Here is my guide and configuration.
About
What is it?
Well, basically, when it comes to ePSXe, you have two choices in the looks department, or you can go in between. One is clear and crisp, usually high resolution, video, but then the 2-D images look really crappy, pixelated, and stretched. The other is to use low resolutions and filters, but then the image isn't high definition (which is a benefit most of us consider for emulators) and is often blurry. This configuration falls more toward the latter, but it's intention was to make the 2-D look as good as it did on the real hardware while still enhancing the 3-D. Even if the 3-D doesn't look as good as it would with a super high resolution, it still looks much better than software plug-ins (which I didn't want to live with, hence I set forth finding a solution).
Note that games that are completely 2-D are best played on a software plug-in.
What makes your configuration so great?
It's up to you if it's great or if it's not for you. I simply wanted something that wasn't compromising the 2-D so much while still improving the 3-D a bit. That's what this aims to do.
If you're referring to the title, as I said, that's because it's intended to be as close to original as possible, but improved.
What emulators and what plug-ins and versions did you use?
I used ePSXe 1.5.2 (1.6.0, and hopefully the upcoming 1.7.0, should also work fine though) with Pete's OpenGL 2.8 plug-in.
Note that there is a way to get a similar look on OpenGL (1), as it's what I used on an old GeForce4 Ti4200. I'll try and get that done at one point too, but for now, this focuses on OpenGL 2.
Are there any requirements for this configuration?
As said above, this is for OpenGL 2, so you will need a video card capable of it, and then some. It doesn't need to be top of the line, but your "basic" PC won't cut it. My GeForce 8800GT and old GeForce 6800GS (even when running stock) ran these settings fine almost all, if not all, of the time, so for sure, anything meeting the latter or stronger will be enough. I assume you don't need at least the latter, but I'm not sure how much weaker you can go.
The second thing is, you really should have a CRT monitor. Yes, your monitor type actually matters for this. Why? This is for two reasons (well, one and a half really since one is minor).
The first is, you'll be running at 640 x 480, and yes, it could also be a requirement not to be scared of that low of a resolution. If you don't have a CRT, but instead have an LCD (in other words, a flat panel), it won't look good. LCDs look bad at anything but their native (maximum) resolution because they stretch and interpolate images to fill the screen. I guess you could run it in a window or get advanced and set your monitor up to use 1/4 your screen area, but that's your choice. It's intended to be run fullscreen at 640 x 480, so a CRT would be recommended.
Secondly, and this is that half a reason, when you run a CRT monitor in a low resolution, you get these sort of scan line like lines, which adds to the original feel. This is more true the larger the CRT monitor.
What about screenshots?
Engh, I figured it best to skip it. A screenshot never does something justice compared to live, and a 640 x 480 one really won't. You have to try it to get the best experience.
Whats the configuration already!?
Patience is a virtue, but here it is. I also attacked an image and will explain, from what I know (which is far from everything) what they do, and how essential they are.
Settings
Plugin: Pete's OpenGL2 Driver 2.8
Author: Pete Bernert
Card vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
GFX card: GeForce 8800 GT/PCI/SSE2
Resolution/Color:
- 640x480 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing
- Internal X resolution: 2
- Internal Y resolution: 2
- Keep psx aspect ratio: on
- No render-to-texture: off
- Filtering: 2
- Hi-Res textures: 2
- TexWin pixel shader: on
- VRam size: 512 MBytes
Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: Auto
Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 1
- Framebuffer effects: 3
- Framebuffer uploads: 2
Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Mdec filter: on
- Screen filtering: on
- Shader effects: 1/4
- Flicker-fix border size: 0
- GF4/XP crash fix: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]
How essential are the settings?
Of course, nothing is stopping you from tweaking this, but here are how important the settings are for what this configuration is intended (these aren't in order of importance, by the way). If it has a star, it's pretty important, so consider that by altering it, your configuration will no longer do what this one is intended to do.
1. Resolution *
The resolution is important. It must be 640 x 480. Even 800 x 600 is too high. 640 x 480 as it is is already around twice the resolution (four times the pixels) as most PlayStation games, so going any higher makes it pixelated.
2. Internal X and Internal Y Resolutions *
I'd leave these as they are (unless you're using an ATi card that can't do Very High X [or is it Very High Y?]). Going lower makes the graphics less detailed and blocky, and I tried setting it to Ultra High Y, but it became pixelated, so best leave it lower. Maybe 640 x 480 is too low for Ultra High Y, I don't know.
3. Aspect Ratio
This is up to preference. I choose to have it on. Some games (like Final Fantasy IX), use 320 x 224 (the double of that is 640 x 448), which fits in, but doesn't fill, a 640 x 480 screen. This means the image is stretched vertically, but only slightly. It depends on if you want it perfect or not. Note that if you leave the aspect ratio on, you'll get Black bars on the top and bottom where the image would be stretched too, but again, it isn't much space. You can always adjust your monitor to scale the bars off the screen, but in games that have multiple resolutions, this may be a bad idea, or you may not like changing it before and after emulating. The bottom line is, it's optional. I just wanted it perfect so I turned it on.
4. Render to Texture
I can't remember what this does, but I'm pretty sure it's not too important as far as visuals go (at least for the aim of this configuration). I think it's speed/hardware related?
5. Filtering *
This is important to have at level 2. While the Playstation had no texturing, this is still the closest to original, even more than no texturing. Standard televisions which had low resolutions (and were usually interlaced and of low quality) usually masked it. I found Level 2 to filter the 2-D perfectly and enhance the 3-D, which, what do you know, is the point of this configuration.
6. Hi-Res textures
It seemed to have a slight impact,
but, I only messed with this setting in one game. In Final Fantasy IX, with filtering at level 2, the dialogue boxes were messed up at the top and bottom and sides. This seemed to fix it. It's not that important nor have I tested it much though. It shouldn't ruin the aim of this configuration if it's off though.
7. Pixel Shader
Optional.
8. VRAM Size
Variable. Either set it to what amount your video card has, or leave it to auto detect.
9. Frame Rate (all three options)
Leave them as are by default. Adjust them if you want more/less than normal speed.
10. Compatibility (all three options)
Variable based upon the game, but as I have it, it should work most of the time. It has for me in games like Final Fantasy IX (Final Fantasy VIII is difficult), Resident Evil games, Gran Turismo, Dino Crisis (both), Silent Hill, Legend Of Dragoon, and so on, but that's far from every game.
11. Scanlines
Optional. I think 640 x 480 gives a good scanline imitation in and of itself.
12. MDEC Filter
Optional, but I don't see why you'd have it off. If your hardware meets the rest, it can certainly meet this. This makes the movies and animated cutscenes more smooth, but I don't think it's that noticeable.
13. Screen Filtering *
This, and the next one, are actually quite important. Yes, having it on makes it more blurry, but it makes the 2-D look almost original (along with the following).
14. Shader Effects *
Again, it's quite important, and yes, it needs to be set to maximum (for the Fullscreen Smoothing option). You can experiment, but I tried level 2 and it wasn't enough to make the pixelation on 2-D hidden enough.
Conclusion
With the last two as they are, along with a a resolution of 640 x 480 and filtering of level 2, you'll have 2-D down just about perfectly, while having the 3-D look good and not blocky like a software renderer will result in. Yes, it'll be blurry, but that's the downside. No configuration is perfect. If you want an authentic yet enhanced look (want 2-D as close to normal and not pixelated but don't want the 3-D looking bad), this configuration could be for you. If you can't stand the low resolution or how blurry it is, it probably isn't for you.
I hope this was useful. Any comments or feedback is appreciated.