Questions regarding resolution & aspect ratio

[Livy the pixie]

Most of PS2 games have an aspect ratio of 4:3, except for some which support widescreen mode (16:9). I see that Gdsx plugin has an option that allows the user to choose either native PS2 resolution or a specific user defined one. What does it affect the images if I specify not a 4:3 ratio, 1024x1024 for example? My onboard graphic card is kinda crappy, so I cannot test it myseft 'cause if I select DirectX Hardware, my laptop will freeze immediately.

In fact I play on a real PlayStation 2. But I want to test all ultil I am affort to buy another laptop for mobile-gaming (I mean playing PS2 games anywhere). I have some questions regarding aspect ratio on PS2 too. That is, I've used OpenPS2Loader to load Final Fantasy X PAL from my USB flash. I hate the International version of FFX, since it's menu is in Japanese language and it is NTSC -- Never The Same Color. The PAL version's color is much truer indeed, and all text is in English, but I don't know why the aspect ratio is 16:9. From so far I know, PAL television contains 625 lines of resolution (4:3), compared to NTSC's 525 (so the aspect ratio is 16:9). My console is SCPH-90006, imported from HongKong. HongKong is PAL, and my TV is PAL as well, and of course I'm using PAL version of Final Fantasy X. But the aspect ratio is 16:9, as if you set aspect ratio to 16:9 and then play the game in the 800x600 resolution on PCSX2. The image is horizontal stretched with 2 black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, it makes me crazy. In PCSX2, Final Fantasy X PAL runs at 4:3 ratio perfectly.

I have the same problem when playing Final Fantasy X-2 PAL on PCSX2. My NTSC disc works well, but I also encounter ratio problem with PAL version. I set the windows resolution to 640x480 and aspect ratio to 4:3. The game runs at 4:3 resolution as normal, except for the FMVs. All full motion videos run at 16:9 (I can see the black bar at the bottom of the screen), and I don't know why. Is there anybody who have played PAL version of FFX and FFX-2?

[GamerGeek]

The game being Pal or Ntsc does not have anything to do with the aspect ratio(it might have in the past I dont know). Most games have an option to change the ratio otherwise youll just have to do it with your tv remote. As for fmvs still being 16:9 is because they are prerendered to change their ratio you would have to cut most of the video or strech it which would look like crap.

[Livy the pixie]

I've burnt FFX-2 PAL to a DVD-R and the opening FMV is 4:3 on my PS2. Don't know why it is 16:9 on PCSX2, although I set screen resolution to 640x480 and aspect ratio to 4:3 already. I try FFX-2 NTSC on PCSX2 with these settings and encounter no problem.

We all know that PAL color is much truer than NTSC's (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTSC#Comparative_quality). But is PAL games' color is much truer than NTSC's? I can see that FFX NTSC's color is much more yellow than PAL version. The PAL's color is brighter and looks more nicer. Is this true or my eyes just fool me?

[ikazu]

Press F6 while playing the game to change the aspect ratio.

[Livy the pixie]

Working now. Thanks. Just one more question: What is the native resolution of PlayStation 2? I mean what the exact resolution will PCSX2 use when I check the Native checkbox?

[GamerGeek]

It depends on the game. I think it says in the left of the task bar.

[ikazu]

For most of games, i think it's 640 x 448