A method to properly Full-screen MapleRoyals - Magpie

Discussion in 'Guides' started by BusControl, Jan 15, 2025.

  1. BusControl
    Offline

    BusControl Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    BUSCTL
    Level:
    200
    Guild:
    Kekw
    Are you unsatisfied with the in-game full-screen mode? Or are you unable to tolerate distorted and flattened images of different aspect ratios?

    Here's an introduction to a useful tool that you can use to:
    1. Fullscreen and upscale the image maintaining the proper aspect ratio and near-zero input latency.
    2. Faster scaling than the in-game(Alt+Enter) method and can be utilized in any window-mode game.
    3. To enjoy the fancy, classic, retro original Maplestory 2D art that's more clear and without distortion.
    4. I'm too old to blame my presbyopia or shortsighted. Just need a larger field of view to enjoy the game.

    This tool is called Magpie and you can find the download link and info via this link:
    https://github.com/Blinue/Magpie

    Magpie is a lightweight window scaling tool that comes equipped with various efficient scaling algorithms and filters. Its primary purpose is to enhance game graphics and enable non-fullscreen games to display in fullscreen mode.

    You can download it by clicking the Releases
    upload_2025-1-15_20-0-55.png

    Unzip it click Magpie.exe and bring up the first page

    First, set your hotkey or you may want to use Delayed scaling.
    upload_2025-1-15_20-3-29.png

    Set up your default profiles(or you may want to create one for Maplroyals) and choose Scaling mode.

    Here, I choose FSR for lower latency and fine picture quality.
    upload_2025-1-15_20-7-6.png

    Remember to set the Cursor speed correction to match up upscale game upload_2025-1-15_20-11-1.png


    We know that Mapleroyals client gives an option (Alt+Enter or set Fullscreen in setting menu) that may flatten your game like the picture below
    [​IMG]

    Compare the former to Magpie's upscale screenshot (FSR for instance)
    [​IMG]

    You can turn on the in-game overlay to check upscale latency which is acceptable
    upload_2025-1-15_20-14-16.png

    If you want better quality and trade off some latency
    Can choose Anime-4k
    [​IMG]

    upload_2025-1-15_20-22-13.png


    Beware this tool is Not supposed to be used as:
    1. Duo attack, since you have only 1 client available. If you want multiple windows with different sizes, you can check this thread: https://royals.ms/forum/threads/resize-mapleroyals-window-mode-with-resizeenable.130391/
    or if you simply want to fix the small window in a large screen resolution problem, you can check this thread: https://royals.ms/forum/threads/how-to-play-mapleroyals-in-a-bigger-client-size.146299/
    2. Enlarge the horizontal view of the screen, you can't take that advantage in this software anyway.
    3. You hate the black border bar on each side of the screen (which is unavoidable if you play Maplroyals in 16:9 monitor)

    Claim:
    This software doesn't do game inputs nor directly communicate with the client. So I guess it's legit to use in-game(Need admin to confirm tho).
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 16, 2025
  2. AngBao
    Offline

    AngBao Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2025
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    I press alt F1 but nothing happens
     
  3. BusControl
    Offline

    BusControl Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    BUSCTL
    Level:
    200
    Guild:
    Kekw
    Alt+F1 is my hotkey setting; you can define it or use the default I think it was 'Windows + Shift + A'.
     
  4. reepechep
    Offline

    reepechep Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2017
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    Repechep
    Level:
    37
    Guild:
    Venezuela
    Incredible, thank you so much for sharing this amazing tool! You are great
     
    BusControl likes this.
  5. komorebi
    Offline

    komorebi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2024
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    9
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    Murmure
    Level:
    145
    Guild:
    Snacks
    tysm! ~f15
     
    BusControl likes this.
  6. bampie
    Offline

    bampie Donator

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2024
    Messages:
    134
    Likes Received:
    199
    Location:
    Henesys
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    Bampie
    Level:
    145
    I just downloaded the program. This is much more enjoyable and convenient than alt+enter. Thank you for the guide!
     
    BusControl likes this.
  7. Fii
    Offline

    Fii Donator

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2019
    Messages:
    236
    Likes Received:
    409
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    International
    I would like to give this thread a bump, a recent update of this tool made it able to use windowed mode scaling, which solved an issue troubled me for many years because other tools like sizer will make royals looks really awful, and this tool allows you to change the scaling algorithm so you can have kind of any effect you feel most comfortable.

    See the difference of bad(left) and good(right) algorithm of up-scaling here(about 4 years ago I post and didn't get solution):
    d3476e22d5276539.png

    The left is sizer(it could be the default algorithm of GPU using) and the right is Windows OS' DPI setting to scale it. We can see only the DPI scale doesn't distort this pixel game. However the DPI scale is really inconvenient to change and has so many side effects, also you have to face some really stupid issues with the Windows compatibility assisstant, like it will disable your DPI scale automatically when you accidently change to fullscreen mode.

    And now Magpie offers a really good option to up-scale royals with almost every possible filters, here I use Lanczos as demo: magpie.jpg

    The left is after up-scaling, and the right is the original size(800x600). This filter looks really similar to Windows DPI scaling, but you can also change to other filter or even a mixed one.
    The red circle option only appears in the recent versions, and there is no released version yet with this feature so you have to download it from github and manually compile it
    (This may be a bit hard for those people don't touch the computer too much, feel free to DM me if you need a compiled one as long as you trust me not prividing you a malware) 2.png

    Many people may had been using Lossless Scaling, which doesn't provide windowed mode and neither do all the other programs. Although this mode is a bit buggy at the moment and still many features looks incompleted, like when you drag the window to resize it it doesn't allow you down-scaling and you can't even get any smaller than the default size(which is slightly bigger than the original size), at least I feel we finally have something feasible for average royals players.
    (Stop telling me buying another monitor and use fullscreen scaling~f5)
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2025
    lozy, Kirgax, BusControl and 2 others like this.
  8. BusControl
    Offline

    BusControl Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    BUSCTL
    Level:
    200
    Guild:
    Kekw


    I just tried compiling the windowed-mode version of Magpie. It's been a long time since I last used VS Code and built a compiling environment -.-'.

    Followed github guide and set up the environment variable path

    Indeed, the windowed mode is a very neat feature and won't cancel the scaling while switching between windows.

    Although I found this version misses some functions compared to the current version.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    BTW, I also tried Lossless Scaling too. It can do the trick same as windowed mode but with no scaling(do like a bug). Enable "Resize before scaling" and exit scale mode will stuck at windowed-mode.

    [​IMG]

    I think Magpie will be more practical in scaling a 2D pixel game and more flexible to adjust. Looking forward to the GitHub owner updating this neat function.
     

    Attached Files:

    lozy likes this.
  9. Kirgax
    Online

    Kirgax Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2024
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    29
    Gender:
    Female
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    KirgaxSE
    Level:
    180
    Guild:
    Nextlevel
    Thank you for bringing this program to my attention can't play without this now <3
     
    BusControl likes this.
  10. juzgame
    Offline

    juzgame Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2025
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    2
    IGN:
    JuzGam8
    Level:
    37
    how do i get this version magpie??
     
  11. BusControl
    Offline

    BusControl Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    BUSCTL
    Level:
    200
    Guild:
    Kekw
    upload_2025-5-7_0-45-47.png
    You can select branches called windowed-mode. Clone git and follow the compilation guide

    That should work
     
  12. doronos
    Offline

    doronos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2016
    Messages:
    187
    Likes Received:
    229
    Gender:
    Male
    Admins approved it?
    I saw a reddit post that says "Don't use this tool if you can't take the risk of being banned"
     
  13. juzgame
    Offline

    juzgame Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2025
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    2
    IGN:
    JuzGam8
    Level:
    37
    thanks for reply.
    i got error on compilating.
    would you please assist for this?
     
  14. Slashed
    Offline

    Slashed Donator

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2024
    Messages:
    483
    Likes Received:
    525
    Gender:
    Male
    IGN:
    ZetsuboMS
    Level:
    150
    Just my thought, nothing official, but first of all this thread has been up for about 4 months, and it isn't the first tool of this kind, and no staff member posted anything against using this or the others.

    Also, nothing in T&C mentions you are not allowed to use a program to change the border/size/scaling of the game.

    If anyone knows something more accurate/certain please correct me.
     
  15. BusControl
    Offline

    BusControl Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    BUSCTL
    Level:
    200
    Guild:
    Kekw
    You can watch the following two threads: ResizeEnable and How to play MapleRoyals in a bigger client size

    Magpie achieves the same purpose and doesn't have to modify system (or client) files.

    A similar thing, like SweetFX or so, was a post-effect to enhance visual effect.

    For me, it's a useful tool to fix the original broken fullscreen function that stretches the screen ratio so hard.
    Tho I think it's more legit than the other option that we currently have.

    What Reddit post are you referring to?
     
  16. BusControl
    Offline

    BusControl Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    BUSCTL
    Level:
    200
    Guild:
    Kekw
    In my experience, setting up system environment is a key thing. I got a bunch of errors when I compiled it falsely, too.

    I'll make sure CMake, Python, and Conan are at the right version by using VS2022 console prompt. And make sure to install VS2022 correctly.
     
  17. murof
    Offline

    murof Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2025
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hello there. First of all, thanks for sharing this amazing thing. Really appreciate it.

    One thing I'd like to know is that can I scale multiple clients with this?

    Tried to find the way but got no clue.
     
  18. Anarkkie
    Offline

    Anarkkie Donator

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2014
    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    15
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Tacoma, WA
    Country Flag:
    IGN:
    Anarkkie
    Guild:
    Reset
    The idea behind the program is exactly what I’ve wanted. It scales very well and has nice post-processing effects to boot. It also made it so I don't have to manually set my monitor to 1024x768 and use Borderless Gaming. This is much better and the hotkeys work very well. Faster than ALT+Enter, no errors or visual artifacts.

    The problem was that using “Fullscreen Scaling” introduced stubborn screen-tearing. I tried everything I could think of such as adjusting FPS caps, toggling G-Sync/VSync, and tweaking settings in both Magpie and the NVIDIA Control Panel. Nothing solved it. At that point, Borderless Gaming still seemed like the safer option, since at least it didn’t cause tearing.

    "3D Game Mode" alleviated screen-tearing when using "Fullscreen Scaling" but prevented off-screen clicking.

    After experimenting further, I discovered the trick. Don’t use Fullscreen Scaling or 3D Game Mode. Just use Windowed Scaling instead.

    Running MapleRoyals in “Windowed Scaling” mode turned things around completely.
    • No screen-tearing at all
    • I can still click off-screen (perfect for browsing the web or managing mules)
    The only trade-offs are that I can’t scale multiple instances of the game, and I need to manually resize the window. For my purposes, that’s no problem. I "maximize" my main’s window and run mules on a second monitor in standard windowed mode, just like I used to with Borderless Gaming. But now I get the added benefit of Magpie’s post-processing effects and QoL.

    Makes it possible to fit 3 mules and "maximize" my main on one screen if I wanted and keep my second monitor open for a browser and/or an Excel sheet or something. Very handy.
    [​IMG]

    My Preferred Scaling Settings

    Create a new scaling mode (named mine "Old-School Games") and build the following stack of effects:
    • Lanczos (or Bilinear if you prefer a softer look)
    • Nearest → Click "Scale" → Set “Type” to “Factor” → Set "Width" and "Height" to 2
    This produces a clean, sharp image if you went with Lanczos. All screenshots are 1080p.
    [​IMG]

    Or a clean, "soft" image if you went with Bilinear.
    [​IMG]

    If you want something closer to a CRT look, use Lanczos, then you can add:
    • CRT_Hylian (adds an aperture grille-style effect without scanlines due to being loaded after the previous effects, and it alters brightness/contrast)
    • ImageAdjustment → Click "Parameters" → Set "Contrast" to 1.2 and "Brightness Boost" to around 0.14 (try 0.16 if it still looks too dark or 0.12 if it's too bright)
    Make sure to view this screenshot at full-size.
    [​IMG]
    To me it sort of looks like a high resolution GBA screen rather than a CRT. I think it has a nice effect on the overall look of the game even if its technically "wrong" by CRT enthusiast standards. We all know the type. I'm one of 'em.

    Notes:
    • These brightness/contrast tweaks looked best on my display. Yours may vary. The idea is to get brightness to an acceptable level and re-introduce a little contrast.
    • If using CRT_Hylian, keep Lanczos. Bilinear won’t look correct here.

    Final Filter Order:
    Code:
    Lanczos > Nearest > CRT_Hylian > ImageAdjustment
    OR
    Code:
    Bilinear > Nearest
    Profile Setup

    I created a MapleRoyals profile and set its default scaling mode to “Old-School Games.” Now my workflow is simple:
    1. Launch MapleRoyals
    2. Press the “Windowed Scaling” hotkey
    3. Resize the game window once
    4. Start multi-clienting

    And that’s it. Sharp scaling, no tearing, off-screen clicking works, and I still get to enjoy Magpie’s post-processing effects.

    What started off as a disappointing first impression ended up becoming a setup I prefer over Borderless Gaming. Once dialed in, Magpie is a fantastic way to run MapleRoyals.
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2025
  19. brawlerex
    Offline

    brawlerex Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2020
    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    47
    This should be a pinned thread. Cannot understate how much better this makes playing. having to chose between a tiny window on my screen, or a terribly scaled fullscreen was so awful, this makes everything look SO GOOD and i can actually make the window a decent size.
     
    TheOoms likes this.

Share This Page