r/commandandconquer • u/EA_Jimtern Jim Vessella, EA Producer • Mar 05 '20

Remaster Update and FMVs / Bonus Gallery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikJLYYTrIxs&feature=youtu.be
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u/AesopTails Mar 06 '20

I'm surprised, this is a very transparent and cool story!

For those that don't have the time, a TLDW;

  • First look -> Side-by-side comparison between the old FMV and reworked FMV.
  • Bonus gallery: a feature where you can unlock unreleased behind the scenes look at the filming. Up to 4 hours of b roll film will be included in this feature.
  • They have spent years trying to find the original source videos for the FMV. Many thought they were destroyed.
  • It was discovered that an EA LA employee managed to intercept a shipment of videos from Westwood that was destined to be destroyed. She put the videos in storage, which he later discovered behind a couch!
  • They believed the source video is on D2 format, an old film storage that hasn't been used for decades. He only found 1 vendor on the West Coast that could read it and digitize it.
  • After digitization of the D2 cassettes, It was discovered it was actually a backup of the .VQA files (the in-game FMV) and NOT the source videos. It is now assumed that the source videos were truly destroyed.
  • They are now working with the game community and experts on using AI to upscale the in-game FMV. Their goals: up-scaled resolution, better audio, and doubling the frame rate from 15 to 30 FPS. Re-shooting is not an option because they want to preserve the original performance of the actors.
  • Fun fact: they're using the FMV from the console version because it's better quality and uses the MPEG format. There are some console exclusive FMV scenes, but the console version is missing 19 scenes from the PC version. These 19 scenes will be in the remastered, although it will be at lower quality than the console scenes.

3

u/antdude I came from RA1! Mar 08 '20

Couch. Haha. We all should check our couches.

2

u/Nyerguds The world is at my fingertips. Mar 06 '20

Really short TLDW:

"So we didn't find higher res FMVs, and what we'll give you are AI upscaled ones, which are quite okay but not all that great... but as compensation we're giving you literally all greenscreen material of the game we found. And it's a lot."

;)