OBGE
or "Oblivion graphics Extender", is currently a work in progress addition for OBSE, a modular for TES:IV Oblivion.

While it is still in its EARLY!!! stages, the dedicated modders are working hard to bring a new age to Oblivion. If you would like to contribute, please feel free to participate in the sharing of knowledge and ideas to help us strive to complete our goal. Also if you find useful resources that can benefit the project, please feel free to share them as well.

This is a open discussion thread for OBGE and its development. Please respect the hard working people that take their time to bring this project together. If you see any other OBGE related threads about bugs or problems, please direct them to this thread.

Thank You

Link to Previous Thread- - -> http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1050580
Link to Godrays Test Shader- - -> http://www.4shared.com/file/152752485/dcb70a06/GodraysforOblivionv001a.html
Link to Test Depth of Field- - -> http://cid-465896b69b9940e8.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/DepthOfField.7z
http://www.oblation.eu/downloads/obge/TestShaderv3.7z
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=04AC064B-00D1-474E-B7B1-442D8712D553&displaylang=en

A few screens to see the current stuff in action

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6652/anvil101.jpg
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1478/anvil104.jpg
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/1994/god101.jpg
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3404/dofview01.jpg

*FAQ*

*Is this a RELz? Should I download this?
OBGE, like MGE, will be a growing project with many new applications added on with each feature. So far we only have a few test plugins and shaders but we encourage all to try them out.

*Does this require OBSE? If so any specific version?
Yes it does require OBSE. As for the version, currently we are not sure. Best to just keep the current OBSE in release.

*Stuff like Godrays, Depth of Field, and SSAO won't seem to work?
Make sure you installed Scanti's OBGE updates and his shaders correctly placed (data/shaders "...") From there follow these instructions:

1. Run oblivion with the OBSE loader.
2. Ingame, type this console command "ShowTestShader"
3. If you installed everything correctly, you should see working Godrays, DoF, and such

Your shader files go in this directory as posted above..."Data/Shaders"
Your OBGE file goes into the..."data/obse/plugins" folder

*Will shaders work on ATI cards?
Yes we are certain they will

*When starting Godrays, my game crashes or screen blacksout?
The Godrays is a PS 3.0 shader. You need a Graphics card that supports Pixel Shading 3.0 or greater

*Can I add to this project?
Yes feel free to add as many things as you want.

*I found a bug...
Good for you. If you find a bug, please list the error in-detail here. We can help you more when you explain the problem better

*My Godrays is just a searchlight in clear weather.
First off, Godrays is best displayed on cloudy weather types, in the morning from 6 to 8am and 7 to 9pm. But if you get the searchlight effect, you have to edit the shader FOV for Godrays to match your ingame FOV for oblivion. Example would be if your playing Oblivion on a 95 FOV, you have to edit your Godrays to a 95 FOV. The shader line should be "DefineFOV" near the top of the code.

Which version of OBGE do I use?
So far, any version is confirmed to work. We haven't really fully tested them yet but its safe to just use Scanti's updates (as they are needed to run shaders.)

*How do I reduce over bright kill and whiteout in the sky when I stare at the sun with Godrays Enabled?
Use http://dl.dropbox.com/u/519253/NoGlare.7z texture fix for sunglare and disable HDR. You can optionally enable bloom to keep some white effect and brightness of the sun.

Why do objects in the distant have weird black stuff on them when fog weather is active?
That is from the test SSAO. The author stated that it had some fog bugs. Until it's fixed, they will be there.

What is the most recent version of this project?
As of Monday, 11/23/09 at 4:50 pm, Scanti's OBGE updates v.3 is the most recent and so far stable version.

This project is a Test Alpha. Expect bugs with some things like created new shaders and problems trying to run it yourself.

snipp wrong site/window sorry

Did raziel23x confuse this with an OBSE thread? That seems like information overkill, thought OBGE does require OBSE.

Jumping Jackrabbits Batman...godrays!

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/121/omfgrays01.jpg, http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2980/omfgrays05.jpg, http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/3930/omfgrays09.jpg, http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2302/omfgrays02.jpg, http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2808/omfgrays03.jpg, http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6121/omfgrays04.jpg

Copyrighted Screens


Edit: So far the shader looks the best during sunrise and sunset ingame times (I found around 7pm to 9pm work the best.) It took me a while to find the right angle where the rays would show. There is a minor blue tint that comes across the screen, mostly during the day, then at night (only at certain angles) there is a redish pink tint when you look too far up from the sun. I love this test shader and I am eagerly awaiting more test betas and finals to come.

First of all, just tried out the godrays shader, very nice. I noticed some problems with it (sorry, no screenies), in the form of the screen shading changing (mostly going pinker) as the camera crosses the godray line. I think that was it, anyway.

I'm hoping that I can piggyback the godray shader and get the line vector of each godray edge (where it goes from dark to bright) and project that onto the ground, so I can have an outline of the eclipsing object drawn on the ground, and then shade that in to get a nice dynamic shadow. Of course, it sounds feasible, and a good idea, but I'm not sure if it can actually be done.

I have also decided that I'm going to attempt this grass shader I've mentioned a couple of times next. When I get the time, that is. Now that we can add textures to the screen, and have access to the matrices, it might be possible...

Hehe, the last thing I did with shaders was a depth-based wobble effect, so objects further away wobble more, which is a real headache inducer, and an effect which constantly rotated the screen. Also pretty killer...

-----------------------

Seeing as vtastek has brought his stuff in the open, so shall I:

http://cid-465896b69b9940e8.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/DepthOfField.7z

This is on hold (and probably done for, if someone else has a better shader), though the only improvements needed are a time delay in blur changing, and a better quality blur. It's a Pixel Shader Model 2.0 shader, so everyone should be able to use it. The archive contains only the shader file, which goes in Data\Shaders, and it's name (with .fx suffix) should be entered into the shaderlist file there. Basically just read Scanti's readme on how to use this.

Mind repeating for the inattentive ?:P

Oh, just grass a la http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOHkNSGii9k (inspiration from that game in fact. ) I have no idea how you do it, but it should be fun to learn how. I think it's something to do with detecting everywhere that a texture is used, and then appy the grass shader over those spots, and add in a time displacement effect to get it to wave.

So the point of a grass shader, is basically to improve performance a heck of a lot?

I like the sound of that :whisper:

I have a question. Honestly I am quite happy with vanilla OB graphics except one problem: "plastic" ugly PC/NPC faces. I have installed/tested nearly all available mod enhancements (hires textures, alternative head meshes, etc.). The in-game result is still not satisfactory (graphic quality of faces cannot be compared with graphic quality of e.g. armor). It is possible to see some really beautiful custom faces on posted screenshots. But what player sees more often in the game are NPCs' faces not a PC face.
So, is there a so to say generic solution of such problem in the frame of this outstanding project?
For instance, OB nif format allows to use shaders on the nif level, several relatively recent Gamebryo based games actively use this feature for characters.
Is it possible to implement something similar in OB? Or FaceGen incorporation is a serious obstacle?

Thank you.

@ Mr. Tissue Box: Yep. Oblivion's grass kills performance for me, and I'm sure everyone else too, because it's a mesh with far too much detail in it for something as often used as grass, so it forces Oblivion to display so many more polys onscreen when grass is on, for relatively little visual gain. Sure, vanilla grass can look quite lifelike, but when you start to go low poly, it looks ugly, and still has a big performance impact. A grass shader such as one in the video I mentioned has a miniscule performance hit (I can't see one in Sauerbraten, though that shader is written in GLSL, I'm sure it won't make much if any of a difference), and you get alright-looking grass too.

@ A1x2e3l: Faces are limited by textures and geometry, I think. If you can get a really detailed texture, and a good mesh for the head, it makes a lot of difference. I don't know any for Oblivion though. The only things I can think of improving using shaders would be lighting (sub-surface scattering, etc), though I'm hardly knowledgeable about this sort of thing.

I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say the following: Those screenshots look TOTALLY ballin'.

BTW: I see what you did there, in those links.


It's an interesting idea but I think that's going to fall well within 'pain in the ass' territory in practice. You have the problem of mod authors needing to embed custom metadata, likely using obscure programs to do so or instead putting strain on the runtime parser trying to filter stuff directly embedded in the file. Mod updates would also prove extremely problematic as there's no real easy and consistent way to specify to the runtime that this particular version of the effect is broken and should be replaced with this version, etc. You could theoretically hand-edit the files in question, sure, but that's a bit of a gamble. I'm a fan of the 'design around the lowest common denominator' approach (no offense to any of the people that use the mod, of course, the vast majority are just non-technical is all) when it comes to installation and maintenance.

In other news, the things you can do with MegaTexture (or sparse virtual textures, if you prefer the more official designation) border on http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/galleryimage.asp?topic_id=552939&image=1. Pay no heed to that little 'divide,' that's an underlying issue with the art rather than the particular implementation/technique. In case you're wondering, yes, the text is fully readable and I would venture to say crisper than anything Qarl made for QTP3. At close range. Also, http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/galleryimage.asp?topic_id=552939&image=8 at long distances. I would offer what I'm currently working on to you guys, but unfortunately I can't really see it being of much use. :\

EDIT: Cleaned up some wording.

Try this A1x2e3l.


Working Eyelashes:

- http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=18185

IFT Improved Facial Textures +New Face Textures :

- http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5643
- http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14805

Head06 Replacer:

- http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20335

MHE v2.5:

- http://savageartistry.darkbb.com/tes-iv-oblivion-mods-f5/modified-hair-eyes-t4.htm

Vanilla Hair Replacer:

- http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11954

Nice Teeth:

- http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=13602

I use all of them together and I think I get a pretty descent result.

You could also try a new race like Ren`s mystic elves, that alters the face structure.


For NPC use "Cyrodiil NPC Remodeling Project"

- http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1053707


Hope this helps you some.

Ok i tryed out the Godrays but i think ive done somethink rong I put it iin D:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data\Shaders

I put in Shaders and ive got that is my shaderlist.txt

Depth.fx
TestShader.fx
GodraysforOblivionv001a.fx

I have OBSE and the old OBGE and the TestShader v3 in and http://www.xfire.com/video/195a6d/ is what it looks like could it be becouse its Overcast ?

Thank you, Strupekutter. But I have all face related mods you are recommending and even more others already installed (I am not interested in hair/clothes/armor without solving "face problem" first). Without these awesome mods I was simple not able to play the game longer than half an hour.

@ Cogstar: Try just having the godrays file listed, take out the other two. It looks like the depth shader is being displayed, and the godray shader is trying to get godrays from that.

wow, this grass shader idea sounds awesome. no more crazy performance hit nor grass that looks like crap? YES PLEASE!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/519253/NoGlare.7z little mod should make your godrays look a bit better. It basically disables the sun glare texture that the game engine adds. You have to disable hdr (and maybe bloom) for it to work.

If you don't like the effect then to remove it go to your data\textures\sky directory and delete sunglare.dds.

hmm No pic :banghead:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/519253/godrays2.jpg.

Thanks Scanti, That worked out great for me...Daytime is a lot less intense.


Here are a few pics that I was just feeling in awe of what has been accomplished here. It adds a whole new level of reality and beauty to the game, I can't wait for the final version.

http://frostcragreborn.com/images/Oblivionpic1.jpg

http://frostcragreborn.com/images/Oblivionpic2.jpg

http://frostcragreborn.com/images/Oblivionpic3.jpg


I just want to thank all the talented modders and code monkeys who made this possible...it looks like a lot of work, and I for one am extremely appreciative of the effort.

Indefiance

oh nice now if only i could get some sunny weather B)

Well your right about NOT have HDR on any one know how the to swich the Test shader off and back on agin in game cos the only way i can do it right now is to Exit the gme and come back in ?
oh and here's the http://screenshot.xfire.com/screenshot/natural/359d7cf090d69d881a5bdc96d98f3ff3a417affe.png and ill have a video for you guys too so use see it in action B)

This kind of weather seems to work the best to display the rays on sunset...of course all natural adds so many new weathers so I don't really know what it is (cloudy I think)

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/1994/god101.jpg
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2338/god102.jpg

Yep. To switch it off type ShowTestShader 0 in the console.