Finally found an N64 shader config I like (for 1080p)

RetroArch
#1

I finally found an N64 shader config that does a great job at covering up the often-horrible pixellation on HUD and font elements when upscaling. In this case I run at 4x resolution on a 1080p screen.

This is a combination of the 4xSoft and Lottes CRT shader (my favourite CRT shader - doesn’t cause dark scanlines like most of the others). Both the softening and the NTSC effect contribute to masking the deep pixellation, but you still get to appreciate the high-res 3D.

shaders = “3” shader0 = “C:\DATA\Games\RetroArch\shaders\shaders_glsl\xsoft\shaders/4xsoft.glsl” filter_linear0 = “true” wrap_mode0 = “clamp_to_border” mipmap_input0 = “false” alias0 = “” float_framebuffer0 = “false” srgb_framebuffer0 = “false” scale_type_x0 = “source” scale_x0 = “2.000000” scale_type_y0 = “source” scale_y0 = “2.000000” shader1 = “C:\DATA\Games\RetroArch\shaders\shaders_glsl\xsoft…/stock.glsl” filter_linear1 = “true” wrap_mode1 = “clamp_to_border” mipmap_input1 = “false” alias1 = “” float_framebuffer1 = “false” srgb_framebuffer1 = “false” shader2 = “C:\DATA\Games\RetroArch\shaders\shaders_glsl\crt\shaders\crt-lottes.glsl” wrap_mode2 = “clamp_to_border” mipmap_input2 = “false” alias2 = “” float_framebuffer2 = “false” srgb_framebuffer2 = “false” parameters = “hardScan;hardPix;warpX;warpY;maskDark;maskLight;brightboost” hardScan = “-8.000000” hardPix = “-3.000000” warpX = “0.000000” warpY = “0.000000” maskDark = “0.500000” maskLight = “1.500000” brightboost = “1.000000”

Here’s an example image from Wave Race, which has a horribly pixellated HUD.

#2

would be awesome if you can post some screenshot comparison :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: I, myself tryed several Shader Configs but always end up to choose none of them and just play on highest resolution. Maybe im too dumb for that. On 2D Games i always go for XBRz (Benchmark on Super Metroid). On 3D i struggle between performace and image quality -.-

#3

Added a screenshot to my OP.

#4

Doesn’t work on my end.

#5

Should do - I use it on the mupenplus64core (up to date), GL driver in RA. I presume you changed the paths to the shaders and didn’t just copy what I pasted above? You can also try manually loading the 4xsoft preset, then changing shader passes to 3 and adding Lottes as the 3rd.

#6

Ι did change the paths and it didn’t work, i suppose there’s some different option on my setup that messes it up.

I did create a preset manually though by using more or less the same shaders. Lottes seems to be the best scanline option for N64 cores when using non-integer resolutions, the uneven-ness of the scanlines is less noticeable.

In the end, i managed to make it look close to a real N64 (which is my goal).