Paper Mario Leveling Issue

[BrainWashedPanda]

I know this same issue has come up a bunch of other times but my issues has different variables. I havent used any cheats, ive trayed both Glide and Rice plugins, all versions I might add and im using 1.6, all other games seem to work on the default graphic/audio settings for PJ64. Paper Mario plays like a champ except when i have to level for the first time, screen freezes to this exact part everytime.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5858/freezersi.jpg

Ive updated my DirectX to the latest version. Ive messed with alot of different configurations of PJ64 and I just cant seem to get passed this one bug. Ive also tryed running Vista in 16 bit and 32 bit and no change, im literally at my wits end I feel like ive tryed everything. With audio. With out audio. This plugin, that plugin, etc, etc, etc

Im using an ATI Radeon 3400 series GFX card, could this be my only problem? Every other game I use runs perfectly fine on my system except for this one, oddly enough its my favorite game too which totally blows.

Any ideas?

[Also dont mind the insane Frame rate, i disable limit framerate during this test and it was no change from Limiting the frame rate]

[rswedlow]

This is evidently internal to the chosen emulator, so your co-operation would be helpful in future.

From Options/Settings... make sure advanced settings aren't hidden (Options tab).
Now when you right-click the installed game for Paper Mario in Project64's game browser there should be an option "Edit Game Settings".

As an immediate check, you might want to begin by setting "CPU core style" to "Interpreter".
Next time you start the game with this setting applied things should be slower, but see if the crash will still happen.

If it doesn't happen, set it back to re-compilation and experiment with the "self-modifying code method" option.

[BrainWashedPanda]

Update. Im using 1.7 now and the same thing still applys, same problem at same period.

I tryed what you said and when i tryed to run the game the first time an error poped up and that didn mark down what it said, but when i tryed running the game again the message didnt come up. I then got to the area of effect of the problem and it occured again.

Should I try using 1.6 with this possible fix? Mind you im very much uneducated in the emulation field, all of these options are pretty much rocket surgery to me.

Edit: Ive tryed both 1.7 and 1.6. No change in emulation when it comes to where it freezes

[rswedlow]

With 1.7 there is risk. I like to use 1.6.

If the "Interpreter" setting doesn't fix the crash on version 1.6 that gives information.
Can you upload a save state before the crash chance? Attach to a post or a download link to filesend.net?

[BrainWashedPanda]

OK, ill use 1.6 so were on the same page. I already had a save state during a fight. All you need to do is attack and its a garunteed level up.

I BELIEVE this is the save state, i snagged it out of the save folder and its the only one that says Paper Mario other than some flash document

[rswedlow]

Save state is valid. Thanks for your time.
Tonight I must sleep; I will test this tomorrow.

Either way whatever happens this is some helpful information for us both.

[BrainWashedPanda]

Ok, thanks much for the effort.

[rswedlow]

This tests positive a.k.a. "known issue".

TLB / delay / misc. tests won't change, and the interpreter still crashes.

Some of the main memory crashes (those that can't be prevented by configuration is my take on that, at least configuration Should be set up to justify that) were fixed in some betas of a coming release, but as you pointed out that does not include this.

In the meantime, is this current issue, destroying your progress or some other effect? I can look into making a code that could do something like, warp you out after leveling up straight after the crash, or prevent it otherwise.

[BrainWashedPanda]

Well, this happens only when I level. The game runs smooth as eggs for everything else, gameplay, movies, etc. But if I cant level up I pretty much cant play because eventually, a boss WILL come that im going to have to beat to progress and its going to give me experience.

The only thing I can think of is using a cheat to max my level but id rather not play if i cant progress the character, you know?

The code idea would be sound however during the freeze the sequence directly after makes you pick which "power up" you want for each level up IE Health boost, Magic boost, Equipment boost so in turn if i dont get to pick a power up it would be like not leveling at all and still hinder my progress because I would essentially always be at level 1 and eventually would get creamed by later enemies.

[rswedlow]

Also if there are different ways to level up like in other areas try those.
This is still an internal problem though then reporting it.

Can you be directed to use another emulator? I can't read too much on how far you were at this point, but after all this can you try another one like 1964 or Mupen64?

[BrainWashedPanda]

Yes ive tried using different enemies in different screens when I first encountered the issue, It seems to be non limited to screens and enemies.

Ive been messing with 1964 to get the right configuration to run on my system. And Mupen well, Mupen just plain doesnt want to work at all

[rswedlow]

Why won't 1964 and Mupen64 work?

[BrainWashedPanda]

Ok I got 1964 to run - I had to use Jabos plugins because the defaults to 1964 were not working with my system. I actually had to transfer ALL plugins because not even the Input would work right. Regardless, I just got to level up at the same point and 1964 doesnt freeze when I level up. The only issues so far with 1964 is slight graphic glitches and No audio with any plug in seems to work - but im still experimenting. The biggest thing is that I can actually play, although id much rather use PJ64 since its never failed me before.

Mupen is being fickle. It open fine, no errors or anything but anytime I try to load a Rom it will start to go and then freeze before I even get any graphics to show. I was looking at the website and it said that unless you have pretty decked out comp specs dont expect Mupen to run. So maybe thats it

But for now, lets just see how far 1964 wants to take me.

EDIT - First issue. I cant physically save. Gonna have to Save State the whole way. I keep getting an error and a crash or just a crash whenever I try to physically save in game

[rswedlow]

Ok I got 1964 to run - I had to use Jabos plugins because the defaults to 1964 were not working with my system. I actually had to transfer ALL plugins because not even the Input would work right.

You were able to install Glide64 and different RiceVideo plug-ins to Project64. If you must use Jabo's plug-in with 1964, the graphics issues you see are, in general, the same as the set when using that GPU for Project64. There are core configurations that can affect display, but see if Glide64 or RiceVideo 6.1.0 or mudlord's installer result works.

Regardless, I just got to level up at the same point and 1964 doesnt freeze when I level up. The only issues so far with 1964 is slight graphic glitches and No audio with any plug in seems to work - but im still experimenting. The biggest thing is that I can actually play, although id much rather use PJ64 since its never failed me before.

If you want to use Jabo's DirectSound 1.6 with 1964, you should also use the RSP.dll RSP plug-in from "Project64\Plugin". Otherwise this processing is done internally by 1964, but other sound plug-ins should work in that condition.

Perhaps later you may be able to save your progress with 1964/Mupen64 after you are finished with the game as far as leveling up goes, and then you can safely use Project64 for the remaining time.

Mupen is being fickle. It open fine, no errors or anything but anytime I try to load a Rom it will start to go and then freeze before I even get any graphics to show. I was looking at the website and it said that unless you have pretty decked out comp specs dont expect Mupen to run. So maybe thats it

But for now, lets just see how far 1964 wants to take me.

Did you try changing also the graphics plug-in used by Mupen64? The default is Glide64.
I don't want to interrupt your progress, though.

EDIT - First issue. I cant physically save. Gonna have to Save State the whole way. I keep getting an error and a crash or just a crash whenever I try to physically save in game

This could be one of those cases where 1964 got unstable. Sometimes things like that restarting emulation helps, but did you get any error messages or what worth noting?

[BrainWashedPanda]

You were able to install Glide64 and different RiceVideo plug-ins to Project64. If you must use Jabo's plug-in with 1964, the graphics issues you see are, in general, the same as the set when using that GPU for Project64. There are core configurations that can affect display, but see if Glide64 or RiceVideo 6.1.0 or mudlord's installer result works.

For which emulator are you refering to?

If you want to use Jabo's DirectSound 1.6 with 1964, you should also use the RSP.dll RSP plug-in from "Project64\Plugin". Otherwise this processing is done internally by 1964, but other sound plug-ins should work in that condition.

AHA, Sound works now. Excellent.

Perhaps later you may be able to save your progress with 1964/Mupen64 after you are finished with the game as far as leveling up goes, and then you can safely use Project64 for the remaining time.

I suppose in theory that could work for everytime I level, tedious as it may seem. Thing is when trying to use save states from PJ64, 1964 doesnt want to read them - even though there is a specific option to load PJ64 game states.

Did you try changing also the graphics plug-in used by Mupen64? The default is Glide64.
I don't want to interrupt your progress, though.

Mupen 64 comes with 3 different plugins, none of which worked. Glide64, GlN64, and Direct64. Rice gave me an error about failing to intialize DirectX8, then followed by a crash but still not going passed the Emulator being frozen. Both of Jabos plugins -1.6 and 1.5.2 also did not help.

Im just an amateur but i think its not something relating to the plugin per ce but something internal with either my computer and the settings of the emulator because the same freeze/crash happens with ALL plugins other than the Rice.

This could be one of those cases where 1964 got unstable. Sometimes things like that restarting emulation helps, but did you get any error messages or what worth noting?

I restarted when it first happened since it actually crashed the Emulator. The error message I got I didnt keep in mind but when I restarted the error did happen when saving at that point in time, during a later point in time - only minutes - the error came up again during a different instance, location, etc.

I just tryed again for test purposes and it didnt occur. It might just be as you say an instability im going to incur every now and then.

_____

Additionally. Whenever I try to use Rice I always get the same message for all emulators. "Can not initialize DX8, check your Direct settings" followed by a "Error to start video" then either a crash, a freeze or a revert back to the main emulation screen without harm. When it goes to the screen the rom actually loads, but just audio. When editing the config you can use either DirectX or OpenGL for the Rice, when set to DirectX is when I get the previous error. OpenGL will run video but the graphics are quite messed up. Text is gone, objects gone, generally unplayable with this as the option

UPDATE: When using Glide with 1964, Paper Mario runs perfect. 30FPS isnt PERFECT but it runs smooth and thats what matters. The graphics arent as clear and pretty as say Jabo but the choppiness and flickering is all gone. Audio runs good too as you fixed for me. My only concern is wether or no I will still be able to level up or if I will have a problem in the later future.

For the record im going to combine all the Video Plugins into one folder and run all 3 emulators using each plugin and show the results

[rswedlow]

For which emulator are you refering to?

I meant if there are graphics issues with 1964 they are mostly controlled by the graphics plug-in, and though this is obvious it means the same issues would happen on Project64 if you used Jabo's Direct3D8 1.6 there as well.

If you were happy with using Glide64 or RiceVideo on Project64 see if you can use those plug-ins on 1964 and Mupen64.

I suppose in theory that could work for everytime I level, tedious as it may seem. Thing is when trying to use save states from PJ64, 1964 doesnt want to read them - even though there is a specific option to load PJ64 game states.

I think just after all leveling up has been done, then transfer the native (internal) save to Project64 since no more leveling up is needed to see if there are other crashes, too.

1964 last I checked was able to load a save state from Project64 1.4; still its support is noted to rarely work. Other than that there is no way for us to transfer save states between emulators, so I was hoping about the native/battery saves.

The FLA files you see in the Save subfolder of either emulator are the cartridge saves as N64 would write. By renaming just the file names of either copy, they will load in another emulator.

Mupen 64 comes with 3 different plugins, none of which worked. Glide64, GlN64, and Direct64. Rice gave me an error about failing to intialize DirectX8, then followed by a crash but still not going passed the Emulator being frozen. Both of Jabos plugins -1.6 and 1.5.2 also did not help.

Im just an amateur but i think its not something relating to the plugin per ce but something internal with either my computer and the settings of the emulator because the same freeze/crash happens with ALL plugins other than the Rice.

could be...
What if you uninstalled all graphics plug-ins from Mupen64 except Jabo's Direct3D6 1.5.2?
If that doesn't help uninstall that plug-in as well, and install and test the CFB plug-in by zilmar. The plug-in file for zilmar's Basic CFB Plugin is attached in a zip archive to the current post.

Additionally. Whenever I try to use Rice I always get the same message for all emulators. "Can not initialize DX8, check your Direct settings" followed by a "Error to start video" then either a crash, a freeze or a revert back to the main emulation screen without harm. When it goes to the screen the rom actually loads, but just audio. When editing the config you can use either DirectX or OpenGL for the Rice, when set to DirectX is when I get the previous error. OpenGL will run video but the graphics are quite messed up. Text is gone, objects gone, generally unplayable with this as the option

Iirc if DirectX does not initialize the plug-in may try to use software rasterization, which if that would work gives pixelated appearances.

You were able to use Glide64, but apparently Rice's Video Plugin must also have not worked when you originally tested it with Project64?
See if you can check through DirectX diagnostics.
See if there's a Run option somewhere from your Windows Start menu, and through that enter "dxdiag".

If this pulls off a screenshot of the first tab should do fine.

UPDATE: When using Glide with 1964, Paper Mario runs perfect. 30FPS isnt PERFECT but it runs smooth and thats what matters. The graphics arent as clear and pretty as say Jabo but the choppiness and flickering is all gone. Audio runs good too as you fixed for me. My only concern is wether or no I will still be able to level up or if I will have a problem in the later future.

For the record im going to combine all the Video Plugins into one folder and run all 3 emulators using each plugin and show the results

We'll see if we can get RiceVideo to work, just to have another item to compare from. I set a config that will fix the flickering for Paper Mario as well. Glide64 does it, too, and plays the game more accurately.

Unclear graphics could be caused by texture filtering within the Glide64 wrapper, which can also be configured in that regard. Actually through this wrapper, just for reference, you are able to use OpenGL for Glide64. (Since the plug-in doesn't work on most cards today.)

[sister miyagi]

Hi,

I'm guessing this thread is the reason there is a cheat code to never get any star points in Paper Mario. Is there any way to reverse this code? :o I tried changing the value portion of the code to 0001 (so it would turn on! :v ) and 0063 (a couple of other codes use this number for a maximum value) but I still don't get any star points, even with the code deactivated, even after restarting emulation. Serves me right for messing with codes, I guess.

Also, as far as graphics, Rice's plugin works all right with Project64, but seems to consume too many resources for my Intel integrated chipset - even just turning on 2xsai makes it run at 20-30 FPS, and scene transitions, even at default settings, also crawl (not to mention the sprite issues). I tried Glide64, though, and it runs smooth as butter, with all the 2xsai goodness I love, and without the glitching at scene transitions that occurs with Jabo's plugin. Give it a try.

So far, I really like this emulator :)

Edit: Never mind on the code part. I figured out my problem: I'd set my level high enough that no enemies gave me star points. Once I reset my level to what it should've been for that area, I started earning them again.