

Phase 2 was the beginning of what we would consider full-scale development. “The process is as important as the result.” Phase 2: Modernization Efforts With the game playable again, and a much higher base resolution to work from, we began to improve assets by hand. Meanwhile, our programmers were hard at work upgrading our version of Unreal Engine 3 to a more updated and unified version. Our batch tools made special considerations to maintain the validity of special texture types, like normal maps or masks to ensure colors didn’t contaminate each other.Īt this time, we also incorporated some more modern texture compression techniques that would allow those textures to hold onto more of their quality on disk. We then wrote some batch processes that worked along with an AI up-res program to increase the original uncompressed textures to four times their originally authored sizes.
MASS EFFECT 2 TV TROPES FULL
For the trilogy, this is well over thirty thousand individual textures.įirst, we increased the engine limits on texture sizes, so any textures that were authored larger than could be used on-disk could now use their full resolutions. Now, the remaster is releasing on hardware that allows 4K resolutions, so the answer for how many textures we wanted to improve was easy: every single one of them.
MASS EFFECT 2 TV TROPES 720P
The original trilogy was released entirely on a console cycle that allowed up to 1080p resolutions but was often actually running at 720p or lower. actually exist across the trilogy, and on average what are their quality levels? Do the source assets (content creation files) still exist? What percentage of those assets should we improve, and on average, how long will each asset type take to improve? Knowing the sheer numbers of assets and their quality levels shaped our strategy for improving each “type” of asset. How many particle effects, 3D models, textures, levels, GUI (Graphical User Interface) elements, sounds, cinematic movies, etc. We started Phase 1 by identifying and cataloguing every asset in the trilogy. “The Lazarus Project will proceed as planned.” Phase 1: Building the Foundation We took a three-phased approach to remastering the trilogy. Remastering a single game is a deceivingly complex process, so creating a proper plan for how best to mitigate risk while reopening three games to full development was foremost on our minds. The simple process of blowing the dust off, let alone implementing foundational changes like updating the version of the engine, will undoubtedly cause unexpected issues. When a game is in its final state, it generally resembles a house of cards. Here’s what's included:įor those interested in the technical aspects of game development, it’s probably no surprise to hear that changing almost any asset or system can (and will) break something else. Within this blog, we’ll give you an in-depth look at our remastering process with a specific focus on key changes and improvements made to the visuals. A remaster rather than remake allowed us to build upon the original assets in a way that resembles the polishing phase in a normal development cycle, while also being able to utilize the advantages of much more modern hardware and software. Our goal from the onset was to improve and enhance the visuals while staying true to the original aesthetics of the trilogy that have become so iconic and genre-defining over the past decade. It may sound somewhat counterintuitive, but as artists-especially on this remaster-we want players to be able to experience the trilogy again, or for the first time, without being distracted by the art. The art of Mass Effect supports and builds a universe in which rich stories and characters can be fully realized. VISUAL IMPROVEMENTS GRAPHICAL UPDATES, CHANGES, & ADDITIONS MASS EFFECT™ LEGENDARY EDITION

MASS EFFECT 2 TV TROPES PC
GAME OVERVIEW STORY TIMELINE CHARACTERS REMASTER COMPARISON PC REQUIREMENTS PERFORMANCE DETAILS CONTROLS ACCESSIBILITY COMMUNITY COSPLAY GUIDES SUBMIT YOUR CREATION FAN ART KIT FAN SUBMISSIONS MEDIA NEWS CUSTOM ART CREATOR GAME OVERVIEW STORY TIMELINE CHARACTERS REMASTER COMPARISON PC REQUIREMENTS PERFORMANCE DETAILS CONTROLS ACCESSIBILITY COMMUNITY COSPLAY GUIDES SUBMIT YOUR CREATION FAN ART KIT FAN SUBMISSIONS MEDIA NEWS CUSTOM ART CREATOR Mass Effect Legendary Edition Mass Effect: Andromeda

Visual Improvements Mass Effect Legendary Edition Mass Effect: Andromeda
