[Wii] Xenoblade Chronicles

[Xialoh]

So I gave those settings a try, but it wasn't an improvement for me unfortunately. However, you did help me to realize that I am not in fact using the latest version of Dolphin. I didn't realize the whole removal of D3D9 had happened in the newest developer versions, and was using the latest Stable version. So, I spent a bit of time upgrading, and now, using mostly default settings with OpenGL, all my problems have seemingly gone away. I'm almost disappointed, because I'm not utilizing most of the fancy features that should be speeding things up >_>.

I'm going to screenshot these working settings and experiment to see if I can squeeze in EFB to RAM without loss, as well as maybe per pixel lighting or higher internal res scaling. Thanks for helping me to notice all this though.

Also, I've noticed that some setting apparently causes the game's colors to be more vibrant. Any idea what it may be? I think it's OpenGL related, but I like it in any case. Just can't pin down what specifically is causing it, because it isn't OpenGL itself.

[MayImilae]

You really don't need EFB to Ram for this game. The ONLY place that it is used is for the screenshots created when saving, and that's it. You can't get more minor than that.

Also, 4x scaling is pretty much a waste unless you have a 4K monitor. "Auto (window size)" makes the internal resolution fit whatever your window or monitor is running at for maximum efficiency, then you can easily add proper anti-aliasing on top of that. Don't be tempted by using internal resolution as fake SSAA; it has a really crappy scaling algorithm, so the result is poor. For the best anti-aliasing use Auto (window size) and set up some AA.

Xialoh Wrote:Also, I've noticed that some setting apparently causes the game's colors to be more vibrant. Any idea what it may be? I think it's OpenGL related, but I like it in any case. Just can't pin down what specifically is causing it, because it isn't OpenGL itself.

You aren't using post processing shaders are you?

[Xialoh]

Ah. I had read that that was the cause of the screenshot issue so I wanted to fix it, but I did assume it would improve other aspects as well. If that's really all it does, I'll pass. Turning it on causes me to dip as low as 26 fps at times, so it's hardly worth it.

And no, no post processing shaders. That's listed as off. I've tested it out to see what it does, but it's not the cause. What changes for me is a very minor thing. I notice it especially when I do a new game and watch the fight between the Bionis and Mechonis. The yellow on the mechonis is much more...yellow, and his eyes are actually red rather than almost pink. Here's a screenshot of the game using OpenGL, followed by one with Direct3d:

http://i.imgur.com/4cf4HcR.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0mP7FDR.jpg

I'm not sure which is the intended effect, but more importantly, not sure WHY there's a difference.

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Sorry about the double post, but just noticed your comment on the scaling

(11-04-2013, 02:24 PM)MaJoR Wrote: Also, 4x scaling is pretty much a waste unless you have a 4K monitor. "Auto (window size)" makes the internal resolution fit whatever your window or monitor is running at for maximum efficiency, then you can easily add proper anti-aliasing on top of that. Don't be tempted by using internal resolution as fake SSAA; it has a really crappy scaling algorithm, so the result is poor. For the best anti-aliasing use Auto (window size) and set up some AA.

Ah, alright. Seems there's a number of silly enhancements I'm trying to get. I did notice that it didn't seem to make a huge difference. I'll give AA try.

Speaking of the internal resolution though, I tried switching it during that opening sequence between auto and 4x, and the color actually went away. Switching back didn't bring it back, however. So, I'm very confused at this point.

[MayImilae]

Nice catch. OpenGL apparently isn't implementing a dimming effect there. It's a memory effect thing. But in game seems fine, including the monado flashes and flashbacks, so it seems to just be that opening spot. I'll explore it on console and put up an issue report.

Btw, xRyudo's settings are crap, please don't follow them. It would take me quite a while to explain everything, but let's just say that between 4x native, EFB to Ram, and disabling idle skipping (why?), his settings will get terrible performance for no reason at all.

Xialoh Wrote:Speaking of the internal resolution though, I tried switching it during that opening sequence between auto and 4x, and the color actually went away. Switching back didn't bring it back, however. So, I'm very confused at this point.

I wasn't able to replicate this. Can you elaborate?

[Xialoh]

Oh yeah, I'm not inclined to change my settings too much at this point. Everything's so smooth >_>. I'm genuinely surprised actually. Usually I bang my head against the wall for days and then give up when it comes to things like this.


As to what I said about the color, I can't seem to replicate it again either. Basically, the first time I started the game as usual using Automatic Window size and started a new game to see if the Mechonis would be all colorful again. In the middle of the fight, I switched the internal resolution to 4x, and it went back to the standard color, or rather, it applied the dimming effect you mentioned. Switching back to automatic didn't undo the change though. That said, I can't seem to get this to happen again. The opening sequence seems to stay colorful now.

I'll start the game a few more times to see if it randomly switches again, but I suppose that maybe something just happened with the memory right when I switched it.

[MayImilae]

Hmm, there seems to be some minor EFB effects missing from OpenGL as well. Whelp, now I know why OpenGL runs without stuttering. >_< Hopefully degasus can fix it without killing performance.

[Xialoh]

Effects missing? Guess it's time for me to start testing with D3D11 then. Tragic, but hopefully I can get it running just as well >_>. Off to screenshot these settings beforehand though..

Thanks for clearing up the confusion on that matter.

[MayImilae]

Nah, the effects are all really minor. If I didn't point them out you'd never know they were missing (in fact, you didn't, even though you directly compared the two backends ). I test a lot so I see this stuff, and I certainly will keep playing on OpenGL.

[Xialoh]

(11-04-2013, 03:33 PM)MaJoR Wrote: Nah, the effects are all really minor. If I didn't point them out you'd never know they were missing (in fact, you didn't, even though you directly compared the two backends ). I test a lot so I see this stuff, and I certainly will keep playing on OpenGL.

Heh, fair enough. Did end up trying Direct3d 11 in my false panic, and it seems to be running just as well, even with 8x AA at quality 32 (all these quality levels boggle my mind really). However, I have read that OpenGL works really well with Nvidia cards, so I'll stick with that. I really would never notice it honestly. I might even like the things that go wrong as I somewhat did in the case of the colorful Mechonis.

Seems I do still need to work out this slight audio crackle though.

[MayImilae]

Xialoh Wrote:Seems I do still need to work out this slight audio crackle though.

Unfortunately I have no answer for that. Even at fullspeed with DSP LLE it still happens, so apparently it's a mixer bug (the mixer takes audio from the game and hands it off to the operating system). So yea... I haven't found anyway around that one. I might as well put up an issue report on that as well while I'm at it.

Or study for my test tomorrow... I should probably do that.