Up scaleing pixel background

Started by Sektor 13, Fri 02/10/2015 11:06:56

Previous topic - Next topic

Sektor 13

Hi

I am currently working on complete remake of my game, originaly in 320x200. Resolution will probably be 1280x720.
I am using some vectoring upscale program and some filters. Results are pretty good if don't look to close.

I plan to release the game for mobile phones too, so there should't be any problem, because of the small screens.

Look at it on full screen.

Here are some samples:
320x160 [img=http://s14.postimg.org/yefwsqb1p/jungle6_insidecave7.jpg]
1920x960 [img=http://s28.postimg.org/idzb37ld5/ANT20_1920.jpg]

1920x960 [img=http://s27.postimg.org/9ol24sm33/JUN_03_1920.jpg]

What do you think ?

Dualnames

I think it looks good compared to the original, it seems like a viable solution, also huge fan of you and the infinity string ^__^
Worked on Strangeland, Primordia, Hob's Barrow, The Cat Lady, Mage's Initiation, Until I Have You, Downfall, Hunie Pop, and every game in the Wadjet Eye Games catalogue (porting)

selmiak

cool idea, I totally dig infinity string too.
The highres one looks interesting, like a unique style. On a technical level I'd say it looks like pixelart turned to vectors and scaled up and could need some polishing, but all in all it is in it's own style...

Snarky

Meanwhile, this is what The Infinity String looks like upscaled with the HQ3X filter that comes built-in with AGS:



Yeah, the vectorized version looks a little better, but by enough to justify a total remake? If you just update to the latest engine version and replace the snow/rain plugin with a module, you'll be able to run it in 1280x720 without any other changes. Do what you want, of course, but I'd be way more excited to hear you're working on a new game.

Sektor 13

Hi,

Here is a remake of it:

[img=http://s29.postimg.org/p6m7f1xsj/Game_Menu_1920.jpg]


Well, I plan to make much more than just a remake. New locations, different puzzles and if possible "talkie" version also better animation, different story,
coding made completely from scratch etc. All depends on my free time and finances.
I also plan that the game won't be completely free. :(

I was thinking about new game but i just don't have that much time and willpower to draw the new backgrounds, sorry.




Mandle

I also love the original game. It's one of the greatest AGS games of all time in my book!

That's why I want to be completely honest here:

Sorry, but to my eye, the rescaled versions cannot stand up to the quality of the smaller originals. I understand about it being a different "look" to the original pixel-art style, but my problem is with the loss of nuance I'm experiencing when I compare them side-by-side. I prefer the 3x filter shot that Snarky posted way above the remade version of the same background.

When I look at the picture in Snarky's post I still feel the depth of the scene. The details fool my eye into seeing the background as a real 3D space that the spaceship moves forward into.

When I look at the remade version my eye sees a flat picture, like looking at an oil-painting up too close. For me the spaceship is just going to slide horizontally across the surface of the picture while changing size.

I feel pretty much the same way about the other remade backgrounds as well I'm afraid. The loss of the detail of the pixel version flattens the view for me in those as well.

Sorry for the pretty negative post here, and it is just my opinion of course...

sketchess

Greetings.
I agree with Mandle, your paintings are pretty, don't get me wrong. I fliped between the two backgrounds to get a better idea what might be the difference / enhancement. It can't reach the expession of the original yet. You know, you don't have to make a big huge new project, why not go for something small? Maybe something what still moves your heart. Sometimes 'we' just have to think outside the box.

I'm excited about to try a journal once.

Sektor 13

Quote from: Mandle on Sun 04/10/2015 00:14:53
I also love the original game. It's one of the greatest AGS games of all time in my book!

That's why I want to be completely honest here:

Sorry, but to my eye, the rescaled versions cannot stand up to the quality of the smaller originals. I understand about it being a different "look" to the original pixel-art style, but my problem is with the loss of nuance I'm experiencing when I compare them side-by-side. I prefer the 3x filter shot that Snarky posted way above the remade version of the same background.

When I look at the picture in Snarky's post I still feel the depth of the scene. The details fool my eye into seeing the background as a real 3D space that the spaceship moves forward into.

When I look at the remade version my eye sees a flat picture, like looking at an oil-painting up too close. For me the spaceship is just going to slide horizontally across the surface of the picture while changing size.

I feel pretty much the same way about the other remade backgrounds as well I'm afraid. The loss of the detail of the pixel version flattens the view for me in those as well.

Sorry for the pretty negative post here, and it is just my opinion of course...
Thanks. No problem, i want to hear all aspects. Yes my main concern is lack of detail on larger screens. But it looks really good on mobile displays (tested on 800x400 -4inch and, 1280x720 on 5 inch which is my main target.
Well, this brings me to another problem as i don't know if i should go with AGS or alternative engine like Visionaire which has better support for mobile devices (also is very expensive if you want to distribute to Android and iOS.). But i would really like to stay with AGS, as the community and support here is really the best.


I was thinking of small projects, but i am very specific about what kind of games i would like to make, and will be full length and point n click adventure style or nothing.

Also long term plan is to release completely new game after this remake (i already have rough story and locations)- if the budget will allow.
Also this brings me

Snarky

I don't particularly mind the "look" of the vectorized upscaling, but I do think it's problematic in the loss of some of the detail (check out the moon and stars in the vector version of that last screen, for example).

Also, I would be very worried about performance with a 1280x760 AGS game running on mobile, particularly when your game uses full-screen overlays for snow/rain effects. Have you actually tested it running, or did you just try displaying the backgrounds? Visionaire or some other engine is probably a better bet.

And, no offense: I like Infinity String a lot, but I also wonder whether it be all that well received as a commercial release. The upscaling, the lack of voice acting (unless you spring for that), and some rough edges (grammar and spelling mistakes, for examples)... I think it would take significant work to bring it up to the standard most players expect when they pay money for a game nowadays. And a lot of your potential market have probably already played the freeware version. Maybe I'm completely wrong, but I wouldn't expect to make enough money from it to repay the additional investment.

If you're doing it mainly because you want to realize some improvements you have in mind, then you should of course make the game you want.

Sektor 13

I know exactly what you mean. If i won't be able to get quality speech and polish other stuff than i won' sell it. i will still get some knowledge for the future. Got to try.

I have no idea how AGS handles higher resolutions on mobile.

Sektor 13


sketchess

That I call an improvement.
I can feel the atmosphere now, also the texture is realy nice. I probably would play more around with the lights, shadows and shades. Well I'm into caves with sparkle.

Mandle

Quote from: Sektor 13 on Mon 05/10/2015 09:47:40
I made a repaint of cave background, so what about this ?
[img=http://s2.postimg.org/aaheb9hh1/ant_repaint.jpg]

That looks gorgeous! My eyes see that as a 3D space and not a flat painting. 1000% improvement over the first upscaled version!

selmiak

Absolutely my kind of remake! :)

Sektor 13

#14
Thnx.

Here is not completed remake of intro screen:


This repaints are very time consuming :(.

Monsieur OUXX

What is your method? (if you don't mind explaining)
 

Snarky

That looks much better overall! However, when you look closer the mix of high-resolution and low-resolution regions becomes very noticeable, and the image as a whole looks rather unfinished.

I'm afraid there isn't a cheap, quick way to upscale low-resolution pixel art to vector graphics with consistently good results, but I would at least try to get rid of the "jaggies", maybe by running a Median filter over the pixelated parts of the image (or just use the vectorized version instead). And if you're not going to paintover the entire screen, I wouldn't add so much detail in some parts (e.g. grass texture on the plain, or so much work on the rocks). I think the look of the sky or the far hills on the right are a better compromise.

Sektor 13

Quote from: Snarky on Thu 08/10/2015 17:06:08
That looks much better overall! However, when you look closer the mix of high-resolution and low-resolution regions becomes very noticeable, and the image as a whole looks rather unfinished.

I'm afraid there isn't a cheap, quick way to upscale low-resolution pixel art to vector graphics with consistently good results, but I would at least try to get rid of the "jaggies", maybe by running a Median filter over the pixelated parts of the image (or just use the vectorized version instead). And if you're not going to paintover the entire screen, I wouldn't add so much detail in some parts (e.g. grass texture on the plain, or so much work on the rocks). I think the look of the sky or the far hills on the right are a better compromise.

Yeah, it is still unfinished. I use median filter too, but mostly on characters.

Quote from: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 08/10/2015 15:42:11
What is your method? (if you don't mind explaining)

Sure, i take original background 320x160 and use pixel resize to 640x320 (sometimes i use median filter). Then i use magic vector program on high quality setting and save picture in 1920x960 PNG file.
I resize image back to 1280x600 and mostly use BRUSH to go over entire image and add details. And after 6-15 hours this is the result.

cat

You can probably safe yourself some time and effort by adding fewer detail to far away areas, like the grass and rocks behind the gorge. Instead, you can go wild with adding details in the foreground area.

Frikker

I think its a whole "depth of field" thing that makes it not quite right. The fact that the foreground and waterfall/cliff that its running off are quite blurry and low detail, whilst the rocks that are behind them in the distance are sharp and full of detail creates an optical illusion that confuses the depth of the image. Typically the objects in the background will get blurryer and less defined the further back into the distance they go, and the contrast and colour value will drop as natural particles in the air obscure the view and "fog over" it over a large distance ( theres a technical name for it that I forget) .
unless this is a WIP and you have yet to add the other detail and have only worked into the rocky area in which case ill shut up :P

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk