Hello all again. I really think that a upscaled "fan remaster mod" from Touché is possible and could be nice. So I wanna post here some more upscaled results comparison for encourage everyone and to "not forget" this possibility
https://ibb.co/album/d45GF9
So, obviously I would need more experienced help and have some questions, needing the opinion from ScummVM devs, as they know this world by far much more than everybody (and could determine if it's possible or not, in various aspects). And, of course as there are changes and knowledge about ScummVM, his "ok", participation and approval.
About last polemic messages about modding, legal stuff, using assets...: I totally respect the ScummVM devs decisions (because a lot of reasons - they know and have the experience about what are doing). So I will wait to it's opinion and answer to various topics in this post.
So, here are the problems/questions:
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Technical doubts: About obtaining original assets and "overload edited", posted in my previous message (
viewtopic.php?p=97756#p97756) and also at the end of this post itself.
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Legal topics: I talked with James Woodcock (enhanced soundtrack creator) asking contact with game owners. Sadly, his contact was the original music composer, who has sadly passed away a few years ago.
So, as get permission is a requirement, how we could contact and talk with actual owners? As far I could research "US Gold" publisher are bought by "Eidos Interactive" (as Clipper Software dissapeared).
Also, here is the whole credits list of the original devs & authors:
https://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/touc ... er/credits
Maybe some of them still are localizable at internet.
So, what could be done? Any of these people could give his "ok" to a fan remaster?
As I was thinking in some "possible" changes, here are things I wrote as "Touché: Fan Remaster" mod objectives (also for communicate with owners and know how aspects could be researched):
a.
"I think it's possible"
1. Improve original backgrounds with AI upscaled with Real-ESGRAN.
2. Manual graphic edits and fixes to AI upscaled backgrounds.
3. Upscale original characters and manual edit the bad-artifacted AI result.
4. Editing & improve original voice acting audios, converting to stereo, cleaning dirty sound and making better.
5. Ask for permission to add credited the improved OST (
https://www.pixelrefresh.com/touche-the ... r-scummvm/).
6. Improve ambiance sounds with open-source or editing/improved ones.
b.
"Maybe it's possible"
1. Upscale original objects (that like the characters aren't part of painted backgrounds) if are images and not sprites. Making it fit and sense in the final result.
2. Manual edit some upscaled background to make some differences, respecting structures, between taverns and stables from different cities (common critic about the game).
3. Add more background ambiance sounds (for cities, crowds...) with open-source or hand made sounds.
4. Improve character animations, adding more steps to them, if the engine supports more steps (maybe with help of interpolation technics).
5. Replace/improve font, if it's an image used with coordinates (as I suppose) and not sprites.
6. If UI elements are images, improve here and there (action menu, main menu...).
c.
"Don't know, depending on the engine"
1. Adding option for moving fast LeBrun, pressing double-click (like last MI) (another common critic - actually with F9-F10).
2. Convert to 16:9 (it's possible with the upscaled backgrounds).
3. Visual UI edits, maybe adding some transparent parts to UI image even maybe hiding it and showing with a menu or hotkey like modern graphic adventures.
4. Main menu. Players tend to press ESC and miss the intro. Maybe something like the option modal with a background before start.
PS.: I'm an 15 years experienced developer (not games) and graphics editor.