Difference between revisions of "PCSX2"

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|logo = PCSX2-Logo.png
 
|logo = PCSX2-Logo.png
 
|logowidth = 265
 
|logowidth = 265
|version = 1.6.0
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|version = {{Version|PCSX2}} <small>(Stable)</small>
 
|active = Yes
 
|active = Yes
 
|platform = Windows, Linux, macOS
 
|platform = Windows, Linux, macOS
|target = [[PlayStation 2 emulators|PlayStation 2]]
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|target = [[PlayStation 2 emulators|PlayStation 2]]<br>[[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]]
|developer = [http://pcsx2.net/meet-the-team.html PCSX2 Team]
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|developer = [https://pcsx2.net/meet-the-team.html PCSX2 Team]
|website = [http://pcsx2.net/ PCSX2.net]
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|website = [https://pcsx2.net/ PCSX2.net]
 
|source = [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2 GitHub]
 
|source = [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2 GitHub]
|license = GNU GPLv2
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|license = GNU LGPLv3 <small>(1.7+)</small><ref>Bositman (November 24, 2021). [https://pcsx2.net/301-aethersx2-pcsx2-mobile.html AetherSX2 brings PCSX2 to mobile]. ''PCSX2.net''.</ref>
|compatibility = [https://pcsx2.net/compatibility-list.html Compatibility list]
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|support = [https://github.com/sponsors/PCSX2 GitHub Sponsor]
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|compatibility = [https://pcsx2.net/compat/ Compatibility list]
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|bios = [[Emulator_Files#PlayStation_2|Required]]
 
}}
 
}}
'''PCSX2''' is an open-source, plugin-based [[PlayStation 2 emulators|PlayStation 2 emulator]]. Its purpose is to mimic the PS2 hardware using a combination of MIPS CPU [[wikipedia:Interpreter_%28computing%29|interpreters]], [[wikipedia:Dynamic_recompilation|recompilers]] and a [[wikipedia:Virtual_machine|virtual machine]] which manages hardware states and PS2 system memory. In 2016, preliminary work was started on [[PlayStation emulators|PS1]] support.<ref>https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/1571</ref>
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'''PCSX2''' is an open-source [[PlayStation 2 emulators|PlayStation 2 emulator]] for Windows and Linux. Since 2016, it has also supported the [https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-PSX-Mode-Unofficial-Compatibility-List PlayStation 2's backward compatibility mode] for [[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]] games.<ref>https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/1571</ref>
  
 
==Download==
 
==Download==
 
{| cellpadding="4"
 
{| cellpadding="4"
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|-
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|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin}}
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|'''[https://pcsx2.net/downloads/ Stable builds]'''
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac}}
 
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac}}
|'''[https://pcsx2.net/download.html Stable builds]'''<br><small>Mac builds are severely outdated</small>
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|'''[https://pcsx2.net/downloads/ Nightly builds]'''
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big}}
 
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big}}
|'''[http://buildbot.orphis.net/pcsx2/ Dev builds]'''
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|'''[http://buildbot.orphis.net/pcsx2/ Orphis dev builds]'''
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|-
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|align=center|{{Icon|Mac-big}}
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|'''[https://github.com/tellowkrinkle/pcsx2/releases Dev builds]'''
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|-
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|colspan=2|<hr/>
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|-
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|align=center|{{Icon|APK-big}}
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|[[AetherSX2|AetherSX2 Port]]
 
|}
 
|}
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Note that the stable builds are severely outdated. You should use the nightly/dev builds instead unless they contain regressions.
  
 
==System requirements==
 
==System requirements==
===Minimum===
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See [[Computer_specifications#PCSX2]].
* OS: Windows 8.1 or newer (32 or 64 bit), Ubuntu 18.04/Debian, Arch Linux, or other distro (32 or 64 bit)
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* CPU: Supports SSE2 instruction, two physical cores with hyperthreading, [https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html PassMark Single Thread Performance rating near or greater than 1600] (Intel Core i3-3210)
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=====Windows XP/7/8.1 Compatibility=====
* GPU: Support Direct3D10 and OpenGL 3.x, 2 GB Video Memory, [https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html PassMark G3D Mark rating around 3000] (GeForce GTX 750)
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* RAM: 4 GB
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Despite Windows 7 and 8.1 '''NOT''' being officially supported, [https://i.imgur.com/BsFBw1w.png 1.7-dev builds (up to version v1.7.3581) of PCSX2 can work with a few workarounds]. You'll need:
===Recommended===
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* OS: Windows 10 (64 bit), Ubuntu 19.04/Debian, Arch Linux, or other distro (64 bit)
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* [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/releases/tag/v1.7.3581 <abbr title="Latest compatible build with Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 workaround.">1.7.3581-wxWidgets build</abbr>]
* CPU: Supports AVX2 instruction, four physical cores with or without hyperthreading, [https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html PassMark Single Thread Performance rating near or greater than 2100] (Intel Core i7-4770)
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* [https://github.com/doitsujin/dxvk/releases dxvk] '''OR''' [https://reshade.me/ reshade]
* GPU: Support Direct3D11 and OpenGL 4.5, 4 GB Video Memory, [https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html PassMark G3D Mark rating around 6000] (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti)
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* RAM: 8 GB
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For starters, extract PCSX2 in a folder and then extract the 64-bit dxvk: d3d11.dll and dxgi.dll '''OR''' extract Reshade.exe: and rename "reshade64.dll" to "dxgi.dll" and then move this file next to the main PCSX2 executable.
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You'll also need to select [https://i.imgur.com/flxI0GH.png Cubeb] as the audio renderer. Otherwise, it'll crash with XAudio. And lastly, always pick between Vulkan, OpenGL and Software. D3D11/D3D12 can crash occasionally, and it won't function as intended anyways. '''Don't expect any official support if you post logs showing you're using Windows XP, 7, 8, or 8.1.'''
  
These are recommended specs for using PCSX2<ref>https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2#system-requirements</ref>, but depending on the game you want to play, your mileage may vary.  Some games need [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-The-Most-CPU-Intensive-Games high-end, possibly overclocked CPUs] or [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-The-Most-GPU-Intensive-Games powerful GPUs], whereas some games run even on [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-LIST-Games-that-don-t-need-a-strong-CPU-to-emulate weak processors].
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[https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-My-new-fork-of-PCSX2-makes-1-6-0-compatible-with-Windows-XP For Windows XP, use this build. You don't need workaround for this build.] Note that this build does not include the Direct3D9 renderer (or any DirectX rendering). If you want to use the old D3D9 renderer, you will need to use the official build 1.4.0 which is the last to officially support Windows XP.
  
For those with [[DualShock 3]] controllers, use [[SCP Driver Package]].
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Latest wxWidgets build (but its not compatible with Win7, 8 and 8.1 workaround because of fast memory implementation): [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/releases/tag/v1.7.3771 v1.7.3771].
  
 
==Setup==
 
==Setup==
 
===Gamepad===
 
===Gamepad===
[[File:New_God_Hand_Config.jpg|thumb|Get God Hand running on a laptop]][http://www.mediafire.com/view/115130h5rc6qe6b/LilyPad-SCP.lily Native DS3 controls with LilyPad-SCP] - Import this with the 'Load Bindings' button in LilyPad's config.
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[http://www.mediafire.com/view/115130h5rc6qe6b/LilyPad-SCP.lily Native DS3 controls with LilyPad-SCP] - Import this with the 'Load Bindings' button in LilyPad's config.
  
Either that, or you can use [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Pokopom-KrossX-s-Pad-Plugin the Pokopom XInput Plugin.] If you use a DualShock controller running under a XInput wrapper such as SCP Server, then this plugin is a no-brainer. It's very customizable, and you don't have to configure it beforehand. All of the buttons are bound at startup.
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Either that, or you can use [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Pokopom-KrossX-s-Pad-Plugin the Pokopom XInput Plugin.] If you use a DualShock controller running under an XInput wrapper such as SCP Server, then this plugin is a no-brainer. It's very customizable, and you don't have to configure it beforehand. All of the buttons are bound at startup.
 
 
Also, you can easily (and quite effortlessly) set up and use a DualShock 4 pad if you connect it wirelessly via an official PlayStation DualShock 4 Bluetooth USB dongle PC adapter from Sony. A generic bluetooth adapter (integrated or external) should work too with combination ryochan7/DS4Windows or via steam as a wrapper for wired or wireless.
 
  
 
===Video===
 
===Video===
Most of the video options should be straightforward, with the possible exception of interlacing modes. Many games will run fine with 'None', while others may experience artifacting or jitter.
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Most of the video options should be straightforward, with the possible exception of interlacing modes. Many games will run fine with 'None', while others may experience artifacting or jitter. "Auto" is recommended.
  
 
* "Sawtooth" is not recommended at all. Artifacting is far too heavy to be usable.
 
* "Sawtooth" is not recommended at all. Artifacting is far too heavy to be usable.
 
* "Bob" has reduced artifacts, but jitter can still occur.
 
* "Bob" has reduced artifacts, but jitter can still occur.
 
* "Blend" has the least amount of jitter. However, it can cause blurriness. The Blend interlacer does frame-blending. This is also known as motion blur. This means that if there is heavy jitter, the video output will be extremely blurry since the two jittering frames will blend together. Only use this interlacing method as a last resort.
 
* "Blend" has the least amount of jitter. However, it can cause blurriness. The Blend interlacer does frame-blending. This is also known as motion blur. This means that if there is heavy jitter, the video output will be extremely blurry since the two jittering frames will blend together. Only use this interlacing method as a last resort.
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You can cycle through the options with F5 to quickly test them out.
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To completely eliminate the de-interlacing issue, the community has made patches/hacks for a lot of games that can be loaded through a .pnach file, like a cheat code. Those can be found in the PCSX2 wiki or forums.
  
Another method to get around this is by running GSdx in hardware rendering, doubling the vertical resolution (if a game displays 640x480 on the emulator window, set vertical res to 960) and selecting bob-tff for interlacing. This can eliminate interlacing artifacts in most cases, although issues with upscaling, as well as using hardware emulation over software, can arise.
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Another method to get around this in older versions (custom res as an option was removed) is by running GSdx in hardware rendering, doubling the vertical resolution (if a game displays 640x480 on the emulator window, set vertical res to 960) and selecting bob-tff for interlacing. This can eliminate interlacing artifacts in most cases, although issues with upscaling, as well as using hardware emulation over software, can arise.
  
 
==Overview==
 
==Overview==
Code for 64-bit support for all major PC versions of PCSX2 including Windows, Linux and macOS was in development from [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/3451 June 07, 2020]; and both 32-bit & 64-bit builds for all three desktop PC systems started being available on [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/3451#issuecomment-653720205 July 04, 2020].<ref name="Reddit_1">{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/hkzzv2/pcsx2_now_has_a_64_bit_version/ |title=PCSX2 now has a 64 bit version |publisher=Reddit|accessdate=2020-07-06|date=2020 Jul 04}}</ref> Eventually, this has the potential to reduce the so-called 'technical debt' (Consisting of hacks built in for some games) that still cause issues in 32-bit builds; and broaden the emulator's support for more platforms and devices such as support for ARM64 chips (Also for Mac too).
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PCSX2 was originally created in 2001 by Linuzappz and Shadow as the successor to [[PCSX-Reloaded|PCSX]], another PlayStation emulator. Development of PCSX ceased on September 17, 2003, to focus on PCSX2. When version 0.9.8 was released in May 2011, only 55% of the PS2's library was considered supported.<ref>refraction (November 25, 2010). [https://pcsx2.net/developer-blog/90-the-history-of-pcsx2.html The History of PCSX2]. ''PCSX2.net''.</ref>
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A significant number of quality-of-life changes have come about since the project moved to GitHub, with a renewed interest in bringing it up to par with emulators for similar-gen consoles. Until mid-2021, PCSX2 was a holdout of the plugin system, despite development of each plugin eventually consolidating into the main repository. While the stable 1.6.0 build still contains the plugin API, the nightlies no longer have it, as it was removed entirely in [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/4436 PR 4436]. Compatibility has also seen major improvements across the board, to the point where every game at least boots. As of January 2022, 98% of the PlayStation 2 library is considered playable, although only 26 games are marked as perfect.
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A pull request adding x86_64 support was opened on [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/3451 June 7, 2020], and both 32-bit and 64-bit builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux were first made available on [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/3451#issuecomment-653720205 July 4].<ref name="Reddit_1">{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/hkzzv2/pcsx2_now_has_a_64_bit_version/ |title=PCSX2 now has a 64-bit version |publisher=Reddit|accessdate=2020-07-06|date=2020 Jul 04}}</ref> The plan is to reduce so-called "technical debt", including game-specific hacks that cause accuracy issues and bugs in the 32-bit builds, as well as broaden support for more platforms and devices such as ARM64 chips.
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A pull request removing x86 support was opened on [https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/5130 December 9, 2021], and the last 32-bit build and first 64-bit-only build were made available on March 19, 2022.
  
PCSX2 is a plugin-based emulator in name only. All plugins are developed in tandem with the emulator in the same source tree. With the exception of some specialized input plugins discussed below, there is no reason to add additional plugins such as the older ZeroGS/ZeroSPU2. Similar to current versions of Dolphin, the PCSX2 developers intend to eventually have all the plugins statically linked/"baked-in". Already, PSX emulator support has been dropped from LilyPad and GSdx (does not affect playing PSX games in PCSX2) and the audio plugin SPU2-X has been integrated into the core.
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PCSX2 is also able to run PS1 games by emulating the original hardware's built-in backward compatibility. Unfortunately, there's some PS1 software that doesn't run correctly (if at all) on a real PS2 and therefore is unlikely to be compatible with this emulator either, so you'll still need a more straightforward [[PlayStation emulators|PS1 emulator]] for those. PCSX2's PS1 support is inaccurate even compared to a real PS2, and it was largely added as a proof-of-concept and is only really useful for novelty purposes.
  
 
==Issues==
 
==Issues==
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:''Main thread: <span class="plainlinks">[https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-Sticky-PCSX2-General-Troubleshooting-FAQ PCSX2 General Troubleshooting FAQ]</span>''
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===Automatic game fixes===
 
===Automatic game fixes===
 
Whenever you encounter any kind of bug that isn't graphical in nature, objects going through other objects, untargetable objects that should be targetable or A.I. freezing, for example, make sure that the automatic game fixes option from the system menu is activated.
 
Whenever you encounter any kind of bug that isn't graphical in nature, objects going through other objects, untargetable objects that should be targetable or A.I. freezing, for example, make sure that the automatic game fixes option from the system menu is activated.
  
 
===Major graphical glitches===
 
===Major graphical glitches===
Whenever a game has graphical problems such as garbage texture, missing effects, light sources visible through a wall, burn-in or transparent objects being opaque, the easiest fix is generally to switch to software mode either by pressing F9 in-game or via the configuration panel of the GSdx plugin. If using the DX11 renderer another option is to try the OGL one which is generally more up to date and more accurate. If you're using stable version of the emulator, try using the most recent development build. Newer development builds of the emulator have fixes in the hardware rendering which may remove graphical errors such as red or green bars appearing on the screen. The newest development build can be found at https://pcsx2.net/download/development/dev-windows.html, click the download link of the revision closest to the top of the page.
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Graphical problems such as corrupted textures, missing effects, clipping light sources, burn-in or transparent objects being opaque can usually be solved by switching to the software renderer by pressing F9 while the game is running or via GSdx's config panel. If using the Direct3D 11 renderer, try the OpenGL renderer, as it may be more accurate. If you're using a stable build, try switching to the most recent nightly or dev build. Newer development builds of the emulator may have fixes or other features added to the hardware renderers, which remove common glitches like red or green bars appearing on the screen.
  
 
===Poor performance in software mode===
 
===Poor performance in software mode===
Many games will require you to switch to software mode to fix various issues, albeit at the cost of a significant performance loss. However, an easily overlooked setting in the graphical plugin configuration panel, extra rendering threads, might help lessen the performance loss if you have a quad-core or higher CPU. It is recommended to set it to the number of cores in your CPU minus one if you aren't using the MTVU speed-hack, or minus two if you are (ex: if you are using a quad core CPU you should set this number to 3 without MTVU and 2 with MTVU).
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Many games will require you to switch to software mode to fix various issues, albeit at the cost of a significant performance loss. However, an easily overlooked setting in the graphical plugin configuration panel, extra rendering threads, might help lessen the performance loss if you have a quad-core or higher CPU. It is recommended to set it to the number of cores in your CPU minus one if you aren't using the MTVU speed hack or minus two if you are (ex: if you are using a quad-core CPU, you should set this number to 3 without MTVU and 2 with MTVU).
The process described above is partially automated in recent development versions of PCSX2 but you might still need to tweak it to get optimal performance levels
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The process described above is partially automated in recent development versions of PCSX2, but you might still need to tweak it to get optimal performance levels
  
 
===Multi-threaded microVU===
 
===Multi-threaded microVU===
Multi-threaded microVU (MTVU), while generally a very useful speed-hack, might sometime cause minor problems like hanging and absence of performance gain or more severe ones like massive performance hits, save-states corruption (PCSX2 keeps a backup you can load with Shift+F3 in case any issues arise) and crashes to desktop.
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Multi-threaded microVU (MTVU), while generally a very useful speed hack, might sometime cause minor problems like hanging and absence of performance gain, or more severe ones like massive performance hits, save-state corruption (PCSX2 keeps a backup you can load with Shift+F3 in case any issues arise), or just plain crashing.
  
 
===Crashes===
 
===Crashes===
Crashes could be the results of several things.  
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Crashes could be the result of several things.  
 
Switching between hardware and software rendering rapidly is likely to cause the emulator to lock up. This can be easily avoided by waiting a few seconds after switching between hardware and software rendering before switching again.
 
Switching between hardware and software rendering rapidly is likely to cause the emulator to lock up. This can be easily avoided by waiting a few seconds after switching between hardware and software rendering before switching again.
If the log warns you one or several times about being out of memory or the emulator crashes without warning several times in a row after playing for around the same amount of time you will need to apply a patch to make the executable large address aware, its more commonly referred to as the [http://www.ntcore.com/files/4gb_patch.zip 4GB patch].
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If your GPU drivers also crash simultaneously (or you get massive graphical corruption on your desktop and/or a BSOD while trying to run a game), this means you're either using outdated drivers, or you're trying to use an AMD card with the OGL renderer and Blending Accuracy set to none, in which case, either set it to basic or higher or use the DX11 renderer instead. in which case either set it to basic or higher or use the DX11 renderer instead.
If your GPU drivers also crash simultaneously (or you get massive graphical corruption on your desktop and/or a BSOD while trying to run a game) this means you're either using outdated drivers or you're trying to use an AMD card with the OGL renderer and Blending Accuracy set to none, in which case either set it to basic or higher or use the DX11 renderer instead.
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If the log warns you about TLB miss, you are either:
If the log warns you about TLB miss you are either:
 
  
 
* Using a bad dump of a game, in which case you'll need to [[Ripping Games|re-rip your disc]] or re-download the game you are trying to play.
 
* Using a bad dump of a game, in which case you'll need to [[Ripping Games|re-rip your disc]] or re-download the game you are trying to play.
 
* Playing the game directly from your DVD drive, in which case you should [[Ripping Games|rip the game]] and play using the .iso instead (it's not advised to play directly from your DVD drive).
 
* Playing the game directly from your DVD drive, in which case you should [[Ripping Games|rip the game]] and play using the .iso instead (it's not advised to play directly from your DVD drive).
* Trying to play a game that isn't supported by the emulator, in which case you cannot do anything except trying another version of the game (PAL or NTSC-J for example).
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* Trying to play a game that isn't supported by the emulator, in which case you cannot do anything except trying another version of the game (PAL or NTSC-J, for example).
* Trying to play a game with a massive or in some cases any EE overclock applied, in which case turn it back down the speedhack menu.
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* Trying to play a game with a massive, or in some cases, any EE overclock applied, in which case turn it back down in the speed hack menu.
* Try to configure modo clamping to Completo, in the emulator settings.
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* You need to check the Wiki to see if the game requires any specific settings regarding the Clamping Mode of the EE/VU.
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* Cheats used in the game's .pnach file are invalid.
  
If PCSX2 still crashes after doing all of the above, check that you aren't using any speed-hacks and that your system is stable and not overheating especially if you are overclocking.
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If PCSX2 still crashes after doing all of the above, check that you aren't using any speed hacks and that your system is stable and not overheating. Especially if you're overclocking.
  
===Extreme fluctuation emulation speed===
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===Extreme fluctuation in emulation speed===
The large fluctuation in emulation generally are caused by the games themselves and cannot be avoided but there is a handful of cases where this is caused by specific configuration issues
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The large fluctuation in emulation is often caused by the games themselves and cannot be avoided, but there are a handful of cases where this is caused by specific configuration issues.
  
* Using large internal resolution multiplier on a lower end GPU, even if the game runs mostly fine some effect can cause the emulator to suddenly have to do a lot of very heavy operation on the VRAM, lower GPU tend to have much lower VRAM bandwidth and will get absolutely crushed by what PCSX2 tries to do, especially true when using Large framebuffer and even more so when using the OGL renderer, obviously the only real fix is turning the resolution down and disabling Large Framebuffer if possible
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* Using a large internal resolution multiplier on a low-end GPU, even if the game runs mostly fine, can cause the emulator to suddenly need to do a lot of cumbersome operations on the VRAM. Low-end GPUs tend to have much lower VRAM bandwidth and will get crushed by that. This is especially true when using Large Framebuffer and even more so when using the OGL renderer. Obviously, the only real fix is turning the resolution down and disabling Large Framebuffer if possible
* Playing the game directly from the original DVD using a disc drive, in which case you should [[Ripping Games|rip the game]] and play using the .iso instead
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* Playing games directly from the original DVD using a disc drive, in which case you should [[Ripping Games|rip the game]] and play using the .iso instead
 
* Having the Blending accuracy set too high in the OGL renderer (Full and Ultra mostly)
 
* Having the Blending accuracy set too high in the OGL renderer (Full and Ultra mostly)
 
* Using EE overclock in some games
 
* Using EE overclock in some games
  
 
===Intermittent warped audio===
 
===Intermittent warped audio===
Due to how the synchronizing function of the audio plugin works, even when running games on a computer that is capable of going way above 100% speed in a stable fashion, random bits of time-stretched audio can be heard occasionally or even frequently, there are however a few ways to work around that issue.
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Due to how the synchronizing function of the audio plugin works, even when running games on a computer capable of going way above 100% speed in a stable fashion, random bits of time-stretched audio can be heard occasionally or even frequently. There are, however, a few ways to work around that issue.
 
* Set the audio syncing method to Async Mix (can cause A/V sync issue, not recommended with rhythm games), do not set it to None as it basically does the same thing as Async Mix but has more issues
 
* Set the audio syncing method to Async Mix (can cause A/V sync issue, not recommended with rhythm games), do not set it to None as it basically does the same thing as Async Mix but has more issues
* Unlock the PCSX2 framerate limiter and use an external one such as MSI Afterburner
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* Unlock the PCSX2 framerate limiter and use an external one, such as MSI Afterburner
  
===Blurry===
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===Blurriness===
It's either interlacing or a filter in the game itself. For the former, switching the de-interlacing mode with F5 may help, and may cause flicker or screen shaking. For the latter, hacks are required. Either Aggressive-CRC if the game is listed there, or skipdraw (toy with the number, 1-100) might work otherwise.
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It's either interlacing or a filter in the game itself. For the former, switching the de-interlacing mode with F5 may help and cause flicker or screen shaking. For the latter, hacks are required. Either Aggressive-CRC if the game is listed there, or skipdraw (toy with the numbers 1-100) might work otherwise.
  
 
===Black lines===
 
===Black lines===
Black lines are caused by scaling to a non-integer internal resolution (anything other than Yx Native), texture filtering (Try anything that isn't bilinear (Forced), improperly offset textures (TC Offset, Wild Arms Offset hacks, Half-Pixel Offset), or improperly handled texture edges (Merge Sprite hack, Sprite/Round Sprite combobox). Native resolution, for the most part, fixes these issues, however, software rendering may be required as well.
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Black lines are caused by scaling to a non-integer internal resolution (anything other than Yx Native), texture filtering (Try anything that isn't bilinear (Forced), improperly offset textures (TC Offset, Wild Arms Offset hacks, Half-Pixel Offset), or improperly handled texture edges (Merge Sprite hack, Sprite/Round Sprite combobox). The native resolution, for the most part, fixes these issues. However, software rendering may be required as well.
  
 
==Special hardware==
 
==Special hardware==
 
===Pressure-sensitive buttons===
 
===Pressure-sensitive buttons===
The DualShock 2 joypad bundled with the PS2 has all buttons and sticks with variable pressure states.
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{{Main|PlayStation_2_emulators#Pressure_Sensitive_Buttons}}
 
 
While most PS2 games don't require this feature, instead preferring variable trigger/stick pressure (e.g. sneaking past the sleeping dog in Chulip), a select few do. Some examples include:
 
 
 
* All three attack buttons in the Bouncer do different attacks based on whether the press was light, medium or strong. Same goes for the musical game Mad Maestro.
 
* Star Ocean 3 has a musical item that plays different melodies depending on pressure and they're required for progressing.
 
 
 
Games requiring variable trigger pressure need physical controllers with analog sticks, but rare are third-party controllers which support variable pressure buttons. To know if your controller supports it, open the LilyPad plugin settings by going to the PCSX2 menu and selecting "Config", "Controllers (PAD)", and "Plugin Settings". At the LilyPad plugin popup, select your gamepad from the list of detected controllers in the "Device Diagnostics" box in the lower left then click the "Test Device" button.
 
 
 
A small popup window will appear, showing a list of all the gamepad's buttons as well as their current state. 0.000 = indicates unpressed, 1.000 = indicates fully depressed. Roll either analog stick around. See how the values change from 0.000 to 0.xyz, with the .xyz values shifting incrementally. These changing .xyz values show how the plugin detects different changes in angle as you move the analog stick around.
 
 
 
Now press any of the buttons normally used by games, i.e. the triangle/square/cross/circle buttons. See how the values immediately shift from 0.000 = unpressed, directly to 1.000 = pressed. If your gamepad truly has pressure sensitive buttons you will see gradual 0.xyz changes as you slowly press each button, just like the different changes in angle as you move the analog sticks around.
 
If the buttons change from 0.000 directly to 1.000 this proves that your gamepad buttons are not pressure sensitive and are merely tracking the pressed/unpressed state.
 
 
 
The solution would be to either buy an official DualShock 3 controller and use an appropriate 3rd party driver such as [[SCP Driver Package]], or mapping the button to a rarely used trigger/stick in LilyPad this way:
 
  
An additional button needs to be mapped to circle as well but configured to deliver "light" pressure. This is done by opening the gamepad plugin configuration and choosing a rarely used key - for example, the lower shoulder button L2 - and remapping it to the circle button, and setting the sensitivity to 0.500 or thereabouts. In the game, merely use the remapped L2@circle button to deliver "light" tap/hold tunes while the regular circle button can be used normally to deliver "hard" tap/hold tunes.
+
===Lightgun support===
 +
Lightgun support was available in the PCSX2 emulator via a third-party plugin called nuvee.<ref>https://lightgungamer.com/pcsx2</ref> This is no longer relevant since the removal of the plugin system, now PCSX2 handles lightgun support by itself.
  
==Lightgun Support==
+
==Multiplayer on PCSX2==
Lightgun support is available in the pcxs2 emulator via a third party plugin called nuvee. His allows you to use and mouse or mouse compatible device (such as a lightgun) to play the large ps2 library of lightgun games<ref>https://lightgungamer.com/pcsx2</ref>.
+
See [[PlayStation 2 emulators#Hardware features and accessories]] -> LAN or Network Adapter sections, also you can use LAN tunelling for offline multiplayer play.
 
 
==See also==
 
* [[How To Play PCSX2 Online]]
 
* [[Online PS2 games]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
Line 147: Line 156:
 
* [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-PCSX2-Widescreen-Game-Patches?pid=271674#pid271674 PCSX2 widescreen game patches] and [http://ps2wide.net/ widescreen hacks]
 
* [http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-PCSX2-Widescreen-Game-Patches?pid=271674#pid271674 PCSX2 widescreen game patches] and [http://ps2wide.net/ widescreen hacks]
 
* [https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-60-fps-codes 60 fps codes]
 
* [https://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-60-fps-codes 60 fps codes]
 +
* Emulation64 Spotlight Interviews with original PCSX2 developers: [https://www.emulation64.com/spotlights/8/ Shadow] [https://www.emulation64.com/spotlights/1/ linuzappz] [https://www.emulation64.com/spotlights/26/ Refraction]
 +
* [https://archive.fosdem.org/2021/schedule/event/pcsx2/ The PlayStation 2: From Emotion to Emulation - Celebrating 20 Years of Reverse Engineering]
 +
  
 
[[Category:Emulators]]
 
[[Category:Emulators]]
 +
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
 +
[[Category:Console emulators]]
 +
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
 
[[Category:PlayStation 2 emulators]]
 
[[Category:PlayStation 2 emulators]]
 
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
 
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]

Latest revision as of 19:19, 5 March 2024

PCSX2
PCSX2-Logo.png
Developer(s) PCSX2 Team
Latest version 1.6.0 [+] (Stable)
Active Yes
Platform(s) Windows, Linux, macOS
Emulates PlayStation 2
PlayStation
Compatibility Compatibility list
Website PCSX2.net
Support ($) GitHub Sponsor
License GNU LGPLv3 (1.7+)[1]
Source code GitHub
BIOS/Keys Required

PCSX2 is an open-source PlayStation 2 emulator for Windows and Linux. Since 2016, it has also supported the PlayStation 2's backward compatibility mode for PlayStation games.[2]

Download[edit]

Windows Linux Stable builds
Windows Linux macOS Nightly builds
Windows Orphis dev builds
macOS Dev builds

Android AetherSX2 Port

Note that the stable builds are severely outdated. You should use the nightly/dev builds instead unless they contain regressions.

System requirements[edit]

See Computer_specifications#PCSX2.

Windows XP/7/8.1 Compatibility[edit]

Despite Windows 7 and 8.1 NOT being officially supported, 1.7-dev builds (up to version v1.7.3581) of PCSX2 can work with a few workarounds. You'll need:

For starters, extract PCSX2 in a folder and then extract the 64-bit dxvk: d3d11.dll and dxgi.dll OR extract Reshade.exe: and rename "reshade64.dll" to "dxgi.dll" and then move this file next to the main PCSX2 executable. You'll also need to select Cubeb as the audio renderer. Otherwise, it'll crash with XAudio. And lastly, always pick between Vulkan, OpenGL and Software. D3D11/D3D12 can crash occasionally, and it won't function as intended anyways. Don't expect any official support if you post logs showing you're using Windows XP, 7, 8, or 8.1.

For Windows XP, use this build. You don't need workaround for this build. Note that this build does not include the Direct3D9 renderer (or any DirectX rendering). If you want to use the old D3D9 renderer, you will need to use the official build 1.4.0 which is the last to officially support Windows XP.

Latest wxWidgets build (but its not compatible with Win7, 8 and 8.1 workaround because of fast memory implementation): v1.7.3771.

Setup[edit]

Gamepad[edit]

Native DS3 controls with LilyPad-SCP - Import this with the 'Load Bindings' button in LilyPad's config.

Either that, or you can use the Pokopom XInput Plugin. If you use a DualShock controller running under an XInput wrapper such as SCP Server, then this plugin is a no-brainer. It's very customizable, and you don't have to configure it beforehand. All of the buttons are bound at startup.

Video[edit]

Most of the video options should be straightforward, with the possible exception of interlacing modes. Many games will run fine with 'None', while others may experience artifacting or jitter. "Auto" is recommended.

  • "Sawtooth" is not recommended at all. Artifacting is far too heavy to be usable.
  • "Bob" has reduced artifacts, but jitter can still occur.
  • "Blend" has the least amount of jitter. However, it can cause blurriness. The Blend interlacer does frame-blending. This is also known as motion blur. This means that if there is heavy jitter, the video output will be extremely blurry since the two jittering frames will blend together. Only use this interlacing method as a last resort.

You can cycle through the options with F5 to quickly test them out.

To completely eliminate the de-interlacing issue, the community has made patches/hacks for a lot of games that can be loaded through a .pnach file, like a cheat code. Those can be found in the PCSX2 wiki or forums.

Another method to get around this in older versions (custom res as an option was removed) is by running GSdx in hardware rendering, doubling the vertical resolution (if a game displays 640x480 on the emulator window, set vertical res to 960) and selecting bob-tff for interlacing. This can eliminate interlacing artifacts in most cases, although issues with upscaling, as well as using hardware emulation over software, can arise.

Overview[edit]

PCSX2 was originally created in 2001 by Linuzappz and Shadow as the successor to PCSX, another PlayStation emulator. Development of PCSX ceased on September 17, 2003, to focus on PCSX2. When version 0.9.8 was released in May 2011, only 55% of the PS2's library was considered supported.[3]

A significant number of quality-of-life changes have come about since the project moved to GitHub, with a renewed interest in bringing it up to par with emulators for similar-gen consoles. Until mid-2021, PCSX2 was a holdout of the plugin system, despite development of each plugin eventually consolidating into the main repository. While the stable 1.6.0 build still contains the plugin API, the nightlies no longer have it, as it was removed entirely in PR 4436. Compatibility has also seen major improvements across the board, to the point where every game at least boots. As of January 2022, 98% of the PlayStation 2 library is considered playable, although only 26 games are marked as perfect.

A pull request adding x86_64 support was opened on June 7, 2020, and both 32-bit and 64-bit builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux were first made available on July 4.[4] The plan is to reduce so-called "technical debt", including game-specific hacks that cause accuracy issues and bugs in the 32-bit builds, as well as broaden support for more platforms and devices such as ARM64 chips.

A pull request removing x86 support was opened on December 9, 2021, and the last 32-bit build and first 64-bit-only build were made available on March 19, 2022.

PCSX2 is also able to run PS1 games by emulating the original hardware's built-in backward compatibility. Unfortunately, there's some PS1 software that doesn't run correctly (if at all) on a real PS2 and therefore is unlikely to be compatible with this emulator either, so you'll still need a more straightforward PS1 emulator for those. PCSX2's PS1 support is inaccurate even compared to a real PS2, and it was largely added as a proof-of-concept and is only really useful for novelty purposes.

Issues[edit]

Main thread: PCSX2 General Troubleshooting FAQ

Automatic game fixes[edit]

Whenever you encounter any kind of bug that isn't graphical in nature, objects going through other objects, untargetable objects that should be targetable or A.I. freezing, for example, make sure that the automatic game fixes option from the system menu is activated.

Major graphical glitches[edit]

Graphical problems such as corrupted textures, missing effects, clipping light sources, burn-in or transparent objects being opaque can usually be solved by switching to the software renderer by pressing F9 while the game is running or via GSdx's config panel. If using the Direct3D 11 renderer, try the OpenGL renderer, as it may be more accurate. If you're using a stable build, try switching to the most recent nightly or dev build. Newer development builds of the emulator may have fixes or other features added to the hardware renderers, which remove common glitches like red or green bars appearing on the screen.

Poor performance in software mode[edit]

Many games will require you to switch to software mode to fix various issues, albeit at the cost of a significant performance loss. However, an easily overlooked setting in the graphical plugin configuration panel, extra rendering threads, might help lessen the performance loss if you have a quad-core or higher CPU. It is recommended to set it to the number of cores in your CPU minus one if you aren't using the MTVU speed hack or minus two if you are (ex: if you are using a quad-core CPU, you should set this number to 3 without MTVU and 2 with MTVU). The process described above is partially automated in recent development versions of PCSX2, but you might still need to tweak it to get optimal performance levels

Multi-threaded microVU[edit]

Multi-threaded microVU (MTVU), while generally a very useful speed hack, might sometime cause minor problems like hanging and absence of performance gain, or more severe ones like massive performance hits, save-state corruption (PCSX2 keeps a backup you can load with Shift+F3 in case any issues arise), or just plain crashing.

Crashes[edit]

Crashes could be the result of several things. Switching between hardware and software rendering rapidly is likely to cause the emulator to lock up. This can be easily avoided by waiting a few seconds after switching between hardware and software rendering before switching again. If your GPU drivers also crash simultaneously (or you get massive graphical corruption on your desktop and/or a BSOD while trying to run a game), this means you're either using outdated drivers, or you're trying to use an AMD card with the OGL renderer and Blending Accuracy set to none, in which case, either set it to basic or higher or use the DX11 renderer instead. in which case either set it to basic or higher or use the DX11 renderer instead. If the log warns you about TLB miss, you are either:

  • Using a bad dump of a game, in which case you'll need to re-rip your disc or re-download the game you are trying to play.
  • Playing the game directly from your DVD drive, in which case you should rip the game and play using the .iso instead (it's not advised to play directly from your DVD drive).
  • Trying to play a game that isn't supported by the emulator, in which case you cannot do anything except trying another version of the game (PAL or NTSC-J, for example).
  • Trying to play a game with a massive, or in some cases, any EE overclock applied, in which case turn it back down in the speed hack menu.
  • You need to check the Wiki to see if the game requires any specific settings regarding the Clamping Mode of the EE/VU.
  • Cheats used in the game's .pnach file are invalid.

If PCSX2 still crashes after doing all of the above, check that you aren't using any speed hacks and that your system is stable and not overheating. Especially if you're overclocking.

Extreme fluctuation in emulation speed[edit]

The large fluctuation in emulation is often caused by the games themselves and cannot be avoided, but there are a handful of cases where this is caused by specific configuration issues.

  • Using a large internal resolution multiplier on a low-end GPU, even if the game runs mostly fine, can cause the emulator to suddenly need to do a lot of cumbersome operations on the VRAM. Low-end GPUs tend to have much lower VRAM bandwidth and will get crushed by that. This is especially true when using Large Framebuffer and even more so when using the OGL renderer. Obviously, the only real fix is turning the resolution down and disabling Large Framebuffer if possible
  • Playing games directly from the original DVD using a disc drive, in which case you should rip the game and play using the .iso instead
  • Having the Blending accuracy set too high in the OGL renderer (Full and Ultra mostly)
  • Using EE overclock in some games

Intermittent warped audio[edit]

Due to how the synchronizing function of the audio plugin works, even when running games on a computer capable of going way above 100% speed in a stable fashion, random bits of time-stretched audio can be heard occasionally or even frequently. There are, however, a few ways to work around that issue.

  • Set the audio syncing method to Async Mix (can cause A/V sync issue, not recommended with rhythm games), do not set it to None as it basically does the same thing as Async Mix but has more issues
  • Unlock the PCSX2 framerate limiter and use an external one, such as MSI Afterburner

Blurriness[edit]

It's either interlacing or a filter in the game itself. For the former, switching the de-interlacing mode with F5 may help and cause flicker or screen shaking. For the latter, hacks are required. Either Aggressive-CRC if the game is listed there, or skipdraw (toy with the numbers 1-100) might work otherwise.

Black lines[edit]

Black lines are caused by scaling to a non-integer internal resolution (anything other than Yx Native), texture filtering (Try anything that isn't bilinear (Forced), improperly offset textures (TC Offset, Wild Arms Offset hacks, Half-Pixel Offset), or improperly handled texture edges (Merge Sprite hack, Sprite/Round Sprite combobox). The native resolution, for the most part, fixes these issues. However, software rendering may be required as well.

Special hardware[edit]

Pressure-sensitive buttons[edit]

Main article: PlayStation_2_emulators#Pressure_Sensitive_Buttons

Lightgun support[edit]

Lightgun support was available in the PCSX2 emulator via a third-party plugin called nuvee.[5] This is no longer relevant since the removal of the plugin system, now PCSX2 handles lightgun support by itself.

Multiplayer on PCSX2[edit]

See PlayStation 2 emulators#Hardware features and accessories -> LAN or Network Adapter sections, also you can use LAN tunelling for offline multiplayer play.

References[edit]

  1. Bositman (November 24, 2021). AetherSX2 brings PCSX2 to mobile. PCSX2.net.
  2. https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2/pull/1571
  3. refraction (November 25, 2010). The History of PCSX2. PCSX2.net.
  4. PCSX2 now has a 64-bit version. Reddit (2020 Jul 04)
  5. https://lightgungamer.com/pcsx2

External links[edit]