800x600 Without OpenGL Possible?

[bunnyfly]

Hello, I am using Zsnes 1.51 on Ubuntu Linux with a sad sad Intel Graphics Accelerator pretending to be something. OpenGL seems to work quite well in all programs I've tried, except zsnes. When windowed, the screen glitches, leaves background copies of itself when I move it, and sometimes (like >50% of the time) switching between fullscreen and windowed causes it to continue running, but completely ignore keystrokes (except my game controller) and won't let me access the zsnes menus.

When I use the tiny non-GL resolutions, everything is peachy smooth and trouble free, but, of course, miniature. Is there a way to use a higher resolution without OpenGL? It seems like even the custom resolution forces you to use it : ( Thanks,
[bunnyfly]

[franpa]

sometimes (like >50% of the time) switching between fullscreen and windowed causes it to continue running, but completely ignore keystrokes (except my game controller) and won't let me access the zsnes menus.

does pressing escape freeze the action still, if yes then most likely the screen just does not refresh when you press escape... IE: the menue's DO appear but since the screen never refreshes, you simply can't see them.

[bunnyfly]

No, esc doesn't affect the game. The screens continue to refresh because the game will normally continue playing. All of my keyboard commands get eaten up - my gamepad still works though. I'll be able to play, but not save/load the game state or even exit zsnes. Alt-tab, ctrl-alt-del, esc, ctrl-c/x/etc - nothing works except for ctrl+alt+backspace (which kills the X server). I think Alt-SysRq-REISUB would probably work; but I haven't tried it yet. I might be able to map a spare joystick button to save/load/and exit zsnes. But I'd rather just get a non-buggy non-GL option to stretch the screen to a usable size.

It's definitely my system's opengl - because I can work with the tiny non-gl settings perfectly. But as soon as I use a visibly sized GL resolution, it gets buggy.
[bunnyfly]

[Deathlike2]

Hello, I am using Zsnes 1.51 on Ubuntu Linux with a sad sad Intel Graphics Accelerator pretending to be something. OpenGL seems to work quite well in all programs I've tried, except zsnes. When windowed, the screen glitches, leaves background copies of itself when I move it, and sometimes (like >50% of the time) switching between fullscreen and windowed causes it to continue running, but completely ignore keystrokes (except my game controller) and won't let me access the zsnes menus.

When I use the tiny non-GL resolutions, everything is peachy smooth and trouble free, but, of course, miniature. Is there a way to use a higher resolution without OpenGL? It seems like even the custom resolution forces you to use it : ( Thanks,
[bunnyfly]

The short answer is no. The image doesn't scale at all, being virtually pointless.

Custom res exclusively requires OpenGL (as it should).

[bunnyfly]

Well - I've discovered my solution...I'm running zsnes in a non-gl tiny window, and using an "Accessibility" zooming program to full screen it!

Works like an awkward charm!

I don't mean to start a fight, Deathlike, but since you're one of the developers, you'd probably know. Why should only GL be used for scaling? It seems as though, if that is the only thing that it's being used for (isn't a filter or two also GL?), an equally resourceful scaler inline to zsnes could be used? Back when I used to program, I wouldn't load DirectX (embarrassing...I know) if I didn't have to - easier on the resources. I assume there's a reason, although a "GL Scaling" toggle would be nice.
[bunnyfly]

[Deathlike2]

I don't touch the SDL port much.

Please don't tell me how a software mode would run faster than hardware accelerated OpenGL.. especially when you are factoring in scaling (can you say even more overhead?)

You are treading on asking rhetorical questions.

[bunnyfly]

I'm not telling you anything. I didn't say it would run faster - you would just need less external libraries and possibly consume less ram. Although computers these days don't struggle with programs like zsnes either way. Software scaling is not such a demanding task - even if it were, there would be nothing debilitating about 2x, 3x, 4x etc.

All I mean to say is that the option would be nice - and assuming the zsnes code isn't a complete mess (I HIGHLY doubt it is) it wouldn't be difficult to do. As there are already GL free resolutions available - the GL code is obviously not so scattered throughout zsnes that adding a software scaler would require a major rewrite. Even super simple, cpu friendly x2, x3 options would be nice for the small percentage of people that might have GL difficulties in zsnes. I'm not demanding a feature...I posted originally just to see if it was already available, hidden away somewhere.

It seems like a touchy subject to you though. Feel free to ignore me. I'd rather that than converse ungraciously.
[bunnyfly]

[Nightcrawler]

Quit while you are ahead. He's upset with you because you're talking about something you know little to nothing about. ZSNES is open source. Feel free to download it, and understand it's architecture, where and how OpenGL is used. Then read up on hardware acceleration and comparable software implementations as to how they would apply in ZSNES. Then take two minutes to think about the specifics of how if at all you'd make this change to ZSNES.

After you've done that, I think you'll find what you're saying just makes you look like you have egg on your face to put it mildly to those more versed in these matters.

[grinvader]

assuming the zsnes code isn't a complete mess (I HIGHLY doubt it is)

Hohohohohohahahahhasdfzhgdfmqsjgfgdfds

it wouldn't be difficult to do

Aww too bad, that killed the funny. Just understand that this kind of comment is inacceptable from someone who won't try it himself.

Anyway, the sdl video stuff's a rigid mess, and improving it is incredibly low on the list at the moment. Even when we'll get around to it, software scaling itself won't be the priority.