Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA

Riverstorm

@dankcushions said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

they will work on lr-imame4all also, which uses the same romset as mame4all-pi.

Thanks Dank! :) I have about 250 ROMS all non-merged for use with MAME4ALL. I'll be flipping over until I can rebuild a set for lr-2003. Would it be forward thinking to make lr-2010 set or is that jumping the gun? When lr-2010 goes official will have the same features as 03? I think lr-2003 is .78 and lr-2010 is .139 about 7 years difference.

Also thanks on the resolution. I always left things at the default or I end up removing them from the game launch menu as every time I set something it just didn't look right. That will be a nice simplification, leaving the settings at default that is.

@caver01
Thanks for the explanation the really nice thing is I will have some idea of why I am turning on video_scale_integer = true instead of just doing it so I don't think the explanation was in vain by no means. :)

Does video_scale_integer center up the image too then? A nice feature for sure.

dankcushions

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

@dankcushions said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

they will work on lr-imame4all also, which uses the same romset as mame4all-pi.

Thanks Dank! :) I have about 250 ROMS all non-merged for use with MAME4ALL. I'll be flipping over until I can rebuild a set for lr-2003. Would it be forward thinking to make lr-2010 set or is that jumping the gun? When lr-2010 goes official will have the same features as 03? I think lr-2003 is .78 and lr-2010 is .139 about 7 years difference.

this thread pretty much sumarises my thoughts on mame2010: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/490/mame-2010-cfg-save-files

Riverstorm

@dankcushions said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

this thread pretty much sumarises my thoughts on mame2010: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/490/mame-2010-cfg-save-files

Thanks Dank, 2003 it is! :)

Riverstorm

@caver01 @dankcushions

I see a crt-pi1.zip is at both of these locations and they have differences. The Petroblock has additional shaders and the Libretro has only one, the crt-pi shader, but it is a large increase of about 3k to the file in the shaders folder. Is there a link for an up-to-date file or would combining the Libretro file with the Petroblock be the way to go?

http://blog.petrockblock.com/forums/topic/crt-pi-a-pi2-friendly-crt-shader/

http://libretro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4937

Also Dank so you did create a vertical version of the shader? I was reading through the thread. Can you apply the shaders on a per ROM basis to take advantage of that?

Riverstorm

@dankcushions said in [Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA](/topic/834/scanlines-in->

they will work on lr-imame4all also, which uses the same romset as mame4all-pi.

Nevermind Dank, having a moment and forgot to change the emulator.

Floob

@Riverstorm You can tell what it runs by checking the runcommand menu on boot
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Runcommand

caver01

@Riverstorm The shader I am using is the crt-pi. I loaded and ran Floob's utility before I started, so I don't know if there was already a shader by that name in the directory before I ran the update config using Floob's script. As I scroll through them, I think I am using what ended up being #10 (my system was built from retropie 3.6 image).

I haven't had time to do it yet, but in lieu of something official from DaveJ in that linked thread, I will probably make a copy of crt-pi and edit the parameters as described in the linked thread such that vertical games on a landscape display will have improved scanlines. Then, yes, I will update the config file per ROM for just those few ROMs that require this on my cabinet (1941, maybe Mercs, and any other side-by-side simultaneous play vertical games) by adding the shader to ROM.zip.cfg.

dankcushions

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

@caver01 @dankcushions

I see a crt-pi1.zip is at both of these locations and they have differences. The Petroblock has additional shaders and the Libretro has only one, the crt-pi shader, but it is a large increase of about 3k to the file in the shaders folder. Is there a link for an up-to-date file or would combining the Libretro file with the Petroblock be the way to go?

I just use the one packaged with retropie 3.7. it's the most up to date one as far as I'm aware.

http://blog.petrockblock.com/forums/topic/crt-pi-a-pi2-friendly-crt-shader/

http://libretro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4937

Also Dank so you did create a vertical version of the shader? I was reading through the thread. Can you apply the shaders on a per ROM basis to take advantage of that?

I did. yes - I just use per rom configs. ie, romname.zip.cfg - put these in the relevant rom folder. mine just have a line pointing to the right shader.

Riverstorm

@Floob said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

@Riverstorm You can tell what it runs by checking the runcommand menu on boot
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Runcommand

Thanks Floob, by the way love your video's I have learned so much from them. I wasn't sure about the length at first but when I am done I have a through understanding of how to do something.

I had to watch the video about Retroarch remaps a few times but I finally caught on how A is more of a position or constant on the joystick and you're remapping that position to another variable that was defined on the controller setup screen.

Riverstorm

@caver01 said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

@Riverstorm The shader I am using is the crt-pi. I loaded and ran Floob's utility before I started, so I don't know if there was already a shader by that name in the directory before I ran the update config using Floob's script. As I scroll through them, I think I am using what ended up being #10 (my system was built from retropie 3.6 image).

I haven't had time to do it yet, but in lieu of something official from DaveJ in that linked thread, I will probably make a copy of crt-pi and edit the parameters as described in the linked thread such that vertical games on a landscape display will have improved scanlines. Then, yes, I will update the config file per ROM for just those few ROMs that require this on my cabinet (1941, maybe Mercs, and any other side-by-side simultaneous play vertical games) by adding the shader to ROM.zip.cfg.

Ok, Caver you got me all strung out on scanlines now. I really like the effect. I keep an eye out here if you do a public release of your shader! :)

Do you use the same shader for NES, SNES, etc?

Riverstorm

@dankcushions said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

I did. yes - I just use per rom configs. ie, romname.zip.cfg - put these in the relevant rom folder. mine just have a line pointing to the right shader.

Ok this is the correct file: "crt-pi-vertical.glsl.zip" from the Libretro thread.

Then you add these two lines to say for example kong.zip.cfg:
video_shader = /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/shader/crt-pi-vertical.glsl
video_shader_enable = true

dankcushions

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

@dankcushions said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

I did. yes - I just use per rom configs. ie, romname.zip.cfg - put these in the relevant rom folder. mine just have a line pointing to the right shader.

Ok this is the correct file: "crt-pi-vertical.glsl.zip" from the Libretro thread.

Then you add these two lines to say for example kong.zip.cfg:
video_shader = /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/shader/crt-pi-vertical.glsl
video_shader_enable = true

you got it :)

Riverstorm

@dankcushions said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

I just use the one packaged with retropie 3.7. it's the most up to date one as far as I'm aware.

Ok, so it's pre-packaged that solves it. :) I'm overloaded with changes. I am going to put these tweaks in place over the weekend. I create a "notes" document just to track all these tweaks and changes when a new RetroPie version is released so it's easier to start all over again.

caver01

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

Do you use the same shader for NES, SNES, etc?

Yeah. We played all of the home consoles on a TV anyway, and they were in landscape mode--slam dunk.

I'd probably use the gameboy shader for those games if I load them, but I probably won't bother. My next exploit is going to be apple II games, and for those, I'll probably turn on the CRT-PI shader too.

Riverstorm

@caver01 said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

Do you use the same shader for NES, SNES, etc?

Yeah. We played all of the home consoles on a TV anyway, and they were in landscape mode--slam dunk.

I'd probably use the gameboy shader for those games if I load them, but I probably won't bother. My next exploit is going to be apple II games, and for those, I'll probably turn on the CRT-PI shader too.

Thanks Caver, I was going to ask with the option video_scale_integer = true it definitely seems to make the screen a bit smaller (I would guess to adjust for the "unused" pixels you explained about above) but it seems ever so slightly blurry. When it is off it does fill the screen and seems clearer but I think the dimensions are off, does that make sense to you at all? I could get the full screen but don't quite get the clearer part on why.

Also I tried it with the Atari 2600 it seems to blurry to use so I shut it off unless you know of another shader that might be useful.

Cool the Apple II now that would be great. I am really fond of the C64 too. I remember the PET but the 64 was mind blowing for me back in the day. :)

Riverstorm

On second thought, it's hard to tell if it's actually blurrier or not. It definitely changed some game dimensions with video_scale_integer = true but I prefer the proper(?) dimensions and some extra black as opposed to stretching it just for the sake of filling the screen. Like '88 games has black on all 4 sides now but I think it's the right dimensions. The scanlines are great though just making a little closer to the real deal. DaveJ did a nice job with that shader.

caver01

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

It definitely changed some game dimensions with video_scale_integer = true

Yeah, the image typically shrinks because perfect integer scale won't always land at the exact dimensions of your display.

I might be more excited about integer scaling if I ran without the curvature (I would want consistent scanlines). But, with the curve effect, the lines aren't straight anyway, so minor imperfections tend to get lost in the curves.

Riverstorm

@caver01 said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

I might be more excited about integer scaling if I ran without the curvature

Yeah as I thought about it overnight and it made sense. Is it curvature that cause issues with vertical games or do most run ok?

I did try NES & SNES which look superb but for the Atari it's just off. I was messing with River Raid for a short last night and it kind of makes my eyes buggy. I would like to see a decent scanline or at least workable for that one too hopefully someday. :)

caver01

@Riverstorm said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

Yeah as I thought about it overnight and it made sense. Is it curvature that cause issues with vertical games or do most run ok?

My setup might be different than most since I play most vertical games in cocktail mode with players standing on the sides of my cabinet. That allows me to run them fullscreen (which looks like it is rotated sideways from the horizontal side). I remap players 1 and 2 controls to the side positions normally setup as players 3 and 4. So, games like PacMan, Donkey Kong, and similar era vertical games all play from the sides and the player sees the game fill the display. If two credits are triggered and you start a 2-player game, it rotates 180 for player 2 (cocktail mode DIP switch set in MAME menu).

That said, there are a few vertical titles that I cannot run this way. Games like 1941 have two players side-by-side. This won't work in cocktail mode on my cabinet because players stand on opposite sides of the screen. The actual arcade has two sets of controls next to each other, so I need to rotate that game back to the horizontal view. Centipede is another example. My trackball is on the horizontal, so that one needs to to be rotated too. There aren't many, but they need some special treatment. Right now, I have been changing the shader to eliminate curvature because I get too much moire patterns (with the pillar-box black borders the resolution just isn't high enough). I suppose I have scanline issues on these too because I am not using integer scaling. I am hoping a few tweaks to the shader mentioned above will make this better.

Speaking of which, that vertical version--I don't know if I have it. My setup was built from 3.6 image. Does anyone know if updating the retropie script also downloads updated shaders? Maybe another retropie menu choice does that?

As for atari, I have been playing Yar's Revenge and I think it looks great, curvature and all. The nice thing about these options is that they are so flexible to suit your own taste.

Riverstorm

@caver01 said in Scanlines in Libretro AdvMAME and FBA:

Speaking of which, that vertical version--I don't know if I have it. My setup was built from 3.6 image. Does anyone know if updating the retropie script also downloads updated shaders? Maybe another retropie menu choice does that?

As for atari, I have been playing Yar's Revenge and I think it looks great, curvature and all. The nice thing about these options is that they are so flexible to suit your own taste.

I think the vertical version is an "unofficial" one that Dank created. It's at the link he posted above but you need a Libretro account to download it.

If you get a chance, no hurry at all, could you take a pic of Yar's Revenge just to see what it looks like. I am using the default emulator for 2600 but maybe it's how it's rendering. I haven't looked into tweaking the shader at all at this point.