Specific Shaders for Lynx and GBA?

RetroArch Additions Shaders
#3

I am a newcomer to the field/issue, but I have a few leads:

I have absolutely no idea about what those consoles are supposed to look like.

hunterk has done some screen comparisons between these two shaders: http://filthypants.blogspot.ca/2013/04/multipass-shaders-ntsc-motion-blur-and.html (see the “Harlequin’s LCD Shader” section);

If anyone has an idea to what is closest to the original both for the Lynx (1989) and the Game Boy Advance (2001), feel free to post opinions about shaders! will help us all

#4

for reference, here are LCD-filter captures, in Handy: the best of chip’s challenge’s levels

looks similar to the real thing (lynx v2), from what I remember. although no idea if the shaders look similar to that. http://i.imgur.com/UD3JC0F.jpg

neither of what the gba is supposed to look like. http://i.imgur.com/pV9B6Us.png

edit:

judging from the blog screenshots, harlequin-lcd seem to beat cgwg-lcd in color accuracy. however, what about the blurring? the edges in GBA outputs seem they are in need to be softened out, even using harlequin-lcd. should there may be a blur-shader pass as an extra? lynx seems fine in that area, however.

another thing: screenshots are not of ultimate value, as there may be motion blur to emulate. is harlequin-lcd enough in that area? does it suit both lynx and gba in reproducing the original experience with these handhelds?

GB emulation with harlequin shaders seem fine. We need opinions so shaders for Lynx and GBA can be further developed in the future! depending on whether the current ones are adequate or not, that is.

#5

it appears that for Lynx, Handy’s LCD filter

is what is most accurate. No need for a shader here.

Only thing left to discuss is the best GBA shader. Maybe a simple, blur shader is best.

EDIT: for reference, I’ve also asked the same question over at http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51298 (the RetroArch Shader Thread)

#6

I noticed that if you use lcd-cgwg shader and reduce the Grid parameter close to 0 you end up with something looking more like the game gear / lynx screens (vertical scanlines).

#7

hey! thanks for the input, man.

i’ll have access to a lynx soon. i’ll check and i’ll bump some, to give feedback to the community.

good luck with your quests for accuracy btw!

#8

Yeah that looks more authentic to a Lynx display…

Maybe could do with slightly more brightness/contrast to the screen however to simulate the god awful backlight the system had.

Now all we need is a nice overlay in the style of BlueAmnesiac’s Gameboy and Gameboy Advanced overlays

#9

oh wow, where did you find such an image? i thought i searched for one everywhere on the web. :slight_smile:

static images are not all, though. there is also the game in movement! being, is there motion blur to add or speed of color refreshment to adjust?

i was going to compare that with the real handheld i’ll be having later today, but that probably will be a while as i’m unable to launch latest retroarch on xp. will have to wait until the next version perhaps.

edit: what i could do is to film the output of the real handheld. although i have only a very-low-quality camera from my phone, and if it doesn’t perform better than the pictures module, we are advanced no further.

#10

Heres some links for the…Lynx:

Lynx 1 (5850 × 2460)

And lynx 2, or will need some cropping…

shame theres not an art guy on these forums who could do a mock up like BlueAmnesiac’s GB designs

#11

ok so, as promised there is the video i’ve made. i was holding the cell phone (camera) in one hand and basically it’s trembling most of the way so i hope i won’t give you guys motion sickness or something like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on7UBaxHIG8 – then again, the camera is so poor that i’m not sure the movement has been captured as it should have been.

basically there may be far-more professional shots of the handheld in movement, such as:

do you guys think there’s something extra to emulate in terms of slowing down the color-refreshment rate or adding motion blur?

and then again, following tatsuya’s suggestion of going “lcd-cgwg shader and reduce the Grid parameter close to 0”, is the result acceptable in terms of mimicking the original output? does one need an extra shader layer which changes coloring (such as for the gba), or something like that? i think besides the output in movement, the standard that should be attained is this (shared by blockaboots) http://i.imgur.com/MvS7rGR.jpg

#12

There is motion blur pass in shaders/handeld/lcd_cgwg/motionblur-simple.cg that you can add in if you want that.

#13

Ok. Basically – and I want to make it clear – the goal (as I see it) is to develop standards in handheld-output emulation. I would want the community to sit together and say: “okay, for gba outputs you take this shader file and it gives an acceptable output. in lynx, you take this one, etc.”

you guys are doing it very well on gba shadering. progress made in the last days is stuff the whole emulation community will inherit. shader standards, per console, have to be developed. to hell what i find nice or not. there is accurate emulation, nothing less and nothing more. sure, perfection may be unattainable but such is not the goal. the goal is for different people to sit at the result and say, “well, here is something that quite mimics the real thing!”

#14

I’ll do some testing. But first, has anyone any idea if this http://i.imgur.com/MvS7rGR.jpg is a) an emulated output with a border or b) a screenshot of a real handheld?

It appears I’m too newb. to distinguish. :slight_smile:

#15

Emulated. The Lynx and Game Gear screens were washed out, full of brightness.

#16

Oh my, if this is what happens on lcd-cgwg with “grid” close to 0, then my hat’s off to whoever deserves it (you amongst others), as that looks dame good.

#17

CGWG is the guy to thank for making those shaders. And I guess he made that grid setting for this kind of case.

#18

[QUOTE=twipley;22017]I’ll do some testing. But first, has anyone any idea if this http://i.imgur.com/MvS7rGR.jpg is a) an emulated output with a border or b) a screenshot of a real handheld?

It appears I’m too newb. to distinguish. :)[/QUOTE]

Haha, thats mine. Its an emulator with an overlay

#19

just want to congratz you guys, i know you all contributed to this, and there in the last 12 months were created:

  • hi-ban’s update to harlequin’s gb shader;
  • tetsuya’s update to cgwg’s gba shader;
  • and this which mimics the lynx quite well,

I hadn’t visited the scene since 2011-2012 where crt-geom was finishing development. big shader baby-boom right now, behind it takes real determination. i just wanted to highlight that out! :wink:

#20

What was it again, 0.00, or 0.01 for the “grid” you used? out of curiosity

#21

0 i believe

#22

oh yeah, just got them working, i can confirm it’s 0!