High-res objects for System Shock

Gigaquad on 23/7/2009 at 18:28

This graphical update replaces the existing 32*32/64*64 object textures with 256*256 ones. I can't draw, so I used programs like (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_art_scaling_algorithms) hq4x and Scale2x to increase the resolution, then manually cleaned them up (blinking lights, remove artifacts).

Despite the bigger resolution, there is no increase in detail, since images are not hand-drawn and reverting to the default palette nullified much of the scaling. Some images are virtually unchanged, some have smoother transitions/jagged lines and a few extra colours. Although there are few 3D objects in System Shock, this mod still complements the high-resolution patch well.

You are probably wondering: "What about wall textures and sprites?" Nope, did not work.

(http://terranova.110mb.com/files/hi-res3DSS.zip) High-res objects for System Shock

Inline Image:

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3527/ssobj1.gif

Inline Image:

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3870/ssobj2.png
(http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/853/ssobj3.gif) http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/853/ssobj3.gif

ZylonBane on 23/7/2009 at 21:07

So.... you started this thread as a warning to others?

Nameless Voice on 24/7/2009 at 00:02

Presumably to show that it's possible in the hopes that someone would redo the textures?

RocketMan on 28/7/2009 at 16:09

If I understand his post right, it's possible to replace the model textures. In that case why not use the CCP textures instead of just running the old crappy ones through some scale-up filters?

Gigaquad on 28/7/2009 at 20:10

There is no publicly available high-res SS1 material, and the CCP youtube video shows mostly SS2 textures on objects anyway. If anything, CCP could benefit from running SS1 textures through hq2x instead of (I assume) just converting them to 256*256.

This mod is good enough for me: true to the original, but without the aliasing effects. Sure, I could have "improved" it with some random googled textures, but that would not have done the game justice. I'll just write the tool.

ZylonBane on 28/7/2009 at 21:59

I really do not like the effect hq2x has on SS1's textures. The algorithm makes everything it scales up look cartoonish, or like it's been redrawn with crayons. That may be fine for old emulated Nintendo games, but for System Shock... not so much.

RocketMan on 29/7/2009 at 03:02

It's funny, that's exactly what I recall using this algorithm for....SNES games on ZSNES. It does have kind of a shrink wrapped look though. Fortunately when I applied this mod it didn't have an obvious negative impact on my gameplay. Seems to make the bed cushion material look a bit better I think. Too bad you can't do anything with the architecture.

Regarding CCP textures....I'm pretty sure some of the model textures were redone in better detail. I recall seeing some updates from NV and some other user who I can't remember that may have included some object textures in high resolution... of course it would not have been publicly available at the time.

kodan50 on 29/7/2009 at 05:37

I am glad to at least see someone else taking interest in the textures and rescaling them. I may try using some of these textures in a test build of medical and science, just to see how the game feels with these textures. I can't say for certain if it would be a good feel. I am going to say not so until I try them, only cause they do seem cartoonishy, and that would make me feel sad.

*Why is this only for CITMAT.RES? Why wouldn't it work with TEXTURE.RES? Sad times.

DiegoCyborg on 30/7/2009 at 08:14

Hmm. Someone should make new high-res textures from scratch. Sorry, but in the most cases scaled-up textures look even worse than the original.
I wrote my own Shock rendering engine a couple of months ago using OpenGL along with smooth filtering and mipmapping and it looks quite good even with the old stuff.
You can see a few samples on my website if you like:

(http://home.arcor.de/cppjunky/prog_projects.htm)

However it's not perfect yet - texture offset is wrong on slopes and it doesn't render objects. Much work for such an old construction ^^

kodan50 on 2/8/2009 at 02:00

If you can make it work well, I could put it to use. I use TSSHP for some of the hard to see places and to look at wall textures that are covered by screens, but it has a tendancy to crash and crash often. If you can make one that let's me look at geometry only, possibly allowing me to toggle in game stuff like screens or whatever, that would be wicked awesome. Heck, even if it's just geometry, it would work really well! I need to have fullbright areas for hard textures to see, and for areas that I can't get to easily without fighting the game to get to those places.