Umbrasquall
Smash Ace
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2007
- Messages
- 504
This is a guide on what to do to solve the various issues that you may come across when trying to play Project64k online. The reason I am making this guide is because I've had so much trouble in the past months trying to get Smash up and running smoothly after I installed Windows Vista. I know that I am not the only person that has been frustrated by the deficiencies of PJ64, so I've compiled everything I know into this post in hopes that it will spare someone else the troubles that I've had. So, on to the problems themselves…
Note: My goal in all this was to make PJ64k online Smash run exactly as it does or as close as possible to playing Smash on the real N64 (provided a decent connection and sufficient RAM).
WINDOWS VISTA GRAPHICS ISSUES:
The Problem:
"While processing graphic data an exception occurred you may need to restart the emulator."
The above is #1 most common graphics issue that most everyone will experience sometime during their encounter with Project64. It appears in the form of an incredibly annoying popup that will jump up in your face, freezing the ongoing game behind it (and if you are online, consequently lagging the game for the other players in the room) and won't disappear until you click "Ok." As far as I can tell, this message is totally random, but tends to happen more often when the screen changes (aka. from menu to character selection or character selection to stage selection). It also pops up whenever your finger or someone else's finger moves onto a different character (in the character selection screen). It also occurs sometimes, although rarely, whenever you do a smash attack in game.
The error by itself is just a small nuisance most of the time, since unless you're unlucky enough to have the smash attack problem, it will only occur up until the characters and stages have been selected. Afterwards, for some reason, the problem will usually disappear for the duration of the game(s). However, I have had times when the problem will just not go away at all and will perpetually bug the hell out of you until you just give up and bash on your keyboard. But enough of the description, and on to the solution.
The Solution:
I will outline several ways to solve this problem, if you are running Aero, read the update at the bottom as well:
Method #1: This is the most complicated method, but is almost guaranteed to solve your problem.
a. Go to the official Project64 site (http://www.pj64.net/main/index.php) and download the latest version that is available to the public there, which should be version 1.6.
b. Install it, and go to the directory you installed it to, and open the "plugins" folder.
c. Copy everything in this folder and paste into the "plugins" folder in your Project64k folder. Overwrite everything necessary.
d. Find the freshly pasted file named Jabo_Direct3D8.dll in your PJ64k plugins folder and rename it to Jabo_Direct3D7.dll. What you're doing here is updating the graphics plugin for Project64k to use the latest plugin in Project64, you need to rename it because PJ64k loads Jabo_Direct3D7.dll and won't recognize Jabo_Direct3D8.dll .
e. That's it. However, I'd recommend not deleting or uninstalling Project64 1.6 from your computer. You might need it later (See Method #2).
NOTE: You may also use any other N64 emulator graphics plugin that you may find online. AS LONG as you name them to Jabo_Direct3D7.dll and put it into your PJ64k plugin folder.
Method #2: This is the follow up to Method #1. I have experienced that Method #1, although reliable, may not solve your problems completely. For me, either because of Vista or just because PJ64k hates my computer, I was still occasionally getting the graphics error. The following is what I did for a while to remedy this problem.
a. I downloaded a clean copy of PJ64k. (It should be in a zipped format if you got it from the official site, btw PJ64k and PJ64 are not related.)
b. I deleted the original Project64k folder on my computer, and unzipped a clean version.
c. I went to the Project64 1.6 plugins folder (See Method #1) and recopied all of the plugins there over to the PJ64k plugins folder, and renamed Jabo_Direct3D8.dll to Jabo_Direct3D7.dll. Then, I copied a fresh copy of Jabo_Direct3D8.dll to the folder as well. (Don't ask me why, it doesn't make sense but it sometimes works.)
d. Restart the game, BUT, load a different version of Smash (aka. NOT Super Smash Brothers U [!]). You can find different versions of Smash online.
e. End emulation after proceeding to the Main Menu, hopefully you haven't experienced the error. Good luck.
Method #3: This final method is the last major change I made. I have not had any problems graphically since.
a. Go into the settings and change the screen resolution to 800x600, 32-bit, 60 HZ. Make sure your computer is running in 32-bit (For WinXP it's: Right-click desktop->Settings->Display. For Vista it's: Right-click desktop->Personalize->Display Settings. You should all know how to check this.) 60 HZ is the usual TV setting, so that's why I picked it. Hopefully this will solve the problem for the people who have gone through the first 2 methods and are still experiencing it.
There's a final tip I have. It's not really a method or solution, but I've found that if you offset the PJ64k window against a light background, for example, the maximized folder, you're less likely to get the error, whereas, if the only thing behind the PJ64k window is your dark wallpaper, you have a heightened chance of agitating the graphics error.
The Problem (2):
There's been a lot of complaints about people not being able to see their hands when they are selecting their character, not being able to see Samus's bolt, the percent damages at the bottom of the screen, having weird shaped shields, Fox's reflector, etc. This Is because your graphics plugin is old. See method 1 from the previous problem to update your graphics plugin. The game should look exactly like it does on the real system.
That's it for graphics.
~
CONTROLLER ISSUES:
When I first got my PSX/N64 to USB adapter I was understandably excited about the whole thing. I was going to be able to play online like the real system! Unfortunately, much to my dismay, after plugging in my carefully preserved 64 controller into the slot, I found that it handled like Donkey Kong on codeine.
I searched around for solutions, and messed with the deadzone, but even with it set to 0%, the controls still felt sluggish. I had problems dashing or falling down through platforms without having to smash very hard on the joystick. It was causing me pain because the controller that I had so carefully preserved (I got it with my original N64 purchased more than 10 years ago) was wearing down fast.
So after I looked around, I found this site:
http://www.sitesled.com/members/myztek/index.html
It is quite amazing the solutions you can come across on the Internet. The site above is very well written and I suggest taking a thorough look at it. But in case you don't want to bother reading the entire thing, it basically says that you need to be using N-Rage's plugin and not the default Jabo controller plugin. The deadzone settings on this are much more liberal and will allow you to set the sensitivity super-high, to the extent that ghost-movements actually become a problem.
Unfortunately, if you try to use the N-Rage plugin online, you will experience more problems, big surprise. If you're hosting the game, you will find that no one else can move their hand in the Character Selection Menu, or if you are joining someone else's game, you will not be able to move your hand. To top that off, if you're able to somehow get a game started, it will desynchronize within seconds. Annoying isn't it?
To fix this new troublesome issue, you will need download from here: http://www.emulator-zone.com/doc.php/n64/n64plugins.html the latest N-Rage plugin, it'll be the version 1.83 one. Put this into your PJ64k plugin folder (Overwrite if necessary).
Now go into the controller settings and make sure that all the other controllers are set to "Unplugged." Then make sure that under Controller 1, Pontroller Pak, "RawData" is unchecked. Also in the main controller 1 screen, uncheck "Real N64 Range" to be safe. Now everything should work out! Just play around with the deadzone settings and soon your controller will also work exactly like you're playing on the real system!
NOTE: The above solution should be of aid to people who are having problems with 3rd party controllers, aka Xbox 360 controllers, Logitech PS2 style controllers, etc.
~
KAILLERA ISSUES:
I personally never had problems with connecting/hosting/playing on Kaillera myself. To be honest I think that if you have a decent Internet connection and the latest version of PJ64k, there shouldn't be a problem. But just in case, below is the link to get the latest Kaillera files for your PJ64k folder.
http://www.anti3d.com/dl/anti3d_kailleraclient_1.1.zip
~
**** that took a long time to write. I'll probably think of something else later, but that's all I'm doing for now. If you have any issues that I didn't mention here, post them, and the solutions if you know it. Good luck everyone, and happy Smashing.
EXTRA TIPS:
1. To activate Item Switch, activate the "Have Mushroom Kingdom" cheat built into the ROM. It doubles as the Item Switch cheat. I have no reason why they made it this way, and it took me forever before someone told me this.
2. Don't pick RANDOM stage while playing online. It will cause a desynch.
3. The official Nintendo website still sells brand new controllers(~25$), as well as replacement joysticks (8$). As we all know, the joysticks on the 64 controller wear out faster than patience while playing Isai in a Link ditto.) (On a side note, why is it called "ditto" anyway? It should be "mirror.")
UPDATE:
If you're running Aero (You'll know you are if your windows are translucent/seethrough) then you must do the following in addition to the above graphics solutions:
1. Right-click PJ64k, and go to properties.
2. In the compatibility tab, select Run this program in compatibility mode for: and choose Windows 98/ME (XP will probably work here as well).
3. Check the following: Disable visual themes, Disable desktop composition, Disable display scaling on high DPI settings, Run this program as an administrator.
When you run PJ64k, Windows will jump back into Basic mode, and Aero will be restored again when you exit the program.
Note: My goal in all this was to make PJ64k online Smash run exactly as it does or as close as possible to playing Smash on the real N64 (provided a decent connection and sufficient RAM).
WINDOWS VISTA GRAPHICS ISSUES:
The Problem:
"While processing graphic data an exception occurred you may need to restart the emulator."
The above is #1 most common graphics issue that most everyone will experience sometime during their encounter with Project64. It appears in the form of an incredibly annoying popup that will jump up in your face, freezing the ongoing game behind it (and if you are online, consequently lagging the game for the other players in the room) and won't disappear until you click "Ok." As far as I can tell, this message is totally random, but tends to happen more often when the screen changes (aka. from menu to character selection or character selection to stage selection). It also pops up whenever your finger or someone else's finger moves onto a different character (in the character selection screen). It also occurs sometimes, although rarely, whenever you do a smash attack in game.
The error by itself is just a small nuisance most of the time, since unless you're unlucky enough to have the smash attack problem, it will only occur up until the characters and stages have been selected. Afterwards, for some reason, the problem will usually disappear for the duration of the game(s). However, I have had times when the problem will just not go away at all and will perpetually bug the hell out of you until you just give up and bash on your keyboard. But enough of the description, and on to the solution.
The Solution:
I will outline several ways to solve this problem, if you are running Aero, read the update at the bottom as well:
Method #1: This is the most complicated method, but is almost guaranteed to solve your problem.
a. Go to the official Project64 site (http://www.pj64.net/main/index.php) and download the latest version that is available to the public there, which should be version 1.6.
b. Install it, and go to the directory you installed it to, and open the "plugins" folder.
c. Copy everything in this folder and paste into the "plugins" folder in your Project64k folder. Overwrite everything necessary.
d. Find the freshly pasted file named Jabo_Direct3D8.dll in your PJ64k plugins folder and rename it to Jabo_Direct3D7.dll. What you're doing here is updating the graphics plugin for Project64k to use the latest plugin in Project64, you need to rename it because PJ64k loads Jabo_Direct3D7.dll and won't recognize Jabo_Direct3D8.dll .
e. That's it. However, I'd recommend not deleting or uninstalling Project64 1.6 from your computer. You might need it later (See Method #2).
NOTE: You may also use any other N64 emulator graphics plugin that you may find online. AS LONG as you name them to Jabo_Direct3D7.dll and put it into your PJ64k plugin folder.
Method #2: This is the follow up to Method #1. I have experienced that Method #1, although reliable, may not solve your problems completely. For me, either because of Vista or just because PJ64k hates my computer, I was still occasionally getting the graphics error. The following is what I did for a while to remedy this problem.
a. I downloaded a clean copy of PJ64k. (It should be in a zipped format if you got it from the official site, btw PJ64k and PJ64 are not related.)
b. I deleted the original Project64k folder on my computer, and unzipped a clean version.
c. I went to the Project64 1.6 plugins folder (See Method #1) and recopied all of the plugins there over to the PJ64k plugins folder, and renamed Jabo_Direct3D8.dll to Jabo_Direct3D7.dll. Then, I copied a fresh copy of Jabo_Direct3D8.dll to the folder as well. (Don't ask me why, it doesn't make sense but it sometimes works.)
d. Restart the game, BUT, load a different version of Smash (aka. NOT Super Smash Brothers U [!]). You can find different versions of Smash online.
e. End emulation after proceeding to the Main Menu, hopefully you haven't experienced the error. Good luck.
Method #3: This final method is the last major change I made. I have not had any problems graphically since.
a. Go into the settings and change the screen resolution to 800x600, 32-bit, 60 HZ. Make sure your computer is running in 32-bit (For WinXP it's: Right-click desktop->Settings->Display. For Vista it's: Right-click desktop->Personalize->Display Settings. You should all know how to check this.) 60 HZ is the usual TV setting, so that's why I picked it. Hopefully this will solve the problem for the people who have gone through the first 2 methods and are still experiencing it.
There's a final tip I have. It's not really a method or solution, but I've found that if you offset the PJ64k window against a light background, for example, the maximized folder, you're less likely to get the error, whereas, if the only thing behind the PJ64k window is your dark wallpaper, you have a heightened chance of agitating the graphics error.
The Problem (2):
There's been a lot of complaints about people not being able to see their hands when they are selecting their character, not being able to see Samus's bolt, the percent damages at the bottom of the screen, having weird shaped shields, Fox's reflector, etc. This Is because your graphics plugin is old. See method 1 from the previous problem to update your graphics plugin. The game should look exactly like it does on the real system.
That's it for graphics.
~
CONTROLLER ISSUES:
When I first got my PSX/N64 to USB adapter I was understandably excited about the whole thing. I was going to be able to play online like the real system! Unfortunately, much to my dismay, after plugging in my carefully preserved 64 controller into the slot, I found that it handled like Donkey Kong on codeine.
I searched around for solutions, and messed with the deadzone, but even with it set to 0%, the controls still felt sluggish. I had problems dashing or falling down through platforms without having to smash very hard on the joystick. It was causing me pain because the controller that I had so carefully preserved (I got it with my original N64 purchased more than 10 years ago) was wearing down fast.
So after I looked around, I found this site:
http://www.sitesled.com/members/myztek/index.html
It is quite amazing the solutions you can come across on the Internet. The site above is very well written and I suggest taking a thorough look at it. But in case you don't want to bother reading the entire thing, it basically says that you need to be using N-Rage's plugin and not the default Jabo controller plugin. The deadzone settings on this are much more liberal and will allow you to set the sensitivity super-high, to the extent that ghost-movements actually become a problem.
Unfortunately, if you try to use the N-Rage plugin online, you will experience more problems, big surprise. If you're hosting the game, you will find that no one else can move their hand in the Character Selection Menu, or if you are joining someone else's game, you will not be able to move your hand. To top that off, if you're able to somehow get a game started, it will desynchronize within seconds. Annoying isn't it?
To fix this new troublesome issue, you will need download from here: http://www.emulator-zone.com/doc.php/n64/n64plugins.html the latest N-Rage plugin, it'll be the version 1.83 one. Put this into your PJ64k plugin folder (Overwrite if necessary).
Now go into the controller settings and make sure that all the other controllers are set to "Unplugged." Then make sure that under Controller 1, Pontroller Pak, "RawData" is unchecked. Also in the main controller 1 screen, uncheck "Real N64 Range" to be safe. Now everything should work out! Just play around with the deadzone settings and soon your controller will also work exactly like you're playing on the real system!
NOTE: The above solution should be of aid to people who are having problems with 3rd party controllers, aka Xbox 360 controllers, Logitech PS2 style controllers, etc.
~
KAILLERA ISSUES:
I personally never had problems with connecting/hosting/playing on Kaillera myself. To be honest I think that if you have a decent Internet connection and the latest version of PJ64k, there shouldn't be a problem. But just in case, below is the link to get the latest Kaillera files for your PJ64k folder.
http://www.anti3d.com/dl/anti3d_kailleraclient_1.1.zip
~
**** that took a long time to write. I'll probably think of something else later, but that's all I'm doing for now. If you have any issues that I didn't mention here, post them, and the solutions if you know it. Good luck everyone, and happy Smashing.
EXTRA TIPS:
1. To activate Item Switch, activate the "Have Mushroom Kingdom" cheat built into the ROM. It doubles as the Item Switch cheat. I have no reason why they made it this way, and it took me forever before someone told me this.
2. Don't pick RANDOM stage while playing online. It will cause a desynch.
3. The official Nintendo website still sells brand new controllers(~25$), as well as replacement joysticks (8$). As we all know, the joysticks on the 64 controller wear out faster than patience while playing Isai in a Link ditto.) (On a side note, why is it called "ditto" anyway? It should be "mirror.")
UPDATE:
If you're running Aero (You'll know you are if your windows are translucent/seethrough) then you must do the following in addition to the above graphics solutions:
1. Right-click PJ64k, and go to properties.
2. In the compatibility tab, select Run this program in compatibility mode for: and choose Windows 98/ME (XP will probably work here as well).
3. Check the following: Disable visual themes, Disable desktop composition, Disable display scaling on high DPI settings, Run this program as an administrator.
When you run PJ64k, Windows will jump back into Basic mode, and Aero will be restored again when you exit the program.