261 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
261 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
FAQ for Windows Port
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Wassail,
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This is the much anticipated and highly informative Frequently Asked Questions
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article, which contains, believe it or not, Frequently Asked Questions! This
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time around we have also included Frequently Answered Answers! I shall be your
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host on this gleeful sojourn through a text document where anything can, but
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probably won't, happen. On our first section of this mystical journey you shall
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see various frequently asked questions, as well as their answers!
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The majority of the things in this FAQ are based off the Windows port of Snes9x.
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While some of the information is relevant to most, or all, ports, no gaurantees
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are made that what is said will be accurate for all versions.
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Chapter 1:
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Emulator Specific Questions
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Or
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It's Not The Size Of An Emulator That Counts; It's How You Use It.
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Q: When is the next version (of Snes9x) coming out?
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A: Chances are it will be coming out when enough changes have been made to
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suitably make a release. You can generally guesstimate the release date by
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paying attention to the Developers forum at snes9x.com. But don't ask them when
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the next release will be.
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Q: Why do my games run too fast?
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A: Through proper nutrition and training an increase in abilities is often
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found. It is possible that certain ROMs, whilst training for the annual Rohm
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race, surpassed a sane limit. Generally not allowing them to run will cause
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atrophy, making them somewhat slower. Seriously though, try using the + and/or -
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keys to adjust the emulated speed. If that doesn't do anything, try holding down
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Shift and pressing the - key a bunch of times first. In the display settings
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make sure the "Use Frame Limiter" and "Automatic Frame Skipping" boxes are
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checked. Also try pressing Tab and make sure your Tab key isn't stuck down.
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Q: Why doesn't Snes9x support transparencies?
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A: It does! Make sure the "Transparency" box is checked in the settings menu.
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Q: I recently purchased a gamepad controller. Will it work on Snes9x?
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A: More than likely yes. Any USB compatable controller will work. Generally
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this means any controller made within the past 7 years or so. If you are having
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problems consider updating drivers and recalibrating your controller.
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Q: In Snes9x my gamepad is having trouble inputting any diagonal directions on
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the D-Pad. How can I fix this?
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A: While setting up your controller functions in Snes9x, make sure you do not
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setup the diagonal buttons; leave them blank. Ye olde Snes only had 4 buttons on
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the D-Pad: Up, down, left and right. By pressing two directions you would go in
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the appropriate diagonal direction (game specific, of course). If you have
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accidently set a value in the diagonal boxes already either select them one at a
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time and hit "Escape", or press the "Toggle Diagonals" button.
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Q: Soooooo... Why the heck do you have diagonals in the controller setup anyway?
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A: Simple really. Some people enjoy using the keyboard, or have no other
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choice. In the next chapter the topic of keyboard input limitations will be
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addressed. Being able to input the diagonals can help hinder that occurrence. It
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can also make keyboard usage a bit easier... assigning the directional controls
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to the number pad for instance.
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Q: I gotsid me a translation patch (.ips) for my game. Now what do I do so I can
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use it?
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A: Make sure both your ROM image and .ips file are in the same folder. Finally
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make sure they have the exact same name (minus file extensions, of course). As
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an example "Pie.smc" should have "Pie.ips" and "Super_Pie3(E).smc" should have
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"Super_Pie3(E).ips". Now open up Snes9x, load your ROM and voila! It should be
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noted that IPS patches are almost always designed for use with a specific dump
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of a ROM. If you are positive you are using it correctly, but it still does not
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work, consider trying a ROM from a different source.
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Q: I think my options in Snes9x got screwed up, how do I reset them?
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A: Snes9x uses a config file, so you can edit your options there in any text
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editor if you're having problems. You can safely delete your config file (called
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snes9x.conf) to reset all of the options. If it doesn't let you delete or change
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it, make sure to close Snes9x first.
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Q: I had a bad checksummed game that didn't work so I adjusted the header, but
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it still doesn't work :( Why?
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A: It should be noted that while it is possible to plop a ROM into Snestool,
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or several other programs, and adjust the header size to be the same as a proper
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"good checksum" ROM, this merely mimics the appearance of a good ROM. Any
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problems still found within its evil will remain. One could compare it to
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covering up a circumorbital haematoma with a paper bag.
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Chapter 2:
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Game Specific Questions
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Or
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How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The ROM
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Q: Why doesn't game X work?
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A: There are four possible answers to this question, depending on the
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scenario. Answer one is that it does work, but your ROM dump is incorrect (this
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MAY be fixed by reattaching your cartridge to your copier and redumping). Answer
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two is that we have found a solution or a hack to the problem, but have not yet
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implemented a fix. Answer three, a subsidiary of answer two, is that we do NOT
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know what is wrong with it, and as such have not yet implemented a fix. Answer
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four is that Snes9x CANNOT emulate the game correctly due to its poor
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implementation around timings between emulated units.
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Q: Why doesn't Snes9x display SD3/Secret of Mana/other hi-res games properly?
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A: Some games had resolution changes at certain parts during the game that
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affect the pixel size of what is shown on screen. Due to the way this is handled
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some games require specific options to keep "right". First, make sure that
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Hi-res support is selected in the option menus, that option can slow down
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performance on slower machines, although it is now on by default. Second, it is
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recommended your filter option is set to anything except "none." "Simple 2X" is
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a good choice. Note: In the event the "Hi-res" option is greyed out, make sure
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your display resolution is at least 512 x 480.
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Q: Why can't I press many buttons at once? Especially in Chrono Trigger.
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A: Most standard keyboards (There are a few exceptions, though only a few) can
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only output so much data to the compter at a time. As such your computer is
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often unable to carry-out the instructions you have given it. There are
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solutions abound, of course, and here they are now: Lovely recommendation one is
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to rearrange the keymapping in Snes9x so that all the necessary buttons are on a
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single keystroke... That way you can press 1 key and have it do all the actions.
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The draw back to this is that if you set "a" to jump and shoot you will be
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unable to jump without shooting, or shoot without jumping, until you change it
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back. The super sexy recommendation number 2 is to set the ctrl and alt keys to
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some of the necessary buttons. The draw back to this is that often these buttons
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can cause problems if used in tandum with other keys, due to Windows shortcuts.
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You may, for instance, be using alt to jump and while in midair hit f4 to load a
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savestate... That will close the program, which is bad. Finally, and the method
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I personally recommend, is to purchase a gamepad. The draw backs to this are
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that it requires time and money.
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Chapter 3:
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All About Netplay
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Or
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More Slow Than A Quadriplegic Ninja Turtle, But Only Half As Entertaining
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Q: Snes9x netplay sucks, can I make it better?
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A: Yes, yes you can! Snes9x is open source so all you need to make netplay
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better is advanced programming knowledge and a will to improve upon the Snes9x
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code. At present time Snes9x is more for LANplay, best used in a small network
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of local computers. I recommend ZSNES (http://www.zsnes.com/) and zbattle
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(http://www.zbattle.net/) for your random chaotic netplay needs.
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Q: I am using a Windows port of Snes9x. My friend is using a Mac. Can we
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netplay?
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A: Yes... Just not with each other. Snes9x, at this time, does not support
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cross-platform netplay.
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Q: Yea who don know dat but when i do what do afta y find som1 (now that I have
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someone to play with, what do I do?)
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A: An excellent... ...question. I couldn't have worded it better myself.
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Despite my sarcasm however I must cringe at the fact I can actually understand
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it enough to answer. The answer depends on if you are acting as the server/host
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or the client. If you are the host you must first find your IP address and give
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it to the person you intend to play online with. Next open Snes9x, load the ROM
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you wish to netplay, and then from the netplay menu, select "Act as Server."
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Then you wait until the client connects... Now, if you are the client, first
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receive the IP address from the host, open Snes9x, and open the ROM you wish to
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netplay. Select "Connect to Server" from the netplay menu, and fill out the
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necessary information. Server address should contain the IP address of the host.
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After that is done click "Connect." Assuming both parties have done their role
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correctly, a netplay match should soon start.
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Q: How do I chat with my partner during netplay?
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A: I personally recommend yelling really loudly, but the telephone is also a
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somewhat plausible answer I suppose. Seriously.
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Q: Can I play with more than 2 players?
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A: Indeed you can. Basically the same steps to starting a multiplayer game
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apply, however there are a few important differences. Obviously the game you
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wish to multiplay in must support three or more players. Now then, make sure
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that you, as well as everyone intending to play, has selected the "Enable
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Multitap 5" option from the input menu. If you don't do this it just won't work.
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Chapter 4:
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Miscellaneous Questions
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Or
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Q-Bert Is My Only Friend
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Q: Is it legal?
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A: This has been asked time and again, and the answer is yes. Developing,
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downloading, or using the emulator, Snes9x, is completely legal. Downloading
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games, called ROMS, however is not. If you own the original cartridge of a game,
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you are still not entitled to download the ROM image of that game. You may
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create a single backup image of your own cartridge via proper hardware, but it
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must be YOUR cartridge and is only usable in place of the original... so only
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one may be active at any time. Many sites claim that you may legally download
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ROMs for up to 24 hours before they must be deleted. This is also wrong; you
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can't legally download these for "trial" purposes. You can't download ROMs for
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educational purposes either. If you wish to use Super Nintendo Entertainment
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System games for educational purposes, contact your closest Nintendo Outlet and
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discuss educational programming with them. Finally, a small number of ROMs are
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labeled "(PD)". This means public domain, and these games are not under
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copyright. As such they are legal to download at your hearts content. These
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include programs created by internet users such as yourself for use in Super
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Nintendo emulators. As of this time there are no commercial videogames in the
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public domain.
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Q: My friend, Tibby, says that you are wrong and that game companies don't care
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if you download games!
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A: Whilst not actually a question, and more of a statement, I am afraid Tibby
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is incorrect. Feel free to peruse the various legal documentation sprawled
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throughout the World Wide Web or your local constituency. As for the blatant
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generalization that companies do not care; At least one does, and truthfully
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many more do as well, as such the statement is obviously a fallacy. For those
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who think it is not fair, or shouldn't be the way it is... perhaps not, though
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as holders of a copyright it is up to Nintendo to decide how and when their
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products are distributed.
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Q: I just purchased your fine program off eBay for $19.89, but my friend says I
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can download it for free. Can you guys give me my money back?
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A: Okay, this question hasn't actually been asked, however our free
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downloadable program does seem to get sold on eBay more often than it should,
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which is to say at all. We cannot reimburse anyone who was unlucky enough to be
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scammed into purchasing Snes9x, just as McDonalds cannot reimburse you if you
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purchased 100 Happy Meals from a random stranger and he gave you a frozen fish.
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If you find yourself in this situation... Purchasing Snes9x, not frozen fish...
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Please take the time to inform eBay via their heavily disguised investigations
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department, and leave any negative feedback that you wish. It would also be
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appreciated by the Snes9x team if you could mention where and when this happened
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so that we can take measures to stop it from happening again. While the fact we
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aren't making money from the program in no way bothers us (It is freeware after
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all), that some grubby bastards are does.
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Q: So err, where exactly do I contact y'all, eh?
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A: The most convenient way to contact us would be via www.snes9x.com. There is
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a forum that is checked at least 12 times a day by regulars, and at least a few
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of us can actually give some advice. E-mail is also a possibility, though it is
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much slower, and you'll hafta find the e-mail addresses on your own. Be sure to
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read the FAQ and Read me before posting, as things already answered many a time
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will probably result in random insults or heavy sarcasm.
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Chapter 5:
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The Conclusion
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Or
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That Block Of Words And Various Punctuation Symbols At The End Of The Document
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That Isn't Totally Dissimilar To Something That May, Or May Not, Be Considered
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A Conclusion Given The Contents Held Within The Paragraph(s) It Contains
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I hope you enjoyed this jaunt through the magical land of FAQs. Much has been
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said but, obviously, there is still room to grow and expand. Should you feel you
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have a question worthy of this vast tome of knowledge please leave it in the
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"board feedback" section of the Snes9x Forum. I have been your host and shall
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return again next time with an even greater FAQ.
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I would like to take the time to thank the vast plethora of people who have
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helped me conjur this machination of goodness. However, in the annals of time I
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have probably forgotten many of those who have given me advice, defintions,
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technologial information and cookies. It would be unfair to only mention the
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small portion of names I remember from an excessivley long and ever-expanding
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list. As such, I won't. Toodles.
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Knowledge is power; Learn it well
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