[Norin]

Hello guys,
I recently installed epsxe on my cpu to play final fantasy 7 and I am getting really bad graphics... So I was wondering if there was a way to improve them?

My graphic card is a nvidia GeForce 8800 GT 512mb and Im using Pete's OpenGL2 Driver 2.9

Thanks

 

[jonc2006]

post a shot of your current config for the OGL2.

 

[Norin]

 

[masta.g.86]

You can try setting both internal resolution dropdown boxes to '2' and set texture filtering to 4 or 6.

 

[whypowt]

I don't play that game, but have found additions to above work well:

hi-res=1, use pixel shader, vram=512mb, compatabilty= 1-2-1,

 

[Princess Garnet]

I don't play that game, but have found additions to above work well:

hi-res=1, use pixel shader, vram=512mb, compatabilty= 1-2-1,

Hi-Res textures of 1 will be bad for this game. It will create glitches in 2-D. Best to turn it off, or optionally set it to level 2 if using texture filtering of level 2.

VRAM amount is, obviously, dependent on the actual GPU's VRAM amount. I know the topic starter has 512MB VRAM, but I'm pointing this out so other people who unknowingly set it are aware that it's dependent on a system condition, and not an option always best set to 512.

Compatibility is game dependent.

As for the topic creator, there's two main things that stick out to me.

1. As was mentioned already, set the internal resolution higher. This will likely help a pretty good deal (it will theoretically make things 2x sharper).

2. Your resolution of 1680x1050 fullscreen. Why is this a problem? For one, you're stretching 320x224 (yes, that small!) images up to 1680x1050. You're also fattening everything by stretching a 4:3 image to a 16:9/16:10/16:whatever ratio. I'm just pointing this out, because alot of people think that a good GPU and high resolution automatically should, theoretically, net awesome improved visuals. This doesn't work that way. This isn't something you can't really "change" (besides using a lower window resolution, or playing with filtering to help some, which will be method 3). This is just a bit information for your knowledge, as if method number one doesn't fully make it look good to you (it may, who knows), then this will be the reason why it still doesn't.

3. Try enabling filtering, and maybe Hi-Res textures too. I recommend trying each option at level two for starters. This combination works very well for 2-D games (and even 3-D games) in my testing.

4. This isn't a problem or related to improving visuals, but I recommend setting "Render Mode" to 2. Your GPU supports it, and if I remember right, it's uses come into play at higher resolutions, etc.

 

[DefianceofGod]

If only sony would stop being lazy and just re-release FF7 with today's graphics. I would splurge one a PS3 slim just to buy it.

 

[whypowt]

Your resolution of 1680x1050 fullscreen. Why is this a problem? For one, you're stretching 320x224 (yes, that small!) images up to 1680x1050.

agreed, the pal ps1 max res is 640x480, but he is actually using 'window size in fullscreen mode' of 640x480 meaning his 1680x1050 screen is downsizing epsxe to a small box filling about 40% of the screen.

 

[Princess Garnet]

Ah, I didn't catch that. Still, that means the monitor itself is interpolating, which isn't any better than ePSXe scaling it. It's being scaled/stretched either way.

Even though the Playstation may have maxed out at 640x480, the Playstation Final Fantasy games (at least Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX) were only 320x224 in most places, like FMVs and most locations (with 2-D backdrop). I think the 3-D, like the battles and the world map were either slight larger or slightly smaller, not exactly 320x224 (320x21-something if I remember right?), but close enough. It's a low resolution compared to 1680x1050 (or almost anything) anyway.

These new displays and resolutions are great... for new stuff. Old games like the Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Playstation, heck, even the Playstation 2, Gamecube, and X-Box all look pretty bad on/in HD displays/resolutions. Using an emulator in such case will make it look better than the regular thing, but still not as good, and then there's the stretching of it due to the unmatched ratio.

Edit: Duh, "window mode in fullscreen mode". I'm really overlooking alot right now. I thought that made the emulator itself draw a 640x480 image and scale it up to the selected resolution (sort of like how some newer games do for lower resolutions). What's the point of that though? Why just run windowed mode?

 

[whypowt]

Edit: Duh, "window mode in fullscreen mode". I'm really overlooking alot right now. I thought that made the emulator itself draw a 640x480 image and scale it up to the selected resolution (sort of like how some newer games do for lower resolutions). What's the point of that though? Why just run windowed mode?

no, it does not scale it up, it scales the game down to 640 from 1680 - in a box in centre of screen, it's a 'widescreen fix' for poxy 16:10/9 wide lcd's that don't support 4:3 aspect ratio, these screens even in a window will stretch 640 to wide aspect. my viewsonic 16:10 HD does support 4:3 & 3D PSX games look better than ps1 console or ps3-ps1 soft emu [at fullscreen 800x600,etc]

 

[Princess Garnet]

Oh, so then it is scaling 640x480 up to the desktop resolution, but leaving the sides Black and not stretching it horizontally? It's still scaling/interpolating then like I initially guessed, which means yuck, no wonder it looks bad.

 

[whypowt]

the top & bottom of screen is also black, so it's not stretching vertically either - so of 1050 vertical lines on screen, only 480 of those lines are displayed by epsxe, so it's not really scaling.

 

[Princess Garnet]

Then it's what I originally thought. It's drawing a 640x480 window in the middle of the display. What is the purpose of doing that versus running windowed mode? I'm also surprised someone would want to run it that way. I get bothered when I occasionally switch to a mode that I haven't in a while, and there's half an inch on some of the sides. I wouldn't be able to use less than a quarter (it's actually almost 1/5 in this case) of the screen.

 

[whypowt]

the main advantage is you have black borders instead of desktop icons distracting you from the game. personally, i use fullscreen mode as my lcd handles non native reso's very well, many don't though, as text/images gets blurry/jagged, which maybe why the 1st poster runs that mode.