Advanced Image Scaling

[BigEd781]

So, I was spending some time implementing the xBR set of scaling algorithms and I came across this little gem: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/23601-2d-image-scaling-algorithms/


Looks like I don't need to implement it now... but this program includes the xBR family as well as HQx and many other nifty scaling algorithms. To give you an idea of what xBR allows you to do, take this image:





Here is a typical nearest neighbor scaling next to an xBR 2x2 scaled version:


(I wish these wouldn't scale down, but I don't have time to mess with it)





Quite a difference. I wanted to implement this algorithm for scaling up SNES style sprites while adding a stylized look.  Figured I would share this find with anyone who hasn't found it for themselves.  Enjoy.

 

[Ralph]

Yay! Now we can be giants! (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡

 

[Ulrika]

TL;DR.

 

[BigEd781]

TL;DR.

 And why did you feel the need to post that?  It's not even long... at all.  Congratulations on achieving a previously unheard of level of intellectual laziness combined with a dazzling display of asshattery.

 

[Ralph]

She's not good at maths (ノД`)・゜・。

Please don't be mad at her! 〔°︷°〕

 

[Ulrika]

I didn't read that either. All I see is "Blablablabla" can't you put it in layman's terms?

 

[BigEd781]

...just look at the pretty picture dullard.

 

[Ulrika]

Yeah, I think you did something wrong, because I see the same 3 pictures. What's up with that?

 

[BigEd781]

...I will ban you.

 

[Ralph]

*drags Ulrika away*

 

[Oscar]

...I will ban you.

Not if we ban you first.

 

[BigEd781]

Do it.

 

[Oscar]

Ok I've had a go, did it work are you banned?

 

[Tsukihime]

The image on the right seems to have had more than just scaling done to it when I'm looking at it up close (zoomed using a browser). The outlines are much smoother than the original. This is all part of the scaling algorithm?

 

[BigEd781]

Ok I've had a go, did it work are you banned?

Apparently not.

The image on the right seems to have had more than just scaling done to it when I'm looking at it up close (zoomed using a browser). The outlines are much smoother than the original. This is all part of the scaling algorithm?

Well, it's scaling, just like nearest neighbor, bilinear, bicubic, etc. They're all ways to change the size of an image, but each one goes about it in a different way. The research paper I linked to was released a year or two ago. This is a relatively new method and is pretty smart about the way it performs scaling. It's much like the HQx algorithm, but it does better around lines and curves.

 

[BadMinotaur]

The way the xBR scaled image looks reminds me a lot of Dungeons of Dredmor's entire in-game look.

For reference, see the attached picture.

 

[GrandmaDeb]

Ed, you are, as always, amazing. Merry Christmas.

And, um, thanks for posting such a great resource. Really useful. Wow. And other on topic comments.

=P

 

[Zeriab]

Awesome find!

Thank you ^^

*hugs*

 

[inflamer]

a script that does that while scaling the game to twice the size would be AMAZING.

 

[Victor Sant]

i was trying to do something like that, i got one .dll but the effect was still too slow and not with the same quality as the images posted.

This would make making graphics far easier, as you could use 16bit resolution (I.E.: SNES resolution) and scale the graphics ingame without having them pixelated. this would also reduce the game size.

The effect i wanted was the HQX2 but this one still more like ScaleX2. Since i didn't find the algorithm for HQX2 i gave up.