Low quality graphics

[eurogeezy]

I've been playing Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance with Dolphin lately, decided to try it out in PCSX2 since the sequel was only released on PS2. After some tweaking I got it running great with very little slowing. However the quality of the graphics are atrocious in PCSX2, nowhere close to how it looks in Dolphin. Both emulators are using OpenGL at 2x native res, anisotropic filtering at 16x and fxaa enabled, pc has a 1080ti and a 7700k. Any way to improve this or do I need to go blow the dust off my PS2 when its time to play the sequel?


Dolphin:
   

PCSX2:
   

[jesalvein]

that's not surprising since the Gamecube version was better than the PS2 version.

[wheninrome]

PS2 version was better, the Gamecube was the worst https://youtu.be/SzkP3tL92To?t=53


try asaega's no interlacing patch https://forums.pcsx2.net/attachment.php?aid=66967
its for the US version though.  put it in the cheats folder and make sure to enable cheats. then set the interlacing to none.  might want to enable ps2 forced bilinear filtering as well in the gsdx settings

[eurogeezy]

Thanks, gave that a try, difference was negligible at best. I guess I'll just finish the game in Dolphin and play 2 on my actual PS2, just sucks because I like using the no carry weight cheat lol.

[gtgamer468]

You could still buy a cheat device and use that on your real PS2.

[jesalvein]

i guess that was the cheat for the gaecube version the OP was talking about.
I lack knowledge in cheating and... would you be able to buy a cheat device for your gamecube ?
Dunno if it actually exists

[eurogeezy]

Certainly could but its not really worth it to activate one cheat in one game i probably wont play again for another 10 years lol. I've just been on a retro kick lately and got my gf into baldurs gate, her interest will die out after these two games im sure

edit: my gamecube is hard modded so yes i can cheat on the gamecube no problem, im using dolphin so i can use wireless xbox controllers instead of the gamecube controllers. PS2 is still stock, not even sure if it still works tbh i havent touched it in a loooong time. baldurs gate 2 is ps2 only though, im more planning for when we finish the first one and move onto the second

[TkSilver]

Gamecubes did\do have action replay discs that also functioned as region lock bypassers (though not all had this). Some were just a disc with only specific codes available (whatever was on the disc) and others allowed for you to enter your own codes. Basically like the PS2 had... the PS1 I thing was the last console with a physical device for cheating (well more then a memory card or usb stick).

Dolphin also handles interlacing differently to PCSX2 (it basically doesn't do interlacing at all), but that also partially comes down to how the Gamecube handled interlacing vs progressive scan.

[pandubz]

Gamecubes did\do have action replay discs that also functioned as region lock bypassers (though not all had this).  Some were just a disc with only specific codes available (whatever was on the disc) and others allowed for you to enter your own codes.  Basically like the PS2 had... the PS1 I thing was the last console with a physical device for cheating (well more then a memory card or usb stick).

Dolphin also handles interlacing differently to PCSX2 (it basically doesn't do interlacing at all), but that also partially comes down to how the Gamecube handled interlacing vs progressive scan.

Correct. The Gamecube had Action Replay discs, as well as Gecko codes.

Without getting into too much, the leg up that Dolphin has over PCSX2 for interlacing is that Gamecube developers consistently used the same libraries, presumably provided by Nintendo. So Dolphin can always expect that library to be present, and force the game into progressive with it. PCSX2 on the other hand, this was pretty much left to the imagination of the developer. And that imagination, is why we now have six different deinterlacing modes in PCSX2, and deinterlacing patches have to be made pretty much by hand.

TL;DR Dolphin does fancy tricks cause GC libraries are nicer, games don't have to deinterlace and look nicer.

[Dreadmoth]

You can eliminate the colour banding by changing the Accurate Blending level to "None (Fastest)".

I think these GSdx settings would work well for you.
Should look a bit like this (widescreen hack enabled):