N64 graphics OK on first start only

[djib]

Hello,

I am running Recalbox 7.2.1-reloaded on a Rasberry 3b+ with the default N64 emulator.

On first launch of a game (Mario Kart 64 for instance), the graphics are OK and the game runs fine.
When I quit the game and restart it, the graphics are wrong, in a kind on 16:10 format squished in the top 2/3 of the screen. The games are playable but there are glitches, as if some elements were displayed in 4:3 and others in 16:10.

Deleting folder system/configs/mupen64 and rebooting allows me to come back to a state where the game is displayed properly. (I guess it's because files are "recovered" from share_init.)
Deleting file mupen64plus.cfg also works for the next launch, but has some issues: I can no longer quit the game using hotkey.

I had a look at the different options in the config file and indeed the file is modified at first launch so I guess the first launch somehow messes with the settings.

Anyone else experiences a similar issue? Any idea what setting might cause the problem?

Thanks.

[djib]

I should mention that I have the behaviour above with both

• Mupen64Plus GLideN64
• Libretro Mupen64Plus_Next

The following emulators work

• Mupen64Plus N64_GLES2
• Mupen64Plus RICE_GLES2
• Mupen64Plus RICE

Libretro ParaLLEl_n64 does not work but for other reasons (no image in 3D scenes).

So technically I can play n64 games, but I'd love to be able to play with a Libretro core.

[Zing]

@djib said in N64 graphics OK on first start only:

Deleting file mupen64plus.cfg also works for the next launch, but has some issues: I can no longer quit the game using hotkey.

See if it is related to this topic:
https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/21653/pi4-recalbox-7-x-mupen64plus-bug-enregistrement-du-mapping-dans-retroarch/65

When I quit the game and restart it, the graphics are wrong, in a kind on 16:10 format squished in the top 2/3 of the screen. The games are playable but there are glitches, as if some elements were displayed in 4:3 and others in 16:10.

Have you tried to edit the videomode in recalbox.conf?

## N64 emulator is configured to display a screen with a 640x480 resolution (native n64 resolution)
## So you must use one of these video modes (DMT 4 HDMI,CEA 1 HDMI).
## If your screen is not compatible with one of these video modes, please check the recalbox's wiki.
;n64.videomode=DMT 4 HDMI
## If you are using a CRT screen, please change the setting above with this one : 
# n64.videomode=default

I'd love to be able to play with a Libretro core.

Have you tried to customize the video options within the Retroarch menu?

[djib]

Thanks for your reply.

The behavior does not seem related to the topic you mention.

I did try both DMT 4 HDMI and CEA 1 HDMI. They have the same behavior.

The options in Retroarch do not seem to be reflected in game. For instance, changing the game aspect ratio has no impact whatsoever.

[djib]

I tried setting videomode to DMT 9 HDMI just to be sure it my changes were taken into account. The game just looks smaller on screen but I have the same issue.

[Zing]

@djib Check in the Emulationstation menu if you have ovescan active, try to activate or deactivate it.

[inter5tella]

@zing I can confirm this issue. At the very first start of any n64 game, everything seems fine, but after that, every game is kinda cropped to the top of the screen and ~40% of the bottom is just black.

I've already tried to en-/disable overscan, unfortunately without any changes.

[djib]

@zing said in N64 graphics OK on first start only:

@djib Check in the Emulationstation menu if you have ovescan active, try to activate or deactivate it.

I have tried but it doesn't solve the issue…

@inter5tella said in N64 graphics OK on first start only:

I can confirm this issue. At the very first start of any n64 game, everything seems fine, but after that, every game is kinda cropped to the top of the screen and ~40% of the bottom is just black.

Thanks for the feedback! It's good to know I am not the only one

[Zing]

@djib I recommend that you open an issue:
https://gitlab.com/recalbox/recalbox/-/issues

[djib]

@zing I just did here. Thanks.

[HAL9000]

Hello, I'm new to this forum!

I have exactly the same issue with Recalbox 7.2.1 Reloaded on an stock Rasperry Pi 3B (without the +). I was able to run some N64 games quite well on that hardware with 7.1.1 Reloaded.
Even Perfect Dark was reasonable playable.
Now I have this black bar in the lower half of the screen, sometimes larger, sometimes smaller. Mario Kart 64 and Super Mario 64 are running quite smooth, even with this issue. But for example in Perfect Dark and 1080°, (wich was also, not perfect, but playable on the older version) I have massive graphic errors in addition to this black bar in these games too.
I used in 7.1.1 and in 7.2.1 the standard emulator. I'm not sure wat that was in 7.1.1 but in 7.2.1 it's Mupen64Plus GlideN64. The same issue is with the Libretro Mupen64Plus_Next, like djib said.
The others are working better, no black bar and less to none graphic issues, but consistently worse performance.

[HAL9000]

So I managed to get rid of the problem for me. It helped to just disable the rewind feature in the menu! The picture is back to normal and the graphic errors have also disappeared.

[djib]

@hal9000 Thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately that does not fix the issue for me. Did you change anything else from the default config?

[HAL9000]

@djib Ok it's just crazy. After it worked, I now have the black bars again. I didn't have the Recalbox on for a few days and added a few games today (no N64). After switching it on, when I tried an N64 game for the first time, I had the black bars and some graphic errors again. When starting every game with the standard emulator, a message appears in yellow with "load combiner shaders" and "init noise textures". I tried to fix it again by switching the rewind function on and off, but it doesn't work. I then reset the Recalbox to the factory settings, but that didn't change anything. Reinstalling on a different SD card did not solve the problem either. Whether the games are on external storage or the SD card does not change anything, and a different power supply unit has no effect either. I just change the system language to the default settings, turn off the menu music, hide the pre-installed games and turn off the rewind function. I played around with other settings, but nothing improved. Changing the aspect ratio, activating integer scale or overscan does not solve the problem either.

[djib]

@hal9000 mince :S tu pourrais peut-être ajouter un message dans l'anomalie que j'ai signalée pour lui donner de la visibilité

[HAL9000]

After updating the system to version 7.2.2 the N64 games are run normal again. There are no stretched formats, black bars or massiv graphic issues anymore.

[djib]

@hal9000 yes I can confirm. That's great!