Hacking Possible to Disable the Wii's (De)Flicker Filter?

[Extrems]

https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=1254152#p1254152

 

[xLothwenx]

Are you implicitly saying your 2016 comment was wrong and your 2017 picture tests prove it?

I love decoding these cryptic forum posts.

EDIT: Just tested, and Twilight Princess (GC) on Wii U using Nintendont with Video Width 640 looks exactly like Dolphin overscan-wise, using both HDMI and component cables, 480p each.

I'm confused, because I've seen the "16-pixel destination space" overscan in 480p before on vWii. Maybe Nintendont is better than Nintendo's Wii game loader and essentially fixes this with the Video Width setting?

 

[xLothwenx]

(EDIT: Never mind, not true, since Twilight Princess doesn't render 640 columns; it's 608x448: )

Confusion solved; the 16-pixel per left and right edge overscan in destination space = 32 pixels total. 608 + 32 = 640. So I happen to not be seeing the Wii U overscan for this game.

In summary, there's no reason to prefer component cables on Wii U. As Extrems said, it's essentially the same output as HDMI (except we get digital audio with HDMI).

But these problems remain with crappy Wii U vWii output in general: https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=1208779#p1208779

Clear enough?

 

[xLothwenx]

@blackb0x , does your custom version of USB Loader GX allow the Deflicker filter to be disabled for Gamecube games?

https://gbatemp.net/threads/usb-loader-gx.149922/page-1316#post-8856063

 

[blackb0x]

@xLothwenx No, since that's handled by Nintendont and it's default setting is to disable the deflicker filter.

 

[xLothwenx]

While I have you here, why can't the viWidth/"Video Width" be freely configurable down to zero? I know the Nintendo documentation says it shouldn't be set lower than the EFB width. But most games render less than 640 (the minimum allowed in Nintendont).

If I know the render width of the game I'm playing, if I set it wrong (too low) and it crashes or something, that's on me. I want to output pixels with as close to square (no scaling) as possible. And then use my TV's scaler instead. (Or nothing.) Seems impossible for most games when 640 is the minimum viWidth.

Related: https://www.reddit.com/r/Gamecube/c...?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

 

[totakeke95]

While I have you here, why can't the viWidth/"Video Width" be freely configurable down to zero? I know the Nintendo documentation says it shouldn't be set lower than the EFB width. But most games render less that 640 (the minimum allowed in Nintendont).

If I know the render width of the game I'm playing, if I set it wrong (too low) and it crashes or something, that's on me. I want to output pixels with as close to square (no scaling) as possible. And then use my TV's scaler instead. (Or nothing.) Seems impossible for most games when 640 is the minimum viWidth.

Related: https://www.reddit.com/r/Gamecube/c...?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

You should ask that in the official Nintendont thread
Nintendont | GBAtemp.net - The Independent Video Game Community

And about the deflicker in GC games, it simply forces the video mode to the desired region and in this way the deflicker is disabled. If a game has hz selector and asks if you want to change press NO because if you give it YES the filter is re-enabled.

 

[blackb0x]

@xLothwenx You can always test what the change would look like by patching a dol file and then configuring the loader to use it. For example, to patch 480p NTSC you can search for "02028001e001e000280000028001e0000000000000000006060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060600001516150000" and change 0280 (640) to whatever you want to try.

Don't use libogc as a source for render mode information though, since almost half of them don't match up with the render modes used in Wii games.

It's currently not a setting within the loader because render modes vary from game to game, which makes the viWidth difficult to patch without causing issues. Be it certain games not looking correct once patched or people applying a custom viWidth as a global setting and then asking why they can't see some games on their TV anymore.

 

[xLothwenx]

...but this is a hacking program. The entire point is to do extra things. Trying to dummy it down for the lowest common denominator is a bad reason to do (or not do) anything.

"But the all the invalid bug reports I foresee." So what? Developers should get thicker skin, and stop being so whiny.

 

[Extrems]

"But the all the invalid bug reports I foresee." So what? Developers should get thicker skin, and stop being so whiny.

Uuuuuh.

Anyway, Swiss has a better approach to this that doesn't break any game. Maybe... use that work?

 

[xLothwenx]

Swiss has a better approach to this that doesn't break any game. Maybe... use that work?

And Bingo was his name-o.

 

[Nejsplitter_]

"And about the deflicker in GC games, it simply forces the video mode to the desired region and in this way the deflicker is disabled. If a game has hz selector and asks if you want to change press NO because if you give it YES the filter is re-enabled"

@blackb0x is this true ?especially that last part, if so then i have been doing it wrong rhis whole time lol

 

[blackb0x]

...but this is a hacking program. The entire point is to do extra things.

The entire point is to play backups. Anything else is just a bonus.

"But the all the invalid bug reports I foresee." So what? Developers should get thicker skin, and stop being so whiny.

We could say that some users need to stop being so self entitled, since us developers are working on this for free and we don't need to share anything publicy.

I didn't say that I wouldn't ever add a setting, but when people are pushy, impatient or rude it makes me not want to even bother adding certain features. I just don't have the patience for it, especially while I'm dealing with health issues.

I gave you a good workaround for Wii games.

Anyway, Swiss has a better approach to this that doesn't break any game. Maybe... use that work?

Originally I wanted to port over Swiss's video patching code, but it requires some rewrites due to some functions being different in Wii games. I don't have a USB Gecko though, so I can't easily debug things to confirm that everythings working correctly.

So the video mode patches in the loader still need a rewrite, but at least the loaders normal deflicker setting doesn't break anything and it works with almost every Wii game.

@blackb0x is this true ?especially that last part, if so then i have been doing it wrong rhis whole time lol

I'm not sure, since that's handled by Nintendont.

 

[xLothwenx]

We could say that some users need to stop being so self entitled, since us developers are working on this for free and we don't need to share anything publicy.

I didn't say that I wouldn't ever add a setting, but when people are pushy, impatient or rude it makes me not want to even bother adding certain features. I just don't have the patience for it, especially while I'm dealing with health issues.

I never demanded anything. You simply misinterpreted my direct statements. And in doing so basically supported my point.

If you want to interpret direct communication as rude, you have the company of the rest of the human race.

And who says I'm not a developer? Do realize it's possible that I included myself inside that net?

#lolForums

 

[Nejsplitter_]

i think it would be awsome if there was a thread just for appreciation of all and any devs, thank you all, past and present

 

[blackb0x]

I never demanded anything. You simply misinterpreted my direct statements. And in doing so basically supported my point.

Uhh...

"But the all the invalid bug reports I foresee." So what? Developers should get thicker skin, and stop being so whiny.

You said that after I gave you a working solution, implying that the my solution isn't good enough for you. So to me it seems like you feel as though you're entitled to better and you basically called me whiny for explaining why it's not currently a setting.

I shouldn't have to explain that I'm dealing with health issues, since I like to plan things out before I start adding code anyway. Otherwise you get into scenarios where things might break for some people, then you've got to rush out another release or spend some time answering questions over and over. And I don't have the time to do either.

 

[totakeke95]

"And about the deflicker in GC games, it simply forces the video mode to the desired region and in this way the deflicker is disabled. If a game has hz selector and asks if you want to change press NO because if you give it YES the filter is re-enabled"

@blackb0x is this true ?especially that last part, if so then i have been doing it wrong rhis whole time lol

It's true. @NoobletCheese he commented on it in a post, I don't remember which one, I think in the Nintendont thread. I was also doing it wrong believing that the filter was off once set up but not, you have to force the region and in the hz selector give it to NO.

 

[Nejsplitter_]

hmm interesting, i actually only use ntsc versions of games so its the "enable progressive" option i get, but yes i think noobletcheese mentioned that as you said.

@NoobletCheese i just started up smash bros melee (ntsc) with "force ntsc" on nintendont, i said yes to the "enable progressive" and then went into the games own deflicker switcher in the game screen options, i turned the switch on and off and nothing changed, proving the deflicker is correctly being disabled ?, when you mentioned to say "no" to the "enable progressive?" prompt that re-enables the deflicker,did you mean only for some games ? and what games where they? also what is your actual experience with this particular thing ?

 

[Maeson]

In my experience saying yes on the progressive scan screen never activated the flicker filter again. There's no change in picture. Of course I have progressive forced on.

In fact it also does not happen to me with pal games with 60 Hz option, for example with the Sonic games. The only times I remember something going weird is with Mario Sunshine which always had problems with video modes at boot, and going to the screen options in ISS 3, in which when you exit the screen resets and if you forced 480p it will reset to 480i but still unfiltered.

 

[Nejsplitter_]

@MaeseJesus thanks, also i think @NoobletCheese is probably on holiday as i dont think hes been on the forums for about a month lol i find he has a very good understanding of things, after reading through a lot of what hes posted, anyway what was your issue with mario sunshine you mentioned ? i actually dont think i even need "force progressive" enabled as all my games are ntsc that have the progressive prompt, but its nagging me that comment noobletcheese made about some game/games may require saying no at progressive prompt screen so as to not re-enable the filter, but then would "force progressive" bypass saying no at the game prompt to keep it progressive even the the games then say "game will be interlaced mode" ? it confuses me lol