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

Attention*
If you are running into problems and errors, please read the OP and the FAQ very carefully! If your question is not answered, then list your problem in detail with your depthshaderlog.txt and any other additional error checking messages.

Thank You

Downloads

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1057645
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/519253/Godrays.fx
http://cid-465896b69b9940e8.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/Oblivion%20Shaders/DepthOfField.fx
http://www.4shared.com/file/167174408/3f9a3b56/ArKano22_SSAO_V2.html
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://img684.imageshack.us/img684/678/skyview03.jpg
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/4836/omgheaven02.jpg
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8284/omggray02.jpg
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/1994/god101.jpg
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3404/dofview01.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/8996/dofv2.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6130/dofv2a.jpg

*FAQ*

*Is this a RELz? Should I download this?
OGE, 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.

*How do I install OGE and other shaders?
Download the shaders and plugin from the links above. In the plugin archive, the DepthTest.dll goes in your "data/obse/plugins" folder. The shaders, both in the plugin archive and the ones you download seperately, go in your "data/shaders" folder.

The next step is to open up the "shaderlist.txt" in your "data/shaders" folder. Remove its contents, as these are example plugins that do not produce playable effects. Then add the names of the shader files you have installed and wish to see the effects of into the file. Make sure to spell them exactly, and include the .fx extension. There is a specific order required for the file names added, as detailed in the next question.

To see the effects in game, you must open up your console and enter "ShowTestShader". To disable the effects, again open the console, but this time enter "ShowTestShader 0".

*Does OGE require any specific hardware to run?
The shaders are compatible with both ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards, although both the Godrays and Depth Of Field shaders require a Shader Model 3 compliant graphics card to run. Any NVIDIA graphics card that is GeForce 6 Series (released 2004) or newer supports Shader Model 3.0. Any ATI graphics card that is Radeon X1000 Series (released 2005) or newer supports Shader Model 3.0.

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

Creating shader effects requires knowledge of programming in HLSL or ASM, while helping Scanti with the OBSE plugin requires knowledge of C, DirectX core functionality and the OBSE plugin system. For those who are not programming-capable, contribution is more limited, though we welcome support and whatever else you can bring to the project. Especially cake or ice cream.

*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 OGE 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.

*Once I got Godrays to work, my AA disappeared? WHY?!?
The method used to expose the information used to create the shader effects is incompatible with Anti-Aliasing. This is reported to be the case on both ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards. No confirmed solution is available at this time.

*My screen is all blue?
Blue Screening can result from a number of problems, mostly with related to your graphics card. Make sure you atleast have a PS 3.0 graphics card and have the required DirectX in the OP download. Also make sure you spelled each and every shader named EXACTLY as they should be spelled, adding the (.fx) as well.

What is the Proper Shader Load Order
As pertaining to MGE, this should be the order of your shader list with the current release of shaders.

-SSAO
-DepthOfField
-Godrays

*What is the most recent version of this project?
As of Monday, 11/23/09 at 4:50 pm, Scanti's OGE 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.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/825/screensbug.jpg

What files do you have listed in your shaderlist.txt (exactly)? What shader (.fx) files are there in your Shaders directory? What is the contents of your DepthShaderTest.txt log?

PostEffects.fx
radialblur.fx
ScreenEffects.fx
ssao_test.fx
GodraysforOblivionv001a.fx
DepthOfField.fx

testshader.fx
depth.fx

You have to remove lines testshader.fx and depht.fx and add lines:
ssao_test.fx
DepthOfField.fx
GodraysforOblivionv001a.fx

And the Godrays.fx file is the latest version of the Godrays shader. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/519253/Godrays.fx.

@ AmpolX: Naming inconsistencies in OP, and the link to Godrays needs to be fixed. Perhaps a FAQ on the causes of blue screens are, and how to solve/anolyse them using the log would be a good idea?

Your order is all out of whack. You do not need screeneffects, radical blur, and Posteffects in your shaderlist.

Your order should look like this:

ssao_test.fx
DepthOfField.fx
GodraysforOblivionv001a.fx

EDIT: Good idea. I'll also add the CORRECT shader load order for given shaders.

More OP nitpicking, I'm afraid.

Subtitle: graphics should be Graphics.

Second paragraph: OBGE is referenced twice. Isn't it now OGE?

Perhaps a neater way to show the links below the second paragraph would be to link directly to the descriptors, like so:

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1057645
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/519253/Godrays.fx
http://cid-465896b69b9940e8.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/Oblivion%20Shaders/DepthOfField.fx
http://www.4shared.com/file/167174408/3f9a3b56/ArKano22_SSAO_V2.html
http://www.oblation.eu/downloads/obge/TestShaderv3.7z

I think that giving the shaders incremental release versions (even if it doesn't match production versions) is a good idea because people can then just quicky check for new versions via the OP: "OK, I've got v1. Oh, OP is linking to a v2, better get it." As I will say below, there is an important difference between the current OBGE and what we are doing. More on that later. The other link is fine IMHO.

Change the question "Will shaders work on ATI cards?" to "Do the shaders require any specific hardware to run?". The answer can then be that:

"The shaders are compatible with both ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards, although both the Godrays and Depth Of Field shaders require a Shader Model 3 compliant graphics card to run. Any NVIDIA graphics card that is GeForce 6 Series (released 2004) or newer supports Shader Model 3.0. Any ATI graphics card that is Radeon X1000 Series (released 2005) or newer supports Shader Model 3.0.

This then eliminates the need for the next question.


It might also be a good idea to differentiate between OBGE and Scanti's plugin. Scanti's plugin is not OBGE, which is a separate plugin, and so some confusion has arisen over this fact. The OBGE plugin is completely unrequired for this project, but Scanti's is a must have. When Scanti's finished rewriting OBGE, then we will have to be doubly careful, because then there'll be an OBGE and an OGE running around, but that's best sorted when that occurs.

So yeah, just a load of suggestions. No grammar nazis, for now...

EDITS: A heap of post hackery. Stuff added, stuff changed. Best to re-read.

Why is it OGE???? OBGE sounded so much more sophisticated! :nerd:

Because we are but a fickle bunch of modders. Also, the precursor is Morrowind Graphics Extender, MGE. Although it would also fit the Oblivion naming convention of the 'OB' prefix if we kept the old name. It does, however, help differentiate between our efforts and the original OBGE, which is a plugin that Timeslip created, and is not connected to this project in any way apart from inspiration.

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

As a continuation of my above post of suggested OP changes, here's some more. In fact, below is my proposed replacement to the FAQ section.

*FAQ*

*Is this a RELz? Should I download this?
OGE, like MGE before it, is a modular project, with new shaders and effects being added and developed with time. At the moment, there are only a few shaders available to try out, and these are still works in progress, as is the OBSE plugin that makes their effects possible.

Despite this, we encourage you to try them out, though it is important to note the alpha-level release quality.

*Does this require OBSE? If so any specific version?
This does require OBSE, and it is always best that you use the latest stable release, which is v0017b at the time of writing. The beta v0018 release is also compatible, and the project is developed using it. There are no reprocussions to using the stable v0017b instead though, if you do not wish to try the beta.

*Do the shaders require any specific hardware to run?
The shaders are compatible with both ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards, although both the Godrays and Depth Of Field shaders require a Shader Model 3 compliant graphics card to run. Any NVIDIA graphics card that is GeForce 6 Series (released 2004) or newer supports Shader Model 3.0. Any ATI graphics card that is Radeon X1000 Series (released 2005) or newer supports Shader Model 3.0.

*Can I add to this project?
Yes! Feel free to contribute in whatever way you can.

Creating shader effects requires knowledge of programming in HLSL or ASM, while helping Scanti with the OBSE plugin requires knowledge of C, DirectX core functionality and the OBSE plugin system. For those who are not programming-capable, contribution is more limited, though we welcome support and whatever else you can bring to the project. Especially cake or ice cream.

*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.

*Once I got the effects to work, my AA disappeared. Why?
The method used to expose the information used to create the shader effects is incompatible with Anti-Aliasing. This is reported to be the case on both ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards. No confirmed solution is available at this time.

*How do I install the shaders and the OBE plugin?
Download the shaders and plugin from the links above. In the plugin archive, the DepthTest.dll goes in your "data/obse/plugins" folder. The shaders, both in the plugin archive and the ones you download seperately, go in your "data/shaders" folder.

The next step is to open up the "shaderlist.txt" in your "data/shaders" folder. Remove its contents, as these are example plugins that do not produce playable effects. Then add the names of the shader files you have installed and wish to see the effects of into the file. Make sure to spell them exactly, and include the .fx extension. There is a specific order required for the file names added, as detailed in the next question.

To see the effects in game, you must open up your console and enter "ShowTestShader". To disable the effects, again open the console, but this time enter "ShowTestShader 0".

*What is the Proper Shader Load Order?
As pertaining to OGE, this should be the order of your shaders in shaderlist.txt with the current release of shaders.

-SSAO
-DepthOfField
-Godrays

*My screen is all blue?
A blue screen arises from the shader failing to compile correctly. This is most likely due to one of three things:

1. Your graphics card does not support the required Shader Model. See the relevant question above for more information.
2. You have misspelled the name of a shader file in your shaderlist.txt. Make sure that they are spelt right (they are case sensitive), and that you have included the .fx extension.
3. You have not got the required DirectX update installed. Download it from the link above.

*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.

*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, 07/12/09 at 23:11 GMT, Scanti's OGE plugin v3 is the most recent and stable version.

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

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

Who else loathes the authorization mismatch timeout error? :banghead:

Is the SSAO shader available to the public at this time?

Yes, it's linked in the last thread. http://www.4shared.com/file/167174408/3f9a3b56/ArKano22_SSAO_V2.html it is. That should probably be added to the OP. It's v2 in terms of release, AFAIK.

Thanks for the download link, wrinklyninja. Downloading now.

Pinch what you want. I pinched most of it from sites Google threw at me. The blur should be pretty fast; it takes a large sample area (13x13) while only REALLY sampling 26 points. In fact, framerate is unaffected if I turn the blur off. The only thing I dislike about it, is that it has to redundantly recalculate the offsets every pixel (or frame, I'm not sure).

For those of you concerned with performance in the SSAO shader:
You can adjust the falloff of the effect to try and gain some performance. The way it is setup now should allow the shader to work on all locally loaded cells, to the edge of the LOD distant land. You can gain a smidgen of performance by changing the fall off to something like 0.7 to 0.75. The shader will ignore pixels with depths beyond 0.75. But this is view dependent. If you look down at the ground, the performance will drop. If you look up at the sky, the performance will skyrocket. But, typically, your view would be on the horizon, so it should even out.

You can also tweak the amount of SSAO sampling to try and gain some performance at the expense of a bit of accuracy of the effect. Play with the "ssao_sample_size" and "ssao_sample_area" variables inside ssao_test.fx. Here are some of my observations.

ssao_sample_size = 4ssao_sample_area = 1.7FPS = 15ssao_sample_size = 3ssao_sample_area = 2.55FPS = 18ssao_sample_size = 2ssao_sample_area = 5.1FPS = 24When SSAO was off, the framerate was around 32 FPS.  The effect still looked quite good even with only two sample levels.

For those of you concerned that the SSAO effect is too subtle, there are two things you can do:
The first thing (and what I consider the best) would be to adjust the DarkenAO variables. DarkenAO works to darken the darker parts of the effect, but leave the lighter parts alone. Increasing the intensity will substantially darken the effect, making it much more noticeable. You can also increase the threshold a bit to have it darken more of the lighter parts of the effect.

The second would be to uncomment the NO_BRIGHTNESS_CONSIDERATION define. This will tell the shader to not reduce the effect on brighter parts of the scene. Taking brightness into consideration will help to keep the shader from darkening self-illuminating or highly specular objects. The first version of the SSAO shader didn't do this, and if you preferred it, it is still there for your taste.

Uhh... Next time, I'll put all this in a readme... xD

Edit: Since it had been asked, here are a couple before and after shots.
These were taken with the highest performance settings (2 Sample Levels, instead of the default 4).

Forest - http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/1992/screenshot21g.jpg | http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3802/screenshot20p.jpg
Shop - http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5817/screenshot23e.jpg | http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/5694/screenshot22d.jpg

Damn. This thing really svcks up the framerate. From 195 FPS to 28 FPS in the shop images. I can't see how I could possibly optimize the algorithm though.

I did so, here what I get now :
- I get not Godrays !
- my AA disappeared !
- the Depth of Field is messed up, I get the whole screen blurry !
- SSAO work, but I get dramatic drop in FPS

If you would care to read the FAQs (mine or AmpolX's) you would quickly find the answers to your gripes.

Because I am feeling helpful:

- You have done something wrong. Read FAQ and sort it out yourself. I can't help you because I don't know the specifics of what you have done wrong, and once you figure that out, the solution, as they say, is trivial.
- This happens.
- Your shaders are listed in the wrong order.
- This happens. As HawkleyFox has just posted, you can do something about it.

Oh god wrinkly Ha im going nuts trying to manage this but i'll make amend the OP with your changes as best as I can.

The advantage with OBGE was that as a four letter acronym... it was searchable on the forum. Don't underestimate how useful that is!

Vac

The name doesn't really matter...OGE, OBGE its the same thing. Since this fourm is mainly always being updated with new posts, it will remain near the top pages. The reason why it changed because Haplo proved a good point that it seems too close to OBSE in name. Either way...its still the same project, that will probably be constantly changing.

That never bothered me much. It was a good clue that OBGE requires OBSE.

- ok
-I know, but please fix it !
- :nope: :
ssao_test.fx
DepthOfField.fx
GodraysforOblivionv001a.fx

You're still using the wrong version of the Godrays shader. Use the one linked in the OP.

As for the AA problem, that's dependant entirely on if it's even possible or not, and Scanti's probably the only one who knows.

Post a screenshot of this blurryness. If you've got everything installed right then you shouldn't be seeing any problems with DoF.

I can't live without AA

OK

Hey guys, long time, no see. RL has reduced me to the point where I can only refresh the forum list every once in a while; I haven't actually gone into a thread in weeks, much less posted.

But I noticed something here that I thought bore mentioning: the use of "ObGE" or "OBGE", as opposed to "OGE", was quite intentional - the forum's search function will not search for strings less than four characters long. So you can search for "obge" but not "oge". For this reason, I recommend using "ObGE" or "OBGE", to make the thread easier for people to find.

And unfortunately, that's all I have to add. Good luck!

So the use of OBGE vs OGE here has me a little confused too... is this OB(G)E anything at all to do with this http://timeslip.chorrol.com/obge.html? Can I replace that OBGE with this O(B)GE and use it to load/unload/increase/decrease my *.fx shader from my scripts? Does this one have the same scripting API or is it different? There are reports that the other OBGE causes CTD's for some people... can this one be used instead to fix those problems?