Shadow of the Colossus !!!

[Linear]

I've tested those shadow skipping gsdx versions and it just a temporary bug in plugin itself. In SoTC those version gives graphic corruption and sps everywere. So, the only way to fix SotC's shadows is Software mode. But there is another bug - latest gsdx versions have serious problem in software mode as well and shadows become corrupted just like in hardware mode.
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About graphic engine - SoTC have its engine from ICO, but fully upgraded and enhanced. Even new game on PS3 (Last guardian) have upgraded graphic engine from Shadow of the Colossus

[Innuendo]

But there is another bug - latest gsdx versions have serious problem in software mode as well and shadows become corrupted just like in hardware mode.

Check this:
I beleive that is Micro VU + its sppedhacks causing it. If you use micro VU without the two microVU sppedhacks, the shadows should be ok.
Try it.

[Linear]

You right, Innuendo ! I found out that MicroVu flag hack exactly breaks shadow projection in software mode. But I don't understand why and how 8P Theoreticly, speedhacks should not affect GS renderer operations, but maybe VU recompilers sending wrong opcodes to GS with some activated speedhacks...

Besides - I did some analysis and discover next things :
1st- some of my friend own highly overclocked Core i7 920, so I tested SotC on this rig in gsdx software mode. It runs fullspeed, with correct shadows, just like real PS2. But there is one important thing - it runs in native resolution.... just like real PS2 And it looks worse than hardware high-definition resolution. So I think = it is better to play SotC with buggy shadows but with highres, than playing it with correct shadows in native res

2nd- About so called Fairy shading. I've tested normal gameplay and found interesting thing - gsdx with enabled postprocessing gives a) correct shaded ghost (those black shading); b) black shaded cover on any colossus when he dies; c) beautifull glowing layer on colossus's hitmarks
All this postFX was skipped by default booting sequence %p And usually we didn't see this beauty since gsdx v.1.7, before it worked fine.

So, all I want to say is = thank you Innuendo, for your idea to check gsdx without postprocess skipping for this brilliant game !

[Koji]

Linear: The VUs are the graphics hardware for the PS2... it makes perfect sense that a hack to the emulated graphics hardware can and would cause graphic issues ^_^

[Linear]

You right, Koji. But this issue confusing me because superVU and microVU recompilers are using the same flag hack. When superVU uses this speedhack GSDX software mode renders shadows correctly, but when microVU recompilers (which is more advanced) uses this speedhack - shadow rendering corrupted %) Hardware mode works with no difference on both recompilers

[Innuendo]

I'm happy that I could help :]

I wish that one day the great change would finally come... and shadows would work fine with HW mode...
But Gabest (or maybe another coder it was,) claimed it not so long ago that it is impossible to ever be fixed... It was a few weeks ago on the goggle code side comments.

So, you say you've seen what an OC'd i7 does with handling the graphics of SOTC... how good was it ? Real smooth ? And how badly was it OC'd? I plan to OC the 920's D0 stepping to 4 Ghz...

[Linear]

Gabest said that it is impossible to fix those shadows and also he said that is is impossible to emulate PSOne framebuffer effects and offscreen drawing in GSDX, but Pete Bernert made OGL2 plugin and proved that it is possible to do such things. So - I'm sure (255%) that it is really possible to emulate shadows and other postFX correctly, but Gabest don't know this emulation technique which Pete did. Too bad that I don't know how to contact Pete bernert, his plugins was perfect....

About your overclocking - this would be enough to achieve fullspeed, just set DX10 software renderer to 7 cpu threads (8-1=7) and I used Pete's SPU plugin for sound (fastest and good quality). But don't forget about CPU cooling, our watercooling system only handled Core i7 to 76'C
And try first without overclocking, most games will allready runs fullspeed with this monster =)

[Cetra]

So I can play it fine on both Software and Hardware Renderer. The hardware renderer is exhibiting the block shadow thing that you guys are talking about. I've tried turning off microVU but it still does it. Actually I've fiddled round lots but still can't seem to get it working.

   

Is the actual resolution of the SW renderer meant to be 640 x 448? Looks a bit low

   

Also, the ingame FPS limiter is shocking.

Apart from the ingame FPS limiter and the weird block shadows (see attached) this game is running ok.

[Innuendo]

So I can play it fine on both Software and Hardware Renderer. The hardware renderer is exhibiting the block shadow thing that you guys are talking about. I've tried turning off microVU but it still does it. Actually I've fiddled round lots but still can't seem to get it working.

Indeed, HW mode means corrupted shadows, no escaping that.
What we were talking about is that: in SW mode (wich otherwise renders the shadows correctly) mivcroVU + its specific speedhacks = same sorrupted shadows as in HW mode.

Is the actual resolution of the SW renderer meant to be 640 x 448? Looks a bit low

Yes, SW mode runs games in their native resolution (that's the resolution they are displayed by a real ps2 machine), and as we sepak, there is no processor strong enough to have any chance of rendering higher resolutions in SW mode anyway.

Also, the ingame FPS limiter is shocking.

The game's built-in frame-skipping's activity is very much infuenced by pcsx2's two speedhacks:
1: EE Cycle rate
2: VU Cycle Stealing

If you lower or disable these hacks, you will get rid of the frame-skipping, BUT of course it takes more power to render all the frames without skipping any, so you will likely get a slow-motion gameplay,
You should experiment with them, trying different values, to find what would give the best results for your system. (e.g. what would give the smoothest framerate without a slowdown .)

Hope that was helpful.

[rectifier]

Hello Everyone:
I tried the game with 0.9.6 but it was always too slow for me.

My Specs:
Intel Q6700 @ 3 GHZ
4 GB RAM
ATI Radeon 2900 Pro @ XT (DX9)
Windows 7 32 bit

With the newest 1888 beta the game seems to run fine but after 2/3 of the first intro I get the PCSX DMA Error 10000000

I first thought it was the DVD plugin because it seemed as the game wanted to load new content. Tried some other plugins but still the same problem.
With 0.9.6 the intro is fine but very slow.

I was wondering if anyone had the same problem...