GZDoom - Looking like ZDoom!

[Hellser]

Welcome to my GZDoom Guide! Granted, this is a ZDoom forum, but with so many people using both – why not post this guide here? Now, what does this guide do? It helps setup your GZDoom to look crisp as if you've taken a screenshot from ZDoom it self!

GZDoom, under no circumstances, will look exactly like the software renderer – but it will try. First, lets talk about one of the main “features” (which is actually a handicap) of the software renderer. Banding. Banding is the software renderer half-assed, but quick attempt at shifting from a brighter scene (near the player) to a darker scene (further away from the player). Since the software renderer doesn't have any sort of dithering that many games after Doom and Duke Nukem 3D uses (namely Unreal), it resorts to banding. This image here shows the difference between OpenGL and Software – and the banding effect. I would also like to note that image isn't a true representation of the truecolor capability of GZDoom, as GIFs – like Doom – only uses 256 colors, 255 if using transparency.

Now that I've explained a little about the software renderer. Look at your ZDoom, then to GZDoom, then to mine. I'm on a horse and I'm here to guide you! To simplify some things; I will use the acronym 'UD' (User Discretion) for certain options. The options I'm about to give you is what I personally use. I do not use any sort of 'High Quality Resizing', there is a GIF that floats around describing how terrible it is. To round it off, you're scaling a sprite up using advanced algorithms, only to either botch the quality of the sprite, or to make it look like a spotchy painting. It doesn't work well in Doom, I'm sorry. Another thing too that is odd that I've seen other people use. Additive Lighting. Again, using a GIF – and as said above, it isn't a true representation, but you can see the difference. Having Additive Lighting on makes the lighting seem muddy. While this effect might work amazing in Photoshop, GZDoom however seems to be rather terrible at it. Until we get better lightning options for GZDoom, stick with having that option off. Atleast then it won't look like you're wading through a field of red, green or blue than that awesome flat texture.

Display Options
Most of these options are considered user discretion. The only thing I would recommend changing is “Use Fake Contrast” to either On or Smooth.


OpenGL Options;

Dynamic Light Options

• Dynamic Lights Enabled: Yes
  Enable Light Definitions: Yes
  Clip lights: Yes
  Lights Affect Sprites: Yes
  Lights Affect Particles: Yes
  Force Additive Lighting: No
  Light Intensity: 1.0
  Light Size: 1.0

Texture Options

• Textures Enabled: Yes
  Texture Filter Mode: None (Nearest Mipmap) / None
  Anisotropic Filter: 16x
  Texture Format: RGBA8
  Enable Hires Textures: On
  High Quality Resize Mode: Off
  Resize Textures: Off
  Resize Sprites: Off
  Resize Fonts: Off
  Precache GL Textures: On
  Camera Textures Offscreen: On
  Trim Sprite Edges: On
  Sort Draw Lists By Texture: No

Preferences

• Sector Light Mode: Software
  Fog Mode: UD
  Fog Forces Fullbright: UD
  Weapon Light Strength: 8.0
  Environment Map On Mirrors: On
  Enhanced Night Vision mode: Off
  Env Shows Stealth Monsters Any Fixed Colormap
  Force Brightness In Fog: Off
  Adjust Sprite Clipping: UD (Recommend: Smarter)
  Smooth Sprite Edges: Off
  Fuzz Style: Noise
  Sprite Billboard: Y Axis
  Particle Style: Particle Style: Square
  Ambient Light Level: 20.0
  Rendering Quality: Quality

Now, like I said, this is make GZDoom look as close as possible to the Software Renderer. If you're using high resolution textures with 3D Models, switch the Texture Filtering Mode over to Bilinear or Trilinear. Everything else should fall into place.

Comments? Suggestions? Or maybe general kind discussion about GZDoom vs ZDoom and which one is superior? The only winning move is not to play.

[Disc Primitive]

I also prefer soft rend over OGL. It's a shame most mods won't work or look as good with it.

[torridgristle]

Will this shader stuff that was added to GZDoom that broke compat with older PCs allow posterization effects and maybe even paletting when it's fully implemented? I believe Graf said he hasn't finished adding it all in. I want GZDoom to look exactly like ZDoom, just with real 3D.

[Hellser]

Possibly, what I gave is a guide using the built in GZDoom settings. I do not think Graf is looking to add screen shaders (which will include paletting and posterization). Only time will tell.

[Graf Zahl]

Will this shader stuff that was added to GZDoom that broke compat with older PCs allow posterization effects and maybe even paletting when it's fully implemented? I believe Graf said he hasn't finished adding it all in. I want GZDoom to look exactly like ZDoom, just with real 3D.

Why should I add image degradation effects? If these are so important for you there's a simple solution: Use ZDoom!

[torridgristle]

Will this shader stuff that was added to GZDoom that broke compat with older PCs allow posterization effects and maybe even paletting when it's fully implemented? I believe Graf said he hasn't finished adding it all in. I want GZDoom to look exactly like ZDoom, just with real 3D.

Why should I add image degradation effects? If these are so important for you there's a simple solution: Use ZDoom!

You've added filters. Also, ZDoom's up/down look is terrible and ZDoom doesn't support models; GZDoom is the superior port outside of gritty aesthetic. Anyway, the way that I understood it, or at the very least thought that I understood it, you wouldn't be adding degradation effects specifically. It'd just be like GLSL which can do posterization among other things.

[doony]

add the configuration file download link, this is very useful for zdoom lovers like myself
a suggestion

[Hellser]

I gave a detailed explanation on how to achieve the "ZDoom" look in GZDoom through the first post. Just take your time, run the game in a window and copy the settings or change one or two to your liking.

[GooberMan]

Anisotropic values are meaningless if you're using the no mipmapping option by the way

[Hellser]

Yep! I personally use None (Nearest Mipmap). Which uses Anisotropic filtering. If you're using None, then don't bother with Anisotropic.

[doony]

it works, thanks
I never liked very much this blur thing in gzdoom

[scissorman11785]

I didn't know where to post this question and didn't feel like starting a thread for it. How do you change how far up/down you can scroll the camera? I'd prefer there be a limit so I don't have to see the billboard effect on the sprites.

[maseter]

To quote wildweasel: "Make sure your settings are all in order, then quit the game and rename the resulting zdoom-USERNAMEHERE.ini to zdoom.ini. Any time G/ZDoom would create a new ini file for a new user, it will use the zdoom.ini as a base and load all settings from that."

You should create such gzdoom.ini, but with just the graphics cvars from your guide, for example:

Code: Select all

[GlobalSettings]
vid_vsync=true
vid_defwidth=1920
vid_defheight=1080
gl_lights=true
gl_attachedlights=true
gl_lights_checkside=true
gl_light_sprites=true
gl_light_particles=true
gl_lights_additive=true
gl_texture_filter=5
gl_texture_filter_anisotropic=16
gl_texture_usehires=false
gl_texture_format=0
gl_texture_hqresize=0
gl_precache=true
gl_lightmode=8

This are some, but not all settings you listed, just to get the stone rolling...

Edit: gzdoom.ini does not override the existing gzdoom-USERNAME.ini
it's just a base for the new user ini which is always created on first run.