EA Algorithm Improves Old Videos for Command & Conquer Remaster

Electronic Arts uses an algorithm to enhance the old original full motion videos from Command & Conquer. The scaled-up versions will be used in the Command & Conquer remaster, whose release date is still unknown.

Producer Jim Vessella explains in a video what attempts have been made to use the old FMVs in an improved form. These came to nothing, so it was decided to scale up the images using an algorithm. EA has also approached fans from the community for this. Not only has the resolution been increased, but the audio has also been improved. In addition, the original frame rate of 15 frames per second has been increased to 30 fps.

A small portion of the result is shown in Vessella’s video, which juxtaposes an original fmv scene with the updated version. This shows the Stoic General Von Esling with his right-hand man Nikos Stavros. Mercenary Tanya Adams is also present, who cannot count on Stavros’ approval. In the video, the player is instructed to penetrate a Soviet base to free Albert Einstein.

Vessella says that quite a few attempts have been made to retrieve the old recordings. In the end, they were found not to have been destroyed and two tapes were found with recordings in the D2M-64M standard. Vessella describes it as an ‘extremely rare standard’. After some time, when a company was found that could digitize the tapes, the VQA recordings on the tapes turned out to be copied for backup purposes, the quality of which, according to Vessella, was almost worse than what EA already had in its hands.

The tapes found also contained behind-the-scenes footage previously unknown; it involves four hours of material that will be included in the upcoming remaster in the form of some sort of bonus gallery. In fact, it’s a great unlocking mechanism, where players can unlock a slice of the footage for each completed mission, as well as an old photo or a special, previously unreleased audio clip.