Author Topic: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod  (Read 49344 times)

Covarr

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #25 on: 2019-01-16 14:31:37 »
Congrats to your first Mod.
You should let it transfer into the release section.
I'll move it to releases if there's a release in the first post; don't want people having to dig to find the release, also don't know if Ze_PilOt wants it there before more of the kinks are worked out.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #26 on: 2019-01-16 15:11:26 »
Yes, it's still a beta, please don't move it to finished mod yet.

kennybones

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #27 on: 2019-01-16 15:34:48 »
Maybe create and share a google sheet or something where we can document bugs and errors? I'm gonna start a new playthrough and make notes on the way.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #28 on: 2019-01-17 14:24:56 »
An general issue has been detected in the denoising process : Some grey lines may appears on a lot of background.
This has been fixed in the scripts, next version will be a lot cleaner !

Fraggoso

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #29 on: 2019-01-18 07:28:24 »
An general issue has been detected in the denoising process : Some grey lines may appears on a lot of background.
This has been fixed in the scripts, next version will be a lot cleaner !

Is this because of the masks?
I had this problem as well but solved it using another upres algorithm.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #30 on: 2019-01-18 10:50:13 »
Is this because of the masks?
I had this problem as well but solved it using another upres algorithm.

No, it's really because of photoshop trying to denoise colors next to black areas :)

Fraggoso

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #31 on: 2019-01-18 11:36:19 »
So did you use the PSX masks and just used 4x size without any filtering so you get a crisp clean but blocky mask or did you upressed the masks as well?
If yes, how? :)

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #32 on: 2019-01-18 11:50:27 »
So did you use the PSX masks and just used 4x size without any filtering so you get a crisp clean but blocky mask or did you upressed the masks as well?
If yes, how? :)

So far I'm using the PSX masks to combine the layers, then the PC masks (upscaled without refiltering) when I de-compose to the original tiles. Seems to works nicely so far, so I doubt I will change the method.

Fraggoso

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #33 on: 2019-01-18 11:58:19 »
So far I'm using the PSX masks to combine the layers, then the PC masks (upscaled without refiltering) when I de-compose to the original tiles. Seems to works nicely so far, so I doubt I will change the method.

Ah yeah, that works. I, for myself, found the masks too ugly though that's why I used another Methos which works and looks cleaner (at least for myself ^^).

satsuki

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #34 on: 2019-01-18 17:14:24 »
Yes it's an hard work to optimize the layer's cutting but it's realy worth it.
A base layer cutting unoptimised can realy ruin your works.

For exemple with FF7, the base layer cutting (only 4x scale without any edge optimisation):


My optimised version (layer done with potrace and imagemagik):


Of course it's your works and you'll done it as you want to but a great layer cutting will make your upscale shine.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #35 on: 2019-01-19 12:48:39 »
V01 was retired. V03 is up :

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IA3r5iJDP-Y8CyGwiqQEBmQEp53pa4sA

Changelog :
- Fixed grey lines appearing on several backgrounds,
- Fixed composition errors (text embedded on some background, wrong skies, ...)
- Better compression (should not affect quality).

And a PDF with a selection of background art :
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IQmNY2j5ZLag8qOiWru1bspURVVRb0tT

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #36 on: 2019-01-19 12:49:36 »
Yes it's an hard work to optimize the layer's cutting but it's realy worth it.
A base layer cutting unoptimised can realy ruin your works.

Well, that's something that can be easily automated. Compositing layers can be tricky and complicated, but it's not dark magic and has basic rules that you can follow (and automate).

satsuki

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #37 on: 2019-01-19 13:56:42 »
I Know
My processus is automated.
But lots of small optimisations need to be done by hand for an optimal result.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #38 on: 2019-01-19 17:36:45 »
I Know
My processus is automated.
But lots of small optimisations need to be done by hand for an optimal result.

Yes, the layering script I'm currently using takes 400 lines of code to handle all the cases. It was about 20 lines in my first tests.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #39 on: 2019-01-21 11:11:51 »

kennybones

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #40 on: 2019-01-21 12:19:51 »
It works! So now we can actually have HD backgrounds and Memoria working at the same time. Now I just need to figure out how to get the scaled battle UI working. I was under the impression that it was already packaged with Memoria, but it's not turned on by default at least.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #41 on: 2019-01-21 13:46:24 »
It works! So now we can actually have HD backgrounds and Memoria working at the same time. Now I just need to figure out how to get the scaled battle UI working. I was under the impression that it was already packaged with Memoria, but it's not turned on by default at least.

The widescreen option is broken too. I'm guessing there is an hardcoded offset relative to the original tileset size, but I can't find where it is.

kennybones

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #42 on: 2019-01-21 13:56:46 »
Aha! That makes sense :) I'll just disable widescreen for now.
I've noticed you seem to mean that this mod of yours is more of a guide for other to improve upon right? Every background looks great as far as I've seen. Process seems to work great too, masking looks fine (depends on how much of a perfectionist you are). I do think satsuki's masking looks a tad better. But he's doing some manual work, and you wanna stay away from manual work like the plague :D It's just not part of your philosophy regarding the pipeline you've developed.

I'd think your work could be very much appreciated on FF7 and 8 as well, just giving the other modders a hand at making their lives a bit easier.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #43 on: 2019-01-21 14:06:54 »
Aha! That makes sense :) I'll just disable widescreen for now.
I've noticed you seem to mean that this mod of yours is more of a guide for other to improve upon right? Every background looks great as far as I've seen. Process seems to work great too, masking looks fine (depends on how much of a perfectionist you are). I do think satsuki's masking looks a tad better. But he's doing some manual work, and you wanna stay away from manual work like the plague :D It's just not part of your philosophy regarding the pipeline you've developed.

I'd think your work could be very much appreciated on FF7 and 8 as well, just giving the other modders a hand at making their lives a bit easier.

A manual mask will always be better. You can do it on dozen of images, not hundred.
I just though of another way to compute a very clean mask, but I have to check if it works :)

I will release the scripts soon, I still need to clean them.

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #44 on: 2019-01-22 11:13:26 »
Aha! That makes sense :) I'll just disable widescreen for now.

You can redownload the package, it was updated with a fix.

I've pushed my change to the memoria repository :
https://github.com/Albeoris/Memoria/pull/78

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #45 on: 2019-01-22 14:12:19 »
Also a font matching the PSX one to use with Memoria. It's the "Zidane" font with an extended set of characters (latin-extended : àéè')

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pEqqMw-yunNruMr2GRvQo7_AUa8I4Kln

[Font]
Enabled = 1
Names = "Garnet", "Times Bold"
Size = 24


DanTsukasa

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #46 on: 2019-01-23 04:31:01 »
I saw that you mentioned automating exports and turning everything into gifs.

I don't know if you still intend to do it or not, but I thought I'd share when I did it.
I did it back in 2015, but made 2 albums, of every single background in the game, both animated and non-animated, as (largely) seemless gifs.
One or two small hiccups, I just realised I never shared them here in the forums.

Dynamic Backgrounds (Animated)
https://imgur.com/a/ra3OU


Static Backgrounds
https://imgur.com/a/A09TB

If you're able to make the same thing at higher resolutions that'll be really cool.

Also, I can't explain how happy I am to finally see someone not call the PSX renders 'downscales from higher resolution renders', which is what half the internet seems to think was how they made the PS1 renders. It's also pretty cool to see someone notice that some of the 'lost art of FFIX' is concept art, and things rendered just for an artists portfolio  and not 'original resolution renders or 'secret files from production'.
« Last Edit: 2019-01-23 04:38:28 by DanTsukasa »

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #47 on: 2019-01-23 06:51:52 »
I saw that you mentioned automating exports and turning everything into gifs.

I don't know if you still intend to do it or not, but I thought I'd share when I did it.
I did it back in 2015, but made 2 albums, of every single background in the game, both animated and non-animated, as (largely) seemless gifs.
One or two small hiccups, I just realised I never shared them here in the forums.

Dynamic Backgrounds (Animated)
https://imgur.com/a/ra3OU


Static Backgrounds
https://imgur.com/a/A09TB

If you're able to make the same thing at higher resolutions that'll be really cool.

Really nice works ! That's exactly what I had in mind !

I will try to recreate them in HD, but it's already quite good as they are !

Also, I can't explain how happy I am to finally see someone not call the PSX renders 'downscales from higher resolution renders', which is what half the internet seems to think was how they made the PS1 renders. It's also pretty cool to see someone notice that some of the 'lost art of FFIX' is concept art, and things rendered just for an artists portfolio  and not 'original resolution renders or 'secret files from production'.

Thanks :)

Ze_PilOt

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #48 on: 2019-01-23 16:43:50 »
Good news everyone !

V04 of the mod (first official release - Not beta anymore !) :

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1D0CEu3YqFn5zYbiTM3ghzm9IdxQ_2M6h

Changelog :
- Fixed the desaturation of the background
- Crispier graphics !
- Custom launcher
- optional PSX font included

The repository with the scripts & the trained model :

https://github.com/ZePilOt/FFIX_Upscale_Scripts

Aavock

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Re: [FF9PC] Background upscaling mod
« Reply #49 on: 2019-01-23 19:49:18 »
Awesome job Ze_PilOt, definitely an eye candy ! Merci à toi !

Is it possible to include in the memoria.ini an option for widescreen support during battles/fields only ? Something like:

WidescreenSupportField = 0
WidescreenSupportBattle = 1
« Last Edit: 2019-01-23 20:00:23 by Aavock »