GameDatabase: Add gpuPaletteConversion = 2 value

Some games (e.g. Metal Gear Solid 2) use large-ish textures, with a
bunch of different CLUTs/palettes, depending on the draw. Kind-of like a
texture atlas.

This causes issues when texture preloading is enabled, as both VRAM and
GS CPU thread usage increase proporiately to the number of texture:clut
pairs (since it has to be hashed).

An alternative to disabling preloading, which is what we currently do,
is enabling GPU palette conversion in these games. Even though we
ever-so-slightly increase the GPU load due to having to do shader
sampling, the CPU load on the GS thread is considerably reduced, and
overall performance is greater. In theory it'll also achieve higher
cache hit rates on the GPU, since we're not duplicating a bunch of
textures.

However, as a general rule of thumb, we don't want to encourage people
to enable paltex, as most games run slower with it on. So, what this PR
does, is add a GameDB option for these types of games, to enable paltex
when texture preloading is set to full/hash cache, but otherwise leave
the setting alone. The best of both worlds.

NOTE: I've also forced paltex=0 for Spider-Man 2, as it uses a massive
number of palettes which can cause descriptor issues in DX12/Vulkan. A
perfect example of where you *don't* want to use paltex.

.github/workflows/scripts/lint/gamedb/lint.py

@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ allowed_gs_hw_fixes = [
     "texturePreloading",
     "deinterlace",
     "cpuSpriteRenderBW",
+    "gpuPaletteConversion",
 ]
 gs_hw_fix_ranges = {
     "mipmap": (0, 2),
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ gs_hw_fix_ranges = {
     "roundSprite": (0, 2),
     "deinterlace": (0, 7),
     "cpuSpriteRenderBW": (1, 10),
+    "gpuPaletteConversion": (0, 2),
 }
 allowed_speed_hacks = ["mvuFlagSpeedHack", "InstantVU1SpeedHack", "MTVUSpeedHack"]
 # Patches are allowed to have a 'default' key or a crc-32 key, followed by

bin/resources/GameIndex.yaml

@@ -552,6 +552,8 @@ SCAJ-20020:
 SCAJ-20021:
   name: "Metal Slug 3"
   region: "NTSC-Unk"
+  gsHWFixes:
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Stops excessive VRAM usage with preloading on.
 SCAJ-20022:
   name: "Super Robot Wars - Alpha 2nd"
   region: "NTSC-Unk"
@@ -2591,7 +2593,7 @@ SCES-50000:
     textureInsideRT: 1
     halfPixelOffset: 2 # Fixes title screen and some intro post processing alignment.
     roundSprite: 1 # Fixes ui and hud alignment.
-    texturePreloading: 0 # Disabling for major speedup.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Lots of CLUTs in large textures.
 SCES-50001:
   name: "Tekken Tag Tournament"
   region: "PAL-M5"
@@ -8661,7 +8663,7 @@ SLED-50117:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLED-50286:
   name: "Red Faction [Demo]"
   region: "PAL-E"
@@ -9752,21 +9754,21 @@ SLES-50383:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLES-50384:
   name: "Metal Gear Solid 2 - Sons of Liberty"
   region: "PAL-I"
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLES-50385:
   name: "Metal Gear Solid 2 - Sons of Liberty"
   region: "PAL-S"
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLES-50386:
   name: "Crash Bandicoot - Wrath of Cortex"
   region: "PAL-M6"
@@ -13789,6 +13791,7 @@ SLES-52372:
     cpuSpriteRenderBW: 1 # Fixes textures.
     autoFlush: 1 # Fixes the position of the shadow and makes it not blocky.
     halfPixelOffset: 1 # Fixes shadows.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 0 # Stops potential crashes from too many palette textures.
 SLES-52373:
   name: "Champions of Norrath"
   region: "PAL-E-S"
@@ -13939,6 +13942,7 @@ SLES-52447:
     cpuSpriteRenderBW: 1 # Fixes textures.
     autoFlush: 1 # Fixes the position of the shadow and makes it not blocky.
     halfPixelOffset: 1 # Fixes shadows.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 0 # Stops potential crashes from too many palette textures.
 SLES-52448:
   name: "Knights of the Temple"
   region: "PAL-M4"
@@ -14043,6 +14047,7 @@ SLES-52493:
     cpuSpriteRenderBW: 1 # Fixes textures.
     autoFlush: 1 # Fixes the position of the shadow and makes it not blocky.
     halfPixelOffset: 1 # Fixes shadows.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 0 # Stops potential crashes from too many palette textures.
 SLES-52495:
   name: "Bujingai - Swordmaster"
   region: "PAL-M5"
@@ -14336,6 +14341,8 @@ SLES-52598:
 SLES-52599:
   name: "Metal Slug 3"
   region: "PAL-M5"
+  gsHWFixes:
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Stops excessive VRAM usage with preloading on.
 SLES-52600:
   name: "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"
   region: "PAL-PL"
@@ -21476,7 +21483,7 @@ SLES-82009:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
     roundSprite: 2 # Fixes font artifacts.
 SLES-82010:
   name: "Metal Gear Solid 2, Document of"
@@ -21921,6 +21928,8 @@ SLKA-25048:
 SLKA-25049:
   name: "Metal Slug 3"
   region: "NTSC-K"
+  gsHWFixes:
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Stops excessive VRAM usage with preloading on.
 SLKA-25050:
   name: "Shin Sangoku Musou 3"
   region: "NTSC-K"
@@ -22823,7 +22832,7 @@ SLKA-35001:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
     roundSprite: 2 # Fixes font artifacts.
 SLKA-35003:
   name: "Sakura Taisen - Atsuki Chishioni"
@@ -23328,7 +23337,7 @@ SLPM-60109:
     textureInsideRT: 1
     halfPixelOffset: 2 # Fixes title screen and some intro post processing alignment.
     roundSprite: 1 # Fixes ui and hud alignment.
-    texturePreloading: 0 # Disabling for major speedup.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Lots of CLUTs in large textures.
 SLPM-60123:
   name: "Gekikuukan Pro Baseball - The End of the Century 1999 [Trial]"
   region: "NTSC-J"
@@ -26030,7 +26039,7 @@ SLPM-65077:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
   memcardFilters:
     - "SLPM-65078"
     - "SLPM-65077"
@@ -26040,7 +26049,7 @@ SLPM-65078:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
   memcardFilters:
     - "SLPM-65078"
     - "SLPM-65077"
@@ -30851,7 +30860,7 @@ SLPM-66503:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLPM-66504:
   name: "Onimusha 2 [Mega Hits]"
   region: "NTSC-J"
@@ -31910,7 +31919,7 @@ SLPM-66792:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLPM-66794:
   name: "Metal Gear Solid 3 - Snake Eater [20th Anniversary Edition]"
   region: "NTSC-J"
@@ -32535,7 +32544,7 @@ SLPM-67002:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
     roundSprite: 2 # Fixes font artifacts.
 SLPM-67003:
   name: "Sakura Taisen - Atsuki Chishioni"
@@ -32559,7 +32568,7 @@ SLPM-67008:
   name: "Metal Gear Solid 2 - Substance [Konami Dendou Collection]"
   region: "NTSC-J"
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
     roundSprite: 2 # Fixes font artifacts.
 SLPM-67009:
   name: "Sakura Taisen V - Saraba Itoshiki Hito Yo"
@@ -32648,7 +32657,7 @@ SLPM-67515:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLPM-67518:
   name: "Onimusha 2 Samurai's Destiny"
   region: "NTSC-K"
@@ -33135,7 +33144,7 @@ SLPS-20001:
     textureInsideRT: 1
     halfPixelOffset: 2 # Fixes title screen and some intro post processing alignment.
     roundSprite: 1 # Fixes ui and hud alignment.
-    texturePreloading: 0 # Disabling for major speedup.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Lots of CLUTs in large textures.
 SLPS-20002:
   name: "Doukyu Billiards"
   region: "NTSC-J"
@@ -35150,6 +35159,8 @@ SLPS-25209:
   name: "Metal Slug 3"
   region: "NTSC-J"
   compat: 5
+  gsHWFixes:
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Stops excessive VRAM usage with preloading on.
 SLPS-25212:
   name: "Giren no Yabou - Zeon Dokuritsu Sensouden"
   region: "NTSC-J"
@@ -35931,6 +35942,8 @@ SLPS-25427:
 SLPS-25428:
   name: "Metal Slug 3 [SNK Best Collection]"
   region: "NTSC-J"
+  gsHWFixes:
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Stops excessive VRAM usage with preloading on.
 SLPS-25429:
   name: "King of Fighters 2000, The [SNK Best Collection]"
   region: "NTSC-J"
@@ -38351,7 +38364,7 @@ SLUS-20002:
     textureInsideRT: 1
     halfPixelOffset: 2 # Fixes title screen and some intro post processing alignment.
     roundSprite: 1 # Fixes ui and hud alignment.
-    texturePreloading: 0 # Disabling for major speedup.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Lots of CLUTs in large textures.
 SLUS-20003:
   name: "Portal Runner"
   region: "NTSC-U"
@@ -38794,7 +38807,7 @@ SLUS-20144:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLUS-20145:
   name: "Ring of Red"
   region: "NTSC-U"
@@ -40610,7 +40623,7 @@ SLUS-20554:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
     roundSprite: 2 # Fixes font artifacts.
 SLUS-20555:
   name: "Reel Fishing 3"
@@ -41677,6 +41690,7 @@ SLUS-20776:
     cpuSpriteRenderBW: 1 # Fixes textures.
     autoFlush: 1 # Fixes the position of the shadow and makes it not blocky.
     halfPixelOffset: 1 # Fixes shadows.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 0 # Stops potential crashes from too many palette textures.
 SLUS-20777:
   name: "Obscure"
   region: "NTSC-U"
@@ -47415,7 +47429,7 @@ SLUS-29003:
   gameFixes:
     - DMABusyHack # Fixes broken half-bottom artifacts.
   gsHWFixes:
-    texturePreloading: 1 # Fixes micro stuttering.
+    gpuPaletteConversion: 2 # Fixes micro stuttering.
 SLUS-29004:
   name: "Unison & Dead or Alive 2 Hardcore [Demo]"
   region: "NTSC-U"

pcsx2/GameDatabase.cpp

@@ -290,6 +290,7 @@ static const char* s_gs_hw_fix_names[] = {
 	"texturePreloading",
 	"deinterlace",
 	"cpuSpriteRenderBW",
+	"gpuPaletteConversion",
 };
 static_assert(std::size(s_gs_hw_fix_names) == static_cast<u32>(GameDatabaseSchema::GSHWFixId::Count), "HW fix name lookup is correct size");
 
@@ -437,7 +438,7 @@ u32 GameDatabaseSchema::GameEntry::applyGameFixes(Pcsx2Config& config, bool appl
 	return num_applied_fixes;
 }
 
-bool GameDatabaseSchema::GameEntry::configMatchesHWFix(const Pcsx2Config::GSOptions& config, GSHWFixId id, int value) const
+bool GameDatabaseSchema::GameEntry::configMatchesHWFix(const Pcsx2Config::GSOptions& config, GSHWFixId id, int value)
 {
 	switch (id)
 	{
@@ -504,6 +505,9 @@ bool GameDatabaseSchema::GameEntry::configMatchesHWFix(const Pcsx2Config::GSOpti
 		case GSHWFixId::CPUSpriteRenderBW:
 			return (config.UserHacks_CPUSpriteRenderBW == value);
 
+		case GSHWFixId::GPUPaletteConversion:
+			return (config.GPUPaletteConversion == ((value > 1) ? (config.TexturePreloading == TexturePreloadingLevel::Full) : (value != 0)));
+
 		default:
 			return false;
 	}
@@ -644,6 +648,17 @@ u32 GameDatabaseSchema::GameEntry::applyGSHardwareFixes(Pcsx2Config::GSOptions&
 				config.UserHacks_CPUSpriteRenderBW = value;
 				break;
 
+
+			case GSHWFixId::GPUPaletteConversion:
+			{
+				// if 2, enable paltex when preloading is full, otherwise leave as-is
+				if (value > 1)
+					config.GPUPaletteConversion = (config.TexturePreloading == TexturePreloadingLevel::Full) ? true : config.GPUPaletteConversion;
+				else
+					config.GPUPaletteConversion = (value != 0);
+			}
+			break;
+
 			default:
 				break;
 		}

pcsx2/GameDatabase.h

@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ namespace GameDatabaseSchema
 		TexturePreloading,
 		Deinterlace,
 		CPUSpriteRenderBW,
+		GPUPaletteConversion,
 
 		Count
 	};
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ namespace GameDatabaseSchema
 		u32 applyGSHardwareFixes(Pcsx2Config::GSOptions& config) const;
 
 		/// Returns true if the current config value for the specified hw fix id matches the value.
-		bool configMatchesHWFix(const Pcsx2Config::GSOptions& config, GSHWFixId id, int value) const;
+		static bool configMatchesHWFix(const Pcsx2Config::GSOptions& config, GSHWFixId id, int value);
 	};
 };