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Improving FFXI's graphicsFollow

#1 Feb 22 2011 at 4:42 AM Rating: Excellent
With so many people returning and starting new I think this kind of post deserves to pop up on the forum again, many people complain how dated FFXI's graphics look, which is sad because it's actually very easy to boost them up to look pretty amazing.

http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/finalfantasy11/ss-02.jpg

Picture above is an idea how FFXI should look on a decent pc.

To change the graphics settings you have to edit the FFXI registry settings.

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Graphics

Click on start in the bottom left hand corner of windows, type regedit in the search bar and it will run, navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineUS\SquareEnix\FinalFantasyXI
or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PlayOnlineEU\SquareEnix\FinalFantasyXI

Each value there is listed below (bold items are the most important).

Quote:
0000 MIP mapping
0001 Screen resolution width (in pixels)
0002 Screen resolution height (in pixels)
0003 Background resolution width (in pixels)
0004 Background resolution height (in pixels)

0007 Music and Sound effects (0=Off, 1=On)
0011 Environmental Animation (0=Off, 1=Normal, 2=Smooth)
0017 Bump Mapping (0=Off, 1=On)
0018 Texture Compression (0=High, 1=Low, 2=Uncompressed)
0019 On-Screen Maps (0=Compressed, 1=Uncompressed)
0022 Intro Movie (0=Disabled, 1=Enabled)
0034 Window Mode (0=Full Screen, 1=Window Mode)

---
Mip mapping has a kind of blur effect to background scenery, it helps to counter sparkle effect.

Values are 1-4, I have mine set to 3 currently which seems to work pretty well.

Quote:
0001 Screen resolution width (in pixels)
0002 Screen resolution height (in pixels)


List of normal screen modes below, whichever of these you pick you need to put into value 001 and 002 (ie. if you use 1920 x 1080 it will appear like this 001=780(1920), 002=438(1080)). Enter the amount shown in brackets using the decimal button.

Standard (4:3)

* 640 x 480
* 800 x 600
* 1024 x 768
* 1280 x 1024
* 1600 x 1200

Widescreen (16:10)

* 720 x 576
* 800 x 480
* 1280 x 768
* 1440 x 900
* 1680 x 1050
* 1920 x 1200

HDTV (16:9)

* 720 x 480
* 1280 x 720
* 1920 x 1080

If you change from one monitor type screen res (Standard (4:3), Widescreen (16:10), HDTV (16:9))to another you will have to change the aspect ratio within the FFXI menus (config>misc2) to the numbers above in brackets, if you don't everything will look distorted and stumpy. Make sure you actually have the monitor type for the screen res you are trying to use also, using 1920 x 1080 if you don't have a HDTV 16:9 monitor won't work too well.

Quote:
0003 Background resolution width (in pixels)
0004 Background resolution height (in pixels)


You will want to set this to double whatever settings you use for the above, so for instance.

1600 x 1200 = 3200 x 2400
1920 x 1200 = 3840 x 2400
1920 x 1080 = 3840 x 2160

If you used 1920 x 1080 then you enter 3840 and 2160 in 003 and 004.

Texture compression should always be set to 2 (uncompressed).

If you use Windower you can also download one of the plugins (drawdistance), this boosts the amount of scenery you can see in the distance. It basically removes the fogging feature FFXI uses to use less resources.

Some pics below.

http://www.staronion.com/maiev/nfblog/?p=2155

Edited, Feb 26th 2011 5:30am by preludes
#2 Feb 22 2011 at 4:53 AM Rating: Good
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funny, looking at the ffxi twitpic today.. I wonder if they are not using some of these...
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#3 Feb 22 2011 at 5:40 AM Rating: Good
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preludes wrote:
Texture compression should always be set to 2 (uncompressed).

What exactly does this do btw? I've always had mine set to 0 (high) Smiley: eek
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#4 Feb 22 2011 at 5:53 AM Rating: Good
I think it uses alt textures which have been compressed to use less memory, like when you compress a Jpeg to make it a smaller file. Higher the compression, the worse the quality of the textures but the less memory they take up.

Quote:
funny, looking at the ffxi twitpic today.. I wonder if they are not using some of these...


I think they do, which makes it odd they don't update the config file to offer these settings on that. Was understandable back in the day but they are just shooting themselves in the foot atm by not offering it as standard.

Edited, Feb 22nd 2011 6:55am by preludes
#5 Feb 22 2011 at 6:37 AM Rating: Excellent
Mip mapping can actually cause more problems than it solves, depending on how strong your PC is. What it does is load a lower resolution version of background objects until you approach them. This does, as mention, reduce "sparkling" in background objects, but it also causes juddering in mid-strength PCs while in motion as those background objects load to their true resolution. The sort of "pop" which can temporarily microfreeze your PC as it loads.

Stronger PCs won't notice it, and weaker PCs won't have the higher resolution settings to cause the popping effect and will have juddering left and right anyway, but a mid-strength PC might experience poorer performance if they're turned up too high or too low. I've found it's better on my aging system to run without them at all so I keep it set to 0.
#6 Feb 22 2011 at 7:14 AM Rating: Decent
Also if you notice SE set the default overlay resolution to mismatch the background resolution. If your screen is say 1024 x 768 why the hell would you want 1024 x 1024 background. Too many is too many and too few is too few, so even if you don't have a HQ computer you should at least match them to your display resolution. Chances are it will look smoother WHILE boosting performance by removing excess pixels. Also should be noted that

A. Overlay is defined as the screen width and height, basically how big the box that holds your game is, in this particular scenario.

B. Background is defined as the resolution as how many pixels make up the image of your game. The idea is that matching numbers (or doubling) will make all the pixels nice even and square to remove the 'jaggies' around the edges of objects and players. More pixels = better, but better not to half *** it with a mid range number. If it runs choppy with it doubled just match it. Example: your overlay and screen resolution are 1024x768 (game box is the same size as your computer screen) so you set your background to 2048x1536. If your game runs like *** change it to 1024x768 like your overlay and you should be fine. Making it some other number in between and it wont fit nice and snug. Square peg and round hole theory.

C. 64 bit users have a slightly different path to take to enter the registry settings as covered by the original guide.

D. Must remember to correctly set the aspect ratio in game based on the resolution you set the overlay to. OP covered what resolutions are what aspect ratio.

E. Windower has its own way of setting this for people with less technical proficiency. All you have to do is install windower then open up the launcer_gui file inside it and check the advanced tab. This will also allow you to save profiles and freely change between them in addition to an easy to use menu.
#7 Feb 22 2011 at 7:38 AM Rating: Excellent
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Instead of using MIP Mapping, force Anisotropic filtering with your graphics driver. It nets you the same positives with fewer/no negatives.
#8 Feb 22 2011 at 8:11 AM Rating: Good
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Isiolia wrote:
Instead of using MIP Mapping, force Anisotropic filtering with your graphics driver. It nets you the same positives with fewer/no negatives.


How do you do this? I have a fairly decent rig (Phenom X2 955 w/radeon 5850) that I built for XIV, so I would like to boost XI as much as possible but I am fearful of reg. editing (seems sort of scary)

I have also never used an add on like windower, (afraid of breaching ToS - but I guess no one gets banned for it?) ... I am just returning (DLed it last night) so I wouldn't mind figuring this stuff out right away.
#9 Feb 22 2011 at 8:16 AM Rating: Excellent
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MIP mapping can be turned on/off in the FFXI Config utility, or as mentioned, can be tweaked in the registry. Either turn it off or leave it "on" from the setting that the FFXI Config can set (which is the lowest setting as per the registry tweaks).

Exactly how you'd force Anisotropic will vary according to what graphics card you have, and to a point, the driver revision as they mix up the control panels every so often. Regardless, the general step would be to either set up an application profile in your Catalyst control panel, or to just turn it on in general. If you play a lot of games, I'd say to opt for the application profile, since many other PC games have better in-game config options. If you don't play much else, you should be fine just forcing it for everything.

Edited, Feb 22nd 2011 9:16am by Isiolia
#10 Feb 22 2011 at 8:32 AM Rating: Excellent
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I've never had any luck figuring out how to use catalyst control centre (yes, I realize this makes me a noob) but I will play around with it a bit when I get home.
#11 Feb 22 2011 at 8:49 AM Rating: Good
Quote:
I would like to boost XI as much as possible but I am fearful of reg. editing (seems sort of scary)


There is very little to fear from editing the FFXI entries in the registry, just make sure to only edit the FFXI section and nothing else.

Also if you're unsure what screen res you want just use your windows screen resoloution (for 1 & 2) and double that for background res (3 & 4).

Registry tweaks really do make a big difference to the game, shame to not make the most of it.
#12 Feb 22 2011 at 8:59 AM Rating: Good
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preludes wrote:
Quote:
I would like to boost XI as much as possible but I am fearful of reg. editing (seems sort of scary)


There is very little to fear from editing the FFXI entries in the registry, just make sure to only edit the FFXI section and nothing else.

Also if you're unsure what screen res you want just use your windows screen resoloution (for 1 & 2) and double that for background res (3 & 4).

Registry tweaks really do make a big difference to the game, shame to not make the most of it.



Well I'll look into it and see if I can get up the courage to do it. Thanks for the advice though!
#13 Feb 22 2011 at 10:30 AM Rating: Excellent
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Yeah the registry warning in that Graphics Guide is meant more as a disclaimer to not just open it up and go futzing around in there without paying attention. Some people when they are exposed to something like Regedit for the first time will think "Awesome, look at all these hidden settings for all kinds of stuff! Let's see what else we can tweak!" and before you know it their system won't even boot. Not that I know this from experience or anything! I would never! >_>

Anyway if you stick to just modifying the things that are covered in the guide, you really can't break anything beyond FFXI, and even that you can fix by correcting your settings (which is why I recommend exporting a backup or writing down your settings before making any changes).

Edited, Feb 22nd 2011 8:31am by Pergatory
#14 Feb 22 2011 at 12:35 PM Rating: Excellent
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I doubt it would happen but it'd be cool if SE pulled an LOTR/WoW and did a full graphics revamp.
#15 Feb 22 2011 at 1:21 PM Rating: Good
I've never heard of someone being banned for using windower.
#16 Feb 22 2011 at 1:59 PM Rating: Excellent
Hit me up if you need help with the registry stuff Olo, it's well worth it, especially tweaking the background resolution. Turns it into a good looking game.
#17 Feb 22 2011 at 2:01 PM Rating: Decent
Transmigration wrote:
I doubt it would happen but it'd be cool if SE pulled an LOTR/WoW and did a full graphics revamp.


Add also EVE and L2 on that list.

EVE did even left the choice to play with old graphic version (for old computers).
#18 Feb 22 2011 at 3:13 PM Rating: Good
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VissaratheDreadful wrote:
I've never heard of someone being banned for using windower.



You wont either. Chances are if someone was banned for using the windower its because they were using a plugin that was deemed cheating. That or the person was using a 2nd 3rd party program in addition to the windower and didn't want to mention that because it was obviouslly a cheating program.

Also was going to say the windower does all this for you as well if you are fearful of editing reg values.



Edited, Feb 22nd 2011 4:14pm by dustinfoley
#19 Feb 22 2011 at 5:05 PM Rating: Decent
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Calprimus wrote:
Transmigration wrote:
I doubt it would happen but it'd be cool if SE pulled an LOTR/WoW and did a full graphics revamp.


Add also EVE and L2 on that list.

EVE did even left the choice to play with old graphic version (for old computers).


My dream is that they upgrade FFXI graphics. I would willing pay for this option.

Question is would others pay for it?

I don't know anything about coding, so I have no clue, but I would think that they could do some sort of upgrade leveraging other engines which they have rights to for "cheap" i.e. 1 million. (including distributoin costs)

If they said hey here is an option for $29.99 to upgrade your graphics, I sure would pay. (hell I would pay 49.99 if it was significant upgrade) I would think they could get alot of players to pay, but they would need at least 35k purchases to make a profit if it cost them 1M, what is that 15-20% of FFXI player base?

I would think if they could do minor tweaks for 500k and sell it for 9.99 they could get 50% of us to pay and make a killing.




#20 Feb 22 2011 at 6:34 PM Rating: Good
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How do the registry changes, aside from doubling the resolution, differ in quality from forcing settings through the graphics card control panel? Is there a noticable difference in quality and performance?
#21 Feb 22 2011 at 7:09 PM Rating: Good
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Wint wrote:
Hit me up if you need help with the registry stuff Olo, it's well worth it, especially tweaking the background resolution. Turns it into a good looking game.


Will do Wint, thanks
#22 Feb 22 2011 at 8:26 PM Rating: Excellent
dustinfoley wrote:
VissaratheDreadful wrote:
I've never heard of someone being banned for using windower.



You wont either. Chances are if someone was banned for using the windower its because they were using a plugin that was deemed cheating. That or the person was using a 2nd 3rd party program in addition to the windower and didn't want to mention that because it was obviouslly a cheating program.

Also was going to say the windower does all this for you as well if you are fearful of editing reg values.



Edited, Feb 22nd 2011 4:14pm by dustinfoley


I know of someone that got banned because of the glitch with Windower where sometimes it'd show Japanese text when using the auto-translate function (oftentimes a result of letting the game idle at the title screen for extended periods of time). He played on the EU client and everyone in his linkshell knew about it, but at one point he had accidently auto-translated something into LS chat which came up in Japanese, someone in his shell GM'd him for it, and he got banned as a result.
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#23 Feb 23 2011 at 12:31 AM Rating: Good
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I dont know how to edit the registry and im a bit afraid to do it, my screen resolution is 1360x768 if someone can help me.
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#24 Feb 23 2011 at 2:06 AM Rating: Decent
Quote:
I dont know how to edit the registry and im a bit afraid to do it, my screen resolution is 1360x768 if someone can help me.


That is the entire purpose of this thread. Try reading it again? If you have a pretty good PC your background resolution can be set to 2720x1536, if not set it to 1360x768. I would explain how but it's been done.
#25 Feb 23 2011 at 3:10 AM Rating: Good
Quote:
I dont know how to edit the registry and im a bit afraid to do it, my screen resolution is 1360x768 if someone can help me.


Click on start in the bottom left hand corner of windows, type regedit in the search bar or open the program "run" and type regedit into that, this will start the program, click the folders stated below on the left had side:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > opens up more folders
SOFTWARE > opens up, scroll down to
PlayOnlineUS (or EU, JP depending on region) > opens
SquareEnix >
click on
FinalFantasyXI > changes the display on the right side as below:

Quote:
0000 MIP mapping
0001 Screen resolution width (in pixels)
0002 Screen resolution height (in pixels)
0003 Background resolution width (in pixels)
0004 Background resolution height (in pixels)
0007 Music and Sound effects (0=Off, 1=On)
0011 Environmental Animation (0=Off, 1=Normal, 2=Smooth)
0017 Bump Mapping (0=Off, 1=On)
0018 Texture Compression (0=High, 1=Low, 2=Uncompressed)
0019 On-Screen Maps (0=Compressed, 1=Uncompressed)
0022 Intro Movie (0=Disabled, 1=Enabled)
0034 Window Mode (0=Full Screen, 1=Window Mode)


I'm not sure if your windows res is 1360x768 or FFXI? If your windows res is 1360x768 and you want to set FFXI to use that, right click 0001 and select modify and then click decimal and enter 1360. Same for 0002 but enter 768 (remember to hit decimal to enter the number correctly). If they are correct it will say:

0001 > 550 (1360)
0002 > 300 (768)

numbers in brackets are the important bit.

want to change background res now, this is changed in 0003 and 0004, ideally you ant these set to double the screen res to remove blockyness and make it look really smooth.

right click 0003 and select modify and then click decimal and enter 2720. Same for 0004 but enter 1536 (remember to hit decimal to enter the number correctly). If they are correct it will say:

0003 > aa0 (2720)
0004 > 600 (1536)

Close regedit (don't need to save anything just close), start FFXI. If you find FFXI runs really slowly now cause your pc can't handle these settings change 0003 and 0004 as below.

0003 > 550 (1360)
0004 > 300 (768)

If you can't find the starting address it's possible you are using windows 64, if that's the case I or someone else can state that.

Edited, Feb 23rd 2011 4:10am by preludes

Edited, Feb 23rd 2011 4:13am by preludes
#26 Feb 23 2011 at 4:25 AM Rating: Excellent
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On MS Win 7 64-bit, I found the folder here:

HKEY_Local_Machine >>> Software >>> Wow6432Node

The rest was how you listed it preludes. Someone else with 64-bit, please confirm if you can.
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