None of the Panzer Dragoon series will play on ssf

[sleepingsaturn]

For some reason after the fmv cutscene of each of the Panzer Dragoon series, the driver door just opens and the game stops. I've tried running it on yabuse, it works, but the emulation is stuck at 15 fps. I've tried mednafen, but I keep getting an error message. I've tried using 5 different rips of each game, but it does the same thing. I'm literally at the end of my rope and have no idea what to do, ssf seemed to work with every game, even Burning Rangers.

Any ideas?

[Sonnington]

I've definitely got PDS running on an emulator... I don't remember which one or how I did it, this was several years back. A lot of folks here are more into collecting, but I can tell you google is your friend, it is possible to do, and good luck!

[sleepingsaturn]

If i hadn't used Google, I wouldn't be here. It literally seems like no one else is having trouble emulating the Panzer Dragon Series on SSF, so my only option is to ask for help on Saturn Forums.

[Anthaemia.]

You're definitely not alone in having problems when it comes to emulating the original Panzer Dragoon trilogy!

For one, most versions of SSF are notorious when it comes to reproducing Saga... I've had some of the later builds work fine until the end credit sequence, which meant I wasn't quite able to record a full playthrough. Then, others will randomly crash or display minor graphical issues (the latter of these flaws is supposedly due to how the PAL edition wasn't optimised).

In terms of the first game running at 15fps, that seems about correct, though I believe the in-engine cutscenes are 60fps if you're playing either of the NTSC variations. Also, the elements handled by VDP2 don't always display correctly, but I've yet to check this game using Mednafen because I rarely get full speed with anything in this emulator.

Thankfully, there are enough different revisions of SSF that I'm able to find at least one to support most of the titles I'd ever want to play. Virtua Cop is another I can think of that's proved to be something of a compatibility nightmare, while I'm resigned to not having sound effects in Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers or Fighters Megamix. What's with that?

At the very least, I desperately need a faster system to enjoy Mednafen at a higher frame rate.

[linlhutz]

I would try earlier versions of SSF. I personally played Saga start to finish about ten years ago on an earlier release. I'd try a 0.11 Alpha version to start with. Good luck.

[mick_aka]

linlhutz may be on the right track here, I usually find when SSF gets updated it gives with one hand and takes with the other, some games get improved compatibility while others acquire new problems.
Also worth trying Yabause instead of SSF just to see if the same problem occurs, if for nothing else but to narrow down where the problem is arising.

On real hardware the first Panzer Dragoon runs at a reasonably consistent 20fps in game if memory serves, so don't expect it to be silky smooth, and as Anthaemia quite rightly points out game engine cutscenes run at a higher framerate.

Panzer Dragoon Zwei runs at an almost bang on consistant 30fps on real hardware and 60fps for in game cutscenes.

[zyrobs]

I'm using SSF TestVer 2012/12/18, with Daemon Tools Lite 10.8 to mount a bin/cue ripped from an original disc back in 2003, and Panzer Dragoon Zwei plays fine from start to finish (just played it).

May 12, 2019 14:23:09 GMT linlhutz said:

I would try earlier versions of SSF. I personally played Saga start to finish about ten years ago on an earlier release. I'd try a 0.11 Alpha version to start with. Good luck.

There were only a handful of titles that worked better on old versions of SSF. Croc comes to mind, which only ever worked on one version. But, I think the latest test versions had the entire emulator code rewritten since, and they fixed a lot of bugs since the last 0.12 version. The last 0.12 version had bugs in many games, like the zombies unable to damage you in Resident Evil. But that was fixed since, and so were a bunch of games that never ever worked (Die Hard Trilogy, Doom).