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| anti-aliasing [2021/08/17 09:00] – [Shaders] internalised link atari | anti-aliasing [2023/02/05 04:09] (current) – render to texture is no longer a thing atari |
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| ===== What is anti-aliasing? ===== | ===== What is anti-aliasing? ===== |
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| In essence, a way to mitigate aliasing caused by computer generated graphics, typically apparent when showing a lower resolution image on a large display. You may be familiar with this being called "jaggies" or "the staircase effect", where the square edges of pixels become very obvious. In the image below, the top is the original image as it appears at its native resolution, the left is that image simply enlarged (notice the staircasing effect on the diagonals) while the right one has been 'anti-aliased' by a filter. | In essence, a way to mitigate aliasing caused by computer generated graphics, typically apparent when showing a lower resolution image on a large display. You may be familiar with this being called "jaggies" or "the staircase effect", where the square edges of pixels become very obvious. In the image below, the top is the original image as it appears at its native resolution, the left is that image simply enlarged (notice the staircasing effect on the diagonals) while the right one has been 'anti-aliased' by an upscaler. |
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| {{antialiasing:2xsai_example.png?direct|Pixel-art example of X2 SAI upscaling, a special form of anti-aliasing.}} | {{antialiasing:2xsai_example.png?direct|Pixel-art example of X2 SAI upscaling, a special form of anti-aliasing.}} |
| <wrap lo>The repeating tiles in the background appear much sharper with anisotropic filtering enabled. Author: THOMAS, derivative of [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lampak|Lampak]]'s work. Licensed under [[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en|Creative Commons]].</wrap> | <wrap lo>The repeating tiles in the background appear much sharper with anisotropic filtering enabled. Author: THOMAS, derivative of [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lampak|Lampak]]'s work. Licensed under [[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en|Creative Commons]].</wrap> |
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| And the best part is that this is pretty CPU/GPU inexpensive, as it's just leveraging the already existing mip-mapping functionality. If you're in a situation where you //can// activate anisotropic filtering, there is a high chance you can go all the way up to x16 without penalty. If you're on really weak hardware like an [[https://wiki.batocera.org/devices|SBC]], you can get away with just doing say x4 anisotropic filtering and still get most of its benefits. | And the best part is that this is pretty CPU/GPU inexpensive, as it's just leveraging the already existing mip-mapping functionality. If you're in a situation where you //can// activate anisotropic filtering, there is a high chance you can go all the way up to x16 without penalty. If you're on really weak hardware like an [[choose_a_single_board_computer|SBC]], you can get away with just doing say x4 anisotropic filtering and still get most of its benefits. |
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| ===== Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing ===== | ===== Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing ===== |
| * xBR enhancement {{antialiasing:thps2-xbr-texture-enhancement.png?direct&600}} | * xBR enhancement {{antialiasing:thps2-xbr-texture-enhancement.png?direct&600}} |
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| ===== How does this apply to Batocera? ===== | ===== Texture Replacement ===== |
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| | Also known as "texture packs", this takes texture enhancement to its logical extreme. What if the textures are just completely redrawn by hand? |
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| | Obviously this is not an automated solution so it depends on someone having done the work itself, but it results in objectively the highest texture quality output feasible on the emulator of all the other techniques. |
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| | It can also offer the opportunity to restyle the game in an entirely different art style. |
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| | Since such features are dependent on the emulator supporting them, they are usually only noted in [[:systems|their respective wiki pages]]. |
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| | ===== How does all this apply to Batocera? ===== |
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| It's a fairly complicated subject, so I'll make ludicrous use of comparison images here for illustration. Keep in mind that you don't need to actually go and configure all of this yourself, Batocera's default "Auto" setting will do a perfectly fine job. | It's a fairly complicated subject, so I'll make ludicrous use of comparison images here for illustration. Keep in mind that you don't need to actually go and configure all of this yourself, Batocera's default "Auto" setting will do a perfectly fine job. |
| ==== Shaders ==== | ==== Shaders ==== |
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| Shader sets are pre-configured shaders that can imitate the look of a classic CRT television, giving a more authentic look for older systems as they would have typically appeared on televisions used at the time. Refer to [[:emulationstation:shaders_set|shader sets]] for more comparisons and how to make shader sets yourself. | Shader sets are pre-configured shaders that can imitate the look of a classic CRT television, giving a more authentic look for older systems as they would have typically appeared on televisions used at the time. Refer to [[:emulationstation:shaders_set|shader sets]] for more comparisons and how to make shader sets yourself. Click on the following images for the proper effect! |
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| | {{:antialiasing:earthworm-jim-reference.png?direct|Take note where the arrows show.}} {{:antialiasing:earthworm-jim-final-output.png?direct|Absolutely magical.}} |
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| For 3D systems 5th gen and above (PSX, N64, etc.) shaders aren't as beneficial, though some may still prefer them to retain the true authentic experience. 2D games, although uncommon on these systems, still reap the same benefits as they did from 4th gen and before. | For 3D systems 5th gen and above (PSX, N64, etc.) shaders aren't as beneficial, though some may still prefer them to retain the true authentic experience. 2D games, although uncommon on these systems, still reap the same benefits as they did from 4th gen and before. If you'd like to see a bunch of example comparisons, [[https://twitter.com/crtpixels?lang=en|this Twitter account]] is worth a visit. |
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| ==== 3D Enhancements ==== | ==== 3D Enhancements ==== |
| <wrap lo>Taken from [[https://www.retrorgb.com/n64blur.html|RetroRGB's blogpost]].</wrap> | <wrap lo>Taken from [[https://www.retrorgb.com/n64blur.html|RetroRGB's blogpost]].</wrap> |
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| This filter is typically not emulated. You can simulate an approximation of the filter by leaving the "Smooth games" option turned on, but a better one would be using a weak gaussian blur such as one provide by RetroArch shaders. | This filter is typically not emulated. You can simulate an approximation of the filter by leaving the "Smooth games" option turned on, but a better one would be using a weak gaussian blur such as one provided by RetroArch shaders. |
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| === PSX 3D Enhancement === | === PSX 3D Enhancement === |
| The original [[systems:psx|PlayStation]] had no form of anti-aliasing whatsoever, 2D or 3D. Geometry and textures were always rendered to their nearest point. This was slightly masked by the blurry video output of the PSX. Thus, all forms of anti-aliasing can be considered an enhancement. | The original [[systems:psx|PlayStation]] had no form of anti-aliasing whatsoever, 2D or 3D. Geometry and textures were always rendered to their nearest point. This was slightly masked by the blurry video output of the PSX. Thus, all forms of anti-aliasing can be considered an enhancement. |
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| ^ 3D Enhancement ^ Preview ^ Notes ^ | ^ 3D Enhancement ^ Preview (click to enlarge) ^ Notes ^ |
| | Native rendering resolution | {{antialiasing:thps2-native.png?direct&720}} | Take note of all the "jaggies". This is how it would have appeared on the original hardware, if the PSX could produce a crystal clear video signal. | | | Native rendering resolution | {{antialiasing:thps2-native.png?direct&900}} | Take note of all the "jaggies". This is how it would have appeared on the original hardware, if the PSX could produce a crystal clear video signal. | |
| | Native resolution + 8x MSAA | {{antialiasing:thps2-8x-msaa.png?direct&720}} | Note how only some edges of objects, such as the plane wing and the overhead light, have been smoothened. The warehouse divider that's flush with the glass still has jagged edges. | | | Native resolution + 8x MSAA | {{antialiasing:thps2-8x-msaa.png?direct&900}} | Note how only some edges of objects, such as the plane wing and the overhead light, have been smoothened. The warehouse divider that's flush with the glass still has jagged edges. | |
| | Native resolution + 8x SSAA | {{antialiasing:thps2-8x-ssaa.png?direct&720}} | Now all objects and textures have been properly smoothed out. Keep in mind this is still at native rendering resolution output (~288p), at higher rendering resolutions the effect isn't as blurry. | | | Native resolution + 8x SSAA | {{antialiasing:thps2-8x-ssaa.png?direct&900}} | Now all objects and textures have been properly smoothed out. Keep in mind this is still at native rendering resolution output (~288p), at higher rendering resolutions the effect isn't as blurry. | |
| | Increased rendering resolution | {{antialiasing:thps2-no-texture-enhancement.png?direct&720}} | The most neutral enhancement. Notice how the low resolution textures have become more apparent. | | | Increased rendering resolution | {{antialiasing:thps2-no-texture-enhancement.png?direct&900}} | The most neutral enhancement. Notice how the low resolution textures have become more apparent. | |
| | Increased resolution + JINC2 texture enhancement | {{antialiasing:thps2-jinc2-texture-enhancement.png?direct&720}} | Makes it look like a N64 game! Blasphemy! Note how it doesn't handle transparent textures like the plane's shadow too well. | | | Increased resolution + JINC2 texture enhancement | {{antialiasing:thps2-jinc2-texture-enhancement.png?direct&900}} | Makes it look like a N64 game! Blasphemy! Note how it doesn't handle transparent textures like the plane's shadow too well. | |
| | Increased resolution + xBR texture enhancement | {{antialiasing:thps2-xbr-texture-enhancement.png?direct&720}} | Makes the ground look like a watercolor painting. This enhancement works better for simplistic art styles. | | | Increased resolution + xBR texture enhancement | {{antialiasing:thps2-xbr-texture-enhancement.png?direct&900}} | Makes the ground look like a watercolor painting. This enhancement works better for simplistic art styles. | |
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| === Precision Geometry Transform Pipeline === | === Precision Geometry Transform Pipeline === |
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| Using texture correction requires PGXP to already be activated. | Using texture correction requires PGXP to already be activated. |
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| | === Dreamcast Render to Texture Enhancement === |
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| | <WRAP center round important> |
| | This setting has been removed from Flycast since **v36**! It's now automatically adjusted with rendering resolution. |
| | </WRAP> |
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| | The Dreamcast's screen buffer is infrequently utilized by games to produce certain graphics in-game, typically during the pause screen. By default, this buffer will be at native resolution, irrespective of the current rendering resolution. |
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| | ^ 3D Enhancement ^ Preview (click to enlarge) ^ Notes ^ |
| | | Native rendering resolution | {{antialiasing:crazy-taxi-native.png?direct&720}} | As the Dreamcast would have rendered it originally. | |
| | | Increased rendering resolution | {{antialiasing:crazy-taxi-upscaled.png?direct&720}} | The most neutral enhancement. Notice how the edges of the taxi has become less jagged. | |
| | | Increased resolution, native render to texture resolution | {{antialiasing:crazy-taxi-native-render-to-texture.png?direct&720}} | Despite the video output being higher resolution, the screen buffer is still at a low native resolution. | |
| | | Increased resolution, 4x render to texture resolution | {{antialiasing:crazy-taxi-4x-render-to-texture.png?direct&720}} | Now both the rendering resolution and the screen buffer are higher resolution, resulting in a clearer pause screen in Crazy Taxi. | |
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