A few recent screencaps

[Isilme]

I tried to use a technique Aveline revealed... for some pics it worked nicely, for others not so much. Still tweaking.

 

Click on the thumbnails to see the full images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chveya]

How did you do this? I MUST KNOW!

[Freyar]

How did you do this? I MUST KNOW!

 

A combination of a high resolution (or high render as in "double" in the config), maximum settings in texture, lighting, and shadow detail, and decently placed cameras.

[Magnus]

How did you do this? I MUST KNOW!

 

I'm going to go with a contrast filter and a blur effect. The lighting is to white and the SE mark is blurred, but that's just a guess.

 

Great work either way!

[Isilme]

A technique Aveline showed me.

 

My resolution and settings aren't actually all that high, this is what I did in photoshop:

 

Duplicate the picture in two layers. Set the top layer to overlay.

 

Desaturate (Make B&W) the bottom layer, based on luminosity.

 

Apply a Gausian blur to the bottom layer. Will vary depending on the resolution of your pics, anywhere from 2-7

 

Now crank up the brightness and contrast on the top layer, adjusting until it looks right.

 

And feel free to add a few effects in like lens flare, to get something like this:

 

Original

 

Final

[Freyar]

I didn't notice the flare or anything the first time I looked. It's actually pretty good. I'll have to mess around with GIMP a bit.

[Chveya]

Aha~! That's very similar (but better results!) to a technique I used to use to add contrast and soft focus to my 3d pieces. I stopped using it then because they always came out too dark; a friend showed me a different approach and I never tinkered with the overlay/blur process any further.

 

I'll totally have to try this!

[Isilme]

Just for fun I applied the technique to some old FFXI screenshots, just to see what the results would be (Keep in mind some of these shots are from a PS2):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chveya]

I hope I'm not hijacking -- I gave this a try. Do you think I did it right?

 

 

 

Probably not the best image to try it with, but it was the only one I had that didn't have the UI on it.

 

[Isilme]

I hope I'm not hijacking -- I gave this a try. Do you think I did it right?

 

Not bad!

 

Here's a few more:

 

 

 

 

 

[Isilme]

And more!

 

 

Headed to Skull Valley.

 

 

"Ugh, rain!"

 

 

"I hate rain!"

 

 

"I hate Puks more!"

 

 

"OW!"

 

 

"Take that!"

 

 

"And that!"

 

 

Finally at Skull Valley. And there's a lineup... great.

 

"C'mon guys! I need to use the Aetheryte really bad!"

 

 

Dropping off my delivery.

 

"A white cotton top? In this rain? Is that really a good idea?"

 

 

Now, to Camp Bald Knoll. Never been there before...

 

 

"Is it this way?"

 

 

"Maybe this way?"

 

 

Managed to find it and arrive safely.

 

 

Took a little time out to warm up by the fire.

 

 

After a quick port to Bloodshore to make my last delivery, it was time to head home. I paused to watch the sunrise, then was off.

 

 

At least it stopped raining.

 

 

Of course, I was in no rush, and so stopped to check out this cave.

 

 

And this goat! Sheep are evil and the scourge of all that live, but maybe goats are okay? This one seemed a little wary when I tried to pet it, but otherwise seemed friendly enough.

 

 

"Gotta stop getting sidetracked and get home so... oooh! Shiny!"

 

 

This is the first elemental I've ever seen. There were some adventurers fighting it, so I wasn't able to get a great shot of it.

 

 

Back out of the cave again

 

 

Ah, there's Limsa, looking all epic.

 

 

Home at last!