Homebrew Hi-Resolution DS Emulation

[vayanui8]

4x won't be running full speed unless you have an insane rig. 3x is still amazing though, and 2x is certainly noticeable in comparison to the normal version

 

[DiscostewSM]

I assume this high-res is possible by rendering the 3D layer differently than how the system actually does it? I know the DS only has a 48-scanline buffer for 3D (vs a full buffer that could hold 192 scanlines), and the buffer gets updated as each scanline gets rendered and displayed.

 

[MWisBest]

This will really only be useful when it works with OpenGL.

Let's put this into perspective:
Not even the fastest computer (available to consumers) is running this full speed at 4x.
Mainstream laptops are emulating GameCube, Wii, and even PS2 at full speed, and these actually look good without any sort of ridiculous (ridiculous as in going from 256x192x2 to 1024x768x2) upscaling.

 

[the_randomizer]

That's nucking futs

 

[BORTZ]

Wow. I never knew how much I wanted HD DS games until now... I really want to see either of the joker games emulated with even 2x. Hot damn i'm getting a little chubby spidey web shooter just looking at the render for pokemon... I know there are tons of sprites and all, but still... damn. I know for a fact that the DS's processor is purposefully underclocked... could games have looked a little better if they used the existing chip to the extent of its power?

All the laptops I have access too are too weak to even run 2x at a playable speed. My MacBook Pro only a core 2 duo, its its basically out, my work dell is an i3, but only a single core :c Even with dynamic recompliling games only run at about half speed. And the laptop I'm using right now is a walmart special from 2007... So I cant imagine its worth much.

Im still asking for a screen shot of Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 1 or 2, and could someone please do a screen grab from all 4 resolutions? Im curious.

Either way, please post more screenshots of anything really ;O; This are beautiful

 

[kristianity77]

How does this sort of upscaling even work? I mean, if you look at the two pictures on the first page of the dancing girl, there are parts of the image on the upscaled version that just aren't there in the normal one. I mean, look at her eyes and mouth. The detail for that isn't on the left image so how has it come out looking like that? Same with the details down the middle front of her dress. Don't get me wrong, I've seen very good upscaling before, but nothing that can "add" what isn't there in the first place. That looks massively touched up to me.

 

[MYFW]

WOW! Serius? Thanks

 

[link6155]

Metroid Prime Hunters looks pretty sweet:

How does this sort of upscaling even work? I mean, if you look at the two pictures on the first page of the dancing girl, there are parts of the image on the upscaled version that just aren't there in the normal one. I mean, look at her eyes and mouth. The detail for that isn't on the left image so how has it come out looking like that? Same with the details down the middle front of her dress. Don't get me wrong, I've seen very good upscaling before, but nothing that can "add" what isn't there in the first place. That looks massively touched up to me.

Keep in mind that the ds doesn't have a very high res screen. The original resolution of the ds can't display very much detail on the screen, especially the face of the girl, it's pretty small. Also, the outline around her is just cel shading, but it looks more chunky on lower res.

 

[RichardLaughter_]

Yeah it looks great! Sadly Tales of innocence gets flickering. :/
I think the reason it's so slow at 4x is because emulation only uses 1 core. (Correct me if im wrong)

 

[guard]

How does this sort of upscaling even work? I mean, if you look at the two pictures on the first page of the dancing girl, there are parts of the image on the upscaled version that just aren't there in the normal one. I mean, look at her eyes and mouth. The detail for that isn't on the left image so how has it come out looking like that? Same with the details down the middle front of her dress. Don't get me wrong, I've seen very good upscaling before, but nothing that can "add" what isn't there in the first place. That looks massively touched up to me.

Isn't the image supposed to look like the right one, but the DS down-scales it? So we're not adding what isn't real, we're just not taking it away.

 

[kristianity77]

Isn't the image supposed to look like the right one, but the DS down-scales it? So we're not adding what isn't real, we're just not taking it away.

You could well be correct as I was only guessing. But that begs the question of if the image is supposed to look like the right one, then why bother going into that detail if it was only ever meant for a DS screen which cannot display that amount of information. Surely a waste of resources no?

 

[guard]

You could well be correct as I was only guessing. But that begs the question of if the image is supposed to look like the right one, then why bother going into that detail if it was only ever meant for a DS screen which cannot display that amount of information. Surely a waste of resources no?

I think you'd always create resources in high definition (or as a vector), because you never know what you might use them for / you might be re-using graphics from old systems. Also, you might want to display a high res version at some point, even if it takes up more space on the screen (something like the expanded mario from the golden mushroom). It does seem to be a waste of resources, but it's the only explanation I can come up with. You definitely see detail that wasn't there before.

 

[kristianity77]

I think you'd always create resources in high definition (or as a vector), because you never know what you might use them for / you might be re-using graphics from old systems. Also, you might want to display a high res version at some point, even if it takes up more space on the screen (something like the expanded mario from the golden mushroom). It does seem to be a waste of resources, but it's the only explanation I can come up with. You definitely see detail that wasn't there before.

Lol, im still not convinced . I always thought that scaling was done with the final image. Sort of it takes the image displayed and then touches it up. So in that case its dealing initially with what the DS is outputting, and then touching it up afterwards. Basically, that image on the right is not an upscale of the image on the left, no matter what tricks you pull, there is detail in there that is not present on the one on the left. The other images such as the Metroid ones and the other ones in the link to Mario etc, THEY look correct. But that one in the first post, is bullshit

 

[windwakr]

that one in the first post, is bullshit

It's not. This detail is always there, but because of the low internal resolution, you can only see it in closeups normally. But this modded DeSmuME lets you up the internal resolution.

 

[M[u]ddy]

How does this sort of upscaling even work? I mean, if you look at the two pictures on the first page of the dancing girl, there are parts of the image on the upscaled version that just aren't there in the normal one. I mean, look at her eyes and mouth. The detail for that isn't on the left image so how has it come out looking like that? Same with the details down the middle front of her dress. Don't get me wrong, I've seen very good upscaling before, but nothing that can "add" what isn't there in the first place. That looks massively touched up to me.

This isn't upscaling. This is rendering polygon models with textures slapped on them at a higher resolution. This obviously only works for 3D content.
Sometimes the Textures in a 3D image are in a higher resolution than they need to be for the current shot, because in other shots they will be seen from closer.

 

[the_randomizer]

A think a video recording is in order to show this in action

 

[kristianity77]

Its my mistake. I thought we were talking about the images being upscaled with this emulator. Thats the angle I was coming from when I called out the shots on the front page. Upscaling could not produce images like that. I dont mind being wrong

 

[pokefloote]

I really want to see either of the joker games emulated with even 2x.

Here are some grabs I got. Built in screenshot thing was being weird so I just puushd them. That's why there are uneven borders around the images.

Set 1

The left is disabled. Right is 2x.

And there is 3x and 4x. Not too big of a difference between 2x and 4x, but it's there.

Even at 2x it's a great improvement.

Rune Factory 3

Spoiler

disabled vs 4x

Animal Crossing Wild World at 4x

Spoiler

Different times but eh

I always remember this game for looking terrible when emulated on PC. This is so amazing.

 

[Kikirini]

This is really impressive.

 

[loco365]

Wow. I never knew how much I wanted HD DS games until now... I really want to see either of the joker games emulated with even 2x. Hot damn i'm getting a little chubby spidey web shooter just looking at the render for pokemon... I know there are tons of sprites and all, but still... damn. I know for a fact that the DS's processor is purposefully underclocked... could games have looked a little better if they used the existing chip to the extent of its power?

All the laptops I have access too are too weak to even run 2x at a playable speed. My MacBook Pro only a core 2 duo, its its basically out, my work dell is an i3, but only a single core :c Even with dynamic recompliling games only run at about half speed. And the laptop I'm using right now is a walmart special from 2007... So I cant imagine its worth much.

Im still asking for a screen shot of Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 1 or 2, and could someone please do a screen grab from all 4 resolutions? Im curious.

Either way, please post more screenshots of anything really ;O; This are beautiful

My Acer with an i3 doesn't do too badly. It's nice to have Pokemon HGSS or even DPPt not look like ass anymore.

This isn't upscaling. This is rendering polygon models with textures slapped on them at a higher resolution. This obviously only works for 3D content.
Sometimes the Textures in a 3D image are in a higher resolution than they need to be for the current shot, because in other shots they will be seen from closer.

It's not even just rendering them at a higher resolution, but it looks so damn good because the models are stored with a very high degree of detail, but the DS itself really downs the quality of the graphics. Since this build is removing the distortion, it makes the graphics render themselves properly with the detail that the developers themselves put into their models. All in all, this version of Desmume allows users to see all the effort devs put into their work without the limitations of the hardware itself.