Mega Bezel Reflection Shader! - Feedback and Updates

[Starman99x]

@HyperspaceMadness

So you may need to set the trigger res lower, as well as set the Interlace mode to 1, 2 or 3

Late feedback:

It seems no matter how low I set the trigger resolution, it still won’t trigger interlacing unless I increase this specific param by at least one value:

I’m using version V1.17.2_2024-05-18

[HyperspaceMadness]

can you take a screengrab with the resolution info so we can see the core resolution?

[Starman99x]

Here’s one without my workaround:

With the workaround:

Edit:

While at it, I’d like to report the following missing glcore flip fixes, they are either new introduced issues in the nightly core builds, or a recently renamed core:

  glcore_LRPS2.params (new name)
  glcore_dolphin-emu.params (new name)
  glcore_DOSBox-pure.params (new flipping)
  glcore_melonDS DS.params (new core/openg gl mode glcore flipping)

[Cyber]

Help with a noobie question

I’m learning how to use shaders, and loving it, specially the “realistic” looking ones. I have this christmas shader, and it is awesome how the whole image reacts to the game light. But one little thing, when the screens gets bright, all the image gets brigth too, as it is only one image. I’m thinking about using layers to separate the lighting from background of the front plane. I dont know if I’m making myself clear, but i just wanted to use two images, the foreground and background in separ…

[Congruity]

Hi all, I tried searching the thread because I’m sure this has been answered but I’m embarrassed to say I couldn’t find the answer:

How can I convert the newpixie crt variant of megabezel into a screen only version? Best I could get tinkering with parameters was increasing the viewport zoom to 120, removing curvature, and making background layer opacity to zero. But…that still leaves the reflective bezel. Any way I can remove that or a more elegant solution to simply convert it to screen only?

(Cyber, if you read this first, I didn’t follow up in your thread because i realized the newpixie shader wasn’t part of your DTP megabezel preset pack and didn’t want to keep asking you about a project you’re not responsible for since I’m already asking you a million q re Megatron tinkering)

[Duimon]

@Congruity

convert the newpixie crt variant of megabezel into a screen only version

Do a search in the parameters dialog (By pressing the “S” key) and type in.

[ bezel

That will jump you to the “Bezel” section.

There you can reduce the opacity of the bezel and frame to 0.00000.

That will take care of the reflection.

Also, non-integer scale % of 100 should be full screen. No need to use viewport zoom. (It is really just for preset developers to get a close look at sub-pixels)

Honest question though, why not just use the standalone newpixie-crt? Is there some other Mega Bezel feature that you need?

Doing the above parameter changes will make it appear like a “screen only” version, but it will still take as much horsepower as a regular preset.

The actual “screen only” Mega Bezel presets are much leaner.

You could take the screen only GDV variant, either ADV

\shaders_slang\bezel\Mega_Bezel\Presets\Base_CRT_Presets\MBZ__2__ADV-SCREEN-ONLY__GDV.slangp

or STD.

shaders\shaders_slang\bezel\Mega_Bezel\Presets\Base_CRT_Presets\MBZ__4__STD-SCREEN-ONLY__GDV.slangp

and the parameters for the New-pixi clone.

# HSM_DOWNSAMPLE_BLUR_SCANLINE_DIR = "33"
# HSM_DOWNSAMPLE_BLUR_OPPOSITE_DIR = "33"

HSM_DOWNSAMPLE_BLUR_SCANLINE_DIR = "0.000000"
HSM_DOWNSAMPLE_BLUR_OPPOSITE_DIR = "0.000000"

HSM_INTERLACE_TRIGGER_RES = "100.000000"
HSM_FAKE_SCANLINE_OPACITY = "70.000000"
HSM_FAKE_SCANLINE_ROLL = "30.000000"

SGPT_BLEND_OPTION = 0

g_cntrst = "0.500000"

GDV_AFTERGLOW_THRESHOLD = "7.5"
# BP = "16"

glow = "-0.300000"
SIZEH = "7.000000"
SIGMA_H = "2.300000"
halation = "0.2"
h_sharp = "3.000001"
shadowMask = "6.000000"
maskstr = "0.4"
maskDark = "1.000000"

GDV_DECONVERGENCE_ON = "1.000000"
deconrr = "1.500000"
deconrb = "-1.500000"
deconrry = "1.500000"
deconrby = "-1.500000"
addnoised = "0.140000"

and create a second reference for a preset.

You would get an actual “screen only” version of the new-pixie clone.

[Congruity]

Thank you so much Duimon!

As for why not use the reg newpixie shader, I don’t know why but the megabezel version looks significantly different. Like there’s a soft bilinear filter missing on the standard version. I don’t know, I’ll take some photos when I get home from work to show you what I mean.

The megabezel overhead is fine, as it’s run by a 4060 and Ryzen 7945x

[Duimon]

@Congruity

version looks significantly different.

Probably because it is really the default Guest Advance with some tweaks.

If you need some help setting up the second reference (What I would really recommend.) just ask and I will give you some pointers.

[Cyber]

@Congruity

(Cyber, if you read this first, I didn’t follow up in your thread because i realized the newpixie shader wasn’t part of your DTP megabezel preset pack and didn’t want to keep asking you about a project you’re not responsible for since I’m already asking you a million q re Megatron tinkering)

It’s okay, I have a bit of nostalgia for the Newpixie-CRT-clone preset because that’s what I started with when I ended up making my first preset pack.

You can see that right here:

Mega Bezel Reflection Shader! - Feedback and Updates

Just sharing my latest presets with the community. I’m quite satisfied with these settings for now. Pictures won’t tell the whole story as there’s a bit of subtle movement going on in there so feel free to try them out. I recommend using Arcade - Sharp for arcade games, Composite - Pure for NES and similar systems and Composite - Sharp for the 16-bit era systems and everything else except games that rely on dithering to generate additional colours and transparency effects that aren’t being hand…

After a short while, I started going for a more “realistic” look but I kept a few presets which contained the same ethos of my original presets.

They are the “RGB_SHARP/SMOOTH” presets.

There are some modern variants of those called “Upscaled No Border” which use the Screen Only Base Preset.

There are also a few novelty items like “Old Skool RF Interference” which you can try out.

These are all based on Mega Bezel 1.14.0 though.

Perfect for your True Black HDR400 mode would be the CyberLab Mega Bezel HDR folder, which has Presets which take a hybrid approach to achieving the required brightness.

Have fun with the Newpixie-CRT-clone though.

[Congruity]

@Cyber

These are all based on Mega Bezel 1.14.0 though.

Actually, I was wondering if there was a way to keep your DTP presets installed since they require MB 1.14 which I have to manually reinstall every time I update the shaders through RA. Is there a way to change the required paths to a separate 1.14 folder I keep around?

[Congruity]

I really like your idea about adding the new pixie paramaters to MBZ_2_ADV-SCREEN-ONLY_GDV.

Is there a faster way of copy pasting them than manually typing everything up via retroarch? I tried opening up the .slangp shader file in notepad thinking I can copy/paste your paramaters but it showed this:

#reference “Root_Presets/MBZ__2__ADV-SCREEN-ONLY__GDV.slangp” #reference “…/…/resource/param_values/base/auto-settings.params”

[Duimon]

@Congruity

tried opening up the .slangp shader file

What you need to do is open some content (Even just an image file.) and load the parent preset. I recommend the STD.

shaders\shaders_slang\bezel\Mega_Bezel\Presets\Base_CRT_Presets\MBZ__4__STD-SCREEN-ONLY__GDV.slangp

Then save a new preset by any name you wish. (i.e. something easy like test1.slangp)

The create a text file named newpixie.params and paste the parameters in the new text file.

When you open up the test1.slangp in a text editor you will see…

#reference "shaders_slang/bezel/Mega_Bezel/Presets/Base_CRT_Presets/MBZ__4__STD-SCREEN-ONLY__GDV.slangp"

Add a second reference to the newpixie.params so it reads…

#reference "shaders_slang/bezel/Mega_Bezel/Presets/Base_CRT_Presets/MBZ__4__STD-SCREEN-ONLY__GDV.slangp"

#reference "newpixie.params"

Then run some content and load the test1.slanp… it should look like this.

From my quick test it looks just like the newpixie variation. (Which should be no surprise.)

From there you can turn off curvature and increase the non-integer scale to 100 and save the preset again using the same name (test1.slangp)

The result.

Keep in mind this was converted to a JPG to upload to the forum, some detail is lost.

You can rename the test1.slangp file however you wish. Just be sure to keep the newpixie.params file in the same folder.

If you wish to move the test1.slangp to a new folder you will have to change the reference path to reflect the change, or use an absolute path instead of a relative one.

[Cyber]

@Congruity

Is there a way to change the required paths to a separate 1.14 folder I keep around?

It’s quite simple to make a copy of the Mega Bezel 1.14.0 folder and rename it, “Mega_Bezel - 1.14.0” and a copy of the latest version and similarly append the version # to it and just open whichever one you wish to use and select all, copy, then open the “Mega_Bezel” folder, select all, delete, then paste the files you copied into the main Mega_Bezel folder.

You can repeat this process with the latest version if you wanted to switch back to it.

Or, if you wanted to be cool you could do the first step above, then using a mass editing tool like “Notepad++”, use the “Find in Files” feature to search for and replace every instance of “/Mega_Bezel” in my preset pack with “/Mega_Bezel - 1.14.0”.

[HyperspaceMadness]

Thanks to the awesome work of @kokoko3k the $CORE$ and $VID-DRV$ should now be working in the current or next nightly build.

Thanks @kokoko3k for your work and your generous support to the community!

FIX shader wildcards.

[slikvik55]

I’d like to experience that old MTV feel on a CRT

As TV broadcasts were 480i and not 240p what shader/settings should I use?

Also, my 80s music videos are from various sources so are either 480 or 1080 resolution. I’m guessing I need to use DREZ, but other than that, completely lost?

[Duimon]

DREZ is only meant to be used with hardware rendered cores and increased internal resolution scale.

For both situations I would play with the scanline opposite direction multiplier parameter. (Either decreasing or increasing it.)

[slikvik55]

So just to clarify, using the FFMPEG core, I should not use DREZ to get 1080p to simulate 480i CRT, but instead pick one of the standard presets and use the scanline direction parameter instead?

[Starman99x]

Try my interlacing settings below with any presets other than DREZ, as in my test I found that interlacing + drez was too rough and jaggy around the edges:

// INTERLACING / RELATED TWEAKS
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HSM_CORE_RES_SAMPLING_MULT_SCANLINE_DIR = "100.000000"
HSM_DOWNSAMPLE_BLUR_SCANLINE_DIR = "10.000000"
HSM_CORE_RES_SAMPLING_MULT_OPPOSITE_DIR = "101.000000" // TEMP WORKAROUND FOR TRIGGERING INTERLACING
HSM_DOWNSAMPLE_BLUR_OPPOSITE_DIR = "10.000000"

HSM_SCANLINE_DIRECTION = "0.0"                  // 0 = Auto
//hiscan = "0.0"                                // ScaleFX or XBR Only.
no_scanlines = "0.0"                            // GDV Only.
HSM_INTERLACE_MODE = "1.0"                      // -1 = NO SCANLINES / 0 = NO INTERLACING / 1-3 = NORMAL INTERLACING / 4-5 = INTERPOLATION
HSM_INTERLACE_TRIGGER_RES = "375.0"             // Trigger Resolution for Interlace, Fake Scanlines or VGA.
HSM_INTERLACE_EFFECT_SMOOTHNESS_INTERS = "0.0"  // Interlace effect smoothness
HSM_INTERLACE_SCANLINE_EFFECT = "0.35"          // Interlace scanline effect ('Laced brightness)
iscans = "0.30"                                 // Interlace (scanline) saturation.
vga_mode = "0.0"                                // VGA Single/Double Scan mode.

HSM_FAKE_SCANLINE_MODE = "0.0"

bogus_afterglow = "0.000000"                   // Bad with interlacing.

You don’t need to use all of them (some are basically default or safety measures) and you can tweak as you like, but I want to save you some headache by showing you a workaround I used to fix interlacing not being triggered, at least for me, which is this line specifically:

HSM_CORE_RES_SAMPLING_MULT_OPPOSITE_DIR = "101.000000"

[Duimon]

@slikvik55

scanline direction parameter instead

I was AFK. I meant Scanline Opposite Direction Multiplier. Then you could try enabling interlacing and see what you think. I have never been a fan, but it might be just what you are looking for.

Here is a shot of a 1080p video with Opposite Direction Multiplier set to its lowest, (25) using mask 7.

[slikvik55]

Thanks man, I’ll give them a try. And thanks as always @Duimon