Colour Palette Tool

Digital_Dragon

New member
Nakedarthur's "Wavebeam"

This is my personal favourite palette. A perfect middle ground between 'accurate' but dull palettes like FirebrandX's 'Smooth' or 'Composite Direct', and the garish and fake looking emulator palettes like 'FCEUX 2.2.3'.


Code:
  <PaletteColors>
	<PaletteColor offset="00" red="107" green="107" blue="107" />
	<PaletteColor offset="01" red="0" green="27" blue="136" />
	<PaletteColor offset="02" red="33" green="0" blue="154" />
	<PaletteColor offset="03" red="64" green="0" blue="140" />
	<PaletteColor offset="04" red="96" green="0" blue="103" />
	<PaletteColor offset="05" red="100" green="0" blue="30" />
	<PaletteColor offset="06" red="89" green="8" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="07" red="72" green="22" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="08" red="40" green="54" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="09" red="0" green="69" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0A" red="0" green="73" blue="8" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0B" red="0" green="66" blue="29" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0C" red="0" green="54" blue="89" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0F" red="0" green="0" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="10" red="180" green="180" blue="180" />
	<PaletteColor offset="11" red="21" green="85" blue="211" />
	<PaletteColor offset="12" red="67" green="55" blue="239" />
	<PaletteColor offset="13" red="116" green="37" blue="223" />
	<PaletteColor offset="14" red="156" green="25" blue="185" />
	<PaletteColor offset="15" red="172" green="15" blue="100" />
	<PaletteColor offset="16" red="170" green="44" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="17" red="138" green="75" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="18" red="102" green="107" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="19" red="33" green="131" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="1A" red="0" green="138" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="1B" red="0" green="129" blue="68" />
	<PaletteColor offset="1C" red="0" green="118" blue="145" />
	<PaletteColor offset="20" red="255" green="255" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="21" red="99" green="178" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="22" red="124" green="156" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="23" red="192" green="125" blue="254" />
	<PaletteColor offset="24" red="233" green="119" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="25" red="245" green="114" blue="205" />
	<PaletteColor offset="26" red="244" green="136" blue="107" />
	<PaletteColor offset="27" red="221" green="160" blue="41" />
	<PaletteColor offset="28" red="189" green="189" blue="10" />
	<PaletteColor offset="29" red="137" green="210" blue="14" />
	<PaletteColor offset="2A" red="92" green="222" blue="62" />
	<PaletteColor offset="2B" red="75" green="216" blue="134" />
	<PaletteColor offset="2C" red="77" green="207" blue="210" />
	<PaletteColor offset="30" red="255" green="255" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="31" red="188" green="223" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="32" red="210" green="210" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="33" red="225" green="200" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="34" red="239" green="199" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="35" red="255" green="195" blue="225" />
	<PaletteColor offset="36" red="255" green="202" blue="198" />
	<PaletteColor offset="37" red="242" green="218" blue="173" />
	<PaletteColor offset="38" red="235" green="227" blue="160" />
	<PaletteColor offset="39" red="210" green="237" blue="162" />
	<PaletteColor offset="3A" red="188" green="244" blue="180" />
	<PaletteColor offset="3B" red="181" green="241" blue="206" />
	<PaletteColor offset="3C" red="182" green="236" blue="241" />
  </PaletteColors>
 

Digital_Dragon

New member
Nintendo's "PlayChoice-10"

I highly recommend you do NOT use this palette, unless you know what you are doing. For those who don't know, the NES and its 2C02 PPU can only output composite video, which is why so many RGB palettes are available (as they are all different interpretations of the palette). However, Nintendo used the 2C03 RGB PPU in a few pieces of hardware back in the 80's, most notably the PlayChoice-10 arcade cabinet. While it is nice clean RGB video, and is kind of 'Official', it is not reccomended as its colours are extremely bright, garish and saturated (as well as having the wrong hue for many colours). If it's one you've used in the past then this may be helpfull, but everyone else should stay clear of this palette.


Code:
  <PaletteColors>
	<PaletteColor offset="00" red="109" green="109" blue="109" />
	<PaletteColor offset="01" red="0" green="36" blue="146" />
	<PaletteColor offset="02" red="0" green="0" blue="219" />
	<PaletteColor offset="03" red="109" green="73" blue="219" />
	<PaletteColor offset="04" red="146" green="0" blue="109" />
	<PaletteColor offset="05" red="182" green="0" blue="109" />
	<PaletteColor offset="06" red="182" green="36" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="07" red="146" green="73" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="08" red="109" green="73" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="09" red="36" green="73" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0A" red="0" green="109" blue="36" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0B" red="0" green="146" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0C" red="0" green="73" blue="73" />
	<PaletteColor offset="0F" red="0" green="0" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="10" red="182" green="182" blue="182" />
	<PaletteColor offset="11" red="0" green="109" blue="219" />
	<PaletteColor offset="12" red="0" green="73" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="13" red="146" green="0" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="14" red="182" green="0" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="15" red="255" green="0" blue="146" />
	<PaletteColor offset="16" red="255" green="0" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="17" red="219" green="109" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="18" red="146" green="109" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="19" red="36" green="146" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="1A" red="0" green="146" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="1B" red="0" green="182" blue="109" />
	<PaletteColor offset="1C" red="0" green="146" blue="146" />
	<PaletteColor offset="20" red="255" green="255" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="21" red="109" green="182" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="22" red="146" green="146" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="23" red="219" green="109" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="24" red="255" green="0" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="25" red="255" green="109" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="26" red="255" green="146" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="27" red="255" green="182" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="28" red="219" green="219" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="29" red="109" green="219" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="2A" red="0" green="255" blue="0" />
	<PaletteColor offset="2B" red="73" green="255" blue="219" />
	<PaletteColor offset="2C" red="0" green="255" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="30" red="255" green="255" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="31" red="182" green="219" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="32" red="219" green="182" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="33" red="255" green="182" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="34" red="255" green="146" blue="255" />
	<PaletteColor offset="35" red="255" green="182" blue="182" />
	<PaletteColor offset="36" red="255" green="219" blue="146" />
	<PaletteColor offset="37" red="255" green="255" blue="73" />
	<PaletteColor offset="38" red="255" green="255" blue="109" />
	<PaletteColor offset="39" red="182" green="255" blue="73" />
	<PaletteColor offset="3A" red="146" green="255" blue="109" />
	<PaletteColor offset="3B" red="73" green="255" blue="219" />
	<PaletteColor offset="3C" red="146" green="219" blue="255" />
  </PaletteColors>
 

Mihoshi20

Member
Digital_Dragon said:
Nintendo's "PlayChoice-10"

I highly recommend you do NOT use this palette, unless you know what you are doing. For those who don't know, the NES and its 2C02 PPU can only output composite video, which is why so many RGB palettes are available (as they are all different interpretations of the palette). However, Nintendo used the 2C03 RGB PPU in a few pieces of hardware back in the 80's, most notably the PlayChoice-10 arcade cabinet. While it is nice clean RGB video, and is kind of 'Official', it is not reccomended as its colours are extremely bright, garish and saturated (as well as having the wrong hue for many colours). If it's one you've used in the past then this may be helpfull, but everyone else should stay clear of this palette.

Wasn't sure if anyone would actually do the 2C03 but is good to have especially for those using earlier RGB NES mods that swiped PC-10 PPUs for them or those who on an off chance are testing on the Famicom TV. I picked up NESmaker to develop for the Vs. System, specifically 2C04-02 so I'll be making a personal palette for it but may release it on request for anyone also using NESmaker for this specific PPU and hardware set.

Also when 4.1.0 releases I plan to either copy the palettes to the help section along with detailed instructions on installing the palettes or simply post the instructions and link to this forum. Any thoughts on which is more convenient for those looking for them?
 

Digital_Dragon

New member
I've been thinking about moving this topic to another section, it doesn't really belong here. If there's a way to move just say a better section and I'll move it. By the way, did you get a chance to check the values I posted on the previous page?
 

Mihoshi20

Member
Digital_Dragon said:
I've been thinking about moving this topic to another section, it doesn't really belong here. If there's a way to move just say a better section and I'll move it. By the way, did you get a chance to check the values I posted on the previous page?

We should wait until 4.1.0 is released as I want to check each palette against the actual software and make sure they load correctly and also see if 4.1.0 gets it's own forum section and post them into the help area for other users to see.

Also glad you brought that post to my attention as I'd completely missed it. I went and double checked the color using another palette testing rom, though I think you should continue work on yours as I like it far better. The results that your colors are more accurate.

03 - R=68 G=0 B=156
09 - R=0 G=68 B=0
39 - R=224 G= 252 B=160

Are the correct colors. I'd used a color chart I found online along with your rom and only tested a handfull of the colors and assumed the rest to be accurate, apparently the chart must have been an older version and they did tweak a few of the colors. I'm going to load the palette into Mesen and go through one by one now to test for accuracy and make the corrections as needed. A very good catch on that one since it's the only palette I cut corners with and paid for it. LOL.
 

Digital_Dragon

New member
Cool, I think the help section of 4.1 might be good. But it's mainly people asking for help with issues, rather than somewhere people go to look for things to use. What do you think about the 'Tips & Tricks' - 'Code' section? I'm not really active on the forum so maybe that's a bad idea.

And yeah, I Know the pain of having to go over a palette again all too well by now :p
 

Mihoshi20

Member
Digital_Dragon said:
Cool, I think the help section of 4.1 might be good. But it's mainly people asking for help with issues, rather than somewhere people go to look for things to use. What do you think about the 'Tips & Tricks' - 'Code' section? I'm not really active on the forum so maybe that's a bad idea.

And yeah, I Know the pain of having to go over a palette again all too well by now :p

Okay, I went through and made the corrections to the FCEUX 2.2.3 - Default colors, luckily only those three had discrepancies and I suspect 39 was just a typeo on my part but the other two I believe were legitimate color adjustments. As for where to post it, yeah, Tips & Tricks might probably be better unless it all gets an overhaul and new labels and/or sections are made and we'll decide where it should go then. It's been nice having someone also fill in the gaps as we both chose to do palettes that didn't over lap especially the PC-10 and FBX Smooth palettes which I'd not have otherwise done except upon request.
 

Digital_Dragon

New member
Yeah, when 4.1 hits maybe we'll move it then and post to the Facebook group to let people know where to go for some palettes for the new feature that the team will (hopefully) be showing off. I think I'll try to let one of the team know what we've done here in case this would be helpfull to show people what the whole remapping palettes thing is about in any 4.1 tutorial they do.

And yes, I wasn't expecting any else to be interested in this, so it's been great to work with you. I look forward to playing whatever you make with NESmaker. And if anyone here does have a palette they'd like to use but find the whole conversion process too complicated, just ask and I'll happy to try and convert the palette for you :D
 

Mihoshi20

Member
Digital_Dragon said:
Yeah, when 4.1 hits maybe we'll move it then and post to the Facebook group to let people know where to go for some palettes for the new feature that the team will (hopefully) be showing off. I think I'll try to let one of the team know what we've done here in case this would be helpfull to show people what the whole remapping palettes thing is about in any 4.1 tutorial they do.

And yes, I wasn't expecting any else to be interested in this, so it's been great to work with you. I look forward to playing whatever you make with NESmaker. And if anyone here does have a palette they'd like to use but find the whole conversion process too complicated, just ask and I'll happy to try and convert the palette for you :D

Sounds good to me and yeah, we make a good team. When I first say the post my eyes light up and I got very excited for it as it meant I could finally match the scrambled 2C04-02 palette to NESmaker's color picker instead of having to extrapolate the colors using the 2C02/2C03/2C05 standard palette and then hex the values in the tables or just assemble and test the game to see what the colors are.

It has literally cut my dev time in half for graphics and colors alone since what I see in NESmaker can now be accurate to the Vs. System 2C04-02 PPU.
 

erockbrox

Member
So where is the list of the real RGB values of the NES color pallet? Like I saw a list on page one, but someone said it was wrong?!?!?!?
 

Digital_Dragon

New member
erockbrox said:
So where is the list of the real RGB values of the NES color pallet? Like I saw a list on page one, but someone said it was wrong?!?!?!?

I'm not sure you understand, there are no 'real' RGB values. The NES outputs an encoded composite signal that has to be translated back into RGB by the display. The chips simply don't have RGB numbers for the colours. And how a display translates the composite varies wildly, which is why there are so many palettes available. Most TV's tended to boost the colours, and emulators often 'eyeballed' their palettes, making them too bright and garish. However, 'accurate' palettes can look too dark and dull due to most displays boosting the colours.

There is no 'real' palette, however you could try;
1) FBX Composite Direct - The most 'accurate' translation of the composite signal.
2) NES Classic - An 'official' one by Nintendo.
3) Wavebeam - My favourite, not too dark like FBX's but not too garish like emulators.

Hope this helps :D
 

Mihoshi20

Member
The problem is that the PPU doesn't generate RGB values, this is why many early NES RGB mods required Playchoice-10 PPUs. Instead the PPU generates a sort of varying wavelength and passes that to a composite signal which the TV then inturprets as color bursts to be displayed to the screen. The problem comes with the way the NTSC standard handles this translation and color adjustments such as brightness, contrast, and tint make it worse giving NTSC the nickname of "Never The Same Color". The PAL standard handles things a bit better but even it has color inaccuracies when compared to a clean NTSC composite signal or pilling he signal directly from the PPU. FirebrandX has done extensive research into this and using color calibration techniques and high quality studio monitors has sampled colors in various ways to try and provide the most accurate colors possible and then created palettes to use in emulators and special NES/FamiCom hardware mods. These are the ones we'd prepped for NESmaker 4.1.0/5.0.
 
Top Bottom