Is the emulator generated Save file the same as the real console?

[DaseR]

Hello everyone
First of all, I apologize if this topic has already been addressed or if I am not writing it where it belongs.
The question is that I've been curious about this for some time and I would like that someone knowledgeable on the subject could solve my doubt, 
I know that ROM is the image of a game and the Emulator is the program that makes it play as if it were the original console, but the save file generated by an emulator is 100% identical to the original cartridge¿? (for internal data purposes).

I've all the original Pokemon cartridges that I keep with much affection but the problem of these cartridges as you all know is that unfortunately you can only have one active game and does not give much option to replay them, so I play my games combining different media, original cartridge, in VBA, or even in my mobile phone, and what I'm doing is to extract the SAV and inject it back into the site that interests me to play it (It has always been compatible and without problems, at most I had to add a few hexadecimal codes at the end and then remove them depending on the device where I play).

SUMMARY: There is some difference even if it is minimal between the save data that generates a game started or continued in Emulator and the original cartridge itself?

Thank you very much to anyone who can solve this doubt and above all I hope I have explained well... 

[Atrius97]

It depends on the game and emulator. Some emulators have emulation inaccuracy that would cause you to be able to achieve things said emulator that would not be possible were you playing on official hardware.

As one example, some emulators do not handle the random number generator the exact way it would be handled on official hardware, meaning it's possible to encounter a Pokémon generated during an RNG state that isn't possible to achieve otherwise. Some GBA/NDS emulators I remember had issues dealing with VBLANK and were generating Pokémon in Gen 3/4 games with stats that couldn't not legitimately be encountered except when playing on an inaccurate emulator.
(PKHeX is even able to catch these "impossible" Pokémon during legality checks, flagging them for PID mismatch, as their stats don't match any possible RNG state the game can produce.)

As another example, BDSP uses the Switch's internal clock (the RTC) to determine whether when time-based events should occur, and whether to incur a penalty for trying to alter the clock. On our Discord server, we determined that current Switch emulators do not properly emulate the RTC and was not properly assigning the date/time values within BDSP's save structure.

TLDR Yes, you're likely to have minor inaccuracies, you just have to hope they don't occur anywhere that would set off red flags, so to speak.

Edited April 8, 2022 by Atrius97

[DaseR]

Wow thanks for your answer, do you have any idea if the latest version of VBA (M 2.1.4) does handle the random number generator correctly?

Well, I also understand then that if I only use the emulator to level up my Pokemon or even advance events in the game there would be no difference of data.

For example, when starting a new game on the emulator of a Crystal Pokemon and saving with no further objective than getting a specific number of EO, is the same result as doing the same thing on the original hardware, right?

Thank you very much for your help!! eternally grateful 

[theSLAYER]

No, we don’t know, as there are tons of emulators out there, with multiple revisions. It would be insane to think anyone knows for a specific model and revision.
And frankly, it isn’t our ‘job’ to know, so I hope you understand where we’re coming from. :3

For all intents and purposes, as long as PKHeX don’t scream at you, assume it’s probably okay.

[Atrius97]

Exactly. The question is less "is there minor inaccuracies" and more "There probably is, but if it doesn't occur anywhere that really affects the game/would appear fishy to PKHeX, the online servers, or other players, who cares if there's minor inaccuracies?"

Edited April 9, 2022 by Atrius97

[DaseR]

I can rest assured that PKHeX has never flagged me anything illegal, and as Atrius97 says, who cares if there's minor inaccuracy hehehe,

guys, you are the best, I'm very satisfied with your answers, thank you very much