Koko-aio shader discussions and updates

[K-rnivoro]

Hi @kokoko3k. I was trying to adapt my .params files from HSM-MB to Kokoaio. I’m interested in vertical layouts in particular. Thing is, many overlays use a “plastic” bezel, so the trick is to reflect over that bezel, but not actually display the generated bezel, only it’s reflection.

So, I’m not sure if there is an option in kokoaio to do that.

Also, some overlays have artwork over the bezel, like this Asteroids. My question is if the bezel can be drawn as “background”.

Thanks for your support.

[kokoko3k]

@K-rnivoro

reflect over that bezel, but not actually display the generated bezel, only it’s reflection.

There’s no option to do that, so the images have to be (soft) cutted from the monitor frame with a gfx program, and the new frame color has to be set in the shader to match the new image inner edges borders (see stock 1084S presets).

@K-rnivoro

some overlays have artwork over the bezel, like this Asteroids. My question is if the bezel can be drawn as “background”.

The user provided image can be set as background or foreground; as a consequence the stock bezel would be painted over or under.

[estefan3112]

That screenshot is already latest dev code. Compared to your eyes, I consider myself blind - but I really like the result! The asteroids in Asteroids suddenly shine in 3D, and I now also upscale to 1600x1200 - still much to explore!

[kokoko3k]

Since my Retroid Pocket 5 is hopefully on the way ( ), there’s a new static feature called Conditional FPS halver.

It halves FPS when they are higher than 49, so it turns 60 and 50 fps content into 30 and 25 content, and does not touch 30 and 25 fps content.

It can be useful to spare battery life or in cases when the GPU is not fast enough to render at higher fps, also the halved FPS have lower visual impact with smaller screens.

In my case, it allows my Haswell to run Flycast at solid 30 fps with standard presets.

This functionality requires retroarch > 1.19.1, so, you’d need the nightly builds by now.
To use it, in file config-user.txt, turn the line:
// #define FPS_HALVER
into:
#define FPS_HALVER

[kokoko3k]

Just pushed a new horizontal mask preset, named wwx, it is like the wx mask, but less spaced:

[kokoko3k]

I updated GameGear presets by looking at online shots, and also added ghosting to it, the image was too vibrant before, while the LCD screen of the Sega handheld was really poor.

Also, the mask has been set to rgb instead of the original rgb for a better look on rgb monitors.

…night presets have no added light on the display:

…suggestions welcome!

[kokoko3k]

This is possibly the new/tweaked gba preset instead; previous one was too bloomy, even there adding ghosting (about 2 frames)

[Hari-82]

GBA is looking great!

Game Gear looks nice as well but from the screens seems that the grid is not present/visible (sonic), last time I played on a real game gear was like '92 or '93 so I do not actually remember how the real thing was, just saying

[kokoko3k]

Thanks, indeed there is no grid in GG, strange, I was sure it had, maybe is a screenshot issue, will check tomorrow…

-EDIT-
I’ve messed up the preset somehow, thanks for pointing it out!

Fixed and updated screenshots.

[RetroGames4K]

These look really good! .

[p1mrx]

@kokoko3k

…however, looking at real hardware, i fear core is not good, see the shot here:

I don’t think that’s real Asteroids hardware. It looks like AAE (Another Arcade Emulator).

[kokoko3k]

@p1mrx

That screenshot illustrates the problems with libretro-mame’s software rendering. The bullets are thin vertical lines instead of glowing circles.

I am confused about why do you think is not real hardware and if that is somehow related to the isolated points not glowing enough issue.

[Jaxsown]

Did you receive your RP5 ? I’m curious about the preset you’re using for handheld and console like SNES/PSX I posted on the sbc reddit recently about your shader : https://www.reddit.com/r/SBCGaming/comments/1himf6o/for_those_who_fear_the_black_border_burn_in/

[kokoko3k]

It’s a matter of taste; lately on my seriously crippled s10 with exynos I’m using tv-pal-my-old for old consoles because ntsc is not something I remember (Europe/Pal for me), and scanlines weren’t really visible on my old TV:

For arcade games, being it an Amoled display like the retroid pocket 5, I’m pushing the brightness to the max and use Monitor-for_HigherNits; it is a very light preset since it relies on the display brightness, rather than the shader tweaks. It is lighter on the gpu because it just draws the mask and scanlines, still light on the battery use because on an amoled display what drains battery is the final brightness, not the brightness slider itself like on lcd screens.

I saw your post, but assuming the screen is inline with the test in this video, you don’t need to worry about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2FpG6M037E

…but,

if you’re still not convinced, and I can understand it, you should consider that the monitor frame itself will retain its color, so you can colorize it depending on the content by operating on the shader parameters as follows (notice the monitor border is not black anymore, but it is colored by the ambient light too):

[RetroGames4K]

I love how it looks, what mask are you using?

[kokoko3k]

Nothing fancy… a shameless 80%rgb mask, 30%slotmask and scanlines.

Shake it well

edit: assumed you were talking about arcade mask.

[p1mrx]

I am confused about why do you think is not real hardware and if that is somehow related to the isolated points not glowing enough issue.

I think it looks too perfect to be a recording of a real CRT, and the glow looks like AAE to my eyes.

I’ve been experimenting with rendering vector dots in https://github.com/mamedev/mame/pull/13116. The initial patch demonstrates a fake glow effect, but a commenter disapproved, so I switched to plain circles. However the circles are still brighter and rounder, so I think this code would be useful for making shaders look better.

[LetramChi]

I’m trying this on the Sony – Playstation 2 (LRPS) core And it flashes pink and a diagonal dividing line appears when using Koko Shaders, I tried with version 4.1 and the new one from github and the same thing happens with everything (I tried with almost all the presets)

[kokoko3k]

Does it happen with other shaders or just with koko-aio? Any luck in switching from/to Vulkan/GLCore?

[LetramChi]

I tried with other shaders HSM and Uborder and only with Koko it happens to me.

I just tried with a much older version and it works fine, I don’t know what version it is but it is from the year 2023

Edit: I think it’s version 4.1

Release 4.1 · kokoko3k/koko-aio-slang