IDEA for enhanced graphics (better than Scale2x, HQ2x, etc
Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:11 am
Here's an idea that I haven't seen posted anywhere on any other emulation board. I would love to see someone either incorporate it into emulators or/and spread the ideas to other boards.
We already have the algorythms to enhance full screen graphics, like Scale 2x, Eagle, HQ2x or 3x and similar that have been used over time.
Why not apply these algorhythms to the sprites and backgrounds BEFORE they are composited into a full frame?
The advantage would be that things like the edges or any transparent bits would be much smoother - a higher res sprite on a higher res background. You would lose some of the "stairstepping" which shows up when you go to HQ3x or higher.
For that matter, why not provide hooks in the code which allow replacing the graphics outright with higher resolution 'packs' fairly easily? Whether manually enhanced or even completely redrawn? The N64 emulators already do something like this - allowing upgrading the textures with user supplied packs. Why not do the same with not only genesis sprites but tilesets to the background? Jack your copy of Revenge of Shinobi up to 1920x1080p just for the hell of it with high res drawn images!
The two ideas are really pretty complimentary - they might as well be coded at the same time. It would be like the Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix which people are going gaga over more recently.
For that matter though it's not graphics, why not do something like MetalMAME for genesis or even SMS emulators? :) Provide hooks so that the triggered music tracks and sound effects could be replaced by mp3 files or higher res WAV files to upgrade the sound in similar fashion. All while running original code, and giving a chance for fans who cant really code (like me) but who love older games to work on graphics/sound update packs for all their favorite classics and give back to the community.
Feel free to crosspost this idea to any other emulator board - i'd love to see this incorporated on everything from Atari 2600 to enhanced MAME or modern emus as well.
We already have the algorythms to enhance full screen graphics, like Scale 2x, Eagle, HQ2x or 3x and similar that have been used over time.
Why not apply these algorhythms to the sprites and backgrounds BEFORE they are composited into a full frame?
The advantage would be that things like the edges or any transparent bits would be much smoother - a higher res sprite on a higher res background. You would lose some of the "stairstepping" which shows up when you go to HQ3x or higher.
For that matter, why not provide hooks in the code which allow replacing the graphics outright with higher resolution 'packs' fairly easily? Whether manually enhanced or even completely redrawn? The N64 emulators already do something like this - allowing upgrading the textures with user supplied packs. Why not do the same with not only genesis sprites but tilesets to the background? Jack your copy of Revenge of Shinobi up to 1920x1080p just for the hell of it with high res drawn images!
The two ideas are really pretty complimentary - they might as well be coded at the same time. It would be like the Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix which people are going gaga over more recently.
For that matter though it's not graphics, why not do something like MetalMAME for genesis or even SMS emulators? :) Provide hooks so that the triggered music tracks and sound effects could be replaced by mp3 files or higher res WAV files to upgrade the sound in similar fashion. All while running original code, and giving a chance for fans who cant really code (like me) but who love older games to work on graphics/sound update packs for all their favorite classics and give back to the community.
Feel free to crosspost this idea to any other emulator board - i'd love to see this incorporated on everything from Atari 2600 to enhanced MAME or modern emus as well.