GhostlyDark's SM64 Reloaded Texture Pack V1.2.0 (2020-10-23)

[Admentus]

(07-11-2019, 01:03 PM)Craftyawesome Wrote: What is the n64 high poly model code? I've only found draw distance.

If you're looking for Forcing Mario's High Polygon Code:

Code:

Force Hires Mario Model (AR Code) (NAAE01)
030E1304 00001000

It's the 5th line in the Enhanced HD code.

(07-11-2019, 01:03 PM)Craftyawesome Wrote: Mario 64 has a few limits for objects. There is a hard limit of 240 objects. If an object tries to load and there is 240 important objects, the game crashes. (there are very few unimportant objects, even Mario's dust is important)

Hmm, so it isn't the RAM that is the issue. The screenshots you posted do indicate there is still RAM left to occupy. It's just that the object limit is being full then. Hmm... If there was a way to increase that.

I was already afraid there was some kind of hard-coded object limit. What was my other suspicion for the problem.

I didn't test all the stages yet. I knew that Bob-Omb Battlefield and Lethal Lava Land were having issues, meanwhile Jolly Roger's Bay and Shifting Sand Land seemed to be working fine. I can take another look in the HD Enhanced code and try to remove some of the "unnecessary" improvements to see if Whomp's Fortress and Snowman's Land will be working too. I should try and document which lines affects which objects. The render distance for lined coins was supposed to be maximized as well, through it does not seem to work, probably due one of the removed lines to get either Bob-Omb Battlefield or Lethal Lava Land to work.

That still leaves me to wonder why:
a) How the Widescreen Aspect Ratio Fix for 16:9 (Gecko Code) manages to occupy more object slots than the Widescreen Render Fix for 16:9 (AR Code) + Widescreen Hack?
b) Why Project64 seems to be able to load in more objects. Isn't the game supposed to have the same 240 object limitation on either platform?

I think a) could be answered by that the Gecko Code version simply loads in more objects, even those outside of the render view, while the AR Code version limits itself to only loading objects within the render view.

[e2zippo]

Cool stuff Admentus! I'm not really sure what you mean by using the high res model for Mario (and Link). Couldn't see any major difference. Is the high res model only used at certain places in the game? And this code forces the game to use the high res model at all times?

Maybe some screenshots showing the low res and high res model side by side?

You're posting so many codes, it's hard to keep track, which ones can I use now, with the 4MB limit in mind, if I want to use high res model and 16:9 widescreen and extended draw distance?

Anyway, many thanks for your work on these codes, must be tedious work!

[Admentus]

(07-11-2019, 07:22 PM)e2zippo Wrote: Cool stuff Admentus! I'm not really sure what you mean by using the high res model for Mario (and Link). Couldn't see any major difference. Is the high res model only used at certain places in the game? And this code forces the game to use the high res model at all times?

Maybe some screenshots showing the low res and high res model side by side?

Sure.

Hires Mario Model: (Show Spoiler)

Lowres Mario Model: (Show Spoiler)

When Mario is too far from the camera view, he will use his low res model. The same applies to Link as well and most of the N64 games. 3D polygons were quite demanding back then, so if it wasn't necessary then 3D models would be reduced on their polygons to save CPU or GPU power. I don't think this was particular an issue for the 4MB RAM, which was most likely more an issue on how many objects at once to render. Anyway, back then screens were smaller and resolutions were limited to 240p. No one would really notice if models were being swapped out for lower res models. But... Today is 2019, and this is the era of 4K gaming and 65 inch televisions. It really starts to look horrible. You will notice!

(07-11-2019, 07:22 PM)e2zippo Wrote: You're posting so many codes, it's hard to keep track, which ones can I use now, with the 4MB limit in mind, if I want to use high res model and 16:9 widescreen and extended draw distance?

For now, stick to the old Extended Draw Distance code on the main post. You can use it with the recent 16:9 code I posted which is a lot simpler. Text alignment isn't perfect, but gameplay looks as it should. Or you can use the older gecko code version on the main post for widescreen. Be wary that the older widescreen Gecko Code seems to load in more objects at once than the AR code version. More on loading objects later.

You can safely use the isolated Force Hires Mario Model code. It doesn't really seem to affect performance or the game's 4MB that much. The problem lies in the overal scope of the Enhanced HD code itself (the improved Extended Draw Distance code that is). The problem is that this code simply increases the draw distance for too many objects at once. And it turned out that Super Mario 64 enforces an object limit of a maximum of 240.

Basically everything is a object, from Goomba's, to coins, text, HUD elements and even the individual dust particles when Mario runs around. Have too many objects at once rendered... And well... The game starts to crash... Starting with the HUD to disappear.

How to solve this? Well... The easiest way for now is to adjust the HD Enhanced code to remove the draw distance enhancements we can do without. As long the game loads fewer than 240 objects, we're fine. The RAM seems not to be the issue actually. Some area's work fine while other area's just completely softlock. Bob-Omb Battlefield has quite the amount of objects. Shifting Sand Land for example consists out of two area's: the outside and the piramide, so all the game's objects are basically split between both area's. The game wasn't designed to load subareas, so all their objects remain separate out of range until we enter that area. That pretty much avoids having too many objects at once. But this will mean that I will have to sort out the Enhanced HD code and figure out which lines affects which objects and which objects should be ignored to avoid loading in too many objects at once.

So as I mentioned, the older Gecko Code version already had some issues with the older Extended Draw Distance code (both on the main post). You can almost safely use the older Extended Draw Distance code in isolation without the game starting to corrupt due the 240 object limit being reached. It can be used pretty well in combination with the recent widescreen AR Code as well, through you will notice that the cursor won't display on the Pause Screen in Bob-Omb Battlefield for example (due too many objects), but text still reads fine, so no issues there. The Pause Screen shows a complete overview of the area, which likely loads in more objects. The widescreen AR Code shouldn't load objects which are outside of the render view, which the widescreen Gecko Code likely does, hence why the widescreen Gecko Code has bigger issues with the Extended Draw Distance code.

Of course, it will be even more perfect if we can somehow raise that 240 object limit.

As for Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, with the upcoming update V3.2 (Soon™, don't hold me accountable for it, really, it could be another month) it will list all codes (including the newer and updated ones) into a single overview, both included with the texture pack and the main post of the texture pack thread. Once the Super Mario 64 Enhanced HD code has been properly adjusted, I will update the main post there as well.

Honestly, I'm not really that experienced. I just happend to successfully port those GameShark codes. I don't really know how I manage to do so, but apparently I did. There are limits to my knowledge, so I don't really know what to expect more on how to improve things further. Yeah, it kinda amazes me as well... Anyway, for as long I can see improvements, I will continue. Eventually the storm will pass. Besides, I can't keep this up forever. When Trails of Cold Steel III releases on PC (if it does...) I really have to call in a break.

Anyway, for both the Zelda 64 games and Mario 64 I will be combining several codes into one to reduce the amount of codes to enable separately.



TLDR:

There more objects you want to load in at once (aka, increased draw distance) the more graphical issues you get to the point of crashing. The Widescreen AR Code version helps to alleviate that issue by only loading objects within the render screen. The bigger and more recent Extended Draw Distance code simplifies causes too many objects to load at once, so either the object limit has to be improved or the code has to be adjusted to load in fewer (less important or noticeable) objects.

The Force Hires Mario Model code should be pretty safe, because it shouldn't occupy an additional object slot. It is still the same object towards to object limit.

It's still work in progress.

[Craftyawesome]

(07-11-2019, 06:42 PM)Admentus Wrote: If you're looking for Forcing Mario's High Polygon Code:

Code:

Force Hires Mario Model (AR Code) (NAAE01)
030E1304 00001000

It's the 5th line in the Enhanced HD code.

Sorry, I meant the code for n64/pj64. And also I just realized my draw distance code is less complete too. I want the original code that you are porting to dolphin for comparison.

(07-11-2019, 06:42 PM)Admentus Wrote: Hmm, so it isn't the RAM that is the issue. The screenshots you posted do indicate there is still RAM left to occupy. It's just that the object limit is being full then. Hmm... If there was a way to increase that.

I was already afraid there was some kind of hard-coded object limit. What was my other suspicion for the problem.

I didn't test all the stages yet. I knew that Bob-Omb Battlefield and Lethal Lava Land were having issues, meanwhile Jolly Roger's Bay and Shifting Sand Land seemed to be working fine. I can take another look in the HD Enhanced code and try to remove some of the "unnecessary" improvements to see if Whomp's Fortress and Snowman's Land will be working too. I should try and document which lines affects which objects. The render distance for lined coins was supposed to be maximized as well, through it does not seem to work, probably due one of the removed lines to get either Bob-Omb Battlefield or Lethal Lava Land to work.

That still leaves me to wonder why:
a) How the Widescreen Aspect Ratio Fix for 16:9 (Gecko Code) manages to occupy more object slots than the Widescreen Render Fix for 16:9 (AR Code) + Widescreen Hack?
b) Why Project64 seems to be able to load in more objects. Isn't the game supposed to have the same 240 object limitation on either platform?

I think a) could be answered by that the Gecko Code version simply loads in more objects, even those outside of the render view, while the AR Code version limits itself to only loading objects within the render view.

IIRC objects normally are loaded based on radius to mario, nothing else. Gecko widescreen might render more, though? 240 object limit should be the same in all versions.

The crash with the overflow code outside peach's castle is weird. It only happens if yoshi is there. It works fine if you don't have 120 stars or you despawn yoshi before it crashes. Even stranger, using freelook without cheat codes show yoshi already rendered. (the draw distance modifier doesn't effect yoshi, from what I can tell)
The crash happens when yoshi starts moving. (after Yaw moving updates but before Yaw facing, according to stroop. The value updates to the nomal value, too.)
The draw distance also doesn't change according to stroop. The wing cap box says 4000 regardless of if the draw distance code is applied.

[Admentus]

(07-12-2019, 02:11 AM)Craftyawesome Wrote: Sorry, I meant the code for n64/pj64. And also I just realized my draw distance code is less complete too. I want the original code that you are porting to dolphin for comparison.

Sure.

Credits to ┬heboy181

Code:

$Force High Poly Mario Model (Super Mario 64 NTSC-U)
81277184 1000
*Fixes LOD for Mario's Model

Code:

$HD Enhanced (Super Mario 64 NTSC-U)
81277184 1000
8127D552 4098
81385EF8 1000
81383B1C 0000
81383B1E 0000
812E53AC 0000
812E53AE 0000
80309F8C 0010
81309EF8 0000
81309EFA 0000
812FF24C 0000
812FF24E 0000
812FF3CA 4979
802ABF33 0000
802ABF56 0049
812FFC88 0000
812FFC8A 0000
81300962 497A
81277184 1000
8127D552 4098
81385EF8 1000
81383B1C 0000
81383B1E 0000
812E53AC 0000
812E53AE 0000
80309F8C 0010
81309EF8 0000
81309EFA 0000
812FF24C 0000
812FF24E 0000
812FF3CA 4979
802ABF33 0000
802ABF56 0049
812FFC88 0000
812FFC8A 0000
81300962 497A
802A802F 0000
802A459F 0000
802E533B 0000
8027BE25 00A0
*This improved the POPUP for things like Chain Chomp, Goombas, Cannon, Coins, Enemies, ECT. Level LOD MAX. Issues: Pause Screen corruption (limit on objects)

Code:

$Object Draw Distance Improvement (Super Mario 64 NTSC-U)
81385EF8 1000
*Coins, boxes, enemies, ect can be seen at further distances.

Code:

$Widescreen Render Fix (Super Mario 64 NTSC-U)
8127D55E 4740
8137A456 46C0
*Use with GLideN64 and force a 16:9 ratio.

Code:

$Extended Draw Distance (Super Mario 64 NTSC-U)
812A459C 2400
812E53AC 2400
81309EF8 2400
81309F8C 1000
81383A70 2400
81383B38 2400
81383B50 2400
81385EF8 1000
*Culling code still needed.

Everything here is GameShark format for the NTSC-U N64 version of Super Mario 64.

[e2zippo]

(07-11-2019, 08:35 PM)Admentus Wrote: Sure.

Hires Mario Model: (Show Spoiler)

Lowres Mario Model: (Show Spoiler)

When Mario is too far from the camera view, he will use his low res model. The same applies to Link as well and most of the N64 games. 3D polygons were quite demanding back then, so if it wasn't necessary then 3D models would be reduced on their polygons to save CPU or GPU power. I don't think this was particular an issue for the 4MB RAM, which was most likely more an issue on how many objects at once to render. Anyway, back then screens were smaller and resolutions were limited to 240p. No one would really notice if models were being swapped out for lower res models. But... Today is 2019, and this is the era of 4K gaming and 65 inch televisions. It really starts to look horrible. You will notice!


For now, stick to the old Extended Draw Distance code on the main post. You can use it with the recent 16:9 code I posted which is a lot simpler. Text alignment isn't perfect, but gameplay looks as it should. Or you can use the older gecko code version on the main post for widescreen. Be wary that the older widescreen Gecko Code seems to load in more objects at once than the AR code version. More on loading objects later.

You can safely use the isolated Force Hires Mario Model code. It doesn't really seem to affect performance or the game's 4MB that much. The problem lies in the overal scope of the Enhanced HD code itself (the improved Extended Draw Distance code that is). The problem is that this code simply increases the draw distance for too many objects at once. And it turned out that Super Mario 64 enforces an object limit of a maximum of 240.

Basically everything is a object, from Goomba's, to coins, text, HUD elements and even the individual dust particles when Mario runs around. Have too many objects at once rendered... And well... The game starts to crash... Starting with the HUD to disappear.

How to solve this? Well... The easiest way for now is to adjust the HD Enhanced code to remove the draw distance enhancements we can do without. As long the game loads fewer than 240 objects, we're fine. The RAM seems not to be the issue actually. Some area's work fine while other area's just completely softlock. Bob-Omb Battlefield has quite the amount of objects. Shifting Sand Land for example consists out of two area's: the outside and the piramide, so all the game's objects are basically split between both area's. The game wasn't designed to load subareas, so all their objects remain separate out of range until we enter that area. That pretty much avoids having too many objects at once. But this will mean that I will have to sort out the Enhanced HD code and figure out which lines affects which objects and which objects should be ignored to avoid loading in too many objects at once.

So as I mentioned, the older Gecko Code version already had some issues with the older Extended Draw Distance code (both on the main post). You can almost safely use the older Extended Draw Distance code in isolation without the game starting to corrupt due the 240 object limit being reached. It can be used pretty well in combination with the recent widescreen AR Code as well, through you will notice that the cursor won't display on the Pause Screen in Bob-Omb Battlefield for example (due too many objects), but text still reads fine, so no issues there. The Pause Screen shows a complete overview of the area, which likely loads in more objects. The widescreen AR Code shouldn't load objects which are outside of the render view, which the widescreen Gecko Code likely does, hence why the widescreen Gecko Code has bigger issues with the Extended Draw Distance code.

Of course, it will be even more perfect if we can somehow raise that 240 object limit.

As for Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, with the upcoming update V3.2 (Soon™, don't hold me accountable for it, really, it could be another month) it will list all codes (including the newer and updated ones) into a single overview, both included with the texture pack and the main post of the texture pack thread. Once the Super Mario 64 Enhanced HD code has been properly adjusted, I will update the main post there as well.

Honestly, I'm not really that experienced. I just happend to successfully port those GameShark codes. I don't really know how I manage to do so, but apparently I did. There are limits to my knowledge, so I don't really know what to expect more on how to improve things further. Yeah, it kinda amazes me as well... Anyway, for as long I can see improvements, I will continue. Eventually the storm will pass. Besides, I can't keep this up forever. When Trails of Cold Steel III releases on PC (if it does...) I really have to call in a break.

Anyway, for both the Zelda 64 games and Mario 64 I will be combining several codes into one to reduce the amount of codes to enable separately.



TLDR:

There more objects you want to load in at once (aka, increased draw distance) the more graphical issues you get to the point of crashing. The Widescreen AR Code version helps to alleviate that issue by only loading objects within the render screen. The bigger and more recent Extended Draw Distance code simplifies causes too many objects to load at once, so either the object limit has to be improved or the code has to be adjusted to load in fewer (less important or noticeable) objects.

The Force Hires Mario Model code should be pretty safe, because it shouldn't occupy an additional object slot. It is still the same object towards to object limit.

It's still work in progress.

As always, amazing answer! Seems I can't activate any Gecko widescreen code, it gets disabled every time I close the window, any ideas?

[Admentus]

(07-12-2019, 08:55 PM)e2zippo Wrote: As always, amazing answer! Seems I can't activate any Gecko widescreen code, it gets disabled every time I close the window, any ideas?

Ohh that shouldn't happen. You did enable the code prior to booting the game? Best way would be to close Dolphin, re-open it, activates the codes and then boot the game.

Are you sure that the Game Ini file is not set to read-only?

And make sure you use the latest development builds if you didn't already. That might solve some issues too. The codehandler has been changed after the Stable 5.0 release.

[e2zippo]

(07-12-2019, 09:26 PM)Admentus Wrote: Ohh that shouldn't happen. You did enable the code prior to booting the game? Best way would be to close Dolphin, re-open it, activates the codes and then boot the game.

Are you sure that the Game Ini file is not set to read-only?

And make sure you use the latest development builds if you didn't already. That might solve some issues too. The codehandler has been changed after the Stable 5.0 release.

Yeah, I've been using the dev builds for a couple of years

I renamed NAAE01.ini and created a new one, seems to halve solved it, not sure what happened, it wasn't read only.

It's working now though!

[Admentus]

Really... Expect nothing from this...

Code:

$60 FPS Test (AR Code) (NAAE01)
050B228C 000C8A00

Don't go complaining you were not warned.

[Admentus]

Hmm... This looks interesting. It seems the same method for fixing for backgrounds for Ocarina of Time through Bighead's Custom Texture Tool can indeed also be applied to the skybox backgrounds from Super Mario 64. It's literally the exact same issue as I expected. It's only just a shame the auto-assemble option won't work this time. SM64's backgrounds consists out of 64 textures in a 8x8 grid and seem to overlap with 1 pixel as well.

Fixed Background: (Show Spoiler)

Anyway, that would be my next update probably. There are still more skyboxes to cover, so it's going to take a while.