Enhance PS1 Graphics With The Best ePSXe Plugin Settings
Many hardcore retro gamers try to play most of their games on the original gaming hardware for the most authentic and enjoyable experience. However, the original Playstation is one of the consoles that most definitely prefer playing via an emulator. One of primary reasons I use ePSXe to emulate PS1 games is the amazing graphical options it provides via plugins.
What Can These Plugins Do?
Without getting too technical, most of these ePSXe plugins will make some of the PS1 games look nearly as good as an early Dreamcast or PS2 game. These improvements are usually made by enhancing the 3D model textures and using anti-aliasing techniques to smoothen the rough edges of the polygons. Here are some great examples of enhances screenshots (click to enlarge) …
What Plugin to Use?
There are a number of graphical plugins available for ePSXe, but for most modern PCs, you’ll want to go with Pete’s plugin, which has been around for quite a while, but it always being improved. Our resident emulation enhancement specialist, Mozgus, has these words of advice:
“For most 3D PS1 games, you want to use ePSXe, with the newest Pete’s OpenGL2, and Eternal’s sound plugin. From there, study each setting to better understand which ones are appropriate for which games. ” He also noted that “OpenGL2 is aimed at very good video cards like Geforce 7 or Radeon X1K series and up… Those with weaker video cards should use Pete’s OpenGL plugin (not OpenGL2). Those with no video card should seek a software mode plugin.”
What Settings Are Best?
Since the options screen on these graphical plugins are filled with lots of technical terms and can be a bit intimidating, I asked Mozgus to provide us with the following screenshot of his typical settings…
He said that he typically uses these settings for most of his games, but “there might be one or two small changes… Also, sometimes theres option you should enable under the “special game fixes …” button.”
Don’t Forget Custom Shaders
There are also some other add-ons known as shaders that can give some very interesting graphical effects. Mozgus likes the Natural Vision shader, because it strengthens colors, anti-aliases the image, and adds a nice blur that hides numerous PS1 visual flaws which high resolutions will not heal alone. Note that the Shader Level controls the blur amount for the given resolution. If the level is too high and the resolution is too low, the picture will be blurred too much. This shader arguably provides an overall pleasing look for every game out there. The set of filters and related information can be found at this phenominal thread at NGEmu.
To get your imaginations wandering, here are some samples of what other custom shaders can do…
Pretty Cool, Huh?
Of course, there are additional tweaks you can do for certain games to make them look extra special, but these settings should definitely get you started in the right direction.
If you have any other tips and would like to post screenshots of your own enhancements (Playstation or otherwise), feel free to join in on this forum topic where we started this discussion. You may also want to check out Kane’s domain, who has always made a habit of helping people tweak ePSXe just right for specific games.
42 Comments:
Holy sh*t!
It makes PSX games look like DC Games, and just a Quick question…
Can you put in your PSX games into the CD Drive and Load the game up through the Emulator? Or do you need to Rip the ISO from your PSX Games?
You can do both.
I used to do it under GNU/linux with PCSX which is using the same plugins.
I haven’t used it in a while, but as far as I recall, yes, ePSXe can run games directly from CD.
Wow, what were the odds of that happening?
Holy cammoly, the articles just keep coming. Awesome job. This site is fast becoming the best site on the net. Awesome keep it up, you guys are doing great.
Well running directly off the disc is a bad idea. It causes massive stutters in many games, at least with all the drives I’ve ever had. The drives also like to go to sleep after a minute or two of inactivity, and then when the emu requests a read, it’s delayed 3-4 seconds for the spin-up, which delays the game obviously.
That’s all true; I think it depends not only on your disc drive, but also the drivers, the plugin you’re using, your media…a lot of things could cause delays that aren’t necessarily inherent in ePSXe. Then again, maybe it is. I’m pretty sure I tried it at some point, but not for any length of time. And like I said, it was a while ago.
wow, it totally butchers the games.
Care to expand on your thoughts?
Otherwise, that comment is meaningless…
He probably glanced at the last two pictures and didn’t read a thing.
The last pictures look absolutely awesome! Looks like I have to buy a pad for the pc and download epsxe again.
Once again this site kicks ass! Best retrogaming source on teh webs.
Hey, this really looks nice! Who’d have thought…
I have been doing this for years. The linux version of epsxe has slightly better opengl plugins from personal observation. But all in it, it makes replaying final fantasy’s and front mission games a ton more enjoyable.
i ve done this but the psx says no wgl extensions or something like that
please somebody help me
Does anyone know what parts are need to upgrade my ps1 to a ps2 or ps3? I don`t want to buy a new system so I figured I would try and build a ps2 or ps3 with my ps1. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Joey
the plugin is acting up on my pc when i try to load the game Final Fantasy 9.A windows pops and says.No wgl extensions.
I do not know what that means and how can i fix it please.
I don’t know off the top of my head, but you should ask for help in the forums — somebody should be able to help there.
Which shader was used to get the shiny effect on that last FF9 screenshot? I’ve been trying various shaders, but haven’t been able to find one that looks like that.
Super Nintendo Chalmers
>>Final Fantasy IX SimoneT’s Bump Map shader<<
uhmm about the config for internal X & Y..
when i use ultra high settings..epsxe crashes…
my video card is ATIRadeon x550 (512VRAM)
intel pentium D (3.4 GHZ)
can you please help me??
add me in YM or MSN
odale_roxas@yahoo.com
really appreciate your help
good day every one…
btw even if i use the high settings…my tekken 3 looked like tekken tag…^^
If you need technical help, I would recommend posting your question in the forum. You’ll have more people to help you out quickly.
Thanks!
yo i want this ff9 grafiks, how can i make it? wery nice !
please say how i can get like such as in the Screan Shot !!
I have too bump map shader but its not that good then this picture.
Why?
wow
i got this the ova day
i noticed the graphics were smoothed out alot of digimon world 1 but i didnt no u cud do all that =O
Is there anyway to run the emulators on the PS3?
Nope, you’re stuck with the PS3s own backwards compatibility at this point….
i do everything you did but it just ends up saying missing render-texture extension. Please help!sometimes it says no buffer availible when i try somtheing else please response!
I gotta say this ff9 screenshot is freakin awesome!
Plx help Valkyrie Profile has not running for a while now….. idk the prob…. ive used all the settings possible… hmm..
ALL of it is cool but how did you get chrono cross working mine works fine till i press new game then i get a black screen and it dont load i have tred diff chrono cross torrents and i have redownloaded the emulator but i get the sme thing
It might be a setting in the emulator… possibly something that keeps the FMV cutscenes from playing.
I would dig around in there and if you still have problems, ask in the forums and copy a screenshot of your settings in there….
Do these plugins work with psX? Are there any similar filters or graphic plugins for psX? I vastly prefer it to ePSXe.
If you can’t get past the New Game and Vibration Function Menu, try turning on the Game Fixes. If that doesn’t work, activate the options one by one - or activate all if you’d like to see if at least one of the fixes works. Worked with me - though I don’t know which of them
I have rewritten my BumpMAP shader. You can download it at:
http://forums.ngemu.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158970&d=1207050247
For ATI/AMD users: you cannot set the “Internal X resolution” more than “High”. Is a ATI/AMD driver limitation, not a plugin or emulator bug.
Very good tutorial I was looking for the configurations with the video card settings
Regards //Assassin007
dude i need help… thers a no WGL extension error appeared when i start the game using these settings… what is it?
Sounds like a question for the forum. We may need more details — maybe a screenshot of your settings and what games you are trying.
Quite impressive looking. My computer is probably a bit too slow to handle the extra bits and pieces though.
, that looks good, what is the first shader? on the ff ix screenshot
how do you fix freezing?
You’ll need to share more details than that — and it’s probably a question for the forum….
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