Around a year ago or so I downloaded it. Couldn't record videos at all, it was terribly laggy and the screen flickered here and there.
Has it improved?
It has improved a lot. I think I tried it around the same time and formed a similar opinion of it, but it's one of my favorite emulators now. (And in terms of both compatibility and functionality, it has definitely surpassed No$GBA by now.)
Though, if your computer is pretty old, and if you're trying to actually play games (which I think is not the primary purpose of emulators or games as far as this site is concerned), then you might find DeSmuME still too slow depending on the game. But that's not really a reason to call it barely functional. It can be optimized even more, and people are working on that, but it's a much harder problem than you'd think and the problem is already going away on its own as it becomes less and less likely to find yourself with a computer that's too slow to handle it. And at least now it gives you things like decently-working auto-frameskip options and the ability to turn off one of the screens for a speed boost.
Well, I don't TAS or anything, but I do speedruns. It barely even played Mega Man ZX. My PC has 2GB RAM and it's a Pentium 4, it runs a N64 emulator just fine, isn't the DS only slightly more powerful?
You shouldn't think of it in those terms. Yes, the video processing power of the DS is only slightly better, but there's also two screens, one of which is touch-sensitive, and other various things which make it harder to emulate as efficiently as the N64. A Pentium 4 is definitely too slow to use a DS emulator well.
Emulator Coder, Site Developer, Site Owner, Expert player
(3575)
Joined: 11/3/2004
Posts: 4754
Location: Tennessee
Yes, the DS requires more power to emulate than a playstation. Desmume runs well on a nice computer. Now go get a nice computer if you expect to "speedrun" on it. Or better yet, use a real DS.
Yes, Desmume has improved alot over the past year. Even on a so-so computer or ok laptop, you can play most games pretty well.
Though I note that on some slower computers, not only are some of graphics a bit off, but the ability to slow down the game is lost; on my laptop, it can only go fast forward, normal, or frame-by-frame, but not slow (not that I need to use it).
Desmume has also become one of my favorite emulators as well.
Actually, we have a perfect emulator stuffed in the back. We just keep it to ourselves because we don't want people to start doing "speed runs" that aren't TASes. It saves other sites the headaches of people trying to submit emulated runs.
Yes, the DS requires more power to emulate than a playstation. Desmume runs well on a nice computer. Now go get a nice computer if you expect to "speedrun" on it. Or better yet, use a real DS.
Good luck having even remotely good quality recording from a real DS, haha.
Good luck having even remotely good quality recording from a real DS, haha.
Well, not sure what constitutes good quality in your book, but these examples show that more than enough for speedrunning is possible to achieve: [1], [2], [3].
And adelikat's advice is spot-on. It's either a real DS or a powerful computer (or a huge amount of wishful thinking).
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
Good luck having even remotely good quality recording from a real DS, haha.
Well, not sure what constitutes good quality in your book, but these examples show that more than enough for speedrunning is possible to achieve: [1], [2], [3].
And adelikat's advice is spot-on. It's either a real DS or a powerful computer (or a huge amount of wishful thinking).
You missed some other fine examples!
4, 5, and 6
(Note: 6 isn't properly transfigured from its sideways recording. But the quality of the video is still pretty good.)
Good luck having even remotely good quality recording from a real DS, haha.
Well, not sure what constitutes good quality in your book, but these examples show that more than enough for speedrunning is possible to achieve: [1], [2], [3].
And adelikat's advice is spot-on. It's either a real DS or a powerful computer (or a huge amount of wishful thinking).
Yes, because spending unholy amounts on a great camera and holding it in place with something while keeping the DS in place on a desk or something is really comfortable. Completely. Impractical.
Please help me understand this. Are you complaining about the hobby you've chosen? Or do you want us to help you save money by doing the job you would otherwise have to pay for? Or is it both?
You either get a good computer or do whatever you need to record a speedrun off a real DS (which is far easier and cheaper than you think, actually). Alternatively, wait indefinite amount of time and pray one of these conditions magically satisfies itself.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
Frankly, if I were in your position, much as I'd wish that my computer could run the DS emulator at an acceptable speed, I'd be happy that it runs at all. It's not like the emulator developers are being paid for their work; they're doing this in their spare time. Complaining that their hobby efforts don't meet your requirements is not exactly what I'd call polite.
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
I have a low-end laptop from 2005 and I am thankful that I am able to play DS games at all
I can barely wait to upgrade to a high-end system for its time, probably in 2012, then I'll probably be able to run Wii and PS2 games in real time lol
Please help me understand this. Are you complaining about the hobby you've chosen? Or do you want us to help you save money by doing the job you would otherwise have to pay for? Or is it both?
You either get a good computer or do whatever you need to record a speedrun off a real DS (which is far easier and cheaper than you think, actually). Alternatively, wait indefinite amount of time and pray one of these conditions magically satisfies itself.
Huh? Where am I complaining about my hobby...?
So, easier and cheaper? Good cameras are not cheap. And, no, it isn't easy. It'd have to be laying on the desk, or even worse floor, pretty much ruling out me pressing buttons fast, so... And getting the camera in a good position to record -only- the screen?
In the following passage, basically. :)
DevilSpree wrote:
So, easier and cheaper? Good cameras are not cheap. And, no, it isn't easy. It'd have to be laying on the desk, or even worse floor, pretty much ruling out me pressing buttons fast, so... And getting the camera in a good position to record -only- the screen?
You successfully fail to make a point because you're in denial about its simplicity.
First of all, almost any cheap $100–150 camera (like Samsung L210) will deliver a nice 640x480+ video at 30 fps, which is already quite enough. If that is still too much money for you I suggest finding a job instead of playing games. :)
Second, neither the camera nor the DS are supposed to be positioned horizontally. You can fixate them on a desired vertical angle using any surrounding objects — books, duct tape, wires, whatever. You are using your wit to find timesavers in speedrunning, I can't believe you find something like this a hard task.
Third, I still don't understand what do you want and why you keep fighting adelikat's initial advice when you clearly have no better options*.
(* — Learning programming languages and helping optimize DeSmuME is such better option.)
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
150$ = cheap? "nice"? As in, barely visible, glare-filled and blurry, which is what I see from most non-capture card records? 30fps would mean I have to double the speed of the video when uploading, or have it look worse than PAL.
Yes, let's add more objects to the circle. Why not just cover the buttons entirely? If the DS can't be held like a controller, it is useless for speedrunning. Reminds me of the people who say what guitar is great and for what purpose on music games when they really have no idea what they're saying.
So, easier and cheaper? Good cameras are not cheap. And, no, it isn't easy. It'd have to be laying on the desk, or even worse floor, pretty much ruling out me pressing buttons fast, so... And getting the camera in a good position to record -only- the screen?
150$ = cheap? "nice"? As in, barely visible, glare-filled and blurry, which is what I see from most non-capture card records? 30fps would mean I have to double the speed of the video when uploading, or have it look worse than PAL.
Yes, let's add more objects to the circle. Why not just cover the buttons entirely? If the DS can't be held like a controller, it is useless for speedrunning. Reminds me of the people who say what guitar is great and for what purpose on music games when they really have no idea what they're saying.
You seem to have not the slightest idea what you're talking about, yet you're still in denial. Yeah, $150 is pretty cheap for recording equipment. If that is still over your capabilities that leads me to believe you're 14 years old who still gets all his pocket money from parents. Well, in case this is still a surprise to you, developing an emulator is a work worth at least an order of magnitude more than that, and you get the results for free. Keep this in mind.
This topic has outlived its usefulness.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
