Policenauts Emulation Guide

Talk about Kojima's hard sci-fi masterpiece.
Marc
General
Posts: 3379
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

Policenauts Emulation Guide

Post by Marc »

Policenauts Emulation Walkthrough

by Alexander Lombardi Koch (a.k.a. Snake Plissken)


Here is a quick prep guide for those new to PS emulation, and how to use certain modded video and sound plugins. I will walk you through setting up ePSXe with suggested settings, and cover any other pertinent issues. If you have any questions, please post them in this thread.

So to cut to brass:


-----------------Backing up your CDs----------------
(Skip this step if your personal copy is already backed up and ready for play.)

1. Get ISO Producer (http://www.aldostools.com/isoproducer.html)
2. Insert whichever CD and open the program. It will lag a bit, but this is normal, in order to read the CD.
3. Go under Configure Plugin and select "Try Auto Detection".
--If this fails to work, configure the drive settings to reflect the settings of your own drive, or the desired caching modes you see fit.

WARNING: Select one of the lowest ripping speeds under "Misc". Shoot between 4-8x. Trust me, it's veeeeeery sensitive.

4. Accept the magic settings and begin your backup into the preferred location on your hard drive.

-------------------------[ePSXe 1.60 Emulator setup]-----------------------
1. Download the emulator (http://www.epsxe.com/news.php).
2. Extract all your video, sound, CD-ROM, and controller plugins to the "Plugins" folder of the main "ePSXe" directory.
3. NOTE: You will need the PS BIOS (JAP) file to run the game, though we do not provide this here due to legal reasons.
4. Start up ePSXe.
5. If the wizard does not prompt at startup, go under config and select "Wizard Guide".
6. Continue by clicking "Config".
7. It will first prompt for BIOS. Select and click next.
8. Next it will prompt for Video Plugin. Select "Pete's OpenGL2 Driver 2.7", and go under "Config".
--Set the default settings to "Nice" (bottom-left corner).
--Set any other shading options you prefer (the more powerful the system the better), and the Desktop Resolution.
9. Continue onto the Sound Settings and select "Pete's DSound Audio Driver 1.15" as your sound plugin. Continue.
10. Now it will ask for the CD-ROM drive you would prefer. Choose "ePSXe CDR ASPI core 1.5.2." Go under its Config and set the Drive located in preference to the false drive your image is on (if you're using DAEMON Tools, for instance).
11. Configure your controller with either the keyboard or controller, then click Next and you're done.
12. Included here are some additional CD-ROM and controller plugins in case some of you have problems with the default.
13. When you feel everything is set, go under File, and click "Run CD-ROM", or "Run ISO" if you prefer to run it directly from the image (it doesn't matter).

These are special video and sound plugins for PN developed by Peter Bernert, and modified/recoded by Alexander Lombardi Koch for easy acceleration and direction of PN's emulation (modded for simplicity of starting it up and playing without frame rate bugs, and video footage enhancement for pixel garbage).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ePSXe is © 2002 The ePSXe Team. All logos and symbols are trademark of their respective owners. http://www.emulator-zone.com/doc.php/psx/epsxe.html
Pete's DSound Audio Driver 1.15 & D3D Driver 1.73 were created by Peter Bernet, 2004; modified and recoded with permission by Alexander Lombardi Koch, 2005.
http://www.pbernert.com/html/dev.htm
Attachments
Plugins.rar
(786.61 KiB) Downloaded 1355 times
User avatar
seraphssavior
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 378
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:01 pm

Post by seraphssavior »

Glad this is here, and it should work fine. (speaking from experience...) BTW, Osiris, the patches worked perfectly, no more crack-addict jitters during the cutscenes!
Life and Death hang in perfect balance...I'm only here to tip the scales.
Marc
General
Posts: 3379
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

Post by Marc »

seraphssavior wrote:Glad this is here, and it should work fine. (speaking from experience...) BTW, Osiris, the patches worked perfectly, no more crack-addict jitters during the cutscenes!
That's great to hear. Hopefully it should work fine for everyone, then.
User avatar
Snake Plissken
Major
Posts: 573
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 6:01 am
Favorite Game: Mega Man 2
Location: Busted Kiddy Pool In The Front Yard
Contact:

Post by Snake Plissken »

BTW, I've been recieving some rare bug reports from people that their game has been crashing on epsxe -the moment you reach BHC H.Q. from when you first arrive at Beyond Coast. If you cite, or encounter any bugs be sure to report em here. ;)

I'm going to be tweaking around with some of the modified video plugins again to improve resolution distortion and frame rate issues. (I still feel bugged about the video resolution quality-transfer).
Image
User avatar
ShinjiPG
Runner
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:58 am
Location: Portugal
Contact:

Post by ShinjiPG »

ePSXe? Who still uses that? :S
pSX is currently the best PSX emulator for PC out there. Plus, I tested 2 Policenauts acts with it and everything went bugfree/fine. Plus, it's friggin' easy to use/configure. Plus, I don't like ePSXe's plugins because they usualy change some things and try to make the games look better, etc. With pSX you play exactly as if you were playing with an original Playstation, no changes at all.
The homepage for his emulator is here.
Note that in their Compatibility List, Policenauts has a comment like "Disc 3: Emulator crashes in the ending credits of the game". However, that was for the version 1.7. pSX is currently at v1.10, with a lot of good fixes.

Anyway, it looks like I'm selling something, lol.
It's not like ePSXe doesn't do the job (I used it for a long time), but pSX is so simple, practical and perfect, that any noob in emulation will get it straight away.

EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention. pSX doesn't use plugins. Everything you need comes with the emulator (except the BIOS, of course). So there's no spending time searching for the right plugin also.
"I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!"
User avatar
epitaph
Runner
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:27 pm
Favorite Game: Deus Ex
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (SCD, US)
Policenauts (PC-98)
Policenauts (3DO)
Policenauts (PS1)
Policenauts (Saturn)
Metal Gear Solid (PS1, EU)
Metal Gear Solid: Integral (PC, EU)
Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2, EU)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PC, EU)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2, US)
Location: Northern Europe

Post by epitaph »

ShinjiPG wrote:ePSXe? Who still uses that? :S
pSX is currently the best PSX emulator for PC out there.
Not to mention it's also possible to run pSX as an unprivileged user as opposed to ePSXe which needs admin-rights to work. Just something I thought I'd mention for us paranoids.

ISOProducer crashes when I try to do anything related to drive access on one of my boxes btw (but as I already have a perfectly good ISO I ripped using unix dd I don't really care to research it further).

Edit: if the audio keeps skipping during the FMV sequences in ePSXe using the provided plugins (it did for me), select "SPU IRQ - wait for CPU action (Valkyrie Profile and MGS)" in the configuration window for the sound plugin and you'll be fine.

Edit 2: kept playing for a little while (this game is so atmospheric - even though I don't understand what's being said I couldn't stop) using the mouse support in ePSXe and came to wonder - how the hell do you reload the gun?
"The west, so afraid of powerful government, now has no government. Only financial power."

Localization, not translation.

It is a title screen.
Something pushes a button.
Marc
General
Posts: 3379
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

Post by Marc »

Sure, you can use pSX if you want, but it doesn't have mouse support, does it? (To reload with the mouse in Policenauts, you just click outside the screen.) The developers recommend you play the game with a mouse, and I do too. That right there is worth the hassle in my opinion. If it does ever get mouse support, then that's another story. But right now it doesn't, and that's why Alex picked it.

Me, I won't be using any emulator. I bought a PS mouse last year just for the game. I recommend you give it a try on a console if you get the chance.
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

Thanks for this guide! Yeah, I think mouse support makes ePSXe worth it, even if it is a little slower than pSX. These plugins work very well, the only flaw I spotted was that there doesn't seem to be any sound during the Konami logo and first intro movie (before the main menu). Or maybe that's just me?
User avatar
ShinjiPG
Runner
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:58 am
Location: Portugal
Contact:

Post by ShinjiPG »

Oh, mouse support.
Well, I'm more preoccupied with the visual problems. Everyone knows how to play a point and click with a rat, it's nothing new in itself :P
But in any case, at least there is an emulator that gives us the chance to play with the mouse, so it's ok.
"I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!"
User avatar
epitaph
Runner
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:27 pm
Favorite Game: Deus Ex
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (SCD, US)
Policenauts (PC-98)
Policenauts (3DO)
Policenauts (PS1)
Policenauts (Saturn)
Metal Gear Solid (PS1, EU)
Metal Gear Solid: Integral (PC, EU)
Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2, EU)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PC, EU)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2, US)
Location: Northern Europe

Post by epitaph »

Snatcher42 wrote:Thanks for this guide! Yeah, I think mouse support makes ePSXe worth it, even if it is a little slower than pSX. These plugins work very well, the only flaw I spotted was that there doesn't seem to be any sound during the Konami logo and first intro movie (before the main menu). Or maybe that's just me?
You need to check the "Enable XA sound"-checkbox in the window where you're supposed to select what sound plugin to use (Config > Sound).
"The west, so afraid of powerful government, now has no government. Only financial power."

Localization, not translation.

It is a title screen.
Something pushes a button.
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

Thanks, did the trick! Got this working very nice indeed with my laptop hooked up to the TV, and my mouse on a hard pad on the arm of the chair. Now all I need is that translation and I'll be all set! ;)

EDIT:
Oh, one last question (sorry for being a pest with them, but I figure better now before everyone's busy talking about the translation): I've got several Japanese Playstation BIOS, is any particular one recommended? I'm currently using the oldest, original model bios. Thanks.

EDIT2:
Ok, maybe not as nice as I thought... seems the sound is a bit out of sync during the FMVs. Couldn't tell during the first few cause there was no dialogue. Anyone else getting this?
Gumbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:48 pm

Post by Gumbie »

Ouch, I come in here to find out how to emulate the game, and just caught a big fat spolier. :sad:
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

Gumbie wrote:Ouch, I come in here to find out how to emulate the game, and just caught a big fat spolier. :sad:
If your refering to my last post, it happens in the prologue - first 5min of the game. Figured everyone knows it, hardly a spoiler. Sorry, but might as well not look at the game box if you're gonna be that picky! :)
Marc
General
Posts: 3379
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

Post by Marc »

Gumbie wrote:Ouch, I come in here to find out how to emulate the game, and just caught a big fat spolier. :sad:
Yeah, as far as spoilers go, it isn't a big deal (it's even mentioned in the story section of the instruction manual), but I always try to mark any spoilers regardless of size.

In regard to the BIOS, Snatcher42, I don't think it matters. As for the sound issues, probably best to have Snake Plissken answer that for you.
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

Osiris wrote:(it's even mentioned in the story section of the instruction manual)
And the Blade Runner-esque crawl of the intro movie... which, by the way, surprised me that it was in English. Wonder why they did that?

Anyway, I may just end up buying a Japanese or modded Playstation for this... any suggestions on where to get one, other than eBay?
Marc
General
Posts: 3379
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

Post by Marc »

Snatcher42 wrote:
Osiris wrote:(it's even mentioned in the story section of the instruction manual)
And the Blade Runner-esque crawl of the intro movie... which, by the way, surprised me that it was in English. Wonder why they did that?
Either to be cool, or to match the game world (the characters are all supposed to be speaking English in the game, but it's in Japanese because it's a Japanese game).
Snatcher42 wrote:Anyway, I may just end up buying a Japanese or modded Playstation for this... any suggestions on where to get one, other than eBay?
You have a number of options... You could go for an old PS and probably use the swap trick no problem. There are also external devices that let you play imports and backups. I'd recommend a PS and an external device. Less hassle that way. I'm not sure where the best place would be, though. Maybe someone else can help you with that.

But it's always nice playing a game on the original console, definitely. Especially this one. :)
Gumbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:48 pm

Post by Gumbie »

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Sorry if I seemed a bit picky in my first post...I've just spent the past few years (after I beat Snatcher) trying to avoid spoilers for the game by keeping away from it. Btw...Thanks to everyone on the translation team for all your hard work. What you're doing for the community is a great thing..thanks again.
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

No problem Gumbie, I can see how it could sound like a major spoiler even though it isn't.

Anyway, back to the FMV sync problem. Here are a few precisions for Snake:

I'm not the only one getting this, right? Basically, the audio seems to lag about three quarters of a second, or else the video is running about three quarters of a second too fast. So I don't know if it's a sound issue, a video issue, or some other timing thing.

I'm running with 3.GHz, 512ram, and a 128mb Radeon, so I don't think it's my system. I tried the same scene in pSX for comparison, and it's actually not perfect there either. But I'd say the sync is about half a second better, making the problem almost unnoticeable.
User avatar
Snake Plissken
Major
Posts: 573
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 6:01 am
Favorite Game: Mega Man 2
Location: Busted Kiddy Pool In The Front Yard
Contact:

Post by Snake Plissken »

ShinjiPG wrote:ePSXe? Who still uses that? :S
pSX is currently the best PSX emulator for PC out there. .
Actually, ePSXe is still the best, in terms of "raw" emulation nuts.
Emulation-Zone.com wrote: Image
"pSX" might be the ticket for the simplicity you've mentioned (and I can see what you mean, because it is simple), but for the intention's of this project, it (ePSXe) has been the flag-ship emulator because it is "complicated." Loading a complicated-patched/hacked game into a normal "everything is ready for you emulator without plugins or manuel troubleshooting" could give you the exact opposite effect, so therefore I've been using ePSXe (and have been since the project started years ago).

And not only as Marc mentioned above because of the mouse support, but also once again, due to the fact that I've been a debugger, and tester of this very same emulator for almost 7 years now. So you can use "pSX" for now to run PN, but don't count on it running flaw-less, or perfect once the patch springs around the corner. Also... you're forgetting these are customized plugins which I've been cultering, adjusting -and developed entirely for this project to ensure that all the users will have to do, is follow the guide and play. (This is merely an early version of the troubleshooting guide w/ it's plugins.)

ShinjiPG wrote:Plus, I don't like ePSXe's plugins because they usualy change some things and try to make the games look better, etc. With pSX you play exactly as if you were playing with an original Playstation, no changes at all.
Once again, that is one of the most "exact" intentions of this project. ^_^ We want the gamers to not only experience the game, but experience it in the most "amazing" quality and standard possible (to the best which benefits their computers). Now I'm sure some emulation "pure-ests" might take an offense to that remark, but they'll see what I mean in the long run.

Snatcher42 wrote:EDIT:
Oh, one last question (sorry for being a pest with them, but I figure better now before everyone's busy talking about the translation): I've got several Japanese Playstation BIOS, is any particular one recommended? I'm currently using the oldest, original model bios. Thanks.
Oh don't worry ^_^ Surprisingly, I've been doing mostly the entire emulation beta testing proccesses with the "SCPH-1000" (the eldest you might be using as well) model number and it's been giving me more than what I've needed.

I don't really think it would matter, but for now I'd highly suggest you stick with the original "SCPH-1000" you've been using as of yet, because it has a separated: Audio and composite Video/ S-Video output (which anything within, and beyond the SCPH-5000 series lacks, which is vital to the game's mechanics), also being that it was the BIOS series which was con-current to the game's original release.

But until then, I am still doing complete run-throughs with the game to see if there's any large differences with the BIOS in terms of quality and frame rate. Although if you feel that SCPH-1000 is not doing it for you, you can toy around and test with other versions (It won't ruin, or effect any other overall individual emulation settings -just as long as they are Japanese Bios versions ect.).
Snatcher42 wrote:EDIT2:
Ok, maybe not as nice as I thought... seems the sound is a bit out of sync during the FMVs. Couldn't tell during the first few cause there was no dialogue, but once I got to Lorraine's death it was obvious. Anyone else getting this?
It might be a caching error or buffering issue with the CD-R plugin. Are you using the default one suggested, or one of the provided-alternate-tweak sound plugins? Also, are you running the game directly from your CD-ROM drive? Or in the form of an ISO image? (Just need to get the facts yada yada)
Last edited by Snake Plissken on Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:35 am, edited 2 times in total.
Image
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

Yeah, "SCPH-1000" it is...
Snake Plissken wrote:It might be a caching error or buffering issue with the CD-R plugin. Are you using the default one suggested, or one of the provided-alternate-tweak sound plugins? Also, are you running the game directly from your CD-ROM drive? Or in the form of an ISO image? (Just need to get the facts yada yada)
I followed your guide to the letter with one exception: don't have ASPI installed, so am using WNT/W2K core CD-ROM plugin instead. I know that probably raises a red flag, but I don't think it's causing the problem since I get it no matter how I run the game: straight off the original CDs, as a mounted image with Daemon, or directly from the ISO - all the same. Though you're the expert, of course. Thanks again for working so hard on this... all of you!
User avatar
Henry Spencer
General
Posts: 1380
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:07 am
Favorite Game: Shenmue I, MGS, Snatcher, Zelda: Ocarina Of Time.
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear (NES)
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (GB)
Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
Policenauts (Saturn/PSX/3DO)
Snatcher (PC Engine/Mega CD)
Zone Of The Enders (PS2)
Zone Of The Enders 2: Special Edition (PS2)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl; it counts, right? ;P
PSN: henryspencer666
Xbox Live: Magiking
Location: Right Behind You
Contact:

Post by Henry Spencer »

Yeah, I'm going to use DAEMON tools as well to mount my image etc, just like I used it for all of my 3DO games. I have no idea which emulator to use though, since both have benefits it seems...(never used a Playstation emulator ever before).
User avatar
Snake Plissken
Major
Posts: 573
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 6:01 am
Favorite Game: Mega Man 2
Location: Busted Kiddy Pool In The Front Yard
Contact:

Post by Snake Plissken »

Snatcher42 wrote: I followed your guide to the letter with one exception: don't have ASPI installed, so am using WNT/W2K core CD-ROM plugin instead. I know that probably raises a red flag, but I don't think it's causing the problem since I get it no matter how I run the game
Actually, to be on the safe side though, I highly suggest you install ASPI. It's sort of a bare necessity to most ISO-emulation platforms or programs in terms of balance and stability. The only thing you'd have to make sure (if it interferes with anything) is to just make sure you disable Dameon before using a program it might cause an effect over (like a CD burning or ripping program which you're using with a real CD/DVD outlet).

But another issue to this "sync" problem could have to do with the image itself reacting properly to the sound plugin, go under your sound settings and make sure you have most of the XA functions enabled. (Should be present on either plugin)
Image
Image
User avatar
Snatcher42
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:11 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher!
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Sega CD & PC Engine), Policenauts (PSX & Saturn), MGS 1 & 2 (PC)
Location: NYC

Post by Snatcher42 »

Sound options were already good. Went ahead and installed ASPI. Didn't help.
So I take it you're not getting this error?
Last edited by Snatcher42 on Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Modnar
J.U.N.K.E.R.
Posts: 275
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 6:10 pm
Location: LI

Post by Modnar »

Just a question...Does anyone know how to make the iso file smaller? I ripped both cds and the files came out to be CD 1 having 713mb and CD 2 having 584mb. Burned my disc 2 and it works perfect on my ps2 but.....The problem is that I have a bunch CD-Rs except they're all the standard 700mb sized ones...so is there a way or do I just have to buy some bigger cds?
Image
Marc
General
Posts: 3379
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

Post by Marc »

You'll just need to get a larger CD. Your ISO needs to be the correct size or else the patch won't work.
Post Reply