Homebrew TWPatcher - DS(i) mode screen filters and patches

[NyaakoXD]

No, because DS scale factor is 1.25x instead of 1.5x, so it means that the pixels fit even less onto the screen, so it will always look bad, no matter what.

Had a feeling that this was the case. Oh well.

 

[Shadow_The_Hedgehog82]

Hi i think i installed this ages ago, i remember having to patch some file like gbfirm or something and then running a homebrew to set the filter type. how do i get the ds stuff back into a stock state?

 

[Sono]

Hi i think i installed this ages ago, i remember having to patch some file like gbfirm or something and then running a homebrew to set the filter type. how do i get the ds stuff back into a stock state?

Delete /luma/sysmodules/TwlBg.cxi and /luma/sysmodules/AgbBg.cxi.
If you have never manually copied these files, then also delete /luma/twl.firm and /luma/agb.firm

 

[Shadow_The_Hedgehog82]

Delete /luma/sysmodules/TwlBg.cxi and /luma/sysmodules/AgbBg.cxi.
If you have never manually copied these files, then also delete /luma/twl.firm and /luma/agb.firm

will take a look later thankyou

 

[lyva]

How do you fix the issue with using the widescreen patch for ROM hacks? Official Pokemon games launched through TWiLightMenu work just fine, but as soon as any patch is applied to the NDS file, it just stretches the image artificially, which looks really bad:

 

[emcintosh]

How do you fix the issue with using the widescreen patch for ROM hacks? Official Pokemon games launched through TWiLightMenu work just fine, but as soon as any patch is applied to the NDS file, it just stretches the image artificially, which looks really bad:

I suspect this is an issue with the patches you are applying to the game, not with TWLpatch. The widescreen effect comes from 2 things:
• game squashes everything horizontally to fit more of the world into the 256x192 DS view.
• Sono's improved scaling stretches this to 384x240 on the 3DS screen.

Forcing the game to show this squished wider view needs us to know where the instruction for the viewport is stored. If you use a ROM hack, this location can be altered, so the widescreen patch/cheat code will not increase the field of view. So the scaling will stretch out the original view.

You could try applying the widescreen patch before the other one?

 

[lyva]

I suspect this is an issue with the patches you are applying to the game, not with TWLpatch. The widescreen effect comes from 2 things:
• game squashes everything horizontally to fit more of the world into the 256x192 DS view.
• Sono's improved scaling stretches this to 384x240 on the 3DS screen.

Forcing the game to show this squished wider view needs us to know where the instruction for the viewport is stored. If you use a ROM hack, this location can be altered, so the widescreen patch/cheat code will not increase the field of view. So the scaling will stretch out the original view.

You could try applying the widescreen patch before the other one?

Thank you for the technical explanation of the issue. I have tried two different ROM hacks of two different Pokemon games so far and both seem to have the same problem.

How would I go about applying the widescreen patch first though, since that one doesn’t get applied to the game directly but just added to the “sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/TwlBg/” folder to be used universally for all games as mentioned in the gamebrew guide? (I’m not allowed to link it apparently)

 

[emcintosh]

Thank you for the technical explanation of the issue. I have tried two different ROM hacks of two different Pokemon games so far and both seem to have the same problem.

How would I go about applying the widescreen patch first though, since that one doesn’t get applied to the game directly but just added to the “sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/TwlBg/” folder to be used universally for all games as mentioned in the gamebrew guide? (I’m not allowed to link it apparently)

Aha! Your problem here is that the initial squash is being done by a cheat code rather than applied beforehand as a patch. TWLmenu can only apply cheat codes to the game they are intended for. ROM hacks change the ID code that is used to recognise a game. You will find that no cheats are available for your ROM hack (you can check this by pressing Y then X in TWLmenu when the game is highlighted).
You will need to open usrcheat.dat from sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/extras/ using R4CCE. Find the entry for the original game you patched and click the '…' button. Find the patched ROM and select it. This should overwrite the original game ID with the one for your patched game. Alternatively you could 'Add Game' to the database and select your patched ROM. Then you would need to add the widescreen code to this entry. You can also copy any other cheats you want from the original game's entry. Once you have done either of these, save your usrcheat.dat.
Hopefully this will let widescreen work. But as I say, patching ROMS can change the location where the aspect ratio is stored, so it may break widescreen and other cheats. For example, I've never got all the patches to SoulSilver I wanted working at once (StormSilver + Kris as player character + ??).
Let me know how you get on, and if you're still struggling I can try taking screenshots of the process.

 

[lyva]

Aha! Your problem here is that the initial squash is being done by a cheat code rather than applied beforehand as a patch.

Thanks so much for the help, I got it to work finally

 

[brtatu]

Hey, I'm trying to change filter's type and it keeps installing linear sharpening. What should i do?

EDIT: Solved xD

 

[Rods]

Hi! Is there any way to correct the color temperature of just one of the screens?

 

[Gsqa]

Is there any way to have other images in TWPatcher to compare the filters besides just the Mario 64 one? Like images from RPGs with lots of text on screen and the sort. The Mario 64 picture gives you a good idea of what each filter does to big models but each game is different.

 

[Atomic_Jay]

3ds accidentally updated, now this application no longer seems to work

 

[RocketRobz]

3ds accidentally updated, now this application no longer seems to work

What happens when you launch it now?

 

[Atomic_Jay]

What happens when you launch it now?

It works like it normally does, but the filters just arent working, ds have the default setting everytime i open a ds game.

 

[RocketRobz]

It works like it normally does, but the filters just arent working, ds have the default setting everytime i open a ds game.

Please ensure "External FIRMs and modules" is still turned on in the Luma config menu.

 

[PrincessLillie]

For what it's worth: New Luma version uses a new method for applying upscaling filters, and my TwlBg.cxi started causing DS(i) games and apps to not boot at all. TWPatcher will probably need an update to support the new method.

 

[Sono]

For what it's worth: New Luma version uses a new method for applying upscaling filters, and my TwlBg.cxi started causing DS(i) games and apps to not boot at all. TWPatcher will probably need an update to support the new method.

I'm sorry, but if a Luma update broke the patched TwlBg.cxi, especially if it has worked before, that's a regression in Luma, and not a problem with TWPatcher, I'm afraid.

Edit: revert post, see this post instead.

 

[PrincessLillie]

I'm sorry, but if a Luma update broke the patched TwlBg.cxi, especially if it has worked before, that's a regression in Luma, and not a problem with TWPatcher, I'm afraid.

You misunderstand. Luma has a completely new system for screen filters, I'm pretty sure using TwlBg.cxi for that purpose is deprecated.

 

[Sono]

You misunderstand. Luma has a completely new system for screen filters, I'm pretty sure using TwlBg.cxi for that purpose is deprecated.

Ah, I see.

I would say I have a website which can generate scale matrixes, but I lost access, so I can't give a link.

I guess someone could make a separate homebrew which does nothing but manage these matrixes, and possibly even let you edit them from your 3DS, while seeing the changes in real time.

I also don't get why there is still not yet a DSi-side homebrew for this, as rtcom could be used to upload a new matrix *without rebooting*, directly from the DSi-side. Perhaps a 3DS-side homebrew is pointless, and just make a DSi homebrew which can directly write this file to the SD, while also being able to change it on the fly.

Although this would interfere with the widescreen and GPU patches, but pretty sure barely anyone uses those, as they are too blurry, and widescreen doesn't work on 2D engines.