Mega Bezel Reflection Shader! - Feedback and Updates

[HyperspaceMadness]

@shenglong

is there anything that can be done to help improve the performance/make efficient for older computers

Hi @shenglong, this is a good question, there may not be that much to be done to make the bezel and reflection run a lot faster, but I did code this to have the screen scaling as a separate component which can be used by itself without the other stuff.

The initial idea here was to make it easy to integrate into existing shaders, and that individual shader writers could include the scaling in their shaders with minimal performance hit. With this the reflection shader presets would reference the master shader and I wouldn’t be making copies of the shaders. I don’t mind the work, the issue is when the master version gets updated and then the copied integrated version is out of date. I also feel like before this is a good idea for anybody to integrate into their own shaders it needs to be in the repo, and also needs to be mature, so things aren’t being added to it which might affect existing integration.

I’ll try to make a version which incorporates only the scaling stuff which I think shouldn’t be too heavy, and see what the performance is like.

[Syh]

Ohh yea, PSA crt-guest-dr-venom got an update over the last couple of days.

It added a Saturation control for scanline modes 1-2.

Did some changes to the masks.

And removed the if statements for the scanline spike, maybe some other things related to that. I didn’t really dig that deep into things, lol.

I think that’s everything.

[HyperspaceMadness]

@Syh

crt-guest-dr-venom got an update over the last couple of days.

Is that in the Repo? and also Thanks!

[Syh]

Yeah, at least it’s in the slang repo (I think? it’s in one of the two, if not both, lol)

It was updated yesterday, I think. 28-29 one of the two.

No problem, I know you’re busy with this and other things, making it kinda hard to know what’s going on in the repos at all times, lol.

[Duimon]

@GemaH

This much is the shader…

The IBM Badge, LED, and Indicators are using the overlay image and the rest is Background.

[GemaH]

Nice idea using the overlay layer this way.

[Syh]

@HyperspaceMadness

Hey I’d suggest waiting until next weekend before updating crt-guest-dr-venom’s branch of your shader.

@guest.r did another update since I posted originally, he overhauled the sharpness filtering it seems (significantly larger than the updates I mentioned previously, and he tweaked the scanlines slightly, along with the masks some again.)

Between the two updates I’ve mentioned it’s a decent chunk of code that needs to be replaced, and there’s a possibility things may be tweaked off and on during the duration of the week.

Just thought I’d give you a heads up so you’re not wasting time updating things and then re-updating the updates, lol.

[Diego]

Testing new backgrounds

[Telmo]

What Nintendon’t… hahaha Every update of this shader preset is just great.

[HyperspaceMadness]

Latest Update to the Shader is Up: Version 2020-04-01

Changes:

• New version of Guest-Venom which only does the screen scaling, no bezel

  • This is faster than the full shader but still isn’t as fast as it should be, runs about %50 as fast as standard Guest-Venom, right now there is a performance hit because of the cropping when sampling.
  • It seems because there are some ifs in there it might be doing multiple branches or something, because the hit is considerable, like %50 performance.

• Tube Glass is applied to the crt image as additive color (so it will not gray out)

  • This means you can use an image with opacity, or a black and white image without opacity if desired

• Default Tube Glass image included

• Tube Edge Shadow is now added, so when you reduce the black edge to bring in the edges of the bezel over the screen there will be a shadow, this is adjustable.

  • I ended up using the same method as Guest-Venom which came from somewhere else originally, not super adjustable, not sure if this is worth adding more features to.
  • I looked into Royale’s and it’s interesting but would take more work to set up and conform to the corner radius already in the shader.

• The Tube Edge shadow also masks the tube glass a bit, so it doesn’t look really unnatural at the edges, let me know how this works for you

• Also a note, if you just want the screen edge to be darkened a bit (regardless of what the bezel is doing) you can use the Screen Edge Sharpness parameter

No Bezel Version

Glass Reflection in Add Mode

Tube Edge Shadow affecting the Tube Glass

Tube Edge Shadow over the screen

[Syh]

The glass is way more believable in this screens, the additive mode was well worth the work.

My only issue with the r-type screen is that the screen edge shadow has to much of a point in the corners. (The edges in the corners of the shadow are too sharp.) The width is fine for the effect but the opacity of it (strength?) could possibly be lowered some, I feel it would look more natural with both of those changes.

And a finally a question, is the effect in the r-type screen and the screen below it both using the guest corner shadow method thing?

[HyperspaceMadness]

@Syh

the screen edge shadow has to much of a point in the corners

I agree, I don’t love that either, so something to be improved

@Syh

The width is fine for the effect but the opacity of it (strength?) could possibly be lowered some

There is an opacity setting for this

@Syh

is the effect in the r-type screen and the screen below it both using the guest corner shadow method thing?

Yes

[Diego]

Congratulations. You are exceeding expectations with this shader.

[Syh]

Ohh, not a super fan of having to do one or the the other with the screen edge shadow, as I’d like to stack them but ehhh it’s not a big deal. (See EDIT: my comment is wrong, lol.)

Also forgot to tell you things are looking great, sorry it seems like half my comment is nagging/complaining.

EDIT: The screen edge shadow is stackable with the guest edge thing.

[HyperspaceMadness]

@Syh

not a super fan of having to do one or the the other with the screen edge shadow, as I’d like to stack them

Ok I misunderstood what you meant, both are there and they will stack as you suggest

[Syh]

Sorry about that, as I’ve said I’m pretty bad about explaining/wording things, lol.

Happy that I can stack them!

[ProfessorBraun]

@Syh

Sorry about that, as I’ve said I’m pretty bad about explaining/wording things, lol.

I know this feeling.

[Duimon]

First impressions are really good. I personally don’t mind the shadow in the corner. (How much time do you spend looking in the corner when you are playing a game?) Combining that with the edge sharpness gave me just what I wanted. I also like the glass. I have yet to try my own image.

BTW. I have discovered after spending time with many cores that the slowdown is only seen on a couple of cores: snes9x, Beetle Saturn, and DOSBox. Cores like Dolphin, Flycast, Kronos, and others I might expect aren’t showing it.

[Diego]

The rom pack that I’m using doesn’t allow an easy use of the config presets. So I’m downloading a no intro pack in order to have a more generic rom names. Then I will share it.

[shenglong]

Thanks for your efforts on the “leaner” version with only the scaling, cropping and aspect ratio features, however my old 2nd i5 still struggles to run full speed with the preset (SNES9x with SMW). Oh well, just means I have to get a beefier machine to get all the goodness this shader offers. The other updates you have added look great by the way.