Sharpening Pass

[OptimusShepard]

The new antialiasing implementation FXAA makes the game a little bit blurry. Therefor a sharpening pass should be implemented. The level of sharpen could be selectable by slider.

AMD has released a free implementation on git, which seems to be the current best one, which is available. ​https://github.com/GPUOpen-Effects/FidelityFX/tree/master/FFX_CAS

It has been already ported to reshade. ​https://wccftech.com/amd-fidelityfx-cas-got-ported-to-reshade/

In the following I made some screenshots with reshade. The settings are CAS=off, CAS=0.0, CAS=0.3, CAS=0.5 and CAS=1.0. Good noticable on the detailed tree shadows, and textures of bulding and ground.

Non CAS

0.0 CAS

0.3 CAS

0.5 CAS

1.0 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

No CAS

[OptimusShepard]

0.0 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

0.3 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

0.5 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

1.0 CAS

[Vladislav Belov]

It'd be better to use PNG or any other lossless image formats. Because sharpness difference isn't so visible because of JPG artefacts.

[Vladislav Belov]

Also you don't need the whole screenshot, since even the whole screenshot doesn't show all possible cases. You might use cropped image, like 512x512 or 256x256 to show more noticeable details.

[OptimusShepard]

Replying to Vladislav Belov:

Also you don't need the whole screenshot, since even the whole screenshot doesn't show all possible cases. You might use cropped image, like 512x512 or 256x256 to show more noticeable details.

Ok, I will replace them. My current png are much to big.

[OptimusShepard]

No CAS

[OptimusShepard]

0.0 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

0.3 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

0.5 CAS

[OptimusShepard]

1.0 CAS

[nani]

How does it fare with FXAA enabled?
This should be very easy to add to 0ad but what about compatibility?
Looks very promising. Make diff and maybe we can add even add multiples sharpening filters :)

[gameboy]

I saw in the shadow of your screenshot that the roof edge of the building is still serrated.

Do we need to add a second anti-aliasing feature: MSAA, thanks?

[OptimusShepard]

Replying to gameboy:

I saw in the shadow of your screenshot that the roof edge of the building is still serrated.

I think you confuse it with the contour of the building. Take a closer look.

Do we need to add a second anti-aliasing feature: MSAA, thanks?

I think FXXA in combination with this sharpening pass leads to a good picture quality with less performance impact. A better antialiasing method would cost more performance and should be there for less priority.

[OptimusShepard]

Replying to nani:

How does it fare with FXAA enabled?

The screenshots are taken with FXAA enabled. That’s why the picture without CAS is so blurry.

This should be very easy to add to 0ad but what about compatibility?

What do you mean with compatibility? Do you mean the licence? AMD allows you everything to do, you only must add the licence terms to the header (​https://github.com/GPUOpen-Effects/FidelityFX/blob/master/LICENSE.txt).
If you mean the vendor compatibility, here is no problem. Btw these screenshots are taken on an Intel GPU.
As it works with Reshade OpenGl, I think it should work with 0 A.D. too?

Looks very promising. Make diff and maybe we can add even add multiples sharpening filters :)

I guess it should be easy to implement if you know what you are doing. But I have never did something like that bevor, so I don't know if I have the skill to do so :)

[gameboy]

If you can do it, do it.

[Imarok]

Has this been fixed by ​Phab:rP23947?

[Imarok]

Replying to Imarok:

Has this been fixed by ​Phab:rP23947?

According to ​Phab:D2642 it seems like it has.