ENBseries graphic effects & Ys VI

[xcalibar]

Had a blast playing Ys 6... now I come bearing gifts of wisdom

Have you heard of the ENBseries program? It was made by a guy named Boris Vorontsov...
It's a little program that allows the user to add new effects to existing games that use directX9 [and 8 with a converter I think]
boris-vorontsov.narod.ru/index_en.html < His site

I learnt about the program through my Morrowind gaming, through Vality's site :
vality7.googlepages.com/mwfx

And well, although most of the built-in effects don't work with Ys 6, bloom, the color correction and external effects.txt files do work with Ys! So I played around with the settings a little and came up with the following :
1) A simple bloom
2) And a contrast enhanced + bloom

Below are screenshots of contrast enhanced + bloom :
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/01oys6_win_dx9-2009-03-16-18-32-52-.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/02oys6_win_dx9-2009-03-16-18-34-18-.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/03oys6_win_dx9-2009-03-16-18-30-54-.jpg

(these two screenshots are spoilers!)
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/04oys6_win_dx9-2009-03-16-18-43-12-.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/05oys6_win_dx9-2009-03-16-18-47-32-.jpg

With those settings I didn't even lose any FPS on my GeForce 7600..

Next I experimented with an effect.txt I found in one of the ENBseries versions [there are many versions for different games, I found two that worked well with Ys VI]... I came up with :
A high bloom + effect
A high contrast + bloom + effect
A variation of the last one
And a natural bloom effect

Then finally I came up with the last two :
One I call an Original Bloom
and one I call the High Contrast version... (my recommended one)

I took two Youtube videos on HD mode so you can see the difference in action... To see the difference better, watch in HD mode. (clicking HD on the video won't make it bigger... so you gotta click on the link)
Part 1:

HD Mode : www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kBeGtZFKig&fmt=22

Part 2 :

HD Mode : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb0K6PfNc2U&fmt=22

And here are some comparison screenshots taken with the High Contrast version as well. [these use the effect.txt]

i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/01ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-02-48-22-2.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/02ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-02-50-25-3.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/03ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-03-02-51-2.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/04ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-04-17-11-3.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/05ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-04-17-48-9.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/06ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-04-18-07-1.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/07ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-04-19-47-3.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/08ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-04-21-19-0.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/09ysUntitled-1.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/10ysUntitled-2.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/11ysUntitled-3.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/12ysUntitled-6.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/13ysUntitled-7.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/14ysUntitled-8.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/15ysUntitled-9.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/16ysUntitled-11.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/17ysUntitled-12.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/18ysUntitled-10.jpg

(these are spoilers!)
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/19ysUntitled-5.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/20ysUntitled-4.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/21ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-03-05-55-1.jpg
i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/22ys6_win_dx9-2009-03-18-02-04-26-7.jpg

With the the effect.txt I lost half fps, and with bloom also on I was down to 20 fps... But, a GeForce 7600 is an old card [plus I was at 1280x960]
On a newer card you shouldn't have a problem...

The effect.txt I used does a gaussian blur like effect, with lighting changes and stuff... But, if you can find or know how to create your own effects I guess the possiblities are whatever you can script..!
The ENBseries responds different on every machine though, [although hopefully basically the same], so it requires tweeking to get the most out of it. But, you don't have to stop there, you can change the values to whatever you want!

This is all just an example of what the ENBseries program can do, it's free; and I'd love to see what other people can come up with

And without further adieu...
>> Here's my copy of ENBseries with all the configs mentioned above : www.4shared.com/file/93904915/b190bb1d/YS6_ENBseries.html <<

==============================
To install the program... just drop the :
effect.txt
d3d9.dll
enbseries.ini

into your YS6_WIN folder or wherever it is...
And run Ys VI!

Open up enbseries.ini in notepad or something to change values. I included an HTML file that outlines what the settings are and can be.

To turn it off or back on while in game press shift + F12.
And shift + F9 will turn off and on the Bloom.

[hitting shift + F10 will cause major lag, as that that's an effect that doesn't work in Ys...] Read more about the ones that don't work in Ys here :
vality7.googlepages.com/mwfx

Shift + F1 will show FPS. You can rebind the buttons in the enbseries.ini.

There are 3 folders included :
ENBseries-simple
- contains the simple bloom shaders shown at the top. It also has an older and maybe faster version [less requirements to use if the newer one doesn't work, but doesn't have as many features and looks different] of the d3d9.dll
Just copy over the effect.txt, d3d9.dll and one of the enbseries.ini [rename it to just enbseries.ini] to use!
(note the effect.txt is empty in the simple ones)

ENBseries-withEffect
- contains the second set of ini's mentioned, along with a different effect.txt and the newer d3d9.dll.

ENBseries-X-Cals
- contains the original bloom and the one I used in the videos and the other screenshots.

They all install the same, and to uninstall, just rename or delete the d3d9.dll to stop it from loading.

*Also included are the original archives I got the ENBseries from, and d3dx9_26.zip, which contains a file that ENBseries needs to run, which most Windows already contain, but need it. Tested on XP and Vista.

*misc note, if you are going to change settings : read what they do first! [i.e. don't change refresh rate and resolution to force and set it to something bad!]
==========================

My thoughts on the high contrast bloom I used in the videos etc :
It's pretty cool in-game. It helps low res textures look much better, but at the price of making things a bit blurry... Which sometimes looks good, and sometimes doesn't.
Also the contrast boosts look much more natural, causing the dark cave to look even darker or the sunlight to look brighter in patches. I like the effect personally! On the down-side it affects the portraits and with the current settings Olha, and Isha's faces can become too bright on some computers! ouch!
But cutting off the bloom will fix that somewhat, and then just turn it back on after... or cut it off all together and turn on after...

It's cool, but it can be even better. I just used what was already out there, so if you make your own or find new effect.txt's please share
Share, share, share!
[sad note, I think Borris has stopped developing the program ,but at least the basics work for Ys!, and I imagine these work for Ys Origin, Ys Oath as well... Haven't tried yet though]

Oh my! That was a long post!

Here is some bonus material I discovered while checking out ENBseries :
Send your mouse to jail! www.dr-hoiby.com/MouseJail/
For those who play Ys with multiple monitors, this little program keeps the mouse from leaving the Ys 6 window [and clicking on the other screen resulting in Ys minimizing... ARGH!!!]

And if you check the second youtube video... Is this a bug? Each time I took off and on the rainbow fragment, those shadow guys multipled... ..... AHH!!

[FM-77AV]

This is really cool. Thanks for this! Old games without hdr or bloom lighting look so dead and bland (Ys VI included). This will surely help a lot.

[Red Hairdo]

Well, it did look kind of more blurry, I think I still like the original way better. xD

By the way, man, that sure is a long post. xD

[xcalibar]

Don't forget you can adjust it to however you like, and this is just an example...

And remember, I didn't really know what I was doing and used an existing effect.txt from another game. Now if someone comes along who does know... (That's what I'm hoping for )
EDIT: And all the screenshots and even the videos don't really do it justice, compared to trying it yourself

I'd like to figure out how to lessen the blur on that effect... hmmm
EDITEDIT: Looks like this line :
float range=0.7*tempF9/ScreenSize;
controls the blur somewhat! Turning it to 0 made it a lot less blurry... Hmm let's see what happens if...

EDITEDITEDIT: Well, I changed the effect.txt to eliminate the blur effect, and I think it looks better, so even though the video and screenshots look blurry the actual download filters won't be

[doppiapunta]

Thank you for this useful report.
I'm really impressed for all the things you posted.
Good work guy. This tool really rocks.
Thank you

[xcalibar]

Glad to be of service~
And speaking of which... after eliminating the blur effect, I think it looks pretty good [still room for improvement but I think it's already an improvement over the original in cases]

i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/ys6fina_win_dx9-2009-03-20-09-43-53.jpg
Left side of pic is the new filter, and right side is original.
Compare the ground firstly, I think the left is a clear victor. Then compare the water, the tree, the monster, the fire, etc...

And I took another video for fun
First two boss battles on nightmare [time trials] with ENBseries on

HD Mode : www.youtube.com/watch?v=56zx54UFV-g&fmt=22

... Bad Adol! I realized Geis wasn't reduced to 1 HP in time trial

[doppiapunta]

Mar 20, 2009 9:04:01 GMT -5 xcalibar said:

Glad to be of service~
And speaking of which... after eliminating the blur effect, I think it looks pretty good [still room for improvement but I think it's already an improvement over the original in cases]

i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/X-Calibar/Ys/Ys%206/ys6fina_win_dx9-2009-03-20-09-43-53.jpg
Left side of pic is the new filter, and right side is original.
Compare the ground firstly, I think the left is a clear victor. Then compare the water, the tree, the monster, the fire, etc...

And I took another video for fun
First two boss battles on nightmare [time trials] with ENBseries on

HD Mode : www.youtube.com/watch?v=56zx54UFV-g&fmt=22

... Bad Adol! I realized Geis wasn't reduced to 1 HP in time trial

really impressive...

[xcalibar]

Been playing another game and messed around with ENBseries, and I basically eliminated the blur that I had mixed feelings about but kept the smooth look; and now it looks 90% better than the blur [same thing as before but without blurrrrr]

Only issue I have now would be some 2D graphics like Isha and Olha's portraits and the beach during day are still too bright... Not exactly sure how to fix that without removing some of the bloom which I love in some of the other effects.

I might take another youtube video so you can see, but my Ys6 skills have faded terribly

EDIT: Maybe a link to the new version would be nice ... lol
www.4shared.com/file/124230186/5fe409ec/Updated-Ys6-ENBseries.html

[doppiapunta]

Thank you..I'll try this one too.
thank you for all your efforts..it's really gentle from you.

[xcalibar]

Thank you for the kind words

I know someone who knows what they are doing could do a better job, but I'm at least satisfied with how it looks most of the time !


I took a video.. but it ended up not being a real comparison video! You can only see a little bit of difference in this scene; but I took it because I something funny happened...
Which I call it the Captain's Competition!

It's Olha vs Terra... Who will win?
*intense music*