HLSL ['91 Japan] mode v1.01
Formerly "Reference mode", "90's mode". Updated 2013-06-17 (MMDD)v1.01 details:
-------------------------------------
1. Name was changed to make sense
2. Code was changed to clean up the color (it was muddy and cold-looking)
3. Code was changed to brighten everything by one step (it was dark in general, even besides the black crush)
Screenshots are from older version. (1.0)King of Fighters 98 1998

Click to view 1600x1200Garou - Mark of the Wolves 1999

Click to view 1600x1200Art of Fighting 2 1994

Click to view 1600x1200Metal Slug 1996

Click to view 1600x1200----------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriate games----------------------------------------------------------------
Capcom: CPS-3, CPS-2 (exclude Slam Masters 2 and SSF2/X/HSF2)
Punisher, Cadillacs and Dino, Warrior of Fate might belong here.....
Konami: Turtles in Time (and newer)
SNK: none
----------------------------------------------------------------
Problematic games----------------------------------------------------------------
Neo-Geo games
----------------------------------------------------------------
This HLSL mode is for Japanese games released around 1991 (and after) that don't have the overly bright color palettes used during the 80's.
This mode is relatively safe to use on any game
but will push down the darkest colors to black.
For the most part, it's using the same principles as the earlier [80's] mode, posted on page 5.
- Link deleted for being outdated -
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are some upcoming changes? (same with 80's mode)
1. Aperture (Shadow Mask) Right now, the aperture pattern is only barely visible.
It can't be helped, when the aperture is emphasized, the entire screen starts showing a messy pattern
and it's just way too dark to pretend I'm looking at CRT dot pitch or shadow mask.
It's just something very difficult to do correctly on 1080p LCD monitors.
I'm holding off on this until 4k monitors become the norm.
.....and VERY high contrast ratio will be needed too in order to make this look right.
2. BloomI haven't yet figured out a good number for bloom; 0.1 is just a temporary solution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mortal Kombat II 1993

Click to view 1600x1200Robocop 1988

Click to view 1600x1200Street Fighter III 3rd Strike 1999

Click to view 1600x1200Progear 2001

Click to view 1600x1200The above is HLSL ['91 Japan] mode.=========================================================================================
=========================================================================================
HLSL [Game Boy] mode v0.5
Updated 2013-06-14 (MMDD)Alex Kidd 1986
Captain America and The Avengers 1991
Hang-On 1985
Samurai Shodown 1993
Street Fighter 1987
Tetris (Sega) 1989
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1989
Virtua Fighter 1993

----------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriate games----------------------------------------------------------------
Games with bright colors and simple background graphics.
I don't have a list yet.----------------------------------------------------------------
Problematic games----------------------------------------------------------------
At this point, most games.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Please note that this is a novelty mode, just for trying once or twice but not for extensive use.
- Deleted for being outdated -
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are some upcoming changes?1. Color differentiation from the source Right now, games that rely on color hue for game mechanism are unplayable. (e.g. Puyo Puyo, Puzzle Bobble, S.Puzzle Fighter 2.T)
I'm going to do the following for next update:
Source -> output
----------------------------
Reds ----> mid-level green
Greens -> bright green
Blues ---> dark green
2. Dot pitchThe actual LCD used inside Game Boy had noticeable dot pitch. I already tried simulating it with artwork overlay,
but it just wouldn't look right with ugly lines that show alternating thickness.
The proper way to do this would be using "reverse" scanlines (lines that are brighter, hence, don't qualify as scanlines anymore.)
and laying them out in both horizontal and vertical orientations, forming a grid pattern.
But I don't think "reverse" scanlines are going to happen in MAME.
3. Reverse phosphor lifeInstead of bright pixels lingering, Game Boy had dark pixels lingering due to slow response time of its LCD.
I don't think this is going to happen in MAME either.......
==============================================================================
- Link deleted for being outdated -