Post Processing Effects, and that Damned Blur! (A How-to)

[LithiumFox]

PLEASE READ BEFORE TELLING PEOPLE THEY CAN JUST TURN OFF POST-PROCESSING
There is a reason why I posted this. (mainly so people could see the nice shaders BIS made, without having crappy blur)

Now why don't you want crappy blur? Well, there could be many reasons. First off, if you have low FPS, which i would recommend just turning off Post Processing to begin with. Now, if you really want Post Processing on, but get sick from how the blur looks with low FPS, then this will work for you.

This isn't for a performance boost. It's to remove a buggy blur effect. What they should have done is programmed it to tone down the blur if the FPS gets lower, but instead what you get is more blur effect at low FPS, and less blur effect at higher fps. Which makes no sense.

So What this does it reduces those 107 instructions down to 1, essentially removing RotBlur. (which he can't actually do)

It comes with modified versions of all the other shaders that are only modified so that they are compatible with his custom shader. (and it's in a modfolder, so it's easy to remove)


oktNoBlur - Signed Blur Remover Addon - Bohemia Interactive Forums

Install it, and be happy.



And the list of downloads: http://www.506th-pir.org/scripts/oktane/noblur/

"In both pictures, the gun was spinning at high speed. The difference is well, obvious."

This is helpful for people who want nice, natural "shine" shaders, but without the blur.

Here's the original post so that people can actually read it.

General Info:
This addon removes the blur shader which causes performance and headaches/sickness issues for people. It was created because BIS has not addressed the issues with the rotBlur shader which provides the whole screen blur effect. At low FPS, the issues in this shader make the game unplayable. Turning off Post Processing will fix it but then you lose some effects that are actually nice. This addon allows you to have the best of both worlds.
Framerate Improvement:
This modification substantially reduces the number of instructions in the rotBlur pixel shader, essentially making it do nothing, just short of removing it. (can't do that) It may increase performance installed compared to identical video settings with it not installed. (FPS gain depends on the power of your GPU, how strained it was with blur prior to installing) More details in spoiler:
Spoiler:
As a side effect of disabling the rotBlur shader, the patched shader only has 1 gpu instruction vs the 107 instructions it had before. Shaders have a direct impact on the time it takes to render a frame. While different GPUs have different #s of shader pipelines they must all write out to the final framebuffer. That frame buffer can not be displayed until it is full and finished. Shader speed is a function of shader code instruction count and the number of pixels on screen it affects in any given frame. Since the rotBlur shader operates on all pixels displayed, and must be completed before the image is displayed to you, the performance increase is substantial when disabled.

Changelog: (newest on top)
Automatic builds enabled.. see here for latest: Index of /scripts/oktane/noblur
Download:

Note:
If you have an old version of the noBlur installed, always delete it's modfolder before installing the new one. Delete old versions completely, do not overwrite.
Normal Retail Patch
If you have previously installed @okt_noBlur, delete the old modfolder!
Index of /scripts/oktane/noblur (get the 'retail' version)
Beta ArmA2
If you don't know if you have the beta, or don't know what it is, you should ignore this. Beta downloads are in the same location but are marked 'beta'.

Spoiler:

The mod folder is named differently so that you can have both non-beta and beta installed, and access them via different shortcuts. When updating, delete the old @okt_NoBlurBeta folder and drop the new one in. (don't copy/overwrite! There should only be ONE pbo and ONE bisign file in the @okt_noBlurBeta\dta\ folder!)

Never use the wrong noBlur on a newer or older beta patch. Your game may crash on startup or you may cause other people to crash in MP!


Installation:

In this example, my ArmA2 directory is D:\Arma2\
Extract the modfolder @okt_noblur from this archive into the ArmA2 folder.
Verify that there is now an '@okt_noblur' folder in D:\Arma2\ Inside that folder will be a 'dta' folder and a readme. Don't rename the dta folder or mess with the pbo & key inside of it. (see FAQ if you don't want it in here)
Add the @okt_noblur folder to your -mod line in your ArmA2 shortcut and launch the game. Example: arma2.exe -nosplash -mod=@okt_noBlur
Turn on Post Processing to the 'low' setting in the ArmA2 video options and you are done.
If you are having problems, like the game is crashing on startup, delete the @okt_NoBlur folder. Be sure you have the right version of noBlur for your game patch version.

Notes:
*Now with Operation Arrowhead, you will see the version you have loaded at the main menu. You can also enable/disable the noBlur via the Expansions menu if you are not using the command line -mod. You will notice there is a different colored icon that is displayed when using the beta patch noBlur. Regardless of retail/beta, always be sure you are running the correct version! The version in the main menu list when enabled should match the game version in the lower right.

*The 'retail' noBlur only works with that specific version noted in the folder/zip file name. It does not work with beta patches. The noBlur for beta's is released separately above, but the instructions are the same, just exchange the modfolder name @okt_noBlur with @okt_noBlurBeta. You can have them installed side by side. (you cannot use the at the same time though)

* Inside the modfolder is a dummy addons folder. This is just so Arma Launchers will detect the folder.

* If you had the old non-signed noBlur test version I made a looong time ago, remove it first by deleting your whole "\Arma2\bin\" directory. Normally that directory should not exist.
FAQ:
Q: My modline is already too long OR I want to put your noBlur in a combined folder with other misc mods, can I do this?
A: Yep, just drag the dta folder out of the @okt_noBlur folder and into your @whatever mod folder. Drag the whole dta folder, not the PBO's.

Please note: The noBlur pbo cannot be put in an @whatever\addons\ folder, it will not work. Instead it must be in @whatever\dta\ Keep the pbo+key file in the 'dta' folder!

Q: Does this modify my game files? Can I still patch the game?
A: No it does not modify anything, it is just like a mod folder. To uninstall it, delete the @okt_noblur directory. Yes you can still patch the game fine while it is installed. However since the noBlur is only compatible with a certain version of the game, you'll have to uninstall or remove it from your mod line until I release a new version. Don't run the noBlur on a version of ArmA2 it wasn't made for.

Q: What could BIS do to fix this so this isn't needed?
A: The full screen 'rotBlur' shader should scale down blur amount based on FPS. If the FPS is low, the blur amount should be toned down since the blur and FPS are coupled. Right now: More FPS = Less Blur. Low FPS = Too Much Blur. In my opinion, this is a performance BUG, not a feature request. You can vote on it.

Q: How are the addons made, what do they contain?
A: They are actually a modified bin.pbo file, which is why they go in a 'dta' folder instead of an 'addons' folder. Inside of the file are all the normal files except one modified Shaders_DefPP.shdc file which has binary modifications to it. Unfortunetly, I have to include ALL shaders as well as the original binarized config.bin (which is the main game configuration) with the addon or it will not load my modified shader. So think of it as a slightly altered and renamed bin.pbo which normally lives in /dta/. This is why you have to get the right version of noBlur depending on what game patches you have installed.

Q: What is the point of this? You can already turn off Post Processing in the menu.
A: Some of us like the really great shaders that BIS has made (explosion glow/NVG Noise, glare, lens simulation) but can't turn them on because the shader 'rotBlur' makes it a blurry mess when the FPS is low. This makes people feel sick, get headaches etc.

Q: This is unfair in competitive games.
A: This doesn't hurt you, nor does it provide an advantage. Multiplayer servers cannot force post processing modes, they only force grass, view distance and difficulty. If a player couldn't stand the blur before, he likely had Post Processing OFF entirely, which gives more of an advantage than with this modification. This modification is similar to if BIS added a 'very low' option for Post Processing or a full screen Blur Enabled/Disabled option.

[Punkbuster]

Would it cause me any problems with Steam or Battleye?

[LithiumFox]

Nope. The only problem it might cause is dependent on how strictly vanilla a server might be.

I join UO with it all the time. I usually recommend it to them since they run with PP off anyways. xD

[sidhellfire]

You won't be allowed if server uses signed addons. You would need to provide a host with a key file, to let the server permit you using that one.

Nevertheless, you can just go to game's video options and turn off postprocessing effects. It will remove the blur.

The thing to notice, is that the blur itself does not impact FPS noticeable. It just covers the lack of FPS. So basically - if you've got poor machine and low framerate, the greater the blur is. This may render game unplayable. In other way, while you've got over 60fps, this is smooth and nice effect that does not affect gameplay at all.

So, just turn of posteffects in advanced video options in-game.

[Punkbuster]

My clan; Battleforce has an ArmA II CO server and basically it is the only server I play on... If this was useful, I may actually ask to implement it!

[LithiumFox]

Originally Posted by sidhellfire

You won't be allowed if server uses signed addons. You would need to provide a host with a key file, to let the server permit you using that one.

that's what i meant to say i forgot the words

Nevertheless, you can just go to game's video options and turn off postprocessing effects. It will remove the blur.

Again, the everyone who PLAYS arma knows this. This is for the people who want the other features of Post Processing, minus the blur. (eg: Bloom, special lighting effects and such)

The thing to notice, is that the blur itself does not impact FPS noticeable. It just covers the lack of FPS. So basically - if you've got poor machine and low framerate, the greater the blur is. This may render game unplayable. In other way, while you've got over 60fps, this is smooth and nice effect that does not affect gameplay at all.

Actually, that is a very inaccurate statement. The radial blur that is in effect at the LOW setting has 107 shader instructions, is very buggy, and actually can cause quite a bit of lag.

to quote the guy who made it:

Q: What is the point of this? You can already turn off Post Processing in the menu.
A: Some of us like the really great shaders that BIS has made (explosion glow/NVG Noise, glare, lens simulation) but can't turn them on because the shader 'rotBlur' makes it a blurry mess when the FPS is low. This makes people feel sick, get headaches etc.

So, just turn of posteffects in advanced video options in-game.

[/quote]
Read above

also

As a side effect of disabling the rotBlur shader, the patched shader only has 1 gpu instruction vs the 107 instructions it had before. Shaders have a direct impact on the time it takes to render a frame. While different GPUs have different #s of shader pipelines they must all write out to the final framebuffer. That frame buffer can not be displayed until it is full and finished. Shader speed is a function of shader code instruction count and the number of pixels on screen it affects in any given frame. Since the rotBlur shader operates on all pixels displayed, and must be completed before the image is displayed to you, the performance increase is substantial when disabled.

[sidhellfire]

You really don't know how do shaders work, don't you? By getting rid of these you are simply not using them, and that's all. It's like wasted performance capabilities. Unless your card is so weak, that has problem with them, but then I would strongly recommend to just turn post-effects off. Really.

[LithiumFox]

Originally Posted by sidhellfire

You really don't know how do shaders work, don't you? By getting rid of these you are simply not using them, and that's all. It's like wasted performance capabilities. Unless your card is so weak, that has problem with them, but then I would strongly recommend to just turn post-effects off. Really.

Actually i read the documentation (you know, the one that in my link links you to a very technical documentation of the work behind what the guy who did this did) which is located right here:

Bohemia Interactive Forums - View Single Post - Shader discussion [Technical]

The problem is with how BIS wrote their shaders for RotBlur, or Rotational Blur for specific naming.


Also, this is also meant for those situations where you DO get lower FPS, as he states

The full screen 'rotBlur' shader should scale down blur amount based on FPS. If the FPS is low, the blur amount should be toned down since the blur and FPS are coupled. Right now: More FPS = Less Blur. Low FPS = Too Much Blur. In my opinion, this is a performance BUG, not a feature request.

Also, I like the glow, in which this paragraph sums up my opinion.

Q: What is the point of this? You can already turn off Post Processing in the menu.
A: Some of us like the really great shaders that BIS has made (explosion glow/NVG Noise, glare, lens simulation) but can't turn them on because the shader 'rotBlur' makes it a blurry mess when the FPS is low. This makes people feel sick, get headaches etc.

And obviously you didn't read ANYTHING i've posted. It doesn't REMOVE the shaders. It removes lines from the RotBlur shader, while re-writing other shaders so they are compatible with the new RotBlur shader (as for some reason, he stated, they wouldn't work otherwise)



Honestly 99% of the reason why people don't use post processing is simply because of the blur.

This fixes that.

And keeps the other effects. (that really DONT affect performance that much. It's just that motion blur makes me sick. So THATS why I offered to show this to everyone else. Hell, if anything Shadows cause more issues to me than PP effects)

If you don't want to use it, that's fine, but why don't you actually READ what it's meant for rather than insulting it and then telling everyone to turn Post Processing effects off. I'm just trying to enjoy and aspect of the game I PAID for that i can't enjoy because of a physical limitation in my brain that motion blur (in any game) affects.

If you want your PP off, that's fine by me. I didn't say "DOWNLOAD THIS OR ELSE YOU WILL DIE!!! RAWR"

I didn't hold a gun to your head.

I posted this for other people who wanted to have the other post processing effects without the annoying motion blur.

No matter their FPS.

No matter their computers specs.

No matter their reason.

It gets rid of full-screen blur. And keeps the other effects.

That's it. Like i just said. If you don't want it, don't use it. If it sounds nice to you, then try it and see if you like it. If not, talk to the author about it. Not me.



Jeez, people get their panties in a wad if you give them an alternative to what they freakin say all the time. Same thing happened to me at UO, yet everyone in my community was like "OH YEAH! Thanks! That really helps! To think that someone actually thought of doing something like this rather than just turning it off and ignoring it."

Ok, maybe they didn't say that, but they were certainly excited... >_>

[sidhellfire]

This is silly. You simply try hard to maintain fancy effects while your card has serious FPS problems, and blame all on blur. And that is just stupid, cause every reasonable person just turns off graphical details and admits that this card is too weak.

Additionally, you hadn't really tested how different post-processing values do work in latest version of Arma:OA(CO). FYI the exact effect you want to achieve is under "very low" value.

[LithiumFox]

Originally Posted by sidhellfire

This is silly. You simply try hard to maintain fancy effects while your card has serious FPS problems, and blame all on blur. And that is just stupid, cause every reasonable person just turns off graphical details and admits that this card is too weak.

Additionally, you hadn't really tested how different post-processing values do work in latest version of Arma:OA(CO). FYI the exact effect you want to achieve is under "very low" value.

Actually, i found this nice chart when i got my i7 a few months back, and actually started playing ARMA 2.

Disabled: color corrections only
Very Low: Disabled + filmGrain + radial blur + dynamic blur
Low: Very low + bloom + rotational blur + other scripted post process effects
Normal: Low + DOF + lowest SSAO
High: Normal + medium SSAO
VeryHigh: Normal + highest SSAO

Also, I'm pretty sure my 4890 can handle the shaders just fine. It's just when i do dip down to about 30fps i get a headache from the rotational blur (highlighted in bold and italics). Not that the blur is causing the actual problems of the 30fps (i get 30fps in some areas no matter WHAT settings i have. Ex. Fallujah) it's the problem that i get nauseated looking at it.

Just keep arguing this FPS issue. Fine by me.