Mega Bezel Reflection Shader! - Feedback and Updates

[HyperspaceMadness]

Thanks a bunch @duimon!

You will also want to turn off the setting which allows Retroarch to rotate the frame buffer (Which is what makes the graphics show up sideways)

Go to “Settings/Core”

Turn “Allow Rotation” OFF

[Duimon]

Hmmm. Either it is off by default or I just changed it months ago and forgot.

BTW. @JRPGod You will want to use the newest version of Retroarch.

@HyperspaceMadness There has definitely been some kind of change in RA. MAME 2003 and 2010 were impossible to get vertical working and now they are just as easy as FB-Neo.

(I double checked with the release version of the shader to rule out any changes that have been made.)

[JRPGod]

Oh damn, you two are awesome, that’s all working like a treat now!

Thank you so much lads, really appreciated.

[Cyber]

@JRPGod

Thank you so much lads, really appreciated.

While you’re at it and having fun, you might wanna take a look at these shader presets.

HSM 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. With that said, for the best viewing experience of these screenshots I suggest you right click on the image then…

[shirleeey]

First off, thanks a ton for all the tremendous work on these shaders! They’re truly incredible.

I have an issue using Duckstation. Whenever I view the ‘select’ screen in Silent Hill, the resolution changes and so does the shader/bezel. I have ensured I have integer scaling off in both RA and this shader. Is there anything else I can do to rectify this? Thanks again!

[Duimon]

It is detecting the resolution as a vertical aspect. The debug info you provided should give HSM the info he needs to try and catch it for a future release.

For now you can manually set the orientation as Horizontal.

Then save a Content Directory, Core, or Game preset.

If it still gives you problems you can also manually set the aspect ratio to 4:3 in the next parameter.

[Duimon]

@shirleeey I forgot to use the correct “Reply” method. Just wanted to make sure you saw the previous post.

[shirleeey]

That did it! Many thanks for your work on these graphics and for this fix as well!

[Duimon]

You are welcome. It occurs to me that, as precise as the layout for these PVM presets is, I should probably just set those two parameters as default.

[Duimon]

I made the change in all my PVM presets. It will be in the next update.

[Cyber]

Just letting you’all know that I’ve been updating and improving my shader presets and they are evolving into quite a refined state! My CyberLab Mega Bezel Death To Pixels (Composite - Sharp)(Blending and Transparency) preset can now do proper transparency effects in Sega Genesis and other games without resorting to blur inducing techniques!

In addition to that, I’ve found some ways in which I can more accurately represent my shader presets in screenshots.

If you haven’t checked these out in a while, now might be a great time to see how far things have progressed!

@HyperspaceMadness, @Duimon, @Tromzy, @Neofuuma, @guest.r

Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about:

These are from my CyberLab Mega Bezel Death To Pixels (Blending and Transparency) preset:

https://mega.nz/file/VFxGyS5D#uDUhl82472NKjAyn48GxWrZmRO2F-d7igKotvNpgq6c

https://mega.nz/file/NN5gzQZa#3O9SOVLKkS_AjM5aqTzrXHMmOrvSr4QXwanN13DxdT0

https://mega.nz/file/Jcx2VaaQ#6Wu7dUThENtv40WrLrMKwYr-kS5jGm_OZMCRDianEZ0

https://mega.nz/file/YRxWHQrb#NdbakAr3MyF-Jse5XoAkRX-0oz07Qgp38Wm-t0jtozc

https://mega.nz/file/NMB1VK4D#ygSDMhcL-XhxtlXp6PbhWV0YwsQ9HWYev61t9fUvHfQ

https://mega.nz/file/YJhwzIzC#YTbtjtX7IBkkxW6qjMel3tFsgXs-8UalwMbYfNcdkR4

https://mega.nz/file/MIwgjKoY#22yhddX2CXcBv5i5kxng-Z9Hq10NW1b_yyi_ZzxBDJg

https://mega.nz/file/EcQVxYgZ#6R2rcx0jBRSx9MVZx8MXsk03J68-nbn5Z6P5rx_ypRQ

https://mega.nz/file/JVw2DQAY#wvSsXqIb4f4OfEvPGcMAjiumpeZgsdDcnyY0ZfdPPVU

https://mega.nz/file/Bc5l1I7S#-4O8pLP8gzI-UxUvlA6aYaF_bS0MKyLkMy3BH0Q-CfQ

These are from my CyberLab Mega Bezel Death To Pixels (Arcade - Sharp) preset:

https://mega.nz/file/cNxGjZ5Z#ReNEBthV9Qgg8w3uNcQP56uQvXmPgFH6t2EcmCMAB_g

https://mega.nz/file/UcwkGZ5Y#rzemgmEKaMpooUnyT6YsbxWgoJIlPwc6qgb11fqJA-U

https://mega.nz/file/NYpwQRTa#FhSUGjlr6wNaNUOuOlXAVGimM9Mb_UdLk0MPGMUZ-Bc

I’ll try to post some more screenshots when I get a chance.

As always you can get these presets here:

HSM 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…

[HyperspaceMadness]

Hey our package has been downloaded 5000 times!

To celebrate here’s a sneak peak from the HSM kitchen:

Some screenshots of Guest’s NTSC integrated:

I’m not sure what Lisa said, but I bet it was good

Same with regular Guest Advanced

NTSC with some groovy color correct

Sonic with NTSC & some negative cropping

Metroid NTSC with some negative cropping

[Cyber]

@HyperspaceMadness

Hey our package has been downloaded 5000 times!

Congratulations and keep up the great work! Who knows where this might end up in the future?!! As ironically as this may sound, the work we’re doing and the fun we’re having with these things might actually contribute to the final demise of the CRT collecting scene as our simulations and emulation become good enough that it just isn’t worth it any more to try getting your hands on and maintaining a CRT for retro gaming purposes. If anything we’re already at the point where these shaders are a worthy alternative for all but the most die hard and discerning of collectors and enthusiasts.

Trust me when I say, this technology has great potential, especially when it breaks out into the mainstream. Someone might benefit tremendously if ever it’s commercialized.

Thanks again to all who have contributed to making this dream a reality.

[Duimon]

@Cyber

if anything we’re already at the point where these shaders are a worthy alternative for all but the most die hard and discerning of collectors and enthusiasts.

I agree that a high quality CRT shader is a valid method of preserving CRT technology.

I once had a very disappointing argument, (On another forum.) with a guy who insisted that since CRTs were analog there was nothing to emulate, so shaders were a waste of time.

Tell that to WaveLabs and their multi-million dollar analog DAW plugin enterprise.

On a directly related note. We have had at least one die hard CRT enthusiast (A member of a reddit CRT group.) take part in this thread and even contribute some shots of one of his CRTs. (My TM20 graphic is the end result.)

[TheNamec]

@Duimon

I agree that a high quality CRT shader is a valid method of preserving CRT technology.

At least, it’s a method to preserve the reproduction of some visual tricks exploited by our beloved games, and I think @Cyber is doing a neat work with those pseudo-transparencies! I remember I struggled quite a lot with these, before deciding to go lazy with MDAPT algo solution. Keep going with the good work, I hope I can learn something from your research!

BTW, as I plan to rebuild a couple of PVM/BVMs for my Mega Bezel Commodore Pack, it would be cool to reproduce not only the chassis, but even to be more faithful with the scanlines/grill presentation… those are very different from the Commodore displays I used to do until now!

Anyone has direct experience with these professional monitors? Like doing some very detailed photos so we can try simulating them with our shader tools? @HyperspaceMadness, @guest.r, everybody, cast thy bless on me

[Duimon]

Here’s a set of shots from a SONY BVM-14F1U.

https://imgur.com/a/kI4TA

And here is a thread about CRT scanlines that is loaded with shots.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/scanline-screenshot-thread-because-240p-is-still-all-the-ps-i-need-in-this-era.2479/

[Duimon]

Looking at some of those shots, it just blows my mind how accurate Guest ADV is at recreating some of them.

[Duimon]

I think it will be quite an adventure. I’m no expert but here is my first attempt at using Guest parameters to try and recreate the more pronounced scanlines and mask in a BVM.

Edit: I realized I was using the wrong screen vignette and it was covering most of the reflection.

New shot posted.

[TheNamec]

@Duimon

I’m no expert but here is my first attempt at using Guest parameters to try and recreate the more pronounced scanlines and mask in a BVM.

I knew this new quest was going to make you go crazy with accuracy ahahah!!! According to you, should we try to reproduce something generic like “NTSC TV EXPERIENCE” and “PVM/BVM EXPERIENCE” or should we do model-specific presets for some ‘historically relevant’ representation?

[Duimon]

There has been a little chatter with @Kurozumi about his preset. I, for one, would love to turn him loose on the Mega Bezel and see what he could come up with.

I do think that any real tweaks (i.e. ‘historically relevant’ tweaks.) to Guest are only truly seen on a 4K or larger display. The darker scanlines and mask would show on 1080 though.