Hardware Mode vs. Software Mode

[auxili160]

Comparison pics:
Software: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/d11.jpg
Hardware: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/d22.jpg

Software: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/dffdgdfgdfgdfg.jpg
Hardware: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/Untitled-2.jpg

Software Accel:
Using software acceleration, textures are more pixely, but there aren't any texture problems. I lose out on certain effects, like a better battle swirl and a fade in to each battle (in software mode, you simply get a blinds effect - you'll see in the pictures).
Cosmo Canyon and Midgar area are brighter due to them not being shaded with darkness, which I kind of like. Also, battle areas look much better in software mode simply for the reason that textures all look well together and the floors, walls, and sky don't have creases.
Spells and such aren't really affected by software mode. Some are more grainy, but there isn't anything wrong with them.

Hardware Accel:
The BIGGEST gripe I have with hardware mode is the disgusting creases you get on textures.
When I use Hardware acceleration, the textures become noticeably patterned (forests, for example, look like a grid of tree textures that don't flow together). You'll see this in the pictures. The effect is very noticeable in the comparison pics above.
The green fade that is supposed to happen when awakening the forest doesn't work properly (you'll see in the pics below). Other shader effects may not work properly as well. Maybe Software mode's way of not displaying these shader effects (not turning the screen green, making midgar area dark, or making cosmo canyon more red) is a benefit in a way.
Textures are filtered, and they look smoother, but they can look over-blurred at times.
The battleswirl also has a delay to its start up. The screen will stand still for a split second before the battleswirl appears. Also, transitioning to areas with different music causes a slight pause. Software mode, on the other hand, plays quickly and smoothly when transitioning between areas.
Also, the minimap's black parts aren't translucent in hardware mode, which is kind of annoying.


Here are some more comparison pics:

Forest:
Software: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/Untitled-22.jpg
Hardware: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/ffviiclip1.jpg (Texture creases are ugly)

Beach:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/4.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/44.jpg (ugly creases in background)

Fade in to battle:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/6.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/66.jpg (fade in is much cooler in hardware more, but look at those fugly texture creases)

Midgar:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/110.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/111.jpg (Is it supposed to look this dark?)

Cosmo Canyon:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/101011.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/222221.jpg (Gotta admit, Cosmo Canyon looks nice in hardware mode. )

Overworld:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/7771.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/7772.jpg (the opaque minimap is kind of annoying)

Big lighting difference:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/8881.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/8882.jpg (Not sure which I like better. Notice the horizontal crease in the sky)

Special effects:
Notice how Hardware mode makes things look smoother, but the faults become much more obvious. Some effects get 'cutoff' for some reason and look really ugly. Also, look at the sky for texture creases in hardware mode.

Attack explosion:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/s2.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/s1.jpg (nicer looking effect, but is it worth that disgusting cutoff?

Firaga:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/9991.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/9992.jpg (Firaga clearly looks better in hardware mode and, thankfully, there are no creases or cutoffs)

Graphical Bugs:
There are also some graphical bugs when running in hardware mode.
Screen effects:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/Untitled-d2.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/ffviiclip2.jpg

Treasure Chests:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/Untitled-ss2.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/Carlo210/Untitled-1.jpg


Which do you prefer?

 

[Terid__K]

Hardware mode all the way. I can't stand the ugly point filtering that is used in Software. Not to mention everything looks lower res, even though it's running at the same resolution.

About the creased textures, that will always happen when you filter extremely low-res textures. That's because there's not enough detail to make the edges flow better, and also why you don't see such "glitches" on modern game textures.

Those creases happen in software mode as well, they are just less obvious. Mainly because the point filtering just stretches the textures to fit the screen.

 

[Prince Lex]

I prefer hardware mode.

If it gets too Dark around midgar or in battle... I can just increase the brightness of my screen! ^_^

Hate pixelly-ness.

 

[Alkor]

Prince Lex +1 But I can't do it on my 1950XT Radeon  :|