SotC locks up with garbage graphics after latest commits

[gregory]

What is your GS configuration (could you post your GSdx.ini file). Could you play a bit with GSdx option to be sure it is a core issue or if some options help to trigger it.

Trilinear depends on the mipmap options. You can't have everything.

[Eadzon64]

Code:

AspectRatio = 1
CaptureHeight = 480
CaptureWidth = 640
MaxAnisotropy = 16
ModeHeight = 480
ModeWidth = 640
NTSC_Saturation = 1
Renderer = 12
ShadeBoost = 0
ShadeBoost_Brightness = 53
ShadeBoost_Contrast = 51
ShadeBoost_Saturation = 53
TVShader = 0
UserHacks = 0
UserHacks_AutoFlush = 0
UserHacks_DisableDepthSupport = 0
UserHacks_DisableGsMemClear = 0
UserHacks_DisablePartialInvalidation = 0
UserHacks_HalfPixelOffset = 1
UserHacks_HalfPixelOffset_New = 0
UserHacks_SkipDraw = 0
UserHacks_SpriteHack = 0
UserHacks_TCOffset = 0
UserHacks_TextureInsideRt = 0
UserHacks_WildHack = 0
UserHacks_align_sprite_X = 0
UserHacks_merge_pp_sprite = 0
UserHacks_round_sprite_offset = 0
UserHacks_unscale_point_line = 0
aa1 = 1
accurate_blending_unit = 3
accurate_date = 1
capture_enabled = 0
capture_out_dir = /tmp/GSdx_Capture
capture_threads = 4
clut_load_before_draw = 0
crc_hack_level = 2
debug_glsl_shader = 0
debug_opengl = 0
disable_hw_gl_draw = 0
dump = 0
extrathreads = 4
extrathreads_height = 4
filter = 5
force_texture_clear = 0
fxaa = 0
interlace = 7
large_framebuffer = 1
linear_present = 0
mipmap = 1
mipmap_hw = 0
osd_fontname = /usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont/FreeSerif.ttf
osd_fontsize = 48
osd_indicator_enabled = 0
osd_log_enabled = 1
osd_log_speed = 6
osd_max_log_messages = 3
osd_monitor_enabled = 0
osd_transparency = 50
override_GL_ARB_clear_texture = -1
override_GL_ARB_draw_buffers_blend = -1
override_GL_ARB_get_texture_sub_image = -1
override_GL_ARB_gpu_shader5 = -1
override_GL_ARB_shader_image_load_store = -1
override_GL_ARB_texture_barrier = -1
override_GL_ARB_viewport_array = -1
override_GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic = -1
override_geometry_shader = 0
paltex = 0
png_compression_level = 1
preload_frame_with_gs_data = 0
save = 0
savef = 0
savel = 5000
saven = 0
savet = 0
savez = 0
shaderfx = 0
shaderfx_conf = /home/abc/.config/PCSX2/shaders/GSdx_FX_Settings.ini
shaderfx_glsl = /home/abc/.config/PCSX2/shaders/GSdx.fx
upscale_multiplier = 1
vsync = 0
wrap_gs_mem = 0

ok I tested with

AF off
Trilinear normal
mipmapping basic/fast

and the corruption seems gone now
I'm not 100% sure, but I can't spot it anymore

so this is settings related?
you mean that I can't have AF, mipmapping off and trilinear ultra together? These settings were ok before and looked great!
is 16x AF, PS2 filtering and mipmapping off ok?
so what are the best, most demanding settings possible in your opinion

[gregory]

I don't remember all the dependency, but you have 3 kinds of mipmap.
* AF is a kind of automatic mipmap (use rectangle instead interpolation of square interpolation) in the hardware
* Trilinear option will generate various mipmap of textures (from the initial texture level) and will try to do some trilinear implementations.
* Mipmap will try to implement a mipmap that is compliant with the GS behavior. (note it reduces texture resolutions)

The best setting is a complex topic. IMHO, you will better to keep GS mipmap option to off (except on game that really depends on it to avoid massive glitches). Then you can play with trilinear and AF.

[Eadzon64]

I don't remember all the dependency, but you have 3 kinds of mipmap.
* AF is a kind of automatic mipmap (use rectangle instead interpolation of square interpolation) in the hardware
* Trilinear option will generate various mipmap of textures (from the initial texture level) and will try to do some trilinear implementations.
* Mipmap will try to implement a mipmap that is compliant with the GS behavior. (note it reduces texture resolutions)

The best setting is a complex topic. IMHO, you will better to keep GS mipmap option to off (except on game that really depends on it to avoid massive glitches). Then you can play with trilinear and AF.

that's why I kept mipmapping off in my settings.

so in addittion only normal trilinear + AF is ok?
tested with these settings and picture seems ok!

so forced trilinear/ultra + AF is too much?

[gregory]

Yes it could be too much. All options to the max value isn't a good idea. Purpose of trilinear/mipmapping is to reduce texture quality to reduce aliasing. Once aliasing is done, pushing further just reduce quality.

[Eadzon64]

thank's for your explanations. I think I've learned something
so bumping up the settings to the max isn't always the best!
sadly native resolution isn't an option for me anymore cause this way my eyes hurt way to much.
So I revert back to an upscaled internal resolution in combination with trilinear and without AF and the downside of having to use half-pixel offset  
will there ever be a 100% solution for the misaligned effects in combination with upscaling?

thank you and keep up the good work

[gregory]

What is the downside of HPO? By the way, on linux, you have 2 implementations, be sure to check both. (GUI will be updated soon with a combobox)

[Eadzon64]

What is the downside of HPO? By the way, on linux, you have 2 implementations, be sure to check both. (GUI will be updated soon with a combobox)

with HPO the correction of the missaligned Bloom and Blend Effects is near but not 100% perfect.
In SotC for example you can see this by the sitting Birds one by each killed Colossi at the Shrine of Worship
remember I were talking about Eagles eyes .

I guess this can only be corrected  by an per Game implementation, wich is a huge workload!

I know about the 2 implemetations and guessing that games could benefit by enabling them both.

I will check out

[gregory]

both won't work. Newer GUI will forbid it (I need to check the PR behavior).

I think the issue is due to down-scaling when reading back the RT. I need to find a way to avoid it. Not a priority.

[Eadzon64]

bump up for priority! This would be a real Milestone for this great Emulator

It's great to hear that you're behind a solution