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Releases: akratch/mgb64

v0.2.0 — visual remaster + native Metal backend

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@akratch akratch released this 03 Jul 13:00

v0.2.0 adds an opt-in visual remaster and a native Metal graphics backend on
macOS
, layered on top of the v0.1.0 faithful port. Everything is behind flags:
the byte-faithful 1997 look is preserved (--faithful), and no visual option
changes the gameplay simulation. Still a community-iteration release — bring your
own legally-owned ROM.

Highlights

  • 🎬 One-switch visual modes. --faithful (byte-faithful original),
    --faithful-hd (the faithful look at 2× supersampling, HD-pack-ready), and
    --remaster (the full cinematic stack). See
    docs/VISUAL_MODES.md.
  • Remaster post-processing — screen-space ambient occlusion, bloom, filmic
    tonemap, per-level colour grade, FXAA, contrast-adaptive sharpen, vignette,
    output dither, and 2× supersampling. Each effect is an independent
    Video.*/GE007_* toggle.
  • 🖥️ Native Metal graphics backend on macOS (GE007_RENDERER=metal, selected
    automatically by --remaster), at parity with the GL reference path and without
    the Apple GL-over-Metal ambient-occlusion hang.
  • 🧵 Smoother frame pacing — a sub-millisecond deadline pacer that locks the
    frame interval to the display, fixing periodic judder while turning/strafing.
  • 🖼️ HD texture pipeline — build HD packs from your own ROM dump with
    tools/texpack (Real-ESRGAN / procedural synthesis). Packs are ROM-derived and
    are never distributed.
  • 🔦 Opt-in lighting features (default-off, under review) — smoothed
    environment normals that remove baked per-quad lighting seams
    (GE007_ENV_SMOOTH_NORMALS=1) and destructible light fixtures
    (GE007_SHOOT_OUT_LIGHTS=1).
  • 🕹️ Modern feel options (on by default; all reverted by --faithful) — a
    modern crosshair, hit markers, a tactical minimap, and widescreen FOV; plus
    opt-in aim-down-sights (Input.AdsEnabled=1) and 2–4 player split-screen
    (--multiplayer --players N).

Rails

Every remaster feature is behind a named flag, defaults to a byte-identical
faithful baseline, and never reads or writes the gameplay simulation. All
HD/ROM-derived assets are local-only and never committed.