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Messages - Changeling

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6
1
Graphical / Re: Upscaling pre-rendered backgrounds
« on: 2014-09-08 08:44:27 »
Man, I feel bad.  I mean I'll get to work, if the people liked my writing style mixed with the other translations.  It did appeal to a more adult audience by making everything a little darker.  One bit that comes to mind...  That old mans....journal?  It's been a very long time.  The one that describes unusual sounds coming from the basement.  The last entry was creepy I can't remember it though.  I spent some time on that.  I remember it was like something out of The Shining.
Oh and Terra caring for the children in the World of Ruin, they were much more attached to her which made it extremely sad.  Which is appropriate for the setting.  And a guilt trip was laid on the player as they made YOU feel like the one taking her away.
All the NPCs had varied dialogue that wasn't out of place, for example something like "If you travel west, you'll discover..." Why would someone just start saying that shit? 

It was cool it's just doing it AGAIN is going to be a pain in the ass man....I can not believe I lost that file.  I should've backed it up or something, but I never get crashes or viruses.
But, you may not even want mine, it seems someone else has taken the idea upon themselves.  I haven't played it because whenever I think about it I'm going to nitpick at everything.  I don't normally do that with videogames but I rebuilt the whole script.  To each his own though, and this one has hundreds of bug fixes.  If not, and I get some demand like "Hi, pardon me for saying this but where the hell is the stupid patch!?!??!?"  I'll do it.

'FFVI Improvement Project'
http://slickproductions.org/forum/index.php?topic=1115.0

'Pandora's Box'
http://slickproductions.org/ff6patch.php?id=Pandoras%20Box%20demo%203.1

And to the people, I apologize for it not being released.  I lost a family member, and it was worst thing that has ever happened to me.  I had to leave the state, all my friends, girlfriend, family.  Anyway, the only reason I'm saying any of this - I hate it when people promise something that you're looking forward to and it just gets abandoned.

2
Graphical / Re: Upscaling pre-rendered backgrounds
« on: 2014-09-08 07:19:48 »
You're kidding.

3
Graphical / Re: Upscaling pre-rendered backgrounds
« on: 2014-09-07 18:11:36 »
I've been a fan of pre-rendered backgrounds ever since FF7 first came out. It's so brilliant and I can't see why more game developers don't use it. It saves up so much more power for super detailed actual 3d models in game. I don't mind a fixed camera at all.

And upscaling pre-rendered backgrounds has been an issue for years, and still is. Why Square didn't keep their source material is beyond me.

I've always wanted to upscale the backgrounds and add new 3d models in the game, but not those Advent Children models, I don't think they look good when the backgrounds aren't really top notch.

-What I'd like to do is to basically take the battle models and put those inside the game.  came onto a technique by accident really, but I think it looked kinda good

I think they look amazing man. 

No disrespect Yarlson.  I love your original pack that has more of a film grain effect and WOW what a difference.  The original backgrounds are so damn ugly it's hard to get that same experience you did when you were a kid.  Your pack made everything tolerable.  In fact, I haven't really played 7 for like a decade because I've been waiting for you talented people to do exactly what Ken has said.  Perfect would be those 320x240 backgrounds to high definition but that would be some hard work, I understand that.

What I don't understand is we had a pack on the way with the battle model style, it was like 70-80% complete, I don't remember.  But it really was almost finished right?  Because the original pack was in like 2004.  Then that horrible movie came out and then the beta of that pack was garbage. 

You guys trying to make it look like that movie, with this engine it's IMPOSSIBLE.  You see that right?  It doesn't fit whatsoever, they look so out of place it's almost laughable.  How about using your gifts making the game what it was supposed to be in the first place, then save Advent Children for version 2.0 or something.  Plus that movie sucked and it was nothing like 7 how could you like it?

Very excited for this new Reunion patch though, almost feels like it's coming together.  Between the graphics finally being updated to not look so damn pug fugly and the difficulty raised a bit, that's going to be a great experience.  I'm not sure about the translation but I hope he does well with it, but that's all a matter of taste.  For example I never liked 'Aerith', even though that's actually her name.  It's like calling Terra - Tina.

Anyway way off topic Ken, your backgrounds are fantastic and you should continue working on them.  You've come up with some ingenuitive techniques with Photoshop, great work.

Again Yarlson, it's too bad you abandoned your original concept because they were somewhat similar. 
Compare these two backgrounds, which do you believe is easier on the eyes?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18681882/junon.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NBYJPhm.png

The first doesn't have that HQ4X...filter look to it.  (Can't really describe the HQ4X look, like a glob of paint).  It almost looks like an original when it's scaled down.
Don't get me wrong though, I have a lot of respect for you.  You actually finished something.  And the first pack looks really good.  YOU did that, all of it and that's amazing.
So maybe you two should work together on making an ingenious method and patent this new technique - get rich :)

I know I've been kind of all over the place, but one more thing.  Shouldn't super deformed models should be secondary?  They're never going to look right.  Those models were placeholders, they ran out of time.  But you know, the whole time I've been thinking I haven't contributed anything so who am I to talk?  I was going to finish my VI translation for the third time but when people talk about their personal lives bringing things to a halt, let's just say mine was fucking true horror.

And on that note, keep up the good work!

4
The only reason I wouldn't change my mind is because the scale is off.  That really can't be fixed either.  I enjoyed ff8's style a lot too and if the scale was right I'd like something like that in 7 but its not, and it would take an unreasonable amount of work with the backgrounds to make it work.  As well as unreasonable amount of editing for model animations.  And I still wouldn't like in unless the models were redone and textured like they are in ff8.  When one could simply remake the chibi models with more detail, import and done.  Still a lot of work but at least plausible.

As for a digital drawing pad.  I already have one myself and have access to quite a few more so no problems there.  Might need it for texturing but most of the modeling with be done with a good old fashioned keyboard n mouse.  I just need to improve my skills and decide what suite I like most.

I HATE blender.  To this day I have no idea how to even approach that program.  I love 3ds max it 's the only program I can actually use and make decent stuff in, but I am considering maybe switching to z-brush in the future.

Funny thing is even though it's one of the thing is on my jack of all trades list, I have 3DS Max, Maya, Z-Brush, Unity3D but right now I'm more into making the switch from acoustic to digital.  Piano and guitar to Synthesizer/electric.  It's crazy man I just got this setup and an electric guitar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMLcM5xVies
Now this isn't the greatest setup on the planet but hooked up into a computer it's brilliant, you can make anything sound like anything if that makes sense.  One set of keys or strings can sound like ANYTHING

EDIT:  Anyway, like I said I have the toolset if you need an extra set of hands, even though those hands have never held a digital paint brush or 3D pencil except in CAD.

5
No sorry man I honestly prefer the chibi's.  I really would want Team Avalance to do a complete chibi overhaul.  That would be my ideal remake.  The scale and sizing of the fields just looks and feels weird to me with full-size models.  And I just love chibi's anyway, never understood why they don't get more love. 

Actually I have been thinking and I want to refine my modeling skills to the point of being able to do them myself and join TA since I really feel like no-one else is going to bother for a long time.  I love the the integrity of TA, the fact that they stick to the original artwork and yet add artistic depth and detail is really as professional as I can imagine a good quality remake should be.  Even better that any remake Square would ever do, if they ever do.

I agree and I see their screenshots, also videos of people working with Blender then importing their models into 7, but not just for this for anything but I think one would have to get a drawing pad right?  Or a really expensive stylus and a tablet?  Not for the basics but to actually dive in and get into the whole realm of digital art.  And yes I do the same thing, I bounce back and fourth but if someone was to really do it justice, to really make the models right I think you might change your mind.  Everything would feel more cohesive.  Although, over time the super deformed models have become a style all their own.  I liked that one mod that put their little hands on instead of big blocks

6
The artist himself, Kaldarasha beat you to it but thank you for taking the time!  He's saying to wait for his models which look pretty damn amazing, but I also like those models that...I think his name was Ice Cold was working on and someone either finished their work or combined a bunch of models to look like them anyway

Also Kal, you mentioned consistency, your models are bound to look different than the enemies, wouldn't they?  Whereas if it were more of a battle-field style like before, everything would fit together, except for those FMVs in which all of the people are blocky.

EDIT:  I hate when artists or administrators are just like 2+2 is 4 you idiot after spending hours trying to troubleshoot something that was right in front of your face, well this was even worse.  Kal had already made a recommendation beforehand, we keep commenting at the same time!

EDIT2: Except for this -->Both of you, or anyone at all, in my novel I wrote about that Cloud model do either of you have it?<--

EDIT3: Kal, do you have a version of your Cloud without a sword?  You probably already do, and I'm asking my third stupid question.

7
You know I've seen those before and I said damn those look pretty good but I've been stubborn in my 'keep it original' mindset.  Maybe it'll look different in-game but this was one of my favorites as a kid, this and Resident Evil 2, Silent Hill.

Anyway unless you grew up at the same time I did you can imagine wanting that small upgrade, having them look the same because that obvious flaw is there for a reason you can tell the developers didn't have enough time to finish.  Half of the FMVs they're full size, why compromise with models that ugly on such a big budget project?

8
It's not I don't like it, but it looks wrong to see crystal clear character models above a background with a 'film-grain effect' (more precisely it's a static noise effect) on it or switching from a clean FMV to the backgrounds. The rule is everything or nothing. So if someone would make a noise shader I would probably use it.

I understand what you're saying.  But no matter what the models are going to overshadow the backgrounds unless that amazing background project is going to be finished in the year 2035 and by then we'll probably be dead so to each his own right?

I just played through the end of the first bombing to that guys special place where he's always taking a leak and I don't think Squaresoft meant for all of their NPCs to look like lego Blowup dolls they had to have been placeholders and the executives were like Enough, we've spent enough money on this f*ck the models just do release it.  And congratulations on cmh175 Remastered FMVs -----holy sh*t man, without a background filter your FMVs are more beautiful than the rest of the game I love them.  The only thing is the colors/brightness something seems to change from background-->FMV.  But that doesn't kill it for me.  I love your work man!  It makes me want to see Yarlsons backgrounds that much more.

It's crazy to see these projects slowly but surely evolve into what they were set out to be, and most importantly, 100% complete.  We love you guys, keep it going.

EDIT:  So Kaldarasha...any theories on why this mod doesn't work for me?  I'm using the original release and I'm not a stranger to modification or computers for that matter.

EDIT #2:  My new hero.  I apologize I posted at the same time you did.  Thank you so much!  I kept putting mod/textures/ as the directory, instead of just modpath = textures

Because it's laid out like this!  subdirectroy of mods/ where textures will be loaded from
mod_path = none
See that mods/ I don't know...my brain is fried.  Thank you Kaldarasha you are awesome, really for taking the time man that was quick too.  I see what you mean now about the backgrounds, how it kind of makes everything POP.  I don't know if that's the same for...I can't remember his name but those backgrounds were kind of fugly from the screenshots but in-game there is a difference.  I'd say that yarLsons retains more of the detail though and I do love the film-grain.  It's too bad you can't put it over everything including the 3-D.  Like if Aali came up with a way to sort of blur the two together.

9
Hello yarLson.

Your Photoshop algorithm..?  Script?  Is awesome man.

I'd like to show my support and am open to offer support in any way that I can.  But my support would be shit, since I don't know shit about graphics.  I've always loved to draw and 3D modeling especially has been grabbing my attention.  So I'd be a very good listener, but until I honed my skills I can't imagine what help I could provide.

Anyway, your mod (from what I've seen - I'll explain) is excellent.  And I was reading the other guys comment, the one who doesn't like the film-grain effect.  I'm the exact opposite, and I couldn't believe everyone agreed.  I think the film grain effect is perfect for upscaling very low resolution renders.  In fact I like it in pretty much everything including video games, like the Silent Hill series.  If Silent Hill 2 didn't have the film grain effect it would be showing its age quite a bit more than it does now.  Even though that game in particular is a bad example because their artists were incredible...
I meant if I could put that film grain effect plus like a minor 2XSAI effect on everything low resolution 2D I would.

Someone also mentioned earlier that the man who came up with the original idea for this preset image filter who is using something like an HQ4X watercolor painting look...yikes.  No disrespect to him it just smudges the backgrounds completely while yours retains a lot of the original.  If it were up to me I'd tone it down even further and add a bit more film grain.  But I guess you can't make everyone happy.

Also, I don't mean to get off topic.  But it has been a very long time since I've been on Qhimm.  For whatever reason I had the desire to play through FFVII, in fact I haven't gotten past disc 2 since the 90s I think.  It always had to be perfect ever since these mods started showing up.  By perfect I mean palatable.  The Windows 95 port is awful and the Playstation version would be fantastic if the geniuses that create these emulators like PCSXR that've added widescreen, filters, internal resolution all that shit if they were able to add a Z-Buffer, then I probably wouldn't have become a lurker on Qhimm.  The distorted models, I don't just mean super deformed, I mean the textures jumping all over the place has always really bothered me.  It sucks that the PSX is my favorite videogame era because most of the good games are 2.5D.  I keep getting further off-topic. 
My point being that now with :
-Filtered Backgrounds
-Filters on the FMVs
-High Resolution
-Battle-Field-model conversion (still can't believe that was never finished)
+I do like that new menu style

+Cool if there is a good difficulty patch

I know this isn't the right place so I apologize.  But I've been at this for hours and I have to say that I'm tired of looking and reading through pages and pages of forum posts for answers...so I thought I'd ask.  It'd be cool if there was a sticky not just for installing this game but for the mods as well.  And I don't mean Tifa's bootleg.  While I managed to get the game and the music installed without a hitch, the movies [cmh175 Remastered FMVs] I had a hard time with.  For whatever reason re-registering Aalli's driver in the registry fixed the problem.  Either that or perhaps it was something else I did.  But the instructions are pretty straight forward when there are instructions. 

I'm sure Bootleg covers alot of the fans, but I just want the game the way that it was meant to be.  Not some sort of 2014 Advent Children style remake.  When the original Battle to field model patch came out I was ecstatic even though the models were too big because I had always wondered why Squaresoft didn't do that in the first place.  Then that project was scrapped and the PRP was born.  That patch was almost finished and bam, progress on that came to a screeching halt when the Advent Children models had began to take their place.  I think they are horribly ugly.  I wish I wasn't so particular.
A long time ago before my computer crashed I asked someone on Qhimm, I believe the creator of the PRP made me an original cloud field model without the sword.  How cool is that?  I suppose I prefer that model for nostalgic reasons.

Well, after the long story, I'll also include the short :)

I've put yarLsons mod under mods/textures, mods/field, mods/a - z and it will not work.  So I figured it had to be done the old school way by extracting the LGP, but when that's done the files don't have extensions they're just blank, they aren't PNG files or anything.  I also tried that Direct method that is in Aali's driver, nope. (<---Bravo by the way.  The man, if you are reading this, have you considered an add-on to your patch that stretches the field screen a little bit then center it so the screen doesn't seem as if it's Windowed?)
Sorry, again I can't find out what the the hell I'm doing wrong.  I've been backwards and forwards with it.  I typically NEVER ask for help or even post on a forum.  A lurker.  Don't forget yarLson, there are a lot of us out there, a lot more of us than the ones that actually post I'm sure that are crazy about your work.

So, any ideas?

Also, does anyone on these forums happen to have that particular Cloud model?  I mean just the regular battle Cloud model - imported to the field - resized perfectly - No sword <--?

One last for those of you that have been patient enough to read my very long run on sentence, could you make some suggestions for an FFVII that is basically like FFVIII (by that I mean no legos but in the original style as if they were created by Squaresoft in '97) and maybe a good difficulty patch?

I remember seeing some on Bootleg a long time ago on a youtube video.  They looked like the type of models I'm looking for but made some odd choices like camouflage for the Avalanche team?  And of course, higher resolution cloud with the giant sword on his back.

Thank you so much for your time and if my long post has gotten in the way or anything feel free to delete it or ban me or something.  Thanks again!!!!!!

10
Gameplay / Re: Final Fantasy VI - Definitive
« on: 2011-05-03 10:52:04 »
Nightmarish I'm looking in your direction.  There's nothing to it, take a look at this program.

FF3usME

http://www.angelfire.com/pq/jumparound/

11
Gameplay / Re: Final Fantasy VI - Definitive
« on: 2011-05-03 10:50:18 »
Wow, that's pretty nice except for the "new storyline".   And I think it's safe to say Changeling's project won't be completed until 2013.. maybe.

Hahaha you may be right. 

This high definition touch up looks pretty but I'd say my...whatever may actually be finished.  See, I was almost done with this thing years ago and my computer crashed, I know that sounds like an excuse but no sh*t it really did.  I always seem to bounce back to the older Final Fantasy games and I keep thinking man I wish I didn't lose that retranslation.  Because the Woolsley one is awful and the GBA looks and sounds terrible...so I can never decide which one to go with.  If I'm going to take another shot at this it would be cool to collaborate with actually anyone to help speed up the process, because basically it's just throwing the new translation over the old without the censorship.  Especially anyone here with romhacking experience.  Like Skyrender, he translated the Japanese version of the game and there were no space limitations or any bullsh*t like that.  I don't want to have to compensate with something like "Antdot" it just looks stupid.  Normally I would not take on something like this but I'm surprised no one else has already done this. 

Anyway, anyone who would like to join me on this project, some of you seem still interested after all this time, then join me and we'll finish it.

Also, there may be a 3DS remake of VI and well, I don't think it will be better than the original.  I know a lot of you here may not agree with me on that because you are tearing apart the PC version of VII to try and remake it yourselves but this is totally worth it, hang on to it forever you know.  That's another reason I'm surprised this hasn't been done because it won't take that long.  Some of you take a break from that for a few days and we could get this done, fast.

12
I saw this today, I thought it might apply.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/103618

13
Gameplay / Final Fantasy VI - Definitive
« on: 2010-04-11 22:14:25 »
can we put higher rez sprites in? think the highrez texture packs for ocarina of time etc.

Well, you could do it if you really wanted to.  But you would have to make an entire port of it for windows.  Then we could have it in widescreen HD...whatever

If you're up to doing that go for it.  I really doubt that would happen given the amount of work that you'd have to do.  

This guy made A Link to the Past for windows basically, but what he made it into a free online game that was actually cool.  It was like a small online community of about 200 people and everyone knew everybody.  Sparring was what made it fun.  I was into it when I was a kid.  56k modems and sh*t lol.

Then he started to charge money for it, got sued, but it's still around because it was different enough I guess.  But it's not the same old game anymore, it looks completely different.  But that link will give you a taste of what it's like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwE8-8GTFhw

But back on topic I'm getting some more work done, so don't worry.  It will be out soon and it won't take forever.

14
Gameplay / Final Fantasy VI - Definitive
« on: 2010-04-11 17:47:20 »
Well I haven't much to do today so I've been planning on it.  Just keep the messages coming they make me feel guilty enough to work on it lol

No I'm just kidding I want to get this done.

Check this out, it's called Lunar Expand.  This guy TimeSpace sent me a link to it two years ago but I never looked into it.

http://fusoya.eludevisibility.org/le/index.html

Could this help with the battle menu?
That's all I need help with and I'll take care of the rest.  I just need a bit more space and worst case scenario we can't do anything about it then we'll just make the magic FF7 style and improvise with the espers, etc.

But overall don't worry, this will come out.  It was supposed to come out two years ago I know, and I know this may sound like a lie but my computer did crash, luckily I got a copy sent to me so I mean it should be done in no time.

Final Fantasy VI has so much potential, everything I'm doing here will make it really impressive.  Up there with VII.

15
That's cool then.

Does anyone know how to control OpenGL's Anisotropic filtering on some program other than Catalyst Control Center?  Or is that even possible?

16
Nevermind.

17
I'm experiencing a weird effect.  Hopefully this hasn't been mentioned before but there are a lot of pages in this topic.

I'm getting these dark black lines around the two dimensional aspects of battle mode and it seems like the characters eyebrows and eyelashes are a lot darker than they should be...I'm not sure if it is the same problem or just 32 bit color but it does look a bit off.

I also used the new time mechanism for the battle swirl, and it helped a little but it still lags some.

If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate it!

And I'll ask one last time and then I'll forget it.  Aali, could you make a new DirectX driver?  If not, why are you using OpenGL, what are the benefits?
DirectX is universal, everyone would be able to use it to its full potential.

18
You should upload these models or add them to the PRP.  They're excellent AngeBleu.

Maybe you should continue your work on PRP.  If you'd like a partner I will help in any way I can.

19
General Discussion / Almost Perfect Final Fantasy V
« on: 2010-04-07 05:37:53 »
Holy crap did you guys know about this?

http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/563/

Make sure you get the European version of the game and use LunarIPS or something to install it.

This really is close to perfect.  Although the static noise from the GBA is still there it has the SNES music and all the enhancements of the GBA version.

If this is old news tell me what else is out there that I don't know about?

I'd still rather play it on the Super Nintendo but I hear the advance translation is superior to every other.
Or am I wrong?  This would be a good place to ask I think, is the fan translation any good?

20
I'm just baffled by this.  I'm not going to go over why again because I think the point was made and I'll have some more flaming and lame jokes.

Listen anyone who wants to finish this, especially with some experience email me and we'll finish it.

21
I'm not working on anything?  I thought I was.

Maybe your time would be spent more productively working on something that isn't already being done by the company.

22
But it's not your style it's their updated style.  And it's not even updated really it's someone elses interpretation.

Alright I give up.  This is sad actually.  It seems like people that grew up with the original would understand what I'm saying.

Anyone who agrees with me please speak up, we'll learn how to make models together and finish this fucking thing finally.

23
Come on man, once it comes out everything here will be dropped.  Why would you continue to make the original look like that movie when they've already done it? 
It took this one six years for it to be abandoned at what like 60-70%?

EDIT!!!!!!!!

It's like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, how both of the original creators of the franchises dropped out and new ones took over.  Now the games are awful.

This is what Cloud is supposed to look like.  They went with Nomura's art style.  It's awesome.

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/finalfantasy/images/a/af/Cloud_Strife_Nomura_art.jpg

Here is the new style.  J-Pop.  He looks gay.

http://static.minitokyo.net/view/26/07/152876.jpg?Final+Fantasy+VII%3A+Advent+Children

Do I really have to say what's wrong with this picture?

24
Why wouldn't they remake it?  It's their most popular and best selling game.  It's going to happen.

And yes I will pick up Kimera if no one else wants to, but right now I'm in the middle of the VI script.

Edit:  Why does that piss you off so much?  Freak.

25
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=240028

See, eventually the new company is going to remake FFVII for the PS3.

So what's the point of remaking the original?

There's so many reasons to finish this.

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