[Filter] Surreal Effect

DXTweaker, besides being able to fix the active camo on Nvidia cards, can be used to apply post-processing to games. It uses pixel shaders in a .xml file, so I spent the day learning how they work and how to make these pixel shaders. What came out was an effect that gave the game a sort of "surreal" or dreamy feeling. It's more contrasted, and more saturated.

Derelict
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1664/76750629mx8.jpg

Blood Gulch
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5333/91815271pw7.jpg

Download Filter
Download DXTweaker with Filter and Camo Fix

Instructions

1. If you don't already have DXTweaker, download it from the link above. If you've done that, then you can skip to step 4.
2. If you already have DXTweaker, but not the Filter, then download the filter from the link provided. Place the .xml file in the DXTweaker\Plugin\PostFilterEffect\ folder.
3. In DXTweaker, under "Modules to Load," make sure that "Post Filter" is checked. For the module properties, maker sure that Surreal is selected. There's also some default filters to play around with too.
4. If you aren't using an Nvidia card, you can uncheck the "ident changer" module. This removes the camo fix since you don't need it.
5. To start the game using the filter, or just the camo fix alone, create a shortcut to either of the files in the DXTweaker\Config folder. Also make sure that .dxtp files are associated with DXTweaker.

Note: In DXTweaker, I've set up some arguments for halo, you can remove this if you want
Note 2: halo will probably exception when you quit, as if that mattered, but still...
Note 3: This is incompatible with Yelo

UPDATE: NOW WITH LESS EYE BURNING:
http://www.h2vista.net/forums/showpo...4&postcount=70

Looks "Next-Gen" (Brown). Good stuff, though.

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINEH!!!1!1

Looks nice *awesome*

Wow. Love it.

:o Looks awesome I tried delta ruined with it and the colors reminded me of GoW.

Fucking LOVELY.

IF IT WORKED WITH YELO BATTERY D:

Man, this sucks DXTweaker won't start anymore, pity, I wanted to try these D:

Edit: Nevermind I forgot to reinstall .NET Framework after a reformat. Looks awesome.

looks..... shiny xD

Trying this with Halo 2 =D

Ow, while it looks great my eyes hurt.

Play with it when you feel sleepy

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Sorry, Con, but I had to, a new thread is not necessary =D

Zanzibar looks awesome o_o

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Conscars

DXTweaker, besides being able to yadda yadda...

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Conscars, that's you're 3,333th post :D

coag is extra shiny O_O

doooooood :awesome:

It's new, and that is typically interesting. However, I think it looks absolutely wrong.

Does the DXTweaker work on the Halo Campaign maps?

this is sweet, and good for the xml format because i think i'll do a bit of custom tweaking.

Halo has never made my eyes hurt even after several hours, this made my eyes hurt after like half an hour, but a half an hour of :awesome: Even some failure maps look half descent.

Finally there's a bloom effect in Halo.

Looks awesome....blinding, but awesome. Ouch, my eyes. :(

Rise of Legends has never looked so pretty. By the way how do I take a screenshot with the filter on?

I was wondering the same thing, I took so many but when I checked the screen shot folder they were without the filter on.

So I downloaded DXT tweaker, and all I see is a black box with a white rectangle that has Halo CE in it. No buttons or anything... Anyone know what may be wrong? (i'm in vista)

Too much contrast imo. Just have a bit more contrast than usual, and a tiny bit of desaturation, and it would be better.

Just saw that camo fix in action, I had no idea I was missing out on it for so long :(

Oh wow, just wow. This is just what I've been looking for. Halo now looks more realistic than ever; and I've noticed a framerate boost too.

Looks like and HDR (as in HDR photography) image. :awesome:

Good work finding this! If only we could integrate this without using DXTweaker!

Fucking source code....Korn where are you? Proxy dlls, can they enable AF/AA???
I have the source code for bloom in unmanaged code...I just don't know if that can be injected in any way.

Otherwise this :awesome:

It looks pretty and all, but my brain is gonna go splat soon.

awesome conny :D


-edit-

wtf :'(

http://www.hivclan.net/hivshack/images/564857wtf.jpg

Does this work on ATI cards?

EDIT: I have the same problem as bacon.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StankBacon™

awesome conny :D


-edit-

wtf :'(

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Right click your icon, go to the properties tab, and check disable visual themes.

Is it my theme or does the interface ment to look like this?:

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...problemdxt.jpg

Awesome... but this plugin is an eye burner :gonk:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TLSHunter

Is it my theme or does the interface ment to look like this?:

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Read the post above yours.

Thanks.

OMG that's eyecandy!!!!!!!!
you just made my day conscars

Nice work Conscars.

Unfortunately I get an exception error when I launch HaloCE, any ideas on how to fix this?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TLSHunter

Is it my theme or does the interface ment to look like this?:

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...problemdxt.jpg

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I have the same problem as all the people that somehow have seem to have ATI cards :/

Sigh, It doesnt work for me :( anyone know why? i start it up like everyone else is and it doesnt work, is it cuz im on vista?

OK it seems that the problem for the blackness is the theme. Switch to classic view on Vista and you should be able to see the options.

if that's the case try using the compatibility setting (also make your games run faster. right click the halo icon, go to properties then the compatibility tab, and then check disable desktop composition) i noticed in vista, my games get a performance boost when aero's off (i mean aero is nice eye candy, but it slows down your machine, eats your ram and kills your battery)

[*edit*]
nvidia users, you may want to go into your nvidia control panel and adjust the digital vibrancy
otherwise this new filter will appear horribly grayed out

I did what you suggested and it didnt do anything :(

Edit: i got the surreal effect, now the game just crashes :(

Exception error.

It works on my other computer really well; the effects work perfectly enough to rape anybody's eyes, but on this computer running Vista with an nVidia card, I get an exception error after the Halo splash screen.

I've even unchecked all the boxes and whatnot and it /still/ crashes.

So I'm like... wtf.

Me 2 i get exception, but it works on h2v...
Edit: this looks fucking winsauce on shadowrun
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6213/rapegfxpk4.jpg

I'm afraid I don't know how to fix the exception errors, sorry. Some people have also said it doesn't work, but the camo fix does, well FlyinRooster was able to fix that somehow. Ask him :|

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Conscars

I'm afraid I don't know how to fix the exception errors, sorry. Some people have also said it doesn't work, but the camo fix does, well FlyinRooster was able to fix that somehow. Ask him :|

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The exception errors are no big problem, theyre only when you quit and they only happen once every 3 times.

Not like they cause any problems....

They happen for me right after the cd detect screen shows up

Still wondering how you take screenshots with it on :gonk:

Otherwise I think Im gonna use this with RoL from now on no matter how much it hurts my eyes. :D

use printscreen.

Does this app work with anything other than halo?

I cannot use DXTweaker. Everytime I run it with Halo, it crashes (not an exception, a windows crash). I'm running Vista 64-bit, maybe that's the problem?

This works with anything that uses dx8+ i think

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Archon23

Still wondering how you take screenshots with it on :gonk:

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print screen, paste into PS or paint

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SuperSunny

I cannot use DXTweaker. Everytime I run it with Halo, it crashes (not an exception, a windows crash). I'm running Vista 64-bit, maybe that's the problem?

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I wouldn't be surprised

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SuperSunny

I cannot use DXTweaker. Everytime I run it with Halo, it crashes (not an exception, a windows crash). I'm running Vista 64-bit, maybe that's the problem?

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Can you tell us in what exe/dll it exceptions? It should be in the report under technical stuff at the top.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OmegaDragon

So I downloaded DXT tweaker, and all I see is a black box with a white rectangle that has Halo CE in it. No buttons or anything... Anyone know what may be wrong? (i'm in vista)

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Ah in vista you have to right click on the DXT tweaker exe and click properties. Then click the compatibility tab and check the box next to disable visual themes. that should make it fine. I had the same problem :D!

Also I have an Intel card so I don't even have Aero but I still have this problem. Just do what I said above and it will work fine.

I used to get exceptions using DXTweaker when I ran Halo CE on Vista (32 bit) and I use an nVidia graphics card if that changes anything. Anyway, DXTweaker started working right once I installed CE on an XP partition and played it there.

Oh guys read my post above it tells how to fix that blackness in vista :D.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lone wolf

use printscreen.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Conscars

print screen, paste into PS or paint

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Well Im not an idiot I tried that ><

It just takes the shot as though the filter wasn't there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patrickssj6

Can you tell us in what exe/dll it exceptions? It should be in the report under technical stuff at the top.

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I've been getting the exact same error with Halo.
I don't know if you meant this, but here goes.

Code:

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Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:    APPCRASH
  Application Name:    halo.exe
  Application Version:    1.0.7.613
  Application Timestamp:    426f157f
  Fault Module Name:    ~df394b.tmp
  Fault Module Version:    0.0.0.0
  Fault Module Timestamp:    3cdb9c7b
  Exception Code:    c0000005
  Exception Offset:    0004d8a0
  OS Version:    6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
  Locale ID:    2067
  Additional Information 1:    8d13
  Additional Information 2:    cdca9b1d21d12b77d84f02df48e34311
  Additional Information 3:    8d13
  Additional Information 4:    cdca9b1d21d12b77d84f02df48e34311

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Here's the crash report from Vista:

Quote:

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Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: haloce.exe
Application Version: 1.0.7.613
Application Timestamp: 4283fd02
Fault Module Name: ~df394b.tmp
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 3cdb9c7b
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 0004d8a0
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 8d13
Additional Information 2: cdca9b1d21d12b77d84f02df48e34311
Additional Information 3: 8d13
Additional Information 4: cdca9b1d21d12b77d84f02df48e34311

Read our privacy statement:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?link...3&clcid=0x0409

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I don't have a problem with Vista 64. Everything has worked perfectly fine. All my drivers, and all my programs are flawless. This is the first problem I've had, and it may not even be a 64-Bit OS related problem.

Funny I get the same error on my XP 32-bit machine...but it loads afterwards. I just know that 64-bit has some protection against dll manipulation. Can't help any further sorry.

I want to play with the settings. Got any resources to understand this.......mumbo-jumbo in the xml file?

YOU CAN NOT USE YELO BATTERY PLUGIN WITH DXTWEAKER :gonk:

That means YOU Sunny, since I know you use it and others =/

You don't have to remove the d3d9.dll, just rename it, make it another filetype/add an extension I guess.

Sweet, I remember wondering as to why the active camo looked like crap on my system about a year ago...

Anyway to tone this down a little bit so that it still has the feel but is not blinding on bright maps such as Ice Fields? I cannot even see down the ice cave near red base since its just too bright.

Either that, or show me how to edit the XML file myself and get it right.

someone mind gettin some shots of ambush with this? :awesome: +rep for good shots :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rhe7oric

Anyway to tone this down a little bit so that it still has the feel but is not blinding on bright maps such as Ice Fields? I cannot even see down the ice cave near red base since its just too bright.

Either that, or show me how to edit the XML file myself and get it right.

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Here's the code that you can paste into the XML file for that effect; It makes the game only slightly more bright:

Code:

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<Effect Display="Surreal">
    <Pass Destination="Display">
    <Source Sampler="0" Name="Backbuffer"/>
    <FConst Start="0">
      <Vector X="0.5" Y="0.5" Z="0.5"/>
    </FConst>
    <PixelShader>
      <![CDATA[
      ps_2_0
      dcl_2d s0
      dcl t0.xy 
      texld r0, t0, s0
     
      dp3 r2,c0,r0
      add r3,r2,c0
      mul r3,r3,r0
           
      mov oC0,r3
      ]]>
    </PixelShader>
  </Pass>
</Effect>

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I downloaded the dxtweeker and checked the surreal filter; but when i start Halo, there is no apparent change in anything. Is there there something I may have to change in my gfx card's control panel?

I like it! +Rep.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flood55

I downloaded the dxtweeker and checked the surreal filter; but when i start Halo, there is no apparent change in anything. Is there there something I may have to change in my gfx card's control panel?

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if you own an nvidia card, you might need to adjust the digital vibrance so your graphics don't appear overly grayed out ingame

Thanks Conscars, that helps alot :)

I just made a second .XML file for it so that I can easily switch between the two instead of replacing it entirely.

Also are there any recommended sites to learn how to edit pixel shaders in the .xml file?

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...52(VS.85).aspx

Instructions like "mul" and "add" are laid out like this:

instruction dst,src0,src1

dst is your destination register, and the other two are your source registers.

Code:

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      ps_2_0
      dcl_2d s0
      dcl t0.xy 
      texld r0, t0, s0

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This basically loads the image as r0. No real need to change this.

In the middle, you can perform your instructions. Dissect the filters I've made and the ones that came with DXTweaker to see what does what.

c#, like c0,c1, refers to a constant. Your constants will be stored at the top as the vectors. The first vector is c0, the second is c1, etc.

You can also use a part of a register in your instructions. For example, say I wanted to use the X value of my first constant. I would use c0.x
You can also use colour channels of registers;

r0.r (red channel of r0)
r0.gb (green and blue)
r0.a (alpha)

Code:

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mov oC0,r3

---

basically outputs the code by moving your source register (mine's r3) to the colour output.

I cant run DXTweaker. When i run it just says that "DirectX Tweaker config has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

No clue, sorry

Ok I have an intel gfx card on vista and DXT works just fine (with visual scenes disabled). Also the camo fix works but when I use the filter I see no difference in how Halo CE looks. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. I left all your command prompts that you put in and added -window. I don't know what is going on.

Lots of people are getting that problem, and frankly I don't know what's going on.

Forgot this pic of coag:

Valkyrie, YOU SHOULD NOT PLAY THIS MAP WITH ORIGINAL EFFECT (don't know about the modified one):

:gonk:

For Snaf, Ambush:
Really, this Surreal Effect makes it look like its either its in a Dawn time of day or mid-evening...

The filter doesn't seem to be doing anything for me either. My display is not grayed out at all, so I don't think that's the problem. O well, I'm happy with the active camo fix at least, can't believe I didn't find that before.

Getting exception when trying to start haloce. Works fine with H2V and GoW. Nice work.

KiLLer get on dammit.

Also are you running the camo fix and the filter or just the camo...?

Same as killer happends to me, works on everything cept non shaderuseage progs and hce... hce gives me an exception, with or without the camo fix

I should probably add that you don't need the camo fix if you're not running an Nvidia card..

CE exceptions for me also, im running on an Nvidia card. Happens both with or without the active camo fix. :(

I wonder if bitter would implement something into Yelo that could run these post-filers..

He abandoned Yelo a couple months ago.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Syuusuke

For Snaf, Ambush:
Really, this Surreal Effect makes it look like its either its in a Dawn time of day or mid-evening...

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will spread more rep to get you :D thanks so much. that looks really interesting : )

I have the same problem of Halo exceptioning when it starts, but when I took off all the extensions (-console, -screenshot) it stayed at the HALO screen for a while, and then just closed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Conscars

I should probably add that you don't need the camo fix if you're not running an Nvidia card..

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It doesnt work on all ATI cards either, but Nvidia seems to have a harder time doing it.

DXTweaker won't start for me, and as far as I know I have the latest .NET Framework.

It just doesn't run?

It says "DXTweaker has encountered a problem and needs to close"

O_o.... wow nice... needs moar bloom :3

The DXT Tweaker window just has a window with tweaks, then everything else is black, and i cant figure out what buttons do what.

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/2...roblemsbc8.jpg

disable visual themes in compatibility mode

those of you that can't get this to work and have nvidia cards, try downgrading your graphics card drivers to version 162.22 or earlier. It worked for me. Nice job conscars, any way to make one so the game looks a tad more like halo 2? :p

more like halo 2? What do you mean?

Nah it was a joke.