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Final Fantasy 7 => Graphics => Releases => Topic started by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-15 15:25:40

Title: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-15 15:25:40: (https://i.imgur.com/VsnQKFz.png)

Discontinued in its current form but something else is nonetheless coming =)
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-15 21:54:30: Please add my final pack to your comparing sample ^^
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=18661.0
here the farm full picture if you need it for comparaison http://wowsatsuki.free.fr/frmin_0_base_0000131.png
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: SmallBaguette on 2019-04-16 03:47:43: Wow, this looks incredible!! This AI upscaling tech is so exciting.

Sorry for the noob question, I may have misead your post, but is the iro download of your work for the entire game or just 1/3? I currently have remako installed and would like to try yours out instead but just wondering if I should wait.

Thanks!
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-16 05:19:18: Why not try mine, it's complete and is not a beta ^^
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-16 05:52:29: Quote from: satsuki on 2019-04-15 21:54:30
Please add my final pack to your comparing sample ^^
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=18661.0
here the farm full picture if you need it for comparaison http://wowsatsuki.free.fr/frmin_0_base_0000131.png

i wanted to download/test your pack for a while now but mediafire is an extremely slow hoster for me i literally download at 100kb per second; please provide a mega or google drive link. Added the comparision as requested; Check op.

Quote from: SmallBaguette on 2019-04-16 03:47:43
Wow, this looks incredible!! This AI upscaling tech is so exciting.

Sorry for the noob question, I may have misead your post, but is the iro download of your work for the entire game or just 1/3? I currently have remako installed and would like to try yours out instead but just wondering if I should wait.

Thanks!

Its the whole game, but ive already succesfully done significant improvements to my scaling model so the next release will be alot/a bit (depending on the field) better than the current sample screens. I added a quick example to the initial post.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: SmallBaguette on 2019-04-16 12:45:07: Quote from: satsuki on 2019-04-16 05:19:18
Why not try mine, it's complete and is not a beta ^^

Sure, I'll get downloading it now. Thanks!

Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-16 05:52:29
Its the whole game, but ive already succesfully done significant improvements to my scaling model so the next release will be alot/a bit (depending on the field) better than the current sample screens. I added a quick example to the initial post.

Great, looking forward to it. Thanks!
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-16 15:49:30: something bad about the comparison my picture have not the same resolution as the over ones, your are ingame with aali driver filter, mine is simply low quality resized ....
i'll upoad to another place so you can do a real comparison...
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-16 17:17:26: i added a google drive so you can test ingame : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BdD8HvHAxcrrMTKwzS0icznKuVM997zJ/view?usp=sharing
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-16 17:45:41: Sigh... No im not ingame which you can tell by the fact that i dont have a sunglare so i dont have aalis driver filter and also mine are same source size/res as the one you linked me at the roughly the same zoom level (which you can tell by the table being roughly the same size and the source images having the same resolution). My model is just extremely sharp especially the newer one which is not to everyones liking anyway.

But look, regardless I really dont care about it in a competitive way and really just want to put out a different type of fields in the best way i can. Ive only been working on this mod for 3 days now. So to ease out of this, there you go: Yours look much better!! And I have removed the Comparision pics altogether too. Hope that helps. :roll:

Nonetheless I apreciate your tool and how it helps the community regarding the fields. And thx for the drive link I might look at them when I catch a free moment.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Fewtch on 2019-04-17 05:23:00: Quote from: satsuki on 2019-04-16 05:19:18
Why not try mine, it's complete and is not a beta ^^

Dont come into somebody else's thread and advertise your own stuff... Whats wrong with you? :x

Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-15 15:25:40
Its using a selftrained FF8 Model of mine and is distinct enough from the previous Ai upscales to warrant a release I think.

Have to say these are a marked improvement over some of the other stuff I've seen, I wonder if its got something to do with it being FF8 trained. Either way, they're gorgeous, my jaw actually dropped for real. Cant wait to see more!
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Kaldarasha on 2019-04-17 10:19:35: Quote from: Fewtch on 2019-04-17 05:23:00
Dont come into somebody else's thread and advertise your own stuff... Whats wrong with you? :x

Uhm, you know on which work this project is based on, don't you? Also this isn't your thread so don't act as if you are a moderator (yes I know the same counts for me). If the OP has a problem with it I think he would say it.

Nevertheless, there is no definitive upscale project and it's very likely, that in the end we will use a mixture of all current upscales. It would be even better if a lot of people would merge the fields by hand with an image editor and work out some details.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Fewtch on 2019-04-17 12:48:44: I don't have to be a moderator to know posting in someones thread and asking others to use your work instead is messed up. Can't believe I have to actually defend myself here. As far as what OP would or wouldnt say, it's pretty obvious to anybody who can read that they're already uncomfortable, but I'm guessing you can't read between the lines. Anyway, that's my final word on that.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-17 15:40:55: Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-16 17:45:41
So to ease out of this, there you go: Yours look much better!! And I have removed the Comparision pics altogether too. Hope that helps. :roll:
that's not the point, mine's not the best, only a matter of taste, but you resized my picture to get it to the right size but used a not interpolated resize for this so it looked as a low resolution picture.

So here's an ingame screenshot from mine then yours (left mine, right yours) :
http://wowsatsuki.free.fr/syark.png (your current farm scene)
http://wowsatsuki.free.fr/sywa2.png (a exemple from game start)
None seems realy better than another, mine seems to my eye more natural, your is sharper but maybe too much, some part seems un-natural to my eye, like in the second exemple, yours have gradiants of colors instead of smooth transitions (i said MY eye, it's not "the" truth, only my opinion).
Seems you have hard time to filter lights (it's an hard part to do and some need boring manual tweaking) feel free to use my light effects in your pack if you wan't, i don't think the light effect can realy be improved and it's realy time consuming to optimise, so better use your time to finaling your pack, it seems realy promising.
If you don't mind to share your gen model, i'd realy like to test it raw/mixed with other models and with some preprocessing ^^

@Fewtch
If i happily share my tools and techniques (and it take me loooooots of time to do them, specialy the 4xcut tool) it's to help anyone to do is own works in ff7, i realy hope one upscaled pack will come out and will be so good that my own pack will look realy bad in front of it, but to point that out we need proper comparison.
If i pointed out my works in this thread, it's because some user don't want to beta test but a finished bug free pack, i pointed my as it is, not to say it's better, only it's a final release.
To my mind, the "ultimate" pack will not be out now, in some month/years maybe, because the IA gan upscale process is not in its final stage, when a "almost perfect" trained model will be out we can have an ultime uspcale..... before that, it's only as you like, some will like more details/grain, some more smoothed/sharpened, some like false added texture (like in gigapixel soft)....

I'm here for sharing and helping (as i can of course ^^) and comparing as much as possible the differents results realy help in that way
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-17 16:57:02: Alright lets get back on track now =)

Yeah I forgot to separate the lights before the first scaling to avoid banding, its already fixed for the next release. Scaling the fields with both new models is also done; Hand selecting will take me a few days though since i cant commit too many hours a day until the weekend. Should be out by Saturday/Sunday.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-18 11:11:26: Great you already deal with it.
Seems a great gan model i realy would like to test it, if you can share it ^^
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: tracido on 2019-04-19 19:36:54: Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-17 16:57:02
Alright lets get back on track now =)

Yeah I forgot to separate the lights before the first scaling to avoid banding, its already fixed for the next release. Scaling the fields with both new models is also done; Hand selecting will take me a few days though since i cant commit too many hours a day until the weekend. Should be out by Saturday/Sunday.

:O I am excited for any collaboration work you all are doing, I have just started playing with ESRGAN, if I get anywhere with it, I'll share as well. Your file went up on 7th Heaven and it's working so far btw. Looking forward to any updates.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-20 14:06:28: If it can help you i set up an option to process only the base layers (up to 999) or only the fx layers (1000 and more) in the new version of 4xcut (updated post)
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-20 16:10:14: is up to 1000 everything that is non lighting effects? if so that sounds awesome indeed!
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-20 17:06:59: I've mistaken ^^' need to do a per field list because on some fields like las0_1 some animation are up to 82332 ^^'
(by the way if you can share you models when final, i'd realy like to test them ^^)
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-21 20:58:43: Updated the OP with some Previews for the new update; Im revisiting most scenes individually to make it a noticable improvement over the beta so it will take a bit longer; currently at around 800/3.5k.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569563998467653643/holu_2_0_base_0000129.png (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569563998467653643/holu_2_0_base_0000129.png)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569564011960729630/holu_1_0_base_0000128.png (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569564011960729630/holu_1_0_base_0000128.png)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617127183745044/md8_1_0_base_0000516.png (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617127183745044/md8_1_0_base_0000516.png)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617148989931550/blin59_0_base_0000129.png (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617148989931550/blin59_0_base_0000129.png)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617155910402050/ancnt4_0_base_0000128.png (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617155910402050/ancnt4_0_base_0000128.png)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617181873143937/anfrst_5_0_base_0000129.png (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/400479577186631705/569617181873143937/anfrst_5_0_base_0000129.png)

@Satsuki: Its constantly iterating and a wip as I go, but Ill share you the Final models once Im done with this update.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields (Upscaled FF7 maps using a Custom ESRGAN model) *Beta*
Post by: tracido on 2019-04-21 22:31:16: ^ Wow, really like the work here btw, can't wait for the final version..
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (1.0 Preview scenes added)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-26 06:42:27: Devised a new ESRGAN Prefilter that is less damaging to detail yet smoother than WAIFU prefilter.

After some consideration due to the increase in workload that comes with it I decided to apply it selectively to keep highest possible precision intact for areas that dont need filtering. Its a bit of a slower process but it feels worth it to me.

WiP Comparision Image: https://imgsli.com/MzM4NQ (https://imgsli.com/MzM4NQ)
Affected on this map: bathroom clutter, some walls, couches, pillows/bed headlight, mirror, flower-table corner, bottom end of stairs and large window light

Hope you like it; Ill keep relevant updates coming.
Cheers.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (1.0 Preview scenes added)
Post by: tracido on 2019-04-26 06:59:45: Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-26 06:42:27
Devised a new ESRGAN Prefilter that is less damaging to detail yet smoother than WAIFU prefilter.

After some consideration due to the increase in workload that comes with it I decided to apply it selectively to keep highest possible precision intact for areas that dont need filtering. Its a bit of a slower process but it feels worth it to me.

Comparision Image: https://imgsli.com/MzM4NQ (https://imgsli.com/MzM4NQ)
Affected on this map: bathroom clutter, some walls, couches, pillows/bed headlight, flower-table corner, bottom end of stairs and large window light

Hope you like it; Ill keep relevant updates coming.
Cheers.

Is the google drive being updated with any ongoing changes, or are you just going to do a final update?
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-26 07:02:50: Yeah im going for 1 significant update sorta beta > 1.0; Sorry if you were hoping for small patches. =/
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: tracido on 2019-04-26 07:43:11: Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-26 07:02:50
Yeah im going for 1 significant update sorta beta > 1.0; Sorry if you were hoping for small patches. =/

No worries, I just wanted to check. I am currently using a mix around with 4 field maps right now, and leaving Satsuki's /char field edits in for all 4, and even yours works great with it as is.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (1.0 Preview scenes added)
Post by: LordUrQuan on 2019-04-26 12:40:06: Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-04-26 06:42:27
Devised a new ESRGAN Prefilter that is less damaging to detail yet smoother than WAIFU prefilter.

After some consideration due to the increase in workload that comes with it I decided to apply it selectively to keep highest possible precision intact for areas that dont need filtering. Its a bit of a slower process but it feels worth it to me.

WiP Comparision Image: https://imgsli.com/MzM4NQ (https://imgsli.com/MzM4NQ)
Affected on this map: bathroom clutter, some walls, couches, pillows/bed headlight, mirror, flower-table corner, bottom end of stairs and large window light

Hope you like it; Ill keep relevant updates coming.
Cheers.
It's definitely interesting, but I'm honestly not sold... the bathroom, for example, looks genuinely better (the tub no longer has a crescent scar, while the toilet pedestal and seat are finished like you'd expect of a 300k gil seaside villa), but others are losing detail and turning more 'oil painting' in look (three areas in particular: the wood grain, window grid, and plant at the top of the stairs, the pillow/sheet creasing on the left bed, and the privacy screen between the entrance and dining table). Obviously personal preference type items, and just my two pence.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-26 13:29:38: Oh no worries this whole pack overall is very specific in general and the more i work on it the more it gets tailored to my specific personal preference, so i can see your point of view but Ill just mention that the windows and the areas around the lights look very different with the overlaying ingame lighting which are the areas you mentioned, this was less to show off the end result and more focused on the general capabilities of the prefilter and route of manual application I decided to take, so I started playing with it on this field even though Its not one that specifically needed it alot.
But i can see that a comparision with other upscale mods on maps where it makes more of a fake detail removing difference would have probably made more sense. I decided to refrain from doing any inter-mod comparisons before this update is finished though.
The one thing I actually might agree with is the window screen, my main issue with the non filtered one is the grainyness in some areas of it but yeah this whole thing isnt final anyway :P

Ill post ingame ss a bit later.

Cheers for the feedback nonetheless.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-04-27 15:23:28: Incorporated some of the feedback and did some other changes.
Please consider that this is still very much WiP but it shows what im trying to do and im done for today/this WE due to time contraints ;/

https://imgsli.com/MzQwOQ

Just a bit of an experiment obviously as It would take forevery to do this for every Field but ill try to do it for the ones with areas that have highly problematic AI upsclaing areas (which sadly arent down to models and present in all ESRGAN upscales due to source fields)
Hope you like it, Cheers.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: satsuki on 2019-04-27 15:41:25: i'll look for it ^^
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: LordUrQuan on 2019-04-27 17:03:01: I didn't even realize it on the last run, but the dresser next to the bed doesn't look as if someone slammed their head into it and dented it anymore :D The privacy screen and large window also look better, too :)
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: tracido on 2019-05-05 00:08:05: I'm using your updates with Satsuki's /char folder in 7th Heaven, the only thing that started causing crashes was the old audio & this is the most enjoyment I've had playing this game in nearly 20 years.. Tsuna released an update that made all those audio issues go away for now and I'll be even happier when the audio is updated from R6..

Thanks to everyone here from before and those still working on the game like this together.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Fewtch on 2019-05-29 07:03:33: Can you post your configuration? I'm upscaling some video and I'd like to do a comparison between this and Gigapixel AI.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: PetrucciJohn on 2019-06-09 09:11:37: I think other Field Model mods had this problem, but at the Northern Crater where you have to pass through the windy gaps, the "barrier" that keeps crossing the screen so you can time it right and pass through is glitchy, making it basically impossible to proceed unless you turn the mod off. At least in my experience. Has anyone else had that problem?
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-06-09 09:20:17: Please use satsukis fields instead, this beta has zero bugfixing and a good chunk of the fields look terrible due to no manual oversight. i have moved back to FF8 fields so the the full release has been delayed indefinitely.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: PetrucciJohn on 2019-06-09 09:30:04: I am pretty sure Satsuki's had the exact same problem back in 2017 when I first tried them. Maybe there is an updated version I am not aware about, but I shall take your word for it.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: EQ2Alyza on 2019-06-09 10:53:08: Quote from: Manakaiser on 2019-06-09 09:20:17
Please use satsukis fields instead, this beta has zero bugfixing and a good chunk of the fields look terrible due to no manual oversight. i have moved back to FF8 fields so the the full release has been delayed indefinitely.

Should I remove this from the Catalog 3.0 update? It's currently in and will probably release within a week.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: Manakaiser on 2019-06-09 13:18:42: Id say so thanks for asking, since ive started working on 1.0 and seeing the stark contrast/ improvement between the fields ive completed and the ones in this ive come more and more to the conclusion that this is just too beta to warrant being used in its state. I guess public betas for stuff like this dont really make sense considering how pivotal of an impact on the gaming experience they have.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: satsuki on 2019-06-09 15:19:51: Quote from: PetrucciJohn on 2019-06-09 09:30:04
I am pretty sure Satsuki's had the exact same problem back in 2017 when I first tried them. Maybe there is an updated version I am not aware about, but I shall take your word for it.
2017 version was the waifu one.
The new 2009 version is final and esrgan based, way better quality than 2007 waifu's one : http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=18661.0 this is currently the only bugfree final version done with modern "IA" uspcaling (as the Remako is full of bug, not constant in quality, and as a lots of unoptimised files).

I'll works on a V4 version in some weeks, and it'll be based mainly on 2 filtering methods Manakaiser does with this Ark release (and he kindly shared to me as he's working on this great FF8 fields pack ATM) + my own v3 works, so each field will be composed of a manual assembly (+overlaying) of 3 filtering methods + hand correction of special part (mainly written parts).

So the V4 will be an "ArkTsuki" field pack but as i want it as bugfree as possible, i'll take some months to be done.
Title: Re: [FF7PC] Arks Fields *Beta* (Process Update 26/04/19)
Post by: PetrucciJohn on 2019-06-09 15:56:38: Oh my bad. The catalog still lists the 2017 version and that stuff's pretty hard to find. Thanks!