[Jorginus]

Thanks a lot for the help so far. I feel that it won't be much longer to have the game just the way I like it.

you did it right (in that all you need is pol utils) but I would set your overlay resolution to 1920x1080 if that's the native res of the screen you play on (that's a big screen btw..) *attempt* to use a 3D resolution of 3840x2160 if polutils will let you go that high, if the game screen 'breaks' when you try to run at this resolution, drop it back down. what this does is "force" a sort of anti-aliasing on the 3D textures via oversampling (this will make jagged edges smoother).

It's a 40 inch Samsung LCD with 1080p. In order to fit everything PC-related on the screen, I use a custom resolution of 1808x1012.

Now, you want me to use POLUtil to change the overlay resolution to 1920x1080, and the 3D resolution of 3840x2160 (if it can go that high), right?

When you say overlay, do you mean GUI? Because GUI and 3D are the only options in POLUtil.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1.../Misc/ffxi.jpg

And I only have to change the settings in POLUtil, and nothing else? When I apply these settings on POLUtil, the FFXI Config menu looks like this.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...Misc/ffxi2.jpg

Once my Samsung is connected, the overlay is 1808x1012, while the background resolution is blank, as shown. I just leave this alone?

minor screen tearing has to do with your framerate vs. the refresh rate of your screen, try enabling VSync (vertical sync) on your graphics card if you can; this should improve it slightly. it won't ever be perfect, because SE wrote it for 30 fps interlaced and ported it that way, (most modern monitors refresh at 60,75,80+)

I don't see a Vsync option, although there is a Triple Buffer option, among some other things.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...Misc/ffxi3.jpg

Anything there I should enable? Also, my Powerstrip program (which I used to create the custom resolution for my desktop) has a Composite Sync option. Not sure if that's the same thing.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...Misc/ffxi4.jpg

consider adding mip-mapping, although apparently SE has some problems with it in the middle distance (you should do this from the polutils config if it's available) if you feel comfortable making direct registry edits, I can walk through that process in a later post if you'd like.

I'm willing to give it a shot.

That's about it. I still want to mess around with the soundtrack, but only by using the easiest and safest method (I've read several methods, but I want the one most recommended), and I have to figure out how to map the Dpad to accept keyboard arrow commands (when picking auto-names), but it's been a smooth experience so far.

[Amele]

Originally Posted by Jorginus

It's a 40 inch Samsung LCD with 1080p. In order to fit everything PC-related on the screen, I use a custom resolution of 1808x1012.
Now, you want me to use POLUtil to change the overlay resolution to 1920x1080, and the 3D resolution of 3840x2160 (if it can go that high), right?
When you say overlay, do you mean GUI? Because GUI and 3D are the only options in POLUtil.

ah, yeah - if you need to use a custom res of 1808x1012 because the full resolution causes part of your desktop to fall off the edge then you're ok with using this for the GUI res.

and yeah ^^: by overlay I mean GUI (in some places, GUI res is called 'overlay resolution' and 3d res is 'background resolution') if you keep the 1808x1012 GUI res, I'd recommend going to 3616x2024 instead of what I stated above. (double the GUI res). depending on your exact system, this might cause slow down, so consider changing it back if it affects your performance too much

And I only have to change the settings in POLUtil, and nothing else? When I apply these settings on POLUtil, the FFXI Config menu looks like this.
Once my Samsung is connected, the overlay is 1808x1012, while the background resolution is blank, as shown. I just leave this alone?

yep, that's how mine looks too.^^

I don't see a Vsync option, although there is a Triple Buffer option, among some other things. Anything there I should enable? Also, my Powerstrip program (which I used to create the custom resolution for my desktop) has a Composite Sync option. Not sure if that's the same thing.

I'd think that vertical sync would be in a different section (probably monitor related) I have never owned a radeon (very happy with my nVidia cards) so I don't know the details of the radeon control panel.

composite sync might do the trick too.

That's about it. I still want to mess around with the soundtrack, but only by using the easiest and safest method (I've read several methods, but I want the one most recommended), and I have to figure out how to map the Dpad to accept keyboard arrow commands (when picking auto-names), but it's been a smooth experience so far.

.dat mods are relatively undetectable (and mods to the music files will almost certainly not trigger any red flags like darter mods used to) so if you can find a tool that you're comfortable using that converts mp3 or wav files to bgm files for XI then go for it .

what functionality does the dpad normally have? maybe you can just map it directly to the keyboard arrows (if they have the same function almost all the time?)

[Jorginus]

and yeah ^^: by overlay I mean GUI (in some places, GUI res is called 'overlay resolution' and 3d res is 'background resolution') if you keep the 1808x1012 GUI res, I'd recommend going to 3616x2024 instead of what I stated above. (double the GUI res). depending on your exact system, this might cause slow down, so consider changing it back if it affects your performance too much

I've tried using 3616x2024 (along with the previous resolution you gave) for the 3D res, but whenever FFXI starts (when I click Play after logging into POL), the screen goes black but then automatically takes me back to the FFXI screen. In other words, FFXI won't start up. I changed it back to 1808x1012 to fix it, but I'm not sure if POLutil doesn't go that high, or if FFXI won't allow it.

I'd think that vertical sync would be in a different section (probably monitor related) I have never owned a radeon (very happy with my nVidia cards) so I don't know the details of the radeon control panel.

composite sync might do the trick too.

I believe I found it.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...Misc/ffxi5.jpg

So I just have to keep hitting the + button, and it should minimize the screen tearing? How many clicks should I do?

what functionality does the dpad normally have? maybe you can just map it directly to the keyboard arrows (if they have the same function almost all the time?)

On the PS2, the D-pad serves as the cursor (to highlight different people and targets), navigate up and down on the menu choices, and it serves as arrow keys on the keyboard (like moving left or right to change some text, or up and down when navigating the auto-translated terms). The latter is the only thing I can't do on PC. I haven't found an option in the FFXI config menu to enable this.

And I downloaded the menu fonts and maps from that guy's blog. So far the game runs fine, and the new menu fonts are quite nice. I haven't wandered outside to view the new maps yet (it just adds useful markers?).

[Amele]

yeah, if the screen was kicking back that means the resolution is just too high for your videocard to drive. you're fine with the graphics setting you have.

that looks like the settings for your card, yeah; I'd just try composite sync and then click + or - a bit on vertical, trying it out a few times until the tearing is less noticeable in the game (ideally you won't notice tearing on your desktop either, but depending on refresh rates it's not always possible.)

most nvidia sync options have you specify a frame/refresh rate to lock to, which works a bit differently than this appears to. (some of the better wizards auto-detect your refresh rate for you) so I'm not familiar with the specifics of how many clicks is how much adjustment on radeon^^

and that's.. alot of features for that d-pad o.o; I'm not sure if there's an easy way to replicate that on the pc.. the arrow keys on the pc normally do camera control and menu manipulation, it sounds like the d-pad for ps2 does alot more than that (targeting control in both directions o.o; )