that modern Macs (PPC & Intel) can't format the cards correctly for use in the Wii--not with Disk Utility, not even via command line. Eventually I found the best way to format them is via digital camera.

 

I'm curious. What is it about Disk Utility that it's doing wrong? That's what I had used. Is it not providing enough space?

 

When I upgraded to a 16GB SDHC that pretty much negated most of my formatting concerns, because except for the larger N64 ROMs, a 16 GB card fits everything under the sun and then some--and it fits whatever N64 ROMs I feel like putting on there (though most don't work so well).

 

Like many, I am awaiting the next update to help with N64 (and PSX) compatibility. Hopefully, the update will arrive soon. We have a N64 and PSX, but I use the emulators to see if they are worth buying.

 

My emulated games almost never crash. 95% of my crashes occur during the file listing in the application file listing interface for NES, SNES, Genesis, and GBA--as you know all these emulators have the IOS load issue in the XML file. I know that the Nintendo emulators are pretty slick, with sound, and really well designed interfaces, and I have speculated that maybe it is something with how the interface manages the hundreds and hundreds of ROMs on my card, when I have removed the line in the XML file. Once I remove that line, things remain "mostly" stable.

 

I agree that it could now be the amount of ROMs that you have. I try to keep my ROM collections comparatively lean. The range is around 10-100 files per emulator.

[donssword]

Disk Utility can't format cards in FAT 16, or at least it couldn't in PPC 10.6.8

 

I would love to see better PSX emulation on the Wii--specifically my kids are dying to play FF VII, but the ebay prices are ridiculous for that game, and a PS3/Playstation Network version is no where in my immediate future. I have FF VII running in PCSXR on my Mac, but damn it would be nice to play it on the Wii.

 

As far as Wii64, I would love to get the Pokemon games running for the kids, and personally I would really like to play WipeOut 64 and B.I.O.Freaks, but neither is currently compatible--got 'em on disc for the PS1, but loading up disc-less software sure is convenient.

[philyso]

I agree that it could now be the amount of ROMs that you have. I try to keep my ROM collections comparatively lean. The range is around 10-100 files per emulator.

 

No it's not. Those emulators can manage thousand of ROM files in the same directory without issue.

Not sure why you are looking further, it IS an issue with the Homebrew Channel when Wifi is disconnected and IOS reload feature is used.

The thing is, only emulators use that feature because it let them access to DVD drive, where you can store ROM files as well, so people believe it's an issue with emulator, but it's not.

Proof is that using the official forwarder channels to load the emulators fix that issue.

 

 

So I imagine you run your Nintendo ROMs each in their discreet emulator rather than all in Mednafen?

 

Actually, I think Mednafen NES emulation is more accurate than FCEU, and despite its GBA core is based on VBA like the stand-alone emu, it is said to have some fixed bugs and better speed.

Only thing that would keep me playing GX emulators are the neat interfaces, let's hope Mednafen got a nicer one too some day, but that's not really important once you play games, right ?

For the same reason, I don't see the "all in one" as something really important, might be more practical for those people who switch between ROM & systems every 5 minutes but I couldn't care less.

 

 

Also, any insights to share on running a more stable Super Mario Wars?

 

Nope. Seems like this one has not been updated for ages. Maybe recompiling the source with up-to-date libraries would help.

[Nerf Herder73]

I agree that it could now be the amount of ROMs that you have. I try to keep my ROM collections comparatively lean. The range is around 10-100 files per emulator.

 

No it's not. Those emulators can manage thousand of ROM files in the same directory without issue.

Not sure why you are looking further, it IS an issue with the Homebrew Channel when Wifi is disconnected and IOS reload feature is used.

The thing is, only emulators use that feature because it let them access to DVD drive, where you can store ROM files as well, so people believe it's an issue with emulator, but it's not.

Proof is that using the official forwarder channels to load the emulators fix that issue.

 

I was responding to donsswords' continuing issue with the emulators. I had incorrectly believed that your advice about removing the line of code would take of the issue entirely. I was not attempting to second guess you and look further. I know nothing about coding and wasn't trying to insult you in any way. You were very clear and I understand that it is an issue with HBC. Thank you for joining AA to help straighten this out.

[donssword]

Well I think everyone here has been great and I thank you all for your help.

 

I am a huge fan of WiiBrew, and often work within that community to debug, but the WiiBrew community can be a little inflexible on occation--that's why I like these discussions @ AtariAge.

 

I can't believe I forgot about the XML issue, but learning that the forwarder channels can help me bypass this entirely is a huge plus. Now if only we could get official forwarder channels for the Genesis, 2600, and 7800. That might make squeal like a little girl.

Edited October 31, 2011 by donssword

[donssword]

Maybe recompiling the source with up-to-date libraries would help.

 

Tried this with Unknown Horizons and got incredibly lost. Any where you can point me to learn how to compile source code on a Mac for the layman?

Edited October 31, 2011 by donssword

[philyso]

Maybe recompiling the source with up-to-date libraries would help.

 

Tried this with Unknown Horizons and got incredibly lost. Any where you can point me to learn how to compile source code on a Mac for the layman?

 

1) install latest devkitPPC + libogc + libfat : http://devkitpro.org...arted/devkitPPC

See here for MAC specific instructions: http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Devkitppc_setup_%28Mac_OS_X%29

 

2) install latest SDL-wii library: http://code.google.com/p/sdl-wii/

 

3) grab SMW latest source using a SVN client and compile (usually "make" is enough): http://code.google.c...source/checkout

Edited October 31, 2011 by philyso

[goldenegg]

Of note to Mac users, WiiMednafen can see the Resource Forks (your .DS files) of your ROMs so you will likely want to figure out how to delete them from your media. I use an SDHC and delete the .DS files via Ubuntu.

 

That's definitely the hard way to do it

 

OS X has a command line utility called dot_clean which takes care of unwanted resource forks on mounted volumes. Just open the terminal and run the following:

 

dot_clean /Volumes/<VOLUMENAME>

[donssword]

Sweet on both counts philyso and goldenegg.

[phaxda]

No matter what I do I can never get this to work and I've been all over the web trying to figure out what I am doing wrong. It's not a huge deal, but I thought it would be a neat trick to view family videos and stuff.

 

I was putting TV shows on my card to, but then I figured out how to set up SMB sharing on my Mac, so now my Mac shares my video via wireless to my Wii with ease.

[Rex Dart]

No matter what I do I can never get this to work and I've been all over the web trying to figure out what I am doing wrong. It's not a huge deal, but I thought it would be a neat trick to view family videos and stuff.

 

I was putting TV shows on my card to, but then I figured out how to set up SMB sharing on my Mac, so now my Mac shares my video via wireless to my Wii with ease.

 

SMB shares on OSX? Pretty simple, though I don't have one in front of me to give you a step-by-step from. There's a checkbox somewhere in the OS' settings, under Network or Users or something, to share your files. Check that, and you've just shared your /Users/Whoeveryouare folder. I think.

[goldenegg]

For SMB Sharing in Mac OS X, do the following:

 

- Open System Preferences

- Select 'Sharing'

- Select 'File Sharing'

- Press 'Options'

- Enable "Share Files and Folders Using SMB" and Click 'Done'

- Add the directories you want to share

- Enable the check box next to 'File Sharing' to enable sharing from your system

[MagitekAngel]

So I finally bit the bullet and installed the Homebrew Channel, and I've been trying out some of the emulators. So far, it's been a fairly mixed bag, truth be told. I've only tried out a few, but it's been very hit and miss.

 

FCE Ultra GX: The only emulator, I think, that I am 100% satisfied with. Speed is perfect, emulation seems to be accurate enough for me not to notice any oddities with the graphics or sound, the GUI is great like all the other GX emulators, nothing at all to complain about!

 

Snes9X GX: Almost there, but with one serious problem I have been encountering. Speed is fine, everything looks and sounds good, tough games like Yoshi's Island and Doom play just fine, plenty of options, but there is a tiny bit of latency in the controls. Anybody else notice this? Now on to the bigger problem. Periodically, the controls go nuts. For example, my character will get "stuck" moving forward, or refuse to jump, or something like that. It's extremely frustrating and ruins the experience. I've only tested out the Gamecube controller so far. What's going on?

 

VBA GX: All the pros of the other GX emulators are equally true of VBA GX, but I think there is slightly more latency than Snes9X GX, which could make precision platforming tricky. Speed for GBA games is very hit and miss; very few games run at 100% speed and framerate. A bit of a bummer.

 

HuGo: Fast, easy, and playable, but I can't find a way to set the aspect ratio to 4:3. I have to resort to using my television controls to set the picture to 4:3, just like if I were playing a Virtual Console game. I also can't get the emulator to read files from my USB drive.

 

Genesis Plus GX: Very close to perfect. Speed is fine, controls are fine, interface is pretty, no latency that I noticed. The graphics are just a little artifact-ridden and washed out, even after fiddling with gamma correction.

 

Wii64: A couple of games run perfectly, the rest are slow, buggy, or both. I appreciate the difficulty of getting 64 emulation to run smoothly on the Wii (hell, it's still pretty buggy on PC), but in the long run, if Nintendo can do it, so can everyone else, right? 4:3 is just a tad too narrow. I also couldn't get games to run off of my USB drive, and considering the fact that I'm only using a 512 MB SD card, I'm running out of room fast.

 

Wii2600: The emulation is fine, but the GUI is difficult to navigate. I also couldn't find a way to set the picture to proper 4:3.

 

 

 

I haven't tried Wiimednafen yet, but will discuss my experiences when I do. It would be nice if the GBA emulation is faster than VBAGX.