Hi!
I am not sure of it is possible to add these to the project,
but I created a new title and Menu screen based on the original
Settler 2 Menu and Cover Art in 1920 x 1080. The RTTR logo is missing though,
because I looks a bit out of place.
Would be great if someone could update the title screen, because I could get
the coloring and angle/format quite right. So it is a mess right now.

I added the CD Rom files as ogg files, as well as a new rendition of the second track,
as proof of concept, to show that it is possible to recreate OST with just minor changes to
the original Midi files. I don't have a Yamaha MUx00 or such a great reverb plugin as has been used for
the OST (probably Lexicon), so I used a EmulatorX + SoundCanvas VA.
The goal would be to add the missing Midi Tracks in similar quality to the CD Tracks.
So, if someone knows which reverb or which Yamaha Modell was used, that would be quite helpful, thanks!

Btw. has anyone implemented a video player yet?

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ttedk4tk4lzo1s4/AACbtqT9MLLBXAYi8iu9cTVia?dl=0

Greetings,
Karm

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We still have the "Intro" button which as no function, which was meant to play the video file.

In general this needs a smack player implementation, or something alike. No idea if one has to write an own lib for that or could simply use existing ones like this: http://libsmacker.sourceforge.net/

Ah, nvm, FloSoft said we should implement a decoder on our own: https://github.com/Return-To-The-Roots/s25client/issues/1234

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So what exactly is the request?

Adding/implementing a video decoder for the original format was dismissed as it has only a single, not that valuable use: The intro. So by now we will not have that, unless something changes...
As for the original MIDI files: A long time ago I started to research adding a MIDI decoder to libsiedler2, our loader library for S2 files and such. It is possible and at some point I'll revisit that again.

Where is that top picture from? It looks like a scanned CD cover. Not sure if that implies any copyrigt issues which would prevent us from including/distributing it.

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Github: https://github.com/Flamefire

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It is more like a string of proposals and a proof of concepts than a request.
I just didn't were to put it on the forum.

1. Proposal:
Generate Music based on the 14(15?) Midifiles in the style of the CD Audio minus the 9 Tracks of course.
Why? Because some folks didn't like the dry sounding midi files.

Proof of Concept:
I added one Track (original Number 2(or 3) on the CD.
Possible improvement: Play the track from a MU80 and adding a better Reverb should come quite close to the quality
of the CD Rom tracks. (I assume a MU80 instead of a MU50 was used to generate the Audio Tracks)

2. Proposal:
Adding a different Titlescreen and Menu Screen in the Style of Settlers 2(Original). Should fit 16:9 Resolution.
Why? Because the colorful screen do not fit the theme of the Menues(Black and white realistic Oil painting style)
Problem: It might not be added into the project because of copyright issues, but if this IS the case, probably NONE
of the background graphics can be added or none of the Settlers/Siedler 2 Logos.

Proof of Concept:
I sliced Images from the manual Artwork together. I could take a picture of the Manual myself, but don't have the manual right here.
Possible improvement: extending the original Ingame Title to 16:9 which would fit the style better.

3. Proposal:
Add a videoplayer to play the Intro and "clean" the intro.
Why? Because the Intro is important regarding the immersion of the game.

Proof of Concept:
I added the smackplayer for windows to the project and created a bat file.
This gives the same result as the original game. There is just no code to call it from the menu.
Possible improvement: Add a smacker library instead of using the player as Spike mentioned.

Second PoC:
I freshend up the original video and audio of the intro, resized it to 1920x1080
and started to write a new ffmpeg player, because the simplistic one I found online
had problems with the sound and bink/smack had problems converting it and playing it correctly.
So a more modern format is used right now.
Possible improvement: Complete the player (decoding with FFmpeg) and adding a video file using a modern codec.
  
Except the last PoC you can find all of the Concepts in the dropbox.
There is also the "remastered" video of Die Siedler 2, which include little improved graphics (with wider Frames from the english Demo disk) and added blur filter, and eqed and denoised Audio Track.

I would love to see the material I create in the Mod and the possibility to generate a slightly improved Siedler 2.
There are copyright problems all over the place (regarding the Midi Files/Music/Graphics/Video/Logos etc.) so I understand if you don't want the material.

And regarding the request:
Could you please add a Animation Speed and Game Speed slider? Or show me where in the code you have the timers you are using?
Game Speed slider similar to Warcraft and an Animation Speed Slider, because even though it is a completely new engine the animations are a little bit too fast for my taste, even though it is not because they a connected with the CPU clock :D :D
(should I open another thread for that?)

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As for the speeds:

- Game speed can be changed with "v" or the + and - keys
- Animation speed is basically based on the value in GameClient::GetGlobalAnimation and uses a factor of 630ms which could be changed. You can try if 1260 looks better to you, basically halving the speed.

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Github: https://github.com/Flamefire

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