Fallout 2 mod Working on enhancement of Fallout 2 pics

[impHullaBaloo]

I'm making a mod to add items to the game so I decided to improve the items already present. I took the opportunity to use some automation methods that I'm studying to speed up the work, what do you guys think? The images are not completely ready, but they are already converted to the game palette. I believe that in many cases the difference is quite noticeable. I put the original version under the modified one for you to compare. And I also put two versions, one cleaner and the other more aged. Anyway, soon I will post the mod with the files already prepared to insert in the game.

 

[Lexx]

I dunno. Seems pretty hit and miss to me. Most of them just seem to have a darker outline now. For some it feels like a pointless change, for others it seems unnecessary, and some got their colors crushed. Not saying all are bad, just dunno. Calling something "enhanced" is always a bit tricky, though, because for me this isn't enhanced, it's just different.

 

[impHullaBaloo]

I dunno. Seems pretty hit and miss to me. Most of them just seem to have a darker outline now. For some it feels like a pointless change, for others it seems unnecessary, and some got their colors crushed. Not saying all are bad, just dunno. Calling something "enhanced" is always a bit tricky, though, because for me this isn't enhanced, it's just different.

Yes, I'm making manual adjustments to all of them. I also noticed that some were too dark and others the contrast accentuated the red too much. Anyway, it will improve them a little more. But the idea was just to see if people liked the idea.

 

[DeKRuS]

Hi, the idea of improving item images looks very attractive!
But honestly, I still do not understand what the improvements in the cleaner version are. It seems that the contours of the images are all the same angular, and even the text on some images has become completely unreadable.
BUT! more aged version for books and first aid kit looks very appropriate)

 

[impHullaBaloo]

Hi, the idea of improving item images looks very attractive!
But honestly, I still do not understand what the improvements in the cleaner version are. It seems that the contours of the images are all the same angular, and even the text on some images has become completely unreadable.
BUT! more aged version for books and first aid kit looks very appropriate)

Yeah, the problem with the text is the blur I added to help hide the artifacts of the original pics , I guess I'll have to remove it from some of them, so it doesn't mess with that kind of detail... The border I gave it is not exactly a shadow, so it doesn't have an angle, it's a gradient of black transparency. I added it more so to hide a problem that most original images have, which is a lighted border due to a... let's say... not so good work on removing the background of them. But I guess we can't complain too much, probably the technology of that time didn't help... Anyway, without that dark border, I would have to manually erase/change those bugged pixels of all of them (almost 500 images)... That would be a huge amount of work, which I don't intend to do ^^" My idea is to automate the process. But I thought that dark border was nice. Didn't you guys like it? And... Actually, the process of indexing the images to the game pallet ruined most of the enhancement I did. Which I noticed only after uploading the files here ^^". But I guess that is a problem that can't be fixed. Unless someone knows a way to make the game accept images with full RGB colors, not indexed.
Anyway, I'll make more adjustments to them. Also, here is the image I actually did, with full colors. (Still not to maximum quality, that file was too big, so the forum didn't allow me to upload it ^^")

Edit:
Oh! I guess I ended up not answering the question ^^". Well, What I did is:
1) Added that darker border
2) I gave it a deep learning filtering to get back the overall quality of the original image.
3) I added some filters, like, a blur to remove artifacts (artifacts are those pixels of colors that appear to be out of place) and sharpened the lines.
4) I removed a little of the green on them
5) I added a little contrast and saturation to enhance the colors. AND which ended up making the items seem to be new. That's when I got the idea to make the decayed version to make them look old again.
6) For the decayed version, I picked the later version and added a more complex process to it. Which is a mix of desaturation, textures, noises, embossing, color balance, etc.

 

[impHullaBaloo]

I still working on this mod, this time I made items for the map.

Also, I redid the images I posted before for the inventory, but I don't have anything to show for now. I think the changes have become imperceptible because of the automatic quality reduction made when indexing the image to the game's palette.

Anyway, in these new ones I'm trying to create a proper image for each weapon in the game, and adding a few new
stuff. This is also WIP, I going to keep adjusting the colors and size of most of them.

 

[impHullaBaloo]

Getting close to finishing the map items. So, any feedback? I'm not fishing for compliments, you guys can criticize if that's the case.

 

[.Pixote.]

These are Tactics items correct? They are the closest things we have that will fit into Fallout 1/2 - just make it a mod and let players try them out, that's all you can do. If the colour and scale work then they'll fit into the game without issues. They do look better than the generic items from F1/2.

 

[impHullaBaloo]

These are Tactics items correct? They are the closest things we have that will fit into Fallout 1/2 - just make it a mod and let players try them out, that's all you can do. If the colour and scale work then they'll fit into the game without issues. They do look better than the generic items from F1/2.

Some are from Tactics. In fact, I edited items from everywhere, the original game, Mods like RP, Megamode, etc. Some I did from scratch. too. Anyway, all items in the image above were edited in some way. I think most of the original items of Tactics are too big.
I believe I got a nice middle ground, between not being too small to the point of losing all quality, nor being too big and looking weird. I'm still putting the final touches on the colors. Right now, I'm in doubt about the edges. If I add too much contrast, the item looks cartoony. If I don't put contrast, it's hard to see or even recognize them.

 

[.Pixote.]

The current outline looks pretty good, they do need to stand out somewhat when placed on the ground. There was a mod made in which critters would drop their weapons on the ground in an actual fight, maybe it was the kill shot, so players or enemy critters could pick it up during a fight and use it. They landed one hex away on a random hex, made the reality of fights more dynamic. I don't think it was ever finished, which is a shame!

 

[impHullaBaloo]

Ok, this time I have a question, I know the game uses graphics for multiple directions for throwable items, like spears. So, I was planning to do the same for all weapons (Like the example knife in the picture). But then I realize, would this even be helpful? Like, does the game use these graphics for the non-throwable items?
Oh, by the way, the pics are for comparison, there's the original version below, the new version above, and a reference of the graphic used for NPCs holding them (which I didn't change).