FPSLocker Switch

FPSLocker
General
Author	masagrator
Type	Overlays
Version	1.2.3
License	MIT License
Last Updated	2023/05/30
Links
Download
Website
Source

An overlay that with companion SaltyNX plugin NX-FPS 1.0+ allows to set custom FPS in Nintendo Switch retail games.

You can see the video how it works (with Witcher 3 dynamic resolution config mod to make anything above 30 FPS available).

Note: Tool is utilizing detection of graphics API to manipulate FPS, and in special cases it requires using patches made per game for each version to get more than 30 FPS. You can find those patches here. Max supported yaml size is 32kB, though it can be expanded in next updates.

Installation

Requirements:

• Atmosphere Switch
• SaltyNX, version 0.5.1+
• NX-FPS 1.5+
• Tesla environment: ovlloader + Tesla Menu

Atmosphere CFW is required. SX OS and other CFWs are not supported. It's advised to use Atmosphere's USB Transfer Tool homebrew to transfer files. If you use Hekate's USB Mass Storage and you will be putting files using any other Operating System than Windows, you must run Hekate's Archive Bit Fixer after putting all files.

To install:

• Download SaltyNX, unpack zip file, copy the folders SaltySD and atmosphere to the root of your SD card, accept any popup about overwriting folders.
• Download NX-FPS, unpack zip file, copy SaltySD folder to the root of SD card, accept any popup about overwriting folders.
• Download nx-ovlloader, unpack zip file, copy atmosphere folder to the root of SD card, accept any popup about overwriting folders.
• Download Tesla Menu, copy switch folder to the root of SD card, accept any popup about overwriting folders.
• Download Status Monitor Overlay, copy Status-Monitor-Overlay.ovl to switch\.overlays folder. It may not be visible in USB Mass Storage, but it's there.
• Download FPSLocker, copy FPSLocker.ovl to switch\.overlays folder. It may not be visible in USB Mass Storage, but it's there.
• Restart Switch, now you can access overlays by pressing all 3 buttons at once: L, D-Pad Down and Right Stick (aka pressing it).

Additionally for FPSLocker download newest set of patches from FPSLocker Warehouse for games that need more things to be tweaked to get proper FPS boost.

User guide

Overlay runs in two modes:

• When game is running.
• When game is not running.

When game is running

If game is supported by SaltyNX and you installed everything correctly, you will see menu where first line states NX-FPS plugin is running. Explanation of each line:

• Interval Mode - Used by NVN API to set limiter to either 30 FPS (2) or 60 FPS (1 or 0 (0 means that game never bothered to set it, it can be also a sign that game is not utilizing NVN but EGL or Vulkan))
• Custom FPS Target - Lock game to certain FPS. If game is using engine proprietary FPS locks, it may not be able to unlock more than 30 FPS without additional patches.
• Big number on the right - Shows how many frames have passed in last second for currently running game. For checking the lock is working as expected.
• Increase/Decrease FPS target - Change FPS Target by 5. Minimum is 15 FPS, max is 60 FPS. If FPS is set above 30 FPS, it sets interval mode to 1. Otherwise it sets interval to 2.
• Disable custom FPS target - Removes FPS Target. Since we cannot predict what interval mode is expected at this point, it is in user's discretion to manipulate FPS to bring back correct interval before disabling FPS target.
• Advanced settings (submenu):
  • If game is using NVN:
    • Window Sync Wait - This is dangerous setting that disabled in most cases will crash game (for example Witcher 3 and Breath of The Wild), but in some can bring benefit of disabling double buffer at the cost of small graphical glitches (for example Xenoblade Chronicles 3). Use it with caution.
    • Set Buffering - If game is not using double buffer, this option will show that will allow you to force game to run at double buffer for better framepacing and lower input lag. It is recommended only for games that have near perfect performance at 30 or 60 FPS, but suffer from bad framepacing or big input lag. If you will force double buffer in games with uneven performance, FPS drops will be very severe. It can be applied only at boot of game, so after changing buffering you must save settings in FPSLocker and restart game.
  • Convert config to patch file - If proper config file exists for this game and version, you will get an option to convert it to patch file that will be loaded when you will run this game next time. Patch is saved to SaltySD/plugins/FPSLocker/patches/*titleid_uppercase*/*buildid_uppercase*.bin
  • Delete patch file - If proper config file exists for this game and version, you will get an option to delete patch file so it won't be loaded when you will run this game next time.
• Save settings - Save profile for currently running game that will be loaded next time by plugin on boot automatically. Don't use it if you disabled Sync Wait and you didn't test it properly that it won't cause crash. Profile is saved in SaltySD/plugins/FPSLocker/*titleid_uppercase*.dat

When game is not running

It will list installed games (max 32) and as first option it's available "All" submenu. Inside each one you will find two options:

• Delete settings - Delete file created by "Save settings" option.
• Delete patches - Delete file created by "Convert config to patch file" option.

Sync Wait

Games where you can disable double buffer vsync by turning off Window Sync Wait in FPSLocker:

• Pokemon Legends: Arceus
• Pokemon Scarlet
• Pokemon Violet
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
• Xenoblade Chronicles 2
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Media

FPSLocker on Switch homebrew to unlock FPS in game - (Tralala LS)

Changelog

v1.2.3 2023/05/30

• Allow in games using Quadruple Buffering (for example Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection) to force Triple Buffering.
• When saving settings with different Buffering than Double, Window Sync will be reseted to Enabled.

v1.2.2 2023/05/23

• Allow setting double buffer in games that are using triple buffer.
• More in README.
• NX-FPS 1.5.2+ is required.

v1.2.1 2023/05/20

• Add "Semi-Enabled" option for Window Sync that doesn't timeout nvnSyncWait if at least second consecutive frame was rendered below 8.3ms.
• At cost of slightly worse performance it solved issues in Tears of the Kingdom with longer loading times and screen tearing in menus at 60 FPS.
• It is required to update NX-FPS to version 1.5.1+ for this to work.

v1.2.0 2023/05/16

• Add support for MASTER_WRITE entry in FPSLocker patches that allows to patch any part of main before game is booted (when applied in Advanced Settings you will see "Master Write was loaded to game"). This is to allow patches to redirect assembly that normally read values from Read Only sections to code caves or patching executable to disable double buffer.
• Change name "Sync Wait" to "Window Sync Wait"
• Now if game config that can be converted to patch is not available, instead of error code overlay will print Game config file not found.
• NX-FPS 1.5.0+ is required to properly support new patches.

v1.1.4 2023/05/06

• FPSLocker now can show how many framebuffers is used by NVN and show it in Advanced Settings.
  • "Buffered frames: 2" = game is using real double buffer.
• Since this number cannot be changed on the fly, this is just an information update.

v1.1.3 2023/04/05

• Provide better API detection.
• Now you can see if game is using NVN, EGL or Vulkan in Advanced Settings.
• Requires updating NX-FPS to at least 1.3 version.

v1.1.2 2023/04/02

• Fix RTLD detection in older games to get proper BID (f.e. in L.A. Noire).

v1.1.1 2023/04/02

• Updated libtesla to fix random crash in docked mode related to freeing framebuffer.

v1.1.0 2023/03/19

• Add support for creating LOCK patches from yaml configs.

v1.0.0 2023/03/08

• First Release.

Credits

Thanks to ~WerWolv for creating Tesla environment, and ~cucholix + ~Monked for tests.

External links

• Twitter - https://twitter.com/masagratordev/status/1658144998313844736
• GitHub - https://github.com/masagrator/FPSLocker
• GBAtemp - https://gbatemp.net/threads/fpslocker-set-custom-fps-target-in-retail-games.627764/
• ForTheUsers - https://apps.fortheusers.org/switch/FPSLocker