The myth of software PS2 emulation on PS3

[wip3outguy7]

One factor to keep in mind with the PS2 playing PSX games is that Sony worked the PSX's CPU into the PS2's hardware design (it's the IO controller). So it had a reason to be there above and beyond playing PSX games. That wasn't the case, AFAIK, with the PS2's CPU/GPU in the PS3.

Wow, I never knew that. I always thought additional PS1 hardware was intentionally built into PS2s.

[Limewater]

That's a whole different beast than a PS3, though. That's the difference between a general purpose computer and an embedded system.

That argument worked back in the days of CISC chips.

Huh? The difference between PCs versus embedded systems has nothing to do with CISC.

The ISA of the PS3 looks very similar to the PC. The big difference between coding for the PC vs. coding for the PS3 is on your RAM supply. Which makes it MORE difficult to make a working PS2 emulator, since on a PC you can just throw hardware at the problem.

IIRC, MIPS is a lot closer to PPC than it is to x86.

But if the only major difference in coding for a PC and the PS3 is the amount of RAM, and you're seeking hardware emulation, I have to think you're doing it wrong. Maybe I'm wrong. Does the PS3 not allow realtime applications (I mean realtime in the technical sense)? And a lot of programming tasks are very ill-suited for a multi-core architecture, but hardware emulation seems to be an ideal application if you're allowed realtime funcionality.

[MrPopo]

That's a whole different beast than a PS3, though. That's the difference between a general purpose computer and an embedded system.

That argument worked back in the days of CISC chips.

Huh? The difference between PCs versus embedded systems has nothing to do with CISC.

That's my point. The PS3 is a general purpose computer.

[Limewater]

That's my point. The PS3 is a general purpose computer.

You're going to have to back up that statement. But I think you're derailing us into a semantic argument that isn't really relevant to the issue we're discussing. What you want to call it doesn't change what it is.

[noiseredux]

if PS2 emulation can't be done on PS3 using just software, then how come:

[dsheinem]

if PS2 emulation can't be done on PS3 using just software, then how come:

At least with God of War, it isn't a straight port - they have optimized and changed some code, enhanced textures, etc. It isn't emulation of the original code, it is a re-coding of the game to play on the PS3. I assume the other games are the same.

[MrPopo]

I'd assume it isn't emulation.

[Niode]

if PS2 emulation can't be done on PS3 using just software, then how come:

[snip]

It's because they have access to the source code. It's just a port with tweaks/optimisation. There's no way in hell they would code an emulator just for these games when they have access to the source code. The ONLY time you will see a commercial studio/publisher using an emulator is if they have lost the source code.

[noiseredux]

if PS2 emulation can't be done on PS3 using just software, then how come:

[snip]

It's because they have access to the source code. It's just a port with tweaks/optimisation. There's no way in hell they would code an emulator just for these games when they have access to the source code. The ONLY time you will see a commercial studio/publisher using an emulator is if they have lost the source code.

ah, I guess I was confused about the process.

For instance, when Nintendo released the Zelda Collection on GameCube, that disc was used to extract the emulator they built to then emulate other N64 games on GameCube.

[Niode]

if PS2 emulation can't be done on PS3 using just software, then how come:

[snip]

It's because they have access to the source code. It's just a port with tweaks/optimisation. There's no way in hell they would code an emulator just for these games when they have access to the source code. The ONLY time you will see a commercial studio/publisher using an emulator is if they have lost the source code.

ah, I guess I was confused about the process.

For instance, when Nintendo released the Zelda Collection on GameCube, that disc was used to extract the emulator they built to then emulate other N64 games on GameCube.

That is an exception. Perhaps it was easier to emulate than port. However one interesting morsel to think about, Nintendo knew that they were going to be introducing an emulation service in their next service so they were already working on an emulator for N64 hardware. Since they knew it was going to be based closely on the Gamecube hardware they decided to release a limited version of it commercially with the Zelda collection. So essentially everybody who bought Zelda collection beta tested the N64 emulator in the Wii, years before it's debut on the Virtual Console service. Pretty cool huh?