u/Reonu_

The idea behind this project is to recreate every prerender in the game as actual N64 graphics that can run on actual N64 hardware, with as much detail as reasonably possible within those limits. Note that no AI was used anywhere in this project. Not for the graphics and not for the code. I've been working on this on and off for over a year now!

This project will be available as both a romhack that works on real N64 hardware (with the expansion pak) as well as a mod for the eventual Zelda 64 Recompiled update that will add Ocarina of Time support. It will cover ALL the 2D backgrounds in the game, every house and shop, but I started with the market precisely because it's the hardest part and I wasn't even sure if it was possible. The market is now completely seamless, meaning the entrance, market square, back alley and temple of time exterior are now all one scene with zero loading screens or transitions. (The music volume changes in the entrance, back alley and temple of time are preserved)

All the original fixed camera angles are preserved. You can press L at any time to switch between the original fixed camera, or a completely free camera so that you can explore the previously prerendered scenes from any angle.

You might notice NPC culling is quite aggressive in the footage. This will only happen if you're playing on actual N64 hardware AND you are in free camera mode. If you're playing the recomp version, or if the romhack version detects that it's running in an emulator rather than actual N64 hardware, or if you're on N64 but switch to fixed camera mode, then the NPCs will have the normal culling distance. This was a necessary concession for performance. I will try my best to optimize it to the point that it becomes unnecessary.

All the buildings also have LODs to make them lower detail at a distance. These LODs are only in the N64 version, the recomp version will feature all buildings at full distance from any distance.

As a bonus, I plan to add widescreen support to the N64 version (the recomp version already has it by default of course) since it now becomes possible for widescreen to work in the scenes that were previously prerendered. Note that enabling widescreen on real N64 hardware will reduce performance even further, although it's not a big difference.

Any feedback welcome!

The game crashes for me if I use the wine detection enabled false thing. I saw somebody in Protondb saying that Proton Experimental Bleeding Edge solves it on the latest nvidia driver, but it still crashes on the initial loading screen for me. I'm on EndeavourOS with Nvidia driver 595.71.05 and a 4070Ti Super. I did manage to play Resident Evil Requiem with Path Tracing but this one just refuses to work.

If anyone knows a workaround, I'm all ears! Thanks