When importing and updating assets from the original Rome you might want to use AI upscaling to improve the quality before using them in the Remaster.
The art of upscaling textures using AI is a rapidly evolving field so this page is meant to a quick primer on the basics. Once you have a firm grasp of the basics there are many potential avenues to explore based on the type of textures you're aiming to upscale and how you intend for them to be used in the final game.
In summary, you’ll need to:
- Install Cupscale (MIT license) https://github.com/n00mkrad/cupscale (below are a few useful guides)
- https://upscale.wiki/wiki/Cupscale_Installation - Guide on installing including help with dependencies on Windows.
- https://upscale.wiki/wiki/Model_Database - Upscale Models
- https://discord.gg/y7YEENJwbD - Game Asset Upscale Discord
- Follow the guides to get it working and pick an AI model for the upscaling (this guide assumes ESRGAN - Pytorch)
- Get all your textures ready for upscaling
Below are some images and settings used to upscale textures for Rome Remastered. These settings are based on the settings used by the Chivalry and RIS mods to upscale the units that they used in their mods.
- Set your AI network to ESRGAN (Pytorch)
- Then you can set the following options:
- Chain Two Models
1x_BCGone-DetailedV2_40-60_115000_G(Cleans DXT1 compression artefacts)4xUniversalUpscaler-Detailed_155000_G(Detailed 4x Upscale)- Make sure you have transparency check box enabled in the ESRGAN settings (see screenshot)
- Check preview image and preview info
- Set saving options
- Override mode
No - Add Suffix - Output format
DDS
- Override mode
- Click on the cog in the top right
- Image Export Settings
a. DDS: Compression Mode
BC3 (DXT5)b. Generate Mipmaps[x]
- Select Batch Tab
- Output Mode:
Keep Folder Structure - Pre-Processing:
Enabled - Convert, Fill Alpha if Needed, Resize if enabled - Auto-Tiling Mode:
Check title size for each image
- Output Mode:
- Press
Upscale Image(and go an make a coffee)
Once they are complete you can return to the main Importing RTW units guide for how to link them to the correct model files in the Remaster.
This guide was created with the assistance of Swagger & Starkgate from the RIS modding team. They have used this tool to upscale many textures that are used in the RIS and Chivary mods for Rome Remastered. We have used their settings and experiences as a basis for this guide.
Here are a few useful addional resources that you might find useful.
- https://upscale.wiki/wiki/Model_Database -> Useful AI upscale models
- https://discord.gg/y7YEENJwbD -> Game Upscale Discord
- https://upscale.wiki/wiki/Cupscale_Installation -> Guide on installing including help with dependencies on Windows.