Loading time regression on v1.4.1 for modded game, Gran Turismo 2 plus (PAL, Complete mod on SLES-02380, 12380)

[RAKtheUndead]

tonyhax version: 1.4.1 (works on 1.3.5)
Installation method: Copied across using wLaunchELF 4.43a to memory card
Entry point game: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (PAL, SLES-03954)
Console model: SCPH-30003 R / SCPH-39003 / SCPH-102
Integrity check: Yes
BIOS version: v4.5 (SCPH-102) / v5.0 (SCPH-30003 R/SCPH-39003)
Target game: Gran Turismo 2 plus [Complete] (mod applied to SLES-02380 / SLES-12380)

Using tonyhax 1.3.5 with this mod, the discs load in the time expected when using original discs. When using tonyhax 1.4.1, there is a consistent delay after the initial splash screen until the game reaches the language selection point on both discs. This has been tested with multiple burns of the same disc and while it appears from initial testing that this is a mostly cosmetic issue, as the games seem to work correctly once they reach the language selection screen, it does seem to be a regression across different versions of tonyhax and can be demonstrated across multiple PlayStation models.

[socram8888]

Please try this version: tonyhax-v1.4.2b.zip (built from 95a3ed9)

I've made some changes that makes this v1.4.2 more compatible with some games.

[RAKtheUndead]

I've tested this with my SCPH-39003, but when I try to load games through tonyhax using this version, it locks up on "Checking game region", for both original and burned discs. This is an almost instantaneous step on 1.4.1. I'll check later with my other PS2 and my PSone.

[socram8888]

I'm afraid that might be caused by the commit 95a3ed9, which changes the address where sectors from the CD are read. Again I don't have a PS2 BIOS to test it on an emulator so I can't be 100% sure.

[RAKtheUndead]

I've tested this using 1.4.2b on my SCPH-102; it actually loads the game and I can see from #99 that you'll be resolving the PS2-related issues. However, the game still has the disproportionate load times that I saw on 1.4.1. For what it's worth, I've also tested this with the original Gran Turismo 2 PAL Arcade disc (SLES-02380) and it exhibits the same behaviour, so it doesn't seem to be linked specifically to this mod.

[RAKtheUndead]

I've now tested this with v1.4.3 - it's back to how it was in v1.4.1, in that it takes an extraordinarily long amount of time to load into the language select screen, but the game seems to operate normally beyond that. I've confirmed it happens consistently with all three systems and with both discs of the game, whether original or modded.

[socram8888]

I tried using tonyhax boot CD on no$psx and I couldn't replicate it. Will try on my SCPH-102

[alex-free]

This would be fixed since the latest commit which moves the CD sector buffer to where the BIOS has it right?

[socram8888]

Possibly, but I wanted to try in real hardware in case it was caused by something else. I'll have to get my hands on a new ps2 before that happens so I can load tonyhax on the memory card

[alex-free]

Possibly, but I wanted to try in real hardware in case it was caused by something else. I'll have to get my hands on a new ps2 before that happens so I can load tonyhax on the memory card

I have a SCPH-30001 (also have 2 SCPH-10000s but those are Japanese obviously). I could give it a try some time.

[socram8888]

That'd be really helpful!

[RAKtheUndead]

I'll do a test on this myself this weekend with my own PSone/PS2s.

[RAKtheUndead]

Unfortunately, this issue is still appearing on all three systems I mentioned in my original post, specifically that it takes an extraordinary amount of time to reach the intro movie on the Arcade disc and then an additional period of time to reach the language selection screen on both discs. This applies both to a stock set of official release Gran Turismo 2 PAL discs and to the Gran Turismo 2 plus mod that I mentioned in the first post.

From my limited test of gameplay, there still appears to be no issues outside of that with the game, so it's peculiar that it just seems to manifest right at the start of loading the game.

[RAKtheUndead]

Just for clarification, I tested with both v1.4.4 and the v1.4.5b package referenced in bug #135.

[socram8888]

Thanks for the test. I'll see what I can do once I get this remote execution thingy working reliably