Earthbound random flickering on SD2SNES 0.1.7e

[the_randomizer]

I'm having issues with the SD2SNES and Earthbound. Sometimes, the screen will flicker/twitch when scrolling text at random; no other games do this.  Current SDSNES firmware is 0.1.7e, all files and folders are set up correctly.

Currently running it on an Analogue Super NT, using firmware 4.4.

It's hard to describe, but essentially, it will randomly flicker/shake similar to how a video signal looks when there's a loose connection. I unplugged and plugged the HDMI cable back in and it still occurs. Oddly enough, testing various games like Earthworm Jim 2, Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger don't exhibit this anomaly, Earthbound seems to be the only game to do it. I don't know if it's the firmware itself, a bad ROM dump, or what, but it is distracting and even painful to my eyes to play with the random flickering. It happens typically only in battle when there's scrolling text and when the battle is finished.

Edit: As soon as I can manage to record a video, I will post it here.

[ikari_01]

It would be great if you could record a video indeed! I've played for a bit using the sd2snes 0.1.7e+Super Nt 4.4 and can't spot any anomalies, whether the in-game hook is enabled or not.
Earthbound does use some wacky effects during battles that might seem like glitches. E.g. when you take a hit the text boxes move up and down rapidly. And there is one effect where the HP box appears and disappears quickly. That is completely intended by game design though.

[the_randomizer]

It would be great if you could record a video indeed! I've played for a bit using the sd2snes 0.1.7e+Super Nt 4.4 and can't spot any anomalies, whether the in-game hook is enabled or not.
Earthbound does use some wacky effects during battles that might seem like glitches. E.g. when you take a hit the text boxed move up and down rapidly. And there is one effect where the HP box appears and disappears quickly. That is completely intended by game design though.

It's super baffling, and it could be my ROM dump at fault, I'm not 100% sure, and it's the only game that does it. Chrono Trigger, Earthworm Jim 2, Final Fantasy VI, none of them exhibit
this behavior, and I'm starting to get frustrated at it. I'll have to record off-screen with my camera since I don't  have an Elgato or similar capture device at the moment. I'm not sure if the in-game hooks are enabled, because my controller that I use really sucks, it's an old Super Famicom pad that's seen better days (buttons are pretty worn out). Is there any way to reset all the SD2SNES config settings at all so I know I start from a fresh configuration?

Again, it only seems to do it in battle, and I know other emulators don't do it (maybe it's a Super NT firmware-related. I guess I could also try my physical cart, unfortunately the save better is kaput and I can't be arsed to replace it, I know nothing of soldering).

Is there an SHA1/CRC-32, etc of a good Earthbound ROM dump lying around?

[ikari_01]

You can delete the sd2snes/config.yml and it will be recreated with default settings. The ingame hook is on by default though (I should change that in the future). If you want to disable it you can set EnableIRQHook to false in the config.yml.

CRC32 of a ROM that works as expected: dc9bb451

[the_randomizer]

You can delete the sd2snes/config.yml and it will be recreated with default settings. The ingame hook is on by default though (I should change that in the future). If you want to disable it you can set EnableIRQHook to false in the config.yml.

CRC32 of a ROM that works as expected: dc9bb451

I'm just so confused by this, as it's the only game to exhibit it, and further frustrated by the fact that literally  no one else besides me can reproduce it. I can narrow out my HDMI cables, monitor and Super NT, solely based off the fact that no other games have this issue.  I'll try deleting the settings and then loading the game and reproducing the issue, while recording it of course so I can ensure that I'm testing from default settings.

I just verified the ROM and it seems to be a clean dump, so we can rule that out too. Could be a Super NT firmware issue, as I'm on version 4.4. I'll post a video here today.

Edit: I can't use the hooks anyway, because the controller I use is broken, like, the buttons are seriously worn out to high heaven. I should pick up an 8bitdo controller for it.

Edit 2: I disabled hooks and tested Earthbound for 45 min, no issues whatsoever. The hooks must have been causing the game issues on this particular firmware.

[efsd]

Why don't you buy a real SNES and play on it instead? I guess you bought a Super NT because you prefer to play SNES games on your HDTV with HDMI cable but i have an old real SNES and i play on HDTV with composite cable and i have a SNES Classic and i can't barely see any difference when playing the games using HDMI cable, actually the graphics look more natural on old SNES + composite cable since the signal doesn't get upscaled and the games were meant to be played on that resolution. Also Super NT tries to simulate the original hardware so is prone to issues.

[Sarge]

@efsd:  Chances are you either aren't sensitive to the differences in display or have a HDTV that somehow handles composite and the scaling very, very well.  On my end, the difference between the SNES hooked up to my Samsung 4K and the image quality from the SNES Classic are night and day.  (I have seen a few sets that do look okay with composite, although again, I'm quite sensitive to these things.)

I've been tempted to grab the Super Nt; it looks like a nice piece of kit.  But at the same time, I have a 32" CRT that's nearly perfect for the original machine.

[ikari_01]

I'm still not seeing any difference on the Super Nt whether in-game hook is disabled or enabled. ^^;

[efsd]

@efsd:  Chances are you either aren't sensitive to the differences in display or have a HDTV that somehow handles composite and the scaling very, very well.  On my end, the difference between the SNES hooked up to my Samsung 4K and the image quality from the SNES Classic are night and day.  (I have seen a few sets that do look okay with composite, although again, I'm quite sensitive to these things.)

I've been tempted to grab the Super Nt; it looks like a nice piece of kit.  But at the same time, I have a 32" CRT that's nearly perfect for the original machine.

I think i'm not sensitive then...

[the_randomizer]

Why don't you buy a real SNES and play on it instead? I guess you bought a Super NT because you prefer to play SNES games on your HDTV with HDMI cable but i have an old real SNES and i play on HDTV with composite cable and i have a SNES Classic and i can't barely see any difference when playing the games using HDMI cable, actually the graphics look more natural on old SNES + composite cable since the signal doesn't get upscaled and the games were meant to be played on that resolution. Also Super NT tries to simulate the original hardware so is prone to issues.

Because I already have one, and the Snes Classic's emulation isn't that great, and they filter some of Earthbound's flashing with stupid seizure filters. But whatever. The Snes Classic can't even run Earthworm Jim 2 right.

I'm still not seeing any difference on the Super Nt whether in-game hook is disabled or enabled. ^^;

Then I don't know. I will say that Chrono Trigger is now broken on the latest SD2SNES firmware, I'm in the area before the Masamune cave and when I open the menu, it just goes black, but the music continues. Worked fine up till that map.

Edit: The ROM I'm using is the Dr. L's translation of Chrono Trigger, not a fan of vanilla.

[ikari_01]

Can you provide a .SRM file with a saved game near the point where it breaks? I'd need that to try and reproduce the problem.
Did it work with earlier firmware versions?

[the_randomizer]

Can you provide a .SRM file with a saved game near the point where it breaks? I'd need that to try and reproduce the problem.
Did it work with earlier firmware versions?

I feel like a complete moron for not being thorough, so I wish to apologize. It seemed it was either the game hooks/IRQ_enable being set to true, or it was a fluke. I disabled hooks and the issue seemed to have gone away with them off. So, I'm sorry for wasting your time.    I haven't been able to replicate it since.

I will record videos if there are further issues.

[efsd]

Why don't you buy a real SNES and play on it instead? I guess you bought a Super NT because you prefer to play SNES games on your HDTV with HDMI cable but i have an old real SNES and i play on HDTV with composite cable and i have a SNES Classic and i can't barely see any difference when playing the games using HDMI cable, actually the graphics look more natural on old SNES + composite cable since the signal doesn't get upscaled and the games were meant to be played on that resolution. Also Super NT tries to simulate the original hardware so is prone to issues.

Because I already have one, and the Snes Classic's emulation isn't that great, and they filter some of Earthbound's flashing with stupid seizure filters. But whatever. The Snes Classic can't even run Earthworm Jim 2 right.

Right. Canoe emulation sucks on certain games. I prefer playing the games on real snes hardware.

[the_randomizer]

Why don't you buy a real SNES and play on it instead? I guess you bought a Super NT because you prefer to play SNES games on your HDTV with HDMI cable but i have an old real SNES and i play on HDTV with composite cable and i have a SNES Classic and i can't barely see any difference when playing the games using HDMI cable, actually the graphics look more natural on old SNES + composite cable since the signal doesn't get upscaled and the games were meant to be played on that resolution. Also Super NT tries to simulate the original hardware so is prone to issues.

Because I already have one, and the Snes Classic's emulation isn't that great, and they filter some of Earthbound's flashing with stupid seizure filters. But whatever. The Snes Classic can't even run Earthworm Jim 2 right.

Right. Canoe emulation sucks on certain games. I prefer playing the games on real snes hardware.

It doesn't use cycle-accurate SPC700/S-SMP emulation, as a result, Earthworm Jim 2, Secret of Evermore, etc, suffer missing channels and sound effects. It's Nintendo's best Snes emulator, but still a far cry from the Super NT (which AFAIK, is pure hardware emulation).

[Shotwook]

I am playing with the same setup and I get the screen flicker too. It has wierd lines during the flicker. Only in battle. Didn't notice it untill the path to Saturn valley ..almost always occurs outdoors so far. Very annoyed