Playing multiplayer

Common prerequisites (all scenarios)

• A PPSSPP build capable of online play (version 1.1.1 onwards).
• The SAME version of PPSSPP for every player — and the same kind of executable: mixing 32-bit and 64-bit is a classic cause of desynchronisation.
• The game in the SAME regional version for everyone: a European copy (ULES01505) cannot connect to a North American one (ULUS10566), the version the Discord community plays. If in doubt, the code is displayed at the top of the emulator window.
• Set your controls and graphics options before you play.
• Your personal save can be reused with the tournament pack: copy the ppsspp/memstick/PSP/SAVEDATA/ULUS10566GameDataxx folder (or ULES01505… for Europe) to the same path in the pack.

PC ↔ PC — Radmin or Hamachi (the main route)

• Radmin is currently the Discord community's main way of connecting; Hamachi works very similarly.
• Install and launch Radmin, switch connectivity on (the big button), then create a network (“Create network”, name + password) and share the credentials — or join another player's network (“Join network”).
• Every player in a session must be on the same Radmin network; the program then shows everyone's IP.

PPSSPP settings — everyone

• Networking tab: turn on “Enable networking/WLAN”.
• Click “Change MAC address” several times to avoid a duplicate address inherited from the tournament pack.
• “Port offset”: 5000, never to be changed.

PPSSPP settings — host (one per session)

• Turn on “Enable built-in PRO ad hoc server”.
• Enter YOUR Radmin IP in “Change PRO ad hoc server IP address”.
• Enter an online lobby or the group battle menu to initialise the network, then give your IP to the other players.

PPSSPP settings — guests

• Enter the HOST's Radmin IP in “Change PRO ad hoc server IP address”.
• Wait until the host is in the lobby selection, in a lobby (Cornelia, Zanarkand…) or has created a group battle room before joining.
• In group battle, every guest uses the same IP supplied by the host.

PC ↔ PC — the ZeroTier One alternative

• If Radmin/Hamachi fail on PC, try ZeroTier One (careful: these programs can conflict with one another).
• Install ZeroTier, paste the network ID 8056c2e21c000001 then “Join”: you are on the earth.zerotier.net server.
• Your ZeroTier IP appears at the bottom right of the program (the “Managed IPs” line); if there is a “/xx” suffix, do NOT include it in PPSSPP.
• ZeroTier then runs in the background; apply the same host/guest procedures as above.

Android ↔ Android

• Prerequisites: PPSSPP and ZeroTier from the Google Play Store, and a device powerful enough to run the game at full speed.
• The procedure is the same as on PC (same host/guest hierarchy), through ZeroTier: join the 8056c2e21c58fb08 server, then note your IP under “Managed IPs” (ignore the “/xx” suffix).
• Then apply the PPSSPP network settings from the PC ↔ PC section.
• WiFi can introduce lag, and an underpowered device will make the game chug.

PC ↔ Android crossplay

• Possible since PPSSPP 1.15.4. Version 1.17.1 has a reputation for performing well (the latest version when the guide was written, July 2024).
• BOTH platforms must use ZeroTier and join the 8056c2e21c58fb08 server (the Android players' one). PC: ZeroTier from the official site and PPSSPP 1.17.1 (zip/installer, “previous releases” section); Android: the 1.17.1 APK and ZeroTier from the Play Store.
• On both platforms, under Settings → Tools → Developer tools → “JIT debug tools” (general section), tick: VFPU_VEC, VFPU_MTX_VTFM, VFPU_MTX_VMSCL, VFPU_MTX_VMMUL, VFPU_MTX_VMMOV, VFPU_COMP.
• On Android only (Settings → System): untick “Fast memory (unstable)” and tick “Force real clock sync (slower, less lag)”.
• Finish with the common preparations and the ZeroTier host/guest procedures.

Local play — two instances on a single PC

• PPSSPP lets two people play on the same computer, with no Radmin/Hamachi/ZeroTier, through two instances of the emulator.
• Set your options first (they will serve as the basis for both instances), turn on “Enable built-in PRO ad hoc server” and put “localhost” as the ad hoc server IP, then close and relaunch the emulator.
• Launch a second instance from the same executable: it displays “instance: 2” in brackets.
• The second instance shares ALL your settings: give it its own controls to avoid double inputs, and note that it may have no sound.

Troubleshooting

• Slow game, crackling sound: the device is struggling to render the game. Lower the rendering resolution, turn off texture scaling, check that “hardware transform” is on — and start from the recommended settings on PPSSPP's official site. If you migrated the contents of an old PPSSPP, start again from a clean folder (texture mods, DLC in the GAME folder and saves move over safely).
• Endless lobby connection: a setting is wrong somewhere. If the “Network initialized” notification does not appear, the host is not online or their settings are incorrect. Hosts: tell the other players once you are actually connected.