Mednafen PCE-fast with overscan visibility

Libretro Cores
#1

I updated a modification I made to display Mednafen pce-fast full overscan.

It shows 352 pixels width for games in that resolution, like Ninja Spirit:

341 pixels before modification / 352 now (initial/last scanline at 0 & 242 in core options)

And it gains 1 line that was lost (in mednafen source, not a libretro error) at the bottom for games at the standard resolution:

Pc Genjin 2 with initial/last scanline at 3 & 242 in core options (first 3 lines are blank)

Default screen ratio is now 6:5 to make up for the additional lines.

In my last modification I used to remove the first 3 lines assuming they were always blank, but, as you can see in the Ninja Spirit pic, they are active in some games (from those that are 352 wide?).

I was looking for a 352 px wide games list; only one I found is this one which is probably incomplete:

André Panza Kickboxing
Aoi Blink
Battle Royale
Beyond Shadowgate
Burai
Burai 2
Champions Forever Boxing
Dai Makai Mura
Davis Cup Tennis
Dôkyûsei
Forgotten Worlds
Ghost Manor
Jack Nicklaus Championship Golf
Jack Nicklaus Turbo Golf
Jack Nicklaus Turbo Golf CD
Jack Nicklaus World Tour Golf
Klax
Legend of Hero Tonma
Loom
Might & Magic 3
Morita ShĂ´gi PC
Mr Heli no DaibĂ´ken
Ninja Spirit
Order of the Griffon
Populous
Populous : The Promised Lands
Prince of Persia
Princess Maker
Princess Maker 2
R-Type Complete CD
R-Type I (Japan)
R-Type II (Japan)
Saigo no NindĂ´
Shanghai
Shanghai 2
Shanghai 3
Shape Shifter
Shinsetsu Shiawase Usagi 2
ShĂ´gi : Shoshinsha MuyĂ´
Side Arms
Sol Moonarge
The Addams Family
The Davis Cup Tennis
The Kickboxing
Tokimeki Memorial
TV Sports Basketball
TV Sports Football
TV Sports Hockey
Yo Bro
Ys 1-2

…and some games are switching their resolution on the fly.

modification source is here

Has been merged for PCE_Fast & SuperGrafx = you’ve got those modifications when you do “online updater” and get the cores in Retroarch.

Alternative version with the previous CD-Rom code (the new one doesn’t work for me):

SuperGrafx: DOWNLOAD for Win x64

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#2

Is that one-line error something you’ve brought to their attention upstream?

#3

I wrote this on their forum a while ago but didn’t get an answer.

But well, that’s not really important when you have the PCE “not fast” version in your distribution I guess.

(That’s 3 lines less in mednafen pce-fast stand-alone vs this libretro-pce-fast-mod. 1 line at the bottom for libretro current core vs this mod.

Mednafen pce-fast stand-alone doesn’t display 352 width. Mednafen pce “not fast” stand-alone has a switch for it.)

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#4

That’s good enough, IMO. If they don’t want to follow up on it, that’s on them.

#5

This is great, thanks. I did see some junk pixels in the first scanline, and the last three, in Ninja Spirit, so perhaps that’s why they were intentionally(?) masked - but that’s why core options exist.

#6

That’s overscan pixels: they can be good or junk depending of games.

#7

I modified the Supergrafx core to add the scanline settings in core options, 242 vertical lines and 352 width for games that support it.

I was surprised to see it works with every PCE, CD, Arcade card games. I thought it was removed when SGX and PCE cores got separated, I was wrong.

As it emulates the Supergrafx it’s probably slightly different in some scenarios (like some shmups made for the original Pc-Engine that can take advantage of the SGX better processing to have less slow-down).

edit: and updated it to Mednafen 0.9.38.7.

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#8

Cool, thanks. Looking forward to that getting merged and built; I’ll be able to switch to just that core for all my PCE needs :slight_smile:

#9

Updated both cores to allow CD Volume up to 200. It’s allowed by Mednafen to make up for the usually low CD volume.

CDDA and ADPCM (digital voices with a CD-ROM Unit chip) can be modified directly, PSG (internal PC Engine sound chip) needs restart. 200 / 150 / 130 seemed nice on games I tested.

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#10

Nice, will these updates be added to the RetroPie version of Mednafen PCE-fast?

#11

If it gets merged into mainline and Retropie is based on libretro, yes probably.

#12

…except for Space Harrier. Just learned this one doesn’t run on Supergafx unless you activate a switch on the console that forces the standard PC Engine mode (in which SGX games don’t work).

I wonder why those cores got separated in Retroarch while those systems are so similar. Could just have a core option to switch PCE/SGX mode like in mednafen stand-alone.

#13

[QUOTE=Tatsuya79;37513]…except for Space Harrier. Just learned this one doesn’t run on Supergafx unless you activate a switch on the console that forces the standard PC Engine mode (in which SGX games don’t work).

I wonder why those cores got separated in Retroarch while those systems are so similar. Could just have a core option to switch PCE/SGX mode like in mednafen stand-alone.[/QUOTE] That game I’d rather play the arcade version through MAME, but I wonder what others are incompatible in SGFX mode.

I preferred them as a single core too. I’m still holding out for an accuracy core someday for Popful Mail (crashes with glitchy cutscenes in pce_fast) and Violent Soldier’s graphical glitch.

#14

Same here, don’t care much about Sega/Capcom ports these days when you have the original. I really like Violent Soldier too, that’s the main annoyance I feel.

#15

Update to make the frame buffer height follow the first/last scanline parameters. Never noticed how bad it was as I use non integer scaling with a shader that hides this kind of problem.

old rendering with scanline at 3/242 / new with correction (zoom in to see)

It needs a core restart after changing the scanlines parameters. Works instantly with per core / per game overrides.

The width is still 6:5 ratio (mednafen default which I think is good). You can make it whatever you want with retroarch settings/video/aspect ratio parameter.

It uses the old CD-ROM code as the new one is broken atm on libretro GIT.

That’s the SuperGrafx core:

—See 1st post—

edit: works real time now, no need to restart.

#17

Probably. But I don’t know where/how to call that! :slight_smile:

I’m not a coder really.

#18

You basically just paste it in, like this:

If it’s in there with the core options, it’ll set geometry each time a core option changes.

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#19

Thanks, I updated the links. :slight_smile:

#20

Following this hint I made the CD PSG volume change immediately too. All the CD volume settings are applied during the game now.

I updated the link at the end of 1st post.

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#22

OK, I did it for PCE Fast here.

I didn’t send it to the Supergrafx Git as the Cd-rom code needs a fix / revert atm.

edit: this can be ignored as we started anew from Westonlast code.

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