Duimon - HSM Mega Bezel Graphics and Presets - Feedback and Updates

[Unparallell]

Thanks! Horizontal NDS preset is now works.

FYI, I’m using Nightly build updates on my Steam version of RetroArch because otherwise RetroArch doesn’t let Online Updater menu appear on Steam version, and I’m actually testing everything first on a non Steam version clean install of Nightly RetroArch build. NDS_4K Vertical preset presists with same error on this RetroArch setup as well.

Also I have to add a note for dummies that they should set Simple Presets options to OFF in order to properly get full content shader .slangp file instead of just a reference shader. It took me some time to figure out the problem when I was keep getting reference shader file instead while following the guide instructions step by step

A heads up information about this option in the guide would be helpful for other newbies.

Take care, man and thanks a lot for your guidance here. Appreciated

[HyperspaceMadness]

@Unparallell

Also I have to add a note for dummies that they should set Simple Presets options to OFF in order to properly get full content shader .slangp file instead of just a reference shader.

Hey there, basically because of the gap in Retroarch releases there is a big difference between the released Retorarch 1.9.0 and the nightlies. The 1.9.0 does not have the simple presets option. So we are in a transitionary phase with providing people with presets and tutorials for things.

I added the simple presets option to RetroArch to make it easier to work with these presets and avoid them breaking when the base shaders update. The workflow to work with these presets is different with the latest Nightlies vs the 1.9.0 release. Basically if you have the option of Simple Presets this avoids things breaking on you because you have a reference to the core presets. Then you can add just the texture lines to your simple preset and voila you get a different texture without a copy of the entire preset (which will break on you in the future)

So basically once you have the option of Simple presets it is the feature you should use, unless you want to put your fingers in the machine and make your own presets by actually changing around the passes and such. The problem with this is that your fingers can get caught in the machine and then things can break in the future if the base shader changes…

[Unparallell]

Thanks for the heads up! That’s neat feature then, great to know. HSM Reflection Shader are great shaders, btw.

[Duimon]

@Unparallell

HSM Reflection Shader are great shaders, btw.

Yes! They are.

[Unparallell]

Game Gear graphic is perfect square screen, is that normal? I was using another shader from Tatsuya79 which I believe the screen ratio on this one is more faithfull to the original system but I like your graphics a lot.

However, it’s kinda feels like images looks more accurate on perfect square screen as if the games designed around that aspect ratio and non perfect square screen kinda feels distorted, custom aspect ratio.

[Duimon]

@Unparallell

Game Gear graphic is perfect square screen, is that normal?

This article…

https://www.gamesasylum.com/2012/10/26/the-exciting-world-of-handheld-aspect-ratios/

Shows the Game Gear at 1.111. Just about square. This is the aspect that HSM’s “Auto” aspect produces, the “Explicit” defined in my preset, and what Reroarch “PAR” gives you.

Most screenshots of the device make it seem like the screen was almost 4x3, but that’s just not true.

[Duimon]

BTW.

Some of you may know I that while a few of you have awesome vintage console collections, I have a vintage computer collection. My IBM collection far outnumbers my Commodore, Apple, or any other brand.

I have over a dozen IBM PS/2’s from a system 20 to System 90, a couple PS/1’s, a portable PS/2, two IBM 5160’s and a single IBM 5150. (Not to mention the last model that used the proprietary BIOS and the first to use the Award BIOS.)

My point is, I just couldn’t resist…

@mrchrisster

Even though I said it would be at the bottom of the list.

There is still some work to be done. I also took some liberties and made it a bit less curvy to ease setup. (I also added some background decorations, to balance everything, while still letting the actual screen be centered horizontally.)

This is the 5151 monitor, a green monochrome. I will also do the 5153, a CGA. (They are almost identical on the outside.)

This will give us my original DOSBox graphic for playing VGA DOS games, and one each for Monochrome and the three color CGA.

[Unparallell]

Your art is a perfection

[HyperspaceMadness]

@Duimon

Shows the Game Gear at 1.111. Just about square. This is the aspect that HSM’s “Auto” aspect produces, the “Explicit” defined in my preset, and what Reroarch “PAR” gives you.

So I’m wondering if perhaps the lcd elements on the original game gear LCD screen are perhaps stretched and not square, so while the resolution’s aspect ratio with square pixels is 1.11 perhaps the physical screen was more like 4:3 because the LCD elements were not square.

When I look at this image, all the text appears to be extra wide looking…

[HyperspaceMadness]

@Unparallell

Your art is a perfection

It appears fortune has smiled upon you

[Unparallell]

Indeed it is and I’m still don’t know how could I possibly miss these including your amazing HSM Reflection Shaders more than a year.

[Duimon]

@HyperspaceMadness

4:3 because the LCD elements were not square.

I had that thought myself.

From the Game Gear Wikipedia page…https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Gear

"Its screen measures 3.2 inches on the diagonal and is able to display up to 32 colors at a time from a total palette of 4096 colors, with a frame rate of 59.922751013551 Hz at “a display resolution of 160 × 144 non-square pixels.”

I think the LCD preset will stretch the pixels if we manually set the aspect. (Since it has the resolution.)

It appears I must edit my Game Gear graphic and preset.

Thanks @Unparallell. You’ve contributed much in a very short time!

[Unparallell]

Thank you I’m more than happy to hear that

[Duimon]

It took a minute, but I managed to find a game that runs in Hercules Graphics mode.

[Duimon]

And the always beautiful CGA graphics mode.

[Duimon]

OK. I think this is just about done. Here we have the 5153 Color monitor, including an LED!

I did an OCD pass after adding the 5153 extra details… I tweaked the centering of the PC and Monitor so the screen area is within a pixel of the center, I darkened the color of the bezel portions of the monitor, tweaked some highlighting, fixed the canvas seams on the BASIC manual, tweaked the slot bevels on the power outlets, adjusted some gradients, and a few other things.

Does anyone think there should be a cord plugged into the outlet? My lovely wife thinks I should plug in a nightlight for night mode.

BTW. I could have put any books on the shelf. I chose these in deference to @HyperspaceMadness and his ilk… without coders we wouldn’t have games.

[HyperspaceMadness]

Fortran is the future

Although here’s where it shows up on a chart of popularity of languages:

[Unparallell]

Looks great!

The bottom outlet could be used for the system cord plugged into the outlet. It might help with narrated scene as well

I’ve found this image with the plug

[Duimon]

I made a final OCD pass on this.

I added a power cord in the wall outlet, created the missing finger hold cutouts in the manual boxes, and lowered the manuals so they weren’t magically floating equidistant from all four sides of the boxes.

[Unparallell]

Greatness awaits