What is your favorite shader for 480 stuff like Dreamcast?

RetroArch Additions Shaders
#1

Been using shenglong’s shader that he posted in 2018

4xsoft-easymode-halation-3D-480-vga.glslp https://pastebin.com/iLFHbnm7

I like it, but it’s a bit blurry and … i don’t know the word to explain this … the colors are too over colored? lol. The shader has a lot of options to tweak. It’s likely i could change this, but i have no idea what i am doing, lol. :stuck_out_tongue:

I tried to get normal easymode to work with DC, since that is what i use for almost everything else, but it just never looks quite right. This is what i tried…

shaders = “2”

shader0 = “shaders_glsl\stock.glsl”

shader1 = “shaders_glsl\crt\shaders\crt-easymode.glsl”

filter_linear0 = “true”

filter_linear1 = “false”

scale_type_x0 = “source”

scale_type_y0 = “absolute”

scale_y0 = 240

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#2

You could try changing the absolute/240 to source/0.5.

#3

Thanks… i’ll give that a go in a bit :smiley:

#4

Looks about the same.

Here’s shenglong’s

And here’s the 240p… well 0.5

Looks okayish. But i always notice weird stuff… the top and bottom of the press start text stands out here.

I actually really like shenglong’s settings but i just cant figure out how to get it a little less blurry and a lil less whatever the term is that i can’t articulate about the colors, lol.

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#5

Looks brighter but I’m not seeing scanlines so that could be that issue

#6

Anything higher than 240 I use a simple interpolation shader (bandlimit-pixel). CRT shader’s masks and scanlines look too small to be worth using on 480 content.

#7

My original aim with that particular shader chain was to get a get a VGA look 480 content, without the heavy CRT scanlines.

With the colours, you can try reducing the saturation to something like: ia_saturation = “0.95”

To make it less blurry try adding the resolution of your of your display for the x and y resolution parameters by editing the preset file in a text editor (don’t even try it in the UI, you will be there forever :wink:). For example if your display is 1920 x 1080, you will change the parameters to the following: RESOLUTION_X = “1920.000000” RESOLUTION_Y = “1080.000000”

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#8

Thanks, i’ll try that in a bit. Cheers :slight_smile:

#9

Adding my resolution changes it a teeny, tiny bit. Almost unnoticeable, heh. Changing the saturation does change the… saturation! lol. Was that the word i was looking for all along? Anyways, the more i change it, and compare screenshots, the more i kinda like it just the way you set it. Maybe one notch down on saturation. I guess i am just used to how crisp normal easymode looks. Been using it on everything i can for years now. Weird to go from crisp SNES to slightly blurry Dreamcast i guess.

Is this still what you currently use for DC?

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#10

Yes, setting the resolution does only sharpen it ever so slightly.

To be fair, I probably worked on the worst game visually to get right with shaders when doing this, that is Marvel vs. Capcom 2, the low res 2D sprites with smooth 3D backgrounds, I was trying to get the low res 2D sprites looking smoother by making the whole output blurry. This unfortunately doesn’t work well with all DC games.

I still use aspects of easymode-halation but have replaced some of the passes since those screentshots I posted from back in 2018, still work in progress and I prefer to downscale to 240 and add CRT scanlines to 480 content nowadays.

#11

That’s kinda what i was looking for too. For MvsC and CvSNK. I’ve always upscaled DC/GC/Wii/PS2 to 1080p or 2160p. But i kinda prefer the CRT look for non HDMI consoles now. I’d love to have a look at your current downscale/scanline settings. Are they on the forum?

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#12

I prefer a consistent look for all my retro gaming, I don’t mind downscaling 480 content to 240 and using the same shader preset with slight tweaks for all the retro games, it’s easier to manage and deploy.

No, not posted my current settings on the forum yet, still tweaking it and hoping to do it soon once I’m more happy.

#13

Same, i’ve just been using plain easymode on everything for years. Which is why i was attempting to get it to work with Dreamcast. Comes close, but i really have no idea what i’m doing, lol. Guess i’ll keep an eye out for your settings when you are ready. Cheers :stuck_out_tongue:

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#14

I’m just digging into this, and using HSM shaders with reflections with Flycast for Naomi. The main issue I’m trying to work through is the moire pattern that is created. I know internal resolution can be an issue there, but not sure if scaling or something else is the main culprit for the remaining moire pattern.

#15

Forgive me, what are HSM shaders?

crt-geom looks okayish with the curve and interlacing off…

Royal looks better, maybe a bit TOO much for my tastes, but i cant turn the interlacing simulation off.

#16

Merry Christmas!

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#17

That’s really cool, technically. I was playing SNES for a few hours last night so I tried a few for a bit, and i kinda just find it distracting.

#18

Just for shits n’ gigs i’ve been playing upscaled to 1080p with crt-pi for a couple hours, lol. Not accurate to anything i’m sure, but i actually kinda like the look. Even if it doesn’t take much of the “edge” off the 2D sprites. Guess i’ll use it for a while shrugs :stuck_out_tongue:

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