FAQ

FAQ: What is the ETK and How Does it Really Work?

• To enhance how the built-in PS3 emulator handles shader caching, the ETK intercepts the Vulkan shader cache with a simple symlink and safely stores these files into a vault folder on your SD card organized by device and game ID so they can be archived on your computer. Even when you crash during a shader harvesting run, the vault has saved the shaders for the next run.
• To enhance how the device handles high demand games during the shader compiling process and high performance gaming, the ETK manages the system temp and performance to safely overtax the device when it needs to work the hardest while preventing a total meltdown. It also modifies how the OS manages virtual memory and fine tunes the video driver.
• To enhance how you can monitor the device system stress while pushing it to its limits, the ETK enables a custom dashboard overlay using built-in ROCKNIX features across a thin horizontal HUD strip designed to evoke the Driver Data Unit (DDU) found in GT and F1 racing cars. The custom HUD DDU also shows the number of shaders harvested during a game session so you realize even if you crash, it was worth it.
• To streamline how you can tweak key emulation settings, the ETK PITSTOP app in the ROCKNIX Tools menu, inspired by pit wall screens, allows you to easily adjust selected configuration settings using the gamepad controls. The subset of on-board configs can be customized in a JSON file.
• To solve the problem of installing .pkg files with the desktop version of RCPS3 inside of ROCKNIX with only a gamepad, the ETK automates the process for you. All you do is drop files in a folder on your card and use ETK Pitstop Tools to start the process.
• To simplify managing game shader vaults and software updates, the ETK includes a simple command-line utility to install, repair, update, and automatically sync shader vaults as you harvest from games or trade device and game-specific shader folders with others. It also includes an uninstall utility to retire from the league. A typical game 300+ MB shader vault will involve tens of thousands of binary files so an efficient transfer mechanism to manage shader sets between a computer and the handheld devices is essential.
• ETK does all of this while trying to maintain a minimal system footprint without subjecting your SD card to abuse.