Author Topic: Improving FFVII Resolution?  (Read 21518 times)

Alhexx

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Improving FFVII Resolution?
« Reply #25 on: 2003-08-17 16:13:29 »
There's a small success I have to report after spending hours in front of my debugger:

Screenshot #1
Screenshot #2

I know it's not what we wanted, however, it's a beginning...

 - Alhexx

Aaron

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Improving FFVII Resolution?
« Reply #26 on: 2003-08-17 19:33:26 »
That's about what I expected.  The game isn't designed to run in other resolutions than 320x240 and 640x480, so just changing what resolution it changes the screen to would result in what you get in Alhexx's screen shots, probably even in the full-3D scenes (i.e. World Map, battles).

Alhexx

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« Reply #27 on: 2003-08-17 20:20:45 »
Nah, that just I means I haven't rewritten all needed functions. Until now, I just rewrote the function that changes the screen resolution. I am currently searching for the function which creates that rendering device. Since FF7 uses DirectX, and am not very familiar with Directx, so it could take some time to rewrite the right functions. (Since Directx works with system than opengl, I first have to look at the code clearly...)

 - Alhexx

Rubicant

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« Reply #28 on: 2003-08-18 17:34:09 »
That's great progress, Alhexx. Nothing I could ever do with my current (lack of) skill  :P

But once we find a way to make it all "stretch", won't the fonts look a little..um...stretched out? By the way, have you tested the movies yet?

Goku7

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« Reply #29 on: 2003-08-19 01:23:07 »
I have an idea that could deal with the Font res/scaling problem.

Remember how in the Remake project, it was planned to have some high-resolution fonts for use in the game?  Assuming that that font set actually does exist in a useful state, it might not be a bad idea to also use that to replace the existing "low-res" FF7pc font data, while its in the middle of patching the .exe to allow for higher screen resolutions....

I don't know if its possible to do that on a standard install (the font data might be among the stuff that's read off the CD on a standard size install, for all I know)....but I'm betting it may not be possible, which would mean that this solution requires a Full Install....

Improving FFVII Resolution?
« Reply #30 on: 2003-08-19 03:52:06 »
Actually, what you're talking about is pretty much cake compared to the type of stuff normally being attempted around here.

FF7PC's current font sets are in cr_us.lgp (in .TEX format.) It's a fairly small file, and *is* put on the hard drive with the Standard Install. There are two sets, one for the full screen modes, and the other for quarterscreen.

Which of course means, in theory, all you have to do is extract them as .BMPs with LGP Tools; scale them appropriately in a graphics prog; convert back to .TEX with TexTool; reinsert your replacements, make an LGP patch; and distribute.

...if only it were that simple. From my experience, you're going to run into trouble, though, changing the size. FF7 doesn't like it when you modify the size (or palette, as Ficedula correctly points out in TexTool's readme.) This leads me to believe that the size definitions are stored/called elsewhere, but I'm not sure how or where.
My guess is that this is where another DirectX layer *might* be helpful. Obviously, keep in mind, I'm quite a buffoon when it comes to knowing about how texture rendering can work--this is merely theorycraft.

Assuming you could get around this one problem, keep in mind you also will have to repeat this process with FF7's other textures (various splash screens--i.e. "Game Over"--, field model eyes, portraits, menu images--including battle slot reels--, not to mention all the various textures used in 6 minigames and the World Map, and magic.lgp) I can't remember if battle.lgp has any textures, but I'm assuming it does. Not all of these files are copied to the hard drive with a Standard Install.

All in all, it's still worth doing, and not *too* much work for someone who doesn't mind it. To be honest, I've already done some of it. =D

Backgrounds, as already stated, you pretty much have to wait on because we need to get rid of the black dots and other display problems.

Quote from: Goku7
Assuming that that font set actually does exist in a useful state

IIRC, it doesn't. Although if it does, it seems unlikely you'd see it until after the whole Remake is finished.

Anyway, I think a smarter option is to just do an effects filter of some kind. It works for emulation, and it can work for us. All we have to is either:
1) Find someone with the know-how who is willing to program one for FF7PC.
or
2) Do it ourselves. (DirectX layer time again?) This makes the most sense to me, because the source for 2xsai (which was based off of the discontinued Eagle library), both of which are used in various SNES emulators (like ZSNES) is GNU and freely available. In case you're wondering, it's C, but compiled as C++.

Quote from: Mofukubik
it wont make the blocky backrounds or skinnyelbows/hugeblockhands go away.

If I may, I'd like to direct you to \char.lgp\doga.hrc:

It's Tifa's hand, in higher detail. If somebody *really* wanted to, they could use it to create a hand model template. Then, they'd just have to replace every field skeleton's hands with their new model (which would involves lots of find/replace as well as modifying copies to match coloration and other defining characteristics of different model's hands.)

Goku7

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« Reply #31 on: 2003-08-19 05:03:53 »
Quote from: Srethron Askvelhtnod
...if only it were that simple. From my experience, you're going to run into trouble, though, changing the size. FF7 doesn't like it when you modify the size (or palette, as Ficedula correctly points out in TexTool's readme.) This leads me to believe that the size definitions are stored/called elsewhere, but I'm not sure how or where.
My guess is that this is where another DirectX layer *might* be helpful. Obviously, keep in mind, I'm quite a buffoon when it comes to knowing about how texture rendering can work--this is merely theorycraft.


Methinks that you'd need to look for checksum routines, in that case. :P

Marco

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just a link
« Reply #32 on: 2003-08-19 05:54:35 »

Rubicant

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« Reply #33 on: 2003-08-19 18:11:22 »
Quote from: Srethron Askvelhtnod
Quote from: Mofukubik
it wont make the blocky backrounds or skinnyelbows/hugeblockhands go away.

If I may, I'd like to direct you to \char.lgp\doga.hrc:

It's Tifa's hand, in higher detail. If somebody *really* wanted to, they could use it to create a hand model template. Then, they'd just have to replace every field skeleton's hands with their new model (which would involves lots of find/replace as well as modifying copies to match coloration and other defining characteristics of different model's hands.)


With what? Ultima? I still haven't gotten that program to work because the required DLL's never install right. Back when I did have interest in getting rid of those infernal skinny elbows I was going to try to take a stab at it. However, this may be all too impossible because of field .p models limitations. Or not.

We'd have to re-do a few animations too, such as the running animations. Imagine the run that cloud does with his field model used with the battle model. *shudders*

It's going to be hell to do anyways.

Improving FFVII Resolution?
« Reply #34 on: 2003-08-19 19:04:19 »
Quote from: Goku7
Methinks that you'd need to look for checksum routines, in that case. :P


Quite likely. Which is something I hate doing. =P

Quote from: Rubicant
With what? Ultima?


Actually, I was thinking someone could do most of it with a hex editor and mirex's .P doc. doha.hrc is in essence just a single .P file, which means the only real changes that need to be made to match different hands is vertex coloration on a case-by-case basis. Of course LPG tools, along with the Techdoc's HRC dumps would be the tool of for the actual find/replacing.
Yeah, Ultima probably would work, though. If Mirex finishes his .ASE importer, Biturn might, too.

Quote
We'd have to re-do a few animations too, such as the running animations. Imagine the run that cloud does with his field model used with the battle model.

I'm not talking about doing a battle->field model replacement--just taking a higher detail field model and letting it have a bunch of kids. Of course, the kids are cannibals who eat their ancestors, but apparently that's just survival of the fittest. =D
Besides, since we've already deciphered the battle animation format (although converting to field animation would be another unbelievable headache) we *have* access to animations of battle Cloud running. Practically every melee attack involves him running up swiping, and then running backwards to his spot (if I was a lazy Square programmer in charge of the battle engine, I would have just made the animations playable in reverse...which, chances are, they did)

Quote
It's going to be hell to do anyways.

Which is why someone would *really* have to want to do this. :P

Alhexx

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« Reply #35 on: 2003-08-19 19:53:23 »
This slowly turns into a FF7 remake topic :P

 - Alhexx

Goku7

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« Reply #36 on: 2003-08-20 22:41:30 »
Quote from: Alhexx
This slowly turns into a FF7 remake topic :P

 - Alhexx


...............and that's a BAD thing?!  :P

Skillster/RedSarg99

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Improving FFVII Resolution?
« Reply #37 on: 2003-08-24 07:42:21 »
no not at all

Improving FFVII Resolution?
« Reply #38 on: 2003-08-24 22:59:58 »
Actually, it seems to me like this is turning into a razz thread. We sure have a lot of tongues sticking out around here.
-Srethron (tongue-in-cheek)