Lewpy GPU bug? (FF9)

mecharmor23 · Jun 9, 2001

While playing FF9 and when I'm in the world map I see these noticible rainbow like strips that appear with the picture which makes it seem a graphic bug. Although there are no crashes or freezes. I found this while traveling in the "mist continent" with "mist". Then I see these coloured transparent strips on top of textures such as the floor. Your reply would be appreciated.

thanks

cluthu · Jun 9, 2001

Since you're using Lewpy's I'd imagine you have a card from 3dfx. Would you mind posting your configuration and (if it's not too much trouble) a screen shot that shows the problem? On my 3500 I haven't any such problems with the map, so it may just be linked to your plugin settings.

Despite not having seen your settings, you might want to change the "DMA Chain" setting to Short if it isn't already, as a similar graphics problem that I had (in this case it was "rainbow pixels" around the menus) was fixed that way.

mecharmor23 · Jun 10, 2001

Hmm Short DMA doesn't seem to show much graphical change.
My configurations are below (for lewpy GPU of course). Give me your suggestions or comments.

Lewpy's Glide³ Plugin Configuration Information v1.33
-----------------------------------------------------

Computer Information
OS : Microsoft Windows 98 (v4.10 Build 1998)
DirectX : DirectX 8 or better installed
Processor : AMD AMD Athlon(tm) Processor, 840Mhz (1 off) (00/0622)
64kb L1-I, 64kb L1-D, 512kb L2 (on-chip)
Memory : 128Mb

Core Emulator
ePSXe : D:\GAMES\FF7\FINALFANTASY\FF9\EPSXE.EXE
: 07/03/2001 22:50, 148480 bytes

*------*----------------------*---------*------------------*
| Type | Name | Version | Date |
*------*----------------------*---------*------------------*
| BIOS | Scph7001.bin | | 26/04/1999 21:33 |
| CDR | cdrPeteAspi.dll | 1.4 | 29/05/2001 19:50 |
| GPU | gpupec.dll | 1.3 | 30/01/2001 00:38 |
| SPU | spuNull2Mixer.dll | 1.3 | 20/03/2001 17:47 |
*------*----------------------*---------*------------------*

*-----------------------------*---------------------*
| ePSXe Configuration Item | Current Setting |
*-----------------------------*---------------------*
| Sound Enabled | Yes |
| CDDA Enabled | No |
| XA Enabled | Yes |
| XA Read Enabled | Yes |
| SPU IRQ Hack | Yes |
| CDROM Drive Letter |

on-screen display: none
frame skip: disabled
frame rate limit: custom (set to 60 fps)
system type: NTSC (sometimes used PAL)
framecap method: new
Draw method: Bright
Alpha Blending mode: bright
Bilinear Filtering: enabled w/o sprites
alpha testing: normal
frame buffer access: write
on-screen drawing: basic
polygon mode: textured
texture windows: enabled
vsync: enabled
banshee code: disabled
MDEC format: texture
experimental flipping: on
experimental screen sizing: off
front buffer rendering fix: off
ff7 texture window fix: off
DMA chain fix: long (tried short but nothing noticible, rainbow thingy still there)

your reply would be appreciated
thanks.

Lewpy · Jun 10, 2001

Try setting OSD to EXTRA, and see if that helps.
Also, what 3dfx card do you have, and what drivers are you using?
To fix the problem with the COPY INFO being cut short, just set the CDROM in the ePSXe CDROM config panel to the drive letter rather than the option "FirstCdrom".

'K' · Jun 10, 2001

maybe pete d3d with "color dithering" activated will help

Lewpy, maybe you can add this to your plugin

mecharmor23 · Jun 10, 2001

Lewpy · Jun 10, 2001

Originally posted by 'K'
maybe pete d3d with "color dithering" activated will help
Lewpy, maybe you can add this to your plugin

It has nothing to do with this.

Lewpy · Jun 10, 2001

Originally posted by mecharmor23
I've reposted it. It has more info on my video card. Tested OSD, however I found that on the world map you can see this white strip that is noticible. This is not in Pete's D3D also it looks smoother.

Can you post a screenshot so I can see what you are talking about? Thanks.

mecharmor23 · Jun 10, 2001

I made a screenshot but how can I post that screenshot. It is in *.bmp format and and over 1 meg. This forum doesn't allow that. I haven't posted images before. How do I??

But you can try FFIX yourself too. I'll explain. In the game, go to the world map (preferably no mist such as outer continent or disk3)
If you look into the horizon you see a noticible white strip. Then use Pete's plugin and go to the same spot you stopped look into the horizon again and you'll see the difference. Is it too much hassle?

your reply would be appreciated
thanks.

cluthu · Jun 10, 2001

While we're discussing Lewpy/FF9 issues, am I the only one that has an issue with slowdowns at certain points? In the Evil Forest, for example, that plant-thing that abducts Garnet tends to drop the framerate down substantially. While I suppose it has to do with the complexity of its model, I just had to wonder if there wasn't something I was doing wrong (since I get rather good frame rates everywhere else).

Secondly, and I realize it's not a big issue, why is it that I can get a fairly fast battle intro swirl using Pete's Software GPU yet not with any of the enhanced plugs? While I realize there's the option that enables the "quick" swirl, it just doesn't look the same.

Anywho, given that both "problems" are actually just mere annoyances I suppose I really shouldn't fret over them. Thanks to Lewpy for making such a keen plugin.

cluthu · Jun 10, 2001

>I made a screenshot but how can I post that screenshot. It is in
>*.bmp format and and over 1 meg.
You'd need an image editing program to make a .jpg; something like Jasc's Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop or somesuch. There are freeware editing programs as well, if you haven't either of those.

Lewpy · Jun 10, 2001

Originally posted by mecharmor23
But you can try FFIX yourself too. I'll explain. In the game, go to the world map (preferably no mist such as outer continent or disk3)
If you look into the horizon you see a noticible white strip. Then use Pete's plugin and go to the same spot you stopped look into the horizon again and you'll see the difference. Is it too much hassle?

The simple answer is yes, it is too much hassle. [I wrote a longer answer, but accidentally pressed ESC, and IE decided to "undo" all my typing, with no "redo" option].
Believe me, I have better things to do with my time than to play the game from the beginning all the way through to Disk3, just to look for a graphical glitch, which may not even happen on my setup.
Without help, I would never be able to look at all the game problems that are reported to me

Lewpy · Jun 10, 2001

Originally posted by cluthu
While we're discussing Lewpy/FF9 issues, am I the only one that has an issue with slowdowns at certain points? In the Evil Forest, for example, that plant-thing that abducts Garnet tends to drop the framerate down substantially. While I suppose it has to do with the complexity of its model, I just had to wonder if there wasn't something I was doing wrong (since I get rather good frame rates everywhere else).

It may be down to recursive texturing, or framebuffer reads. Try setting FBA to WRITE, and OSD to BASIC, and see if the slowdown still occurs.

Secondly, and I realize it's not a big issue, why is it that I can get a fairly fast battle intro swirl using Pete's Software GPU yet not with any of the enhanced plugs? While I realize there's the option that enables the "quick" swirl, it just doesn't look the same.

It is far, far simpler to emulate this effect in a SoftGPU than a hardware rendering GPU. In a SoftGPU, it really just happens naturally. A hardware rendering GPU has to do a lot of extra work to make the effect happen, and unfortunately that extra work is slow

If there was a PC 3D card that precisely emulated the PSX GPU in hardware, then everything would be easy, but there isn't

czb182 · Jun 11, 2001

I dont understand why ever lewpy config i see uses bright draw method. I have tried all 3 and multipass is cleary superior.

fivefeet8 · Jun 11, 2001

because multipass slows down graphics emulation..... even though it stays at 50 and 60 fps on my computer..... I rather have it running at a constant 60 fps...... Plus there isn't that much of a difference to warrent the slowdown...... On my old amd k62 533, it ran at 60 fps on bright, then 30 - 40 fps on multipass..... I rather play at 60 fps anyday......

Lewpy · Jun 11, 2001

Also, I can't vouch that multi-pass is still entirely accurate since the changes I made in v1.19

I know that Bright is still correct, as far as it can be (i.e. it can't do the overbrightening of colours that some games use, like Spyro for example).
Checking out Multi-pass is still on the to-do list

Lewpy GPU bug? (FF9)

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