GS Mode Selector: Development & Feedback

[ZBoy]

LAST UPDATE: march 10th
Added [PAL]: Kya - Dark Lineage // [NTSC]: Rise of the Kasai
(03/10)Added [PAL]: Ape Escape 3, MotorStorm, Summoner 2 // [NTSC]: none

I thank you for GSM because it's possible to play PS2 games with the best possible display on today TVs!

It's maybe not much but here's my feedback:

Material:
PS2 V9 PAL (silver) with component cable, wireless gamepad, FreeMcBoot, homebrews are on a USB Key
HITACHI 58 cm (23') LCD screen + (sometimes ) an huge LED screen

Settings: GSM 0.37
Y-AxisOffset set to -12 with 480p (-16 with 576p or on the 2nd TV set)
480p IF game is NTSC or PAL with 50-60 Hz built-in selector; 576p otherwise.

Abbreviations:
SVFix = Skip Video Fix

================================================== ================================================== =======================

Ape Escape 3 (PAL-Multi5) - 576p
=> good results but keep 4:3 aspect ratio (set the in-game options to widescreen doesn't fix)

Ar Tonelico 2 (NTSC-U) - 480p
=> no crash at the opening video, no speed issue; the game is smooth, the sprites and layouts are cleaner than ever!

Final Fantasy X (PAL-E) - skipped
=> Better solution: PALtoNTSC and Y-Fix codes (using ARMax by example) => 480i but display fullscreen + balance widescreen deformation

Final Fantasy X-2 (PAL-E) - skipped
=> Better solution: PALtoNTSC and Y-Fix codes (using ARMax by example) => 480i but display fullscreen + balance widescreen deformation

Final Fantasy XII (PAL-E) - 576p (and any other video mode)
=> the background cinematic (leading to the title menu) is played for 2-3 seconds before game crash; the SVFis is uneffective

Kingdom Hearts 2 (PAL-E) - 576p
=> cinematics make the game to crash; use the SVFix (personal advice: you should have played this game normally BEFORE using this video mode)

Kya - Dark Lineage (PAL-Multi5) - 576p
=> crash after a title screen at the very beginning, SVFix is uneffective; seems to not render 16/9

Mana Khemia (PAL-E) - 480p
=> no crash at the opening video, no speed issue; the game is smooth (already in 480i anyway) the sprites and layouts are cleaner than ever!

Metal Gear Solid 3 (PAL-E) - 576p
=> no crash, no issue, no speed-up; better display but looks a bit dark, texts are a bit pixelated but nothing serious.

MotorStorm Artic Edge (PAL-E) - 576p
=> good results but disables widescreen (the game supports it) + flickering line at the very bottom.
1080i works better here!

Onimusha 3 (PAL-Multi5) - 480p and 576p
=> no speed/cutscene issue and smooth but the whole display and texts look pixelated and deformed; as if the resolution has been divided by 2.

Persona 3 FES (PAL-E) - 576p
=> important ingame speed up

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 (PAL-E) - 480p (and any other video mode)
=> crash after the "Konami" logo (a video is supposed to play); the SVFix is uneffective

Rise of the Kasai
=> oddities at logo and title screens (they use videos as background like FFXII does): black screen with chopped sound; pressing start button 2-3 times leads to the main menu though; good results in terms of display and beneficial effect on texts (since they are hard to read...)

Rogue Galaxy (PAL-Multi5) - 480p
=> important speed-up, not unplayable but can make the battles harder/more difficult to manage

Suikoden V (PAL-Multi5) - 480p
=> works very well (smooth display, sharp edges and texts), excepting a flickering line at the very bottom of the screen: not annoying for gaming experience but can give the impression the whole display is flickering

Summoner 2 (PAL-Eng) - 576p
=> shows godd results but need SVFix, crash at the THQ logo video otherwise.

TOCA 3 (PAL-E) - 576p (and 720p)
=> maybe the most impressive result: no issue, no speed-up and very clean/smooth display!

Warriors Orochi 2 (PAL-Multi5) - 576p
=> crash at KOEI logo animation: use the SVFix; the display looks pixelated, texts are deformed.
I recommand to use 1080i mode or normal instead!

Wild Arms 5 (PAL-Multi5) - 480p
=> works very well (smooth display, sharp edges and texts), no issue, no video crash

Xenosaga III (NTSC-U) - 480p
=> works very well: no speed-up, no display glitch and very clear graphics and texts

================================================== ================================================== =======================

Z_Boy's Crazy Idea: force 576p on PAL-DVDs => fail or epic win?

- Fate Stay Night = fail: vertical stretching issue, severe deformation + pixelisation (this anime supports 16:9)

- Back to the Future II = fail: same reasons than above

I took some photos:
hpics .li/bdb239d
hpics .li/ae3dc40

[Gedankenschild]

@ZBoy :

Thanks for your contribution, I put your stuff on the list.
I'm assuming Metal Gear Solid 3 is also the PAL version and you're using the latest version (0.37)?

Regards!

[ZBoy]

Yeah it's PAL-E version; but how to find what version it is?

I'll edit my list with the games I'm testing; now here's my feedback for Xenosaga 3 US.

EDIT: yeah I'm using the latest version of GSM.

[RandQalan]

If you talking about GSM it always has version stated exception is one internal to OPL

and if you are talking about the game well redump can help

redump.org • Discs

[Gedankenschild]

Yes, I'm talking about the GSM version used. I figured it was the latest (0.37) since the skip video fix was introduced at that point.

[RandQalan]

Yes, I'm talking about the GSM version used. I figured it was the latest (0.37) since the skip video fix was introduced at that point.

Well their has been a few test releases since then

look back a page or 2 you will notice them

[CoreCore]

Something newer than GSModeSelector v0.37 (2013.01.20)? Would you point it out to me please because i may be lost? (or newer than 0.23 as well).

[RandQalan]

That is the newest but should have a higher number then that the original 37 did not have some of those fixes in it

[doctorxyz]

Just sharing...
As some of you already know, my private OPL_GSM release results in freezing/bsod/no signal after an IGR combo, only when GSM is enabled inside Display Settings.
So I've trying to solve this without by disabling GSM when IGR thread is enabled... But I've still havent success on this, even DPRINTF via ps2link isn't enough to debug it, since it becomes non-reponsive. This obligates me to use OPL Debug Colors (since I haven't a proper SIO debug cable).
Well, problably I must rewrite the way GSM is enabled / disabled, maybe it's time for GSM take control of its behaviour based on a flag state (a feature of unhook itself would be nice too)...

[RandQalan]

You usually succeed in what you try so I think it will happen