Soooo... emulators are fully banned (for unknown reason). Since there are not reasons and solutions to make them allowed, there are possible solutions.
- Emulator rules It is known that emulators are not accurate enough so there should be rules, that makes emulators able to compete console players. One of the most used emulator is "ePSXe" so:
- Video plugin: ePSXe GPU Core 2.0.0
- Sound plugin: ePSXe SPU Core 2.0.0
- CDrom plugin: ePSXe CDR WNT/W2K core 2.0.0
- CPU overclocking: 1x
- GTE Hack NOT allowed
- CPU Mode: Dynarec
- FPS Limit: OFF
- Frame skipping: OFF
- Sound effects MUST be allowed (to avoid speed up emulation)
- Save states are NOT allowed
- Other modifications are NOT allowed
These settings make emulator compatible with console players as well. Other emulators needs settings too. Also there should be list of banned emulators.
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Category for emulators Next solution is simple, just splitting console players from emulators. Personally I think the best place is "Misc" category because they are "hidden". The settings that I posted below must be used too.
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Gran turismo 2 [Emulators only] Third (and last) solution is not the best but it can work. Submit GT2 again but for emulators only. Also, rules should be for each emulator to make things correct.
So these three solution proves that emulators can be allowed. GT1 have not allowed emulators too so these solutions can be used in GT1 as well. I think it will be best if all 3 moderators share his opinion. Disabled emulators is problem number one of dead boards :/ .
Have a good day.
@n1nj4ofshr3d , @DragoonClawNZ or @thebook92 should respond in these posts. The emulator rules are not the last thing what's missing in these leaderboards. I noticed that arcade mode is missing as well. Long time ago community voted for removing license runs from IL boards, then NOTHING happend in these boards. I don't know if someone really care about GT2, I'm sure n1nj4ofshr3d is the only one active moderator, which verifing runs so he should be verifer if he only verifing runs.
Tl;DR: official emulation isn't happening. End of. Arcade Mode most likely will.
The reason why emulators are banned is because none of them are 100% accurate to official hardware (not even Mednafen, an emulator known for its accuracy). Namely, loading times vary greatly, even between PC builds, and can give someone with a good computer a massive advantage over someone playing on an actual PS2. Even if everyone ran the exact same emulator settings, the variations between PC builds would still cause differences in loading times. The only way to make sure the playing field stays even is to ensure everyone uses official Sony hardware. PS2s and copies of GT2 can be had on eBay for around $60, so the barrier to entry is not particularly high. I personally enjoy practicing on ePSXe (being able to use my Xbox One controller is wonderful), but actual runs always have been and always will be done on console.
As for Arcade%, we're working on a rule set that defines a "new game" for the purposes of Arcade Mode, since the Super License is required to have all the tracks unlocked. Watch this space.
That sounds strange. At least me (I checked that) have same loading times like console players. FPS frameskip and FPS limiter can make these things right since FPS doing a lot in loading. I don't know when did you checked that or what versions did you tried but something force my emulator to have exact same loading times...
About that license runs, community voted for removing these runs because there are boards on cyberscore website. About that arcade mode, it can be used in IL like for example: Tahiti road - B class. The classes can be used instead of garage vehicles (and avoid escudo to be on every track).
Two different emulator versions, three different plugins, multiple configurations, and I could not get it to accurately recreate the loading times of an actual PS2 (though I do admit, I was impressed that 2.0.5 was pretty good about the Midfield frame lag). This is why emus are banned.
As for Arcade, we're going to keep it to a full-game run (the category has now been added). As Cyberscore has a MUCH more comprehensive database of ILs than we do, I suggest messaging the mods over there and seeing about getting individual class leaderboards added.
So emulators just can't compete console runners, but emulator users can compete each others? I always though that console is slower than emulation...
"Even if everyone ran the exact same emulator settings, the variations between PC builds would still cause differences in loading times." -me, literally in my first response to you. If there was a way to remove load times from the game entirely we might consider allowing emulators, but we can't so we won't. Locking this topic, as there's no need for further discussion on it.
