Posted: 8/3/2012 2:02 AM
Post subject: Some desync problems...
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
Posts: 116
Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
Hey guys so I've been doing TAS for a couple months now, but I still havent mastered it completely. I just finished recording a TAS for SSBM of all 51 event matches. Once I played back the recording, # 17 got messed up. I'm not sure if it was a desync or not, but i fixed it by changing my save states a little. Now, #20 has some sort of desync problem. I tried changing the save states around, but its not working yet. Has anyone else tried something like this and have similar problems? My last resort is to re-TAS most of my work, which of course i dont want to do.
Posted: 8/3/2012 2:06 AM
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RachelB
She/Her
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what version of dolphin are you using?
Posted: 8/3/2012 2:25 AM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
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Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
3.0-396, it says it was compiled in April and has an audio to avi dump feature which works well. I've also tested the latest offical version, 3.0-735 but still some problems.
Posted: 8/3/2012 6:41 PM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
Posts: 116
Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
Update: the problem now seems to occur randomly no matter where i create save states. Should I try a different version or revision?
Posted: 8/3/2012 9:16 PM
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Abahbob
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From what I've heard, SSBM isn't too friendly. I suggest you try different Dolphin builds. It sucks that you've already gotten far into the TAS, but hopefully it will sync with different versions. ReneBalow just did a short TAS using 3.0 617, maybe that will work well. It shouldn't matter much where you create states, if at all. Just don't start playback from a state apparently. I haven't had trouble with it, but I've heard that it causes desyncs. Let the game fully load up until you see the nintendo logo or something before loading a state, for me in TWW it messes up if I don't wait. Make sure that you don't change any settings from when you record. The only thing I do is that when I record inputs, I use Direct3D11, then to dump video I use OpenGL. I think that using those 2 works fine, but Direct3D9 and switching between that causes desyncs. Check the GC emus forum if you don't know the best TAS settings. The only reason I'm saying this is because of the inconsistency of the desyncs, sorry if I'm saying stuff you already know. Good luck, I know how annoying Dolphin is first hand. One other thing, make sure that you watch your movie from the beginning after every match. I know that it's a lot of times, but I suggest it just because of how terrible it is to restart over and over. Good luck, and if you have any questions with Dolphin you can ask me.
IronSlayer wrote:
Your counterargument would be like me saying that the Earth is round and then you telling me that I need to show it's flat so I can "prove us all wrong".
Seems legit.
Posted: 8/3/2012 11:22 PM
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gamerfreak5665
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Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
ok, thanks for the advice. I tried natt's version posted here, didnt work to well. I guess it may have to do with the version. Also, i just noticed that one of the input buttons on the controller was my frame advance button, so that may have contributed to desync. I guess itll be faster just to redo some of it.
Posted: 8/3/2012 11:26 PM
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RachelB
She/Her
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but hopefully it will sync with different versions.
It won't. Dolphin hardly ever syncs between revisions anymore.
Also, i just noticed that one of the input buttons on the controller was my frame advance button, so that may have contributed to desync. I guess itll be faster just to redo some of it.
While that could certainly cause problems while tasing, it will not cause desyncs.
The only thing I do is that when I record inputs, I use Direct3D11, then to dump video I use OpenGL. I think that using those 2 works fine, but Direct3D9 and switching between that causes desyncs.
Depends on the game. I usually tas with d3d9, and dump with ogl.
Posted: 8/3/2012 11:48 PM
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natt
Editor, Emulator Coder, Site Developer
Joined: 5/11/2011
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my versions have a few enhancements for video dumping, but are otherwise standard. if you're getting a core desync problem, there might be nothing to be done about it...
Posted: 8/4/2012 12:18 AM
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CoolKirby
Editor, Experienced player (570)
Joined: 11/8/2010
Posts: 4036
Exotic platforms TASer of 2014 NES TAS of 2013
SSBM is just a game that seems to be prone to desyncs no matter how desync-proof other games are in newer Dolphin revisions. Just check your work often for desyncs (from the beginning) so you'll have less of your run to redo when you run into a desync.
Posted: 8/5/2012 1:48 PM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
Posts: 116
Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
ok then, I've already started redoing it. I guess a second run through will give me better ideas. Thanks for the help guys.
Posted: 8/6/2012 3:35 PM
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gamerfreak5665
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Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
I have another question, does anyone know how to read dtm files? I tried putting it in a hex editor, and i want to try changing one or two frames to make it work. But i when i look up the frame number in hex format, it says it can't find it.
Posted: 8/6/2012 3:46 PM
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Ilari
Emulator Coder, Skilled player (1113)
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Rookie of 2010 New systems TASer of 2010 New systems TAS of 2010
gamerfreak5665 wrote:
But i when i look up the frame number in hex format, it says it can't find it.
There is no fixed correspondence between frame numbers and file offsets in DTM, it depends on the game and past input.
Posted: 8/6/2012 4:04 PM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
Posts: 116
Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
oh, never mind i found it. update: still not working past event match 21
Posted: 8/13/2012 10:36 PM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
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Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
Hey guys, I have yet another question. I successfully completed the TAS and posted it on youtube. I read the rules for posting movies on this website, but it said nothing about multiple video files. I had to record it in 4 parts to prevent desync problems with dolphin, so would it be fine for me to submit the TAS in those 4 parts?
Posted: 8/14/2012 4:02 AM
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CoolKirby
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It has to be one movie file to be an acceptable submission. Are you sure you can't combine them now that the TAS is complete? If you want to try combining them, you will need a hex editor (like HxD). Then you will need to let Dolphin record for a while after your first movie ends. Then, in HxD, you would copy and paste-over the input from your other three dtms into the blank frames at the end of the first movie file, and you will have one movie file which hopefully will sync. If you don't want to do it yourself, I would be happy to do it for you.
Posted: 8/14/2012 1:57 PM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
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Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
yes, i can try that. I did fix a desync with that program, so it might work.
Posted: 8/14/2012 3:44 PM
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gamerfreak5665
Player (201)
Joined: 8/3/2012
Posts: 116
Location: U.S.
Gamecube/Wii TAS of 2017
ok, so i tried combining them, but the part where you select characters does not match up because a character is already selected in the first movie file, and there is no character selected in the second one. This forces me to add a button input which messes it up. any suggestions?
Posted: 8/14/2012 6:13 PM
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CoolKirby
Editor, Experienced player (570)
Joined: 11/8/2010
Posts: 4036
Exotic platforms TASer of 2014 NES TAS of 2013
gamerfreak5665 wrote:
ok, so i tried combining them, but the part where you select characters does not match up because a character is already selected in the first movie file, and there is no character selected in the second one. This forces me to add a button input which messes it up. any suggestions?
Since the run is done with a higher emphasis on entertainment than speed, I would suggest adding blank frames before continuing with part 2 until it syncs. When it does sync, you can do the same to parts 3 and 4 after removing the character select.