Bonus Official Loading Screens

Started by Enigma, October 01, 2021, 08:00PM

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October 01, 2021, 08:00PM Last Edit: January 28, 2022, 08:01PM by Enigma
Bonus Official Loading Screens v6.0:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m-V5U7BGCB8DywIX7W1n8XwJ4DpNmquR/view?usp=sharing

Production Materials Archive is now in it's own thread in the Knowledge Database and all future updates will be there (The files themselves are uploaded to the Internet Archive):
https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11153.0.html
https://archive.org/details/xmlmuaproductionmaterialsarchive

*Over 170 official loading screens are included, including over 40 unused and platform exclusive loading screens from XML1, XML2, and MUA1, as well as a few custom ones.

*All loading screens/images are increased in quality and resolution from the originals in XML1 and XML2.

*For this mod, I have scoured the Internet and compiled as many fullsize nonletterboxed XML1 loading screens as I could find, along with higher than game quality XML2 loading screens, some from MUA1, and various promotional art from a variety of sources including artists' portfolios, gaming sites, comic sites, fan wikis, russian websites, the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, the XML1 prototype, press kits, and many many other sources. Some of these have been AI Upscaled where necessary (I did this for all the ones that were smaller than SD size, which is double the size of the default loading screens, to quite fantastic results I must say). Also included are many loading screens that were cut out of XML1, some that were cut out of XML2, a few that were platform exclusives for MUA1, and some of the MUA1 epilogues.

*By default the loading screens in XML2 are 512x512. These are all 1024x1024. That is the size the loading screens in the forthcoming Ultimate Patch will be in. Some of the my loading screens will be included in that, and some won't.

*Let me know if anything's wrong with any of these. There are so many, I might have missed something.

*In the "Images I Used" folder I have included all the art I found, because finding these at all was a lengthy, time consuming, and incredibly difficult scavenger hunt, and I don't want others to have to do that if they want to use this art for something. Feel free to use it for whatever you want.

*Any I couldn't find, I extracted from the games and upscaled. These are explained in the changelog, as well as in the "Images I Used" folder.


Credits:
BaconWizard = advice, encouragement, letting me use the loading screens of his from the Ultimate Patch that I couldn't find elsewhere, help with color channel swapping
ak2yny = advice, help with color channel swapping, finding the unused XML2 Omega Red and MUA1 Mr. Fantastic loading screens


You're welcome!


Outdated below, disregard:
Update v2:

*I had forgotten to include the image I used for Shadow King, so here it is.

*I also found an much better and larger version of the unused Storm Xtreme loading screen, as well as a very slightly better version of 70s Phoenix and have replaced my previous versions.

*I found some cutscene character model render sheets of Apocalypse and Archangel that Blur Studios, the company that made the cutscenes, appear to have made. They were perfectly sized for loading screens, so I made some.

*I've made loading screens from the following MUA1 (and included the unaltered images I found): Beta Ray Bill, Captain America WWII, Dark Phoenix, Deadpool, Deathbird, Iceman, Iron Man Ultimate, Loki, Storm, Storm with Mohawk, The Thing, Wolverine in the Forest, Wolverine and the Terracotta Soldiers. I had to crop them some, since they're 16:9 and XML2 is 4:3, but I think they look quite nice.

*I made a loading screen of Hela. It was made from a image of Hela done by Glen Angus, one of the artists on XMl1, XMl2, and MUA1. It's in the same art style those games too. It's not the Marvel Hela, but she looks pretty close.

*I made loading screens Multiple Man. It was on some pop culture website's ancient news article about some movie, and I don't know the original source of image, but the image looks close enough to the games' loading screens' art style and it was too good not to use, so I included it. I've done 3 versions: center, standing with multiples behind him to the right, and standing with multiples behind him to the right.

*I've also renamed and reorganized some of the images included so that it's more clear what's what.

*I found an image featuring some sketches of unfinished alternate versions of the MUA1 Dark Phoenix loading screen, so I including that as well.
>

I have updated the mod to v3.0!

Eveything from v1 and v2 have been completely redone.
It now includes more than 100 official loading screens are included, including over 30 unused and platform exclusive loading screens from XML1, XML2, and MUA1, making this the biggest XML2 loading screen pack ever.
I have also updated the topic post to be more clear and informative as to what exactly this whole thing is.
Enjoy!



**v4.0 plans:
*XML2 PSP exclusive loading screens
*more higher quality XML2 loading screens
*more MUA1 loading screens
*XML1 and XML2 3D Render Promotional Wallpapers as loading screens (landscape versions of the box arts and similar such images)
*maybe solo Avalanche and Pyro ones (As far as I can tell, for XML1, Glen Angus painted 1 painting of these 2 characters together and then they were photoshopped apart into separate letterboxed loading screens. So, there aren't solo fullsized ones. And I had a new higher quality nonletterboxed version of the image. So I'd like to separate the fullsized art of them together into 2 separate ones myself. But I'm not sure if this is doable. For now, I've included BaconWizard17's solo Pyro loading screen which I've upscaled to make the quality closer to the quality of the high quality version of them together that I've included.)



Awesome! Thank you for sharing it with us. Very nice collection and well organized.


***v4.0:

**Changes:

*Due to it's large size, the Production Materials Archive is now a separate download.

*Numerous changes and additions, as well as upgrades to existing loading screens, including many improved AI Upscales and improved cropping. Basically, if you're using any of these, replace them with these versions. So there're too many changes to list, but here are all the additions, as well as the changes worth mentioning:

*Replaced the following with much better versions from artist Glen Angus's website via Internet Archive: Unused XML2 Dark Phoenix, XML2 Cyclops, XML2 Magneto (There were many versions online that had various flaws, issues, and inconsistencies, but I found 1 version that was a perfect better quality version of the in-game version except that it was washed out so I did a Color Match in paint.net with a version I extracted from XML2 and upscaled to the same size and then it became perfect, so I included), XML2 Wolverine, XML2 Archangel,

*Added the following higher quality loading screen versions from artist Glen Angus's website via Internet Archive and elsewhere: XML2 Gambit, XML2 Scarlet Witch, XML2 Wolverine, Unused XML2 Apocalypse Alternate, XML2 Abyss, XML2 Apocalypse, XML2 Breed Pens, XML2 Dead Zone, XML2 Egypt, XML2 Infinite Processing Plant, XML2 Insect Tunnels, XML2 Mister Sinister, XML2 New York City, XML2 Nuwali Monument, XML2 Stryfe, MUA1 Dark Phoenix Epilogue, MUA1 Iron Man Ultimate, Unused MUA1 Stark Tower,

*Added the following: Unused XML1 Jean Grey Gladiator, XML1 Blob Gladiator, Unused MUA1 Captain America Alternate, Unused MUA1 Stark Tower, MUA1 Iron Man Ultimate, Custom Banshee by Peter Nguyen, Custom Angel,

*Replaced with a small fix: XML1 Uncensored Emma Frost (I had previously removed a watermark in the lower right corner and I redid that fix using the lower right corner of another slight smaller copy of this image. I also upscaled this image.)

*Replaced the following with better versions: XML1 Mystique, XML1 Wolverine, XML1 Sabretooth vs Wolverine,

*Replace the following MUA1 loading screens with better versions extracted from MUA1: MUA1 Deadpool, MUA1 Deathbird, MUA1 Iceman, MUA1 Storm,

*Added the following PSP Exclusive loading screens: XML2 PSP Age of Apocalypse Mission, XML2 PSP Dark Phoenix Mission, XML2 PSP Fatal Attractions Mission, XML2 PSP Magneto's Return Mission, XML2 PSP Mutant Massacre Mission, XML2 PSP Rescue Lilandra Mission, XML2 PSP X-Cutioner's Song Mission,

-(All of these were created with the PSP's 16:9 screen in mind, so I had crop them to get them to fit. Because of this, and because different objects and environmental features are on each side of the loading screens, I have made multiple versions of most of these. You can see the originals in the "PSP Exclusive Loading Screens (That I AI Upscaled)" folder in the "Images I Used" folder. Also there's a folder called "Versions" so you can see what version I made of each and choose accordingly. If a loading screen isn't in "Versions" it's because one side of that loading screen was empty enought that no important elements were being lost. Ex #1: The "Fallout" loading screen had parts of a doorframe on each side and anything other than centering it would have looked awkward. Ex #2: The "Age of Apocalypse" loading screen had an empty side and a side with something important on it, so I only did a version with the empty side cropped out.)

*Added the following XMl2 loading screens that I took the Official XML2 website wallpapers, removed the logos, replacing the missing parts with upscaled parts of the retail XML2 version, and adding other missing portions that the retail versions had that the logo versions didn't have: XML2 Bastion, XML2 Bishop, XML2 Colossus, XML2 Grizzly, XML2 Holocaust, XML2 Lady Deathstrike, XML2 Living Monolith, XML2 Madri Temple, XML2 Mikhail, XML2 Nightcrawler, XML2 Omega Red, XML2 Rogue, XML2 Sauron, XML2 Sunfire, XML2 Toad, XML2 Zealot, Unued XMl2 Sunfire Alt Colors (not from Official website but still a logo wallpaper),

*Added upscaled versions of the following loading screens from the retail version of XML2: Unused XML2 Apocalypse's Tower Alternate, Unused XML2 X-Jet, Unused XML2 X-Mansion Alternate, XML2 Apocalyse's Tower, XML2 Avalon, XML2 Garrok, XML2 Genosha, XML2 Perimeter Platforms, XML2 Prison Outpost, XML2 Professor Xavier, XML2 Ruined Sewers, XML2 Sanctuary, XML2 Teleport Chamber, XML2 The Core, XML2 The Savage Land, XML2 Weapon X Facility, XML2 X-Mansion,

*Added upscaled version of the following from BaconWizard: MUA1 PSP-Wii Wolverine in Leather Jacket, Quicksilver by Shafcrawler,

*Added an Official Wallpaper I couldn't fix so I cropped it to remove the logo when I made the loading screen: Unused XML2 Sanctuary Alternate

*Replaced the following from BaconWizard with versions of my own extracted from the XML2 and upscaled: Unused XML2 Beast Astonishing, Unused XML2 Cable, Unused XML2 Cannonball, Unused XML2 Wolverine Astonshing, Unused XML2 X-Man. I also tweaked my upscaled version of his Pyro loading screen a tiny bit to remove a small bit of Avalanche's elbow that was still visible (I'm very happy with the quality of the upscale I did on his Pyro solo, and so I won't need to make my own. The image is in as high a quality as it'll get.)

*Replaced the following from BaconWizard with versions of my own extracted from MUA1 and upscaled: MUA1 Consoles Colossus Original,

*I have included a version I made of a solo XML1 Avalanche loading screen. A solo XML1 Avalanche loading screen was never made and for XML1, the developers just edited him out of the shared Avalanche and Pyro painting and letterboxed him. So I edited Pyro out of their shared image, and I think I did a really good job.




**Other changes:
*I've removed the (_x Upscale) from the files names, as it just confuses and clutters the naming and it's not relevant to the user. The degree to which it has been upscaled is in "AI Upscaled" folder inside the "Images I Used" folder.

*Renamed "Unused XML1 Colosseum" to "Unused XML1 Olympus Colosseum" because I'd forgotten XML1 has an Astral Colosseum loading screen that is different (and not included), so this is to not confuse people and to make it clear that Olympus and this Colosseum are connected.

*Renamed "XML1 Colossus Alternate (2x Upscale)" to "Unused XML1 Colossus Alternate (2x Upscale)" because it doesn't appear to be used.

*Renamed "Unused XML2 Bishop" to "Unused XML2 Bishop Alternate" to fit the naming scheme of the rest of the loading screens.

*Added a new folder called "Non-Character Loading Screens." These are the loading screens for locations and such. The XML2 ones retain their original names so you can just copy and paste them into the "loading" folder and use them. And that are unused have "(Unused)" after their names so that you know they are and can replace them with whatever you want.

*The ones listed as "Unused" as listed as that because they either aren't included in XML2 (ex: Cyclops Xtreme) or they are in XMl2 but aren't in review_paths (ex: Cable, X-Jet, etc)

*Added a lot to the "Production Materials Archive" folder. Too much to list. There's more concept art, unused cutscenes, and more. Take a look and see what you can find!

*Made the Cut Content List it's own txt file, formatted it better, and added much much more to it.


**v5.0 Plans:
*The rest of the MUA1 loading screens, including the rest of the epilogues.
*XML1 and XML2 3D Render Promotional Wallpapers as loading screens (landscape versions of the box arts and similar such images) (There was so much stuff I did for this loading screen that I didn't have time for these, so they'll be in the next version.)
*A bunch of custom ones (I've found some art by comic artist Peter Nguyen that's very loading screen-esque, is relatively close to the loading screens' art style, and features characters and costumes that don't have loading screens yet.)
*Unused XML2 Sanctuary Alternate I forgot to include
*Upscaled letterboxed versions of any XML1 loading screens I couldn't find the fullsize versions of.
*More stuff for the Production Materials Archive
*Anything else I might find.



Bonus Official Loading Screens v5.0:


***v5.0 Changes:

*Added: Unused XML2 Sanctuary Alternate, MUA1 Iron Man,

*Replaced BaconWizard version with OCP version: MUA1 PSP-Wii Wolverine Leather Jacket (I have also edited this a small bit to remove Wolverine's ear from the portrait on the left side that I cropped out. I've included both versions in the Images I Used folder),

*Replaced XML1 Emma Frost with a better quality version with better colors from the artist's website

*Remastered the PSP XMB Title Screen loading screens by using my AI upscaled Cable image as well as higher quality company logos.

*Improved cropping on: Unused XML1 Avalanche and Pyro, XML1 Jean Grey, XML2 Stryfe

*Added the following XML Promo Art: XML1 Cover Art, XML1 Promo Cyclops and Wolverine, XML1 Promo Cyclops and Wolverine, XML1 Promo Sentinel Fight, XML2 Cover Art, XML2 Promo Magneto and Wolverine 1,  XML2 Promo Magneto and Wolverine 2, XML2 Promo Storm and Bishop

*Added some more custom loading screens featuring art by Peter Nguyen: Custom Cannonball X-Force, Custom Cyclops Classic, Custom Shatterstar, Custom Siryn, Custom Sunspot X-Force, Custom Thunderbird, Custom Warpath,

*I had accidentially named a loading screen "XML2 Military Base" instead of the correct name of "XML2 Prison Outpost." So that's fixed now.

*Added a "How to Install" document.

*Console-Only Cutscene moved to a separate download in my "Enigma's Mini-Mods" thread.

*Production Materials Archive is now a separate download due to its large size.

Bonus Official Loading Screens v5.5:

*v5.5 changes:
*Added the following loading screens which I extracted from X2 Wolverine's Revenge: X2WR Act 1 (Wolverine Weapon X), X2WR Act 2 (Wolverine), X2WR Act 3 (Wolverine vs Sabretooth), X2WR Act 4 (Wolverine vs Soldiers), X2WR Act 5 (Magneto), X2WR Act 6 (Wolverine vs Lady Deathstrike)


**v6.0 Plans:
*The rest of the MUA1 loading screens, including the rest of the epilogues.
*A bunch of custom ones (I've found some art by comic artist Peter Nguyen that's very loading screen-esque, is relatively close to the loading screens' art style, and features characters and costumes that don't have loading screens yet.)
*Upscaled letterboxed versions of any XML1 loading screens I couldn't find the fullsize versions of.
*Anything else I might find

Updated Production Materials Archive to v6.0
It's now so big that I've split the archive into 2 parts.
Part 2 is the large video files and Part 1 is everything else.
Download whichever part or parts you want. You don't need both to extract them.

I've moved the download files for the Production Materials Archive over to Internet Archive due to it's massive size. I'll post information about any and all updates to it here.


Updated to v6.0:
*Added a fullsized version of XML1 Toad that I made using a scan of Toad's left foot and half of his right one from the strategy guide that I merged with a high quality letterboxed version of the loading screen, and used parts of the existing background to remake the missing parts.
*Added Unused XML2 Bastion Alternate taken from XML2's PC setup file
*Added better versions of these from XML2's PC setup file: main_menu, XML2 Magneto
*Added improved versions of: XML1 Blob Gladiator (I used the higher quality version of his XML1 conversation hud from the XML2 Demo, upscaled it, and merged it with the loading screen and painted in some parts to add missing pieces as well as to replace the blue lit part of his face, removed the upper right corner logo remnant), XML2 Mister Sinister (different better upscale), XML2 Omega Red (I improved it so that all his coils are now in higher quality),
*Added a more accurate upscale of Unused XML1 Jean Grey Gladiator,
*Added the following improved versions using parts of loading screens images from the XML1 and XML2 strategy guides and merging them with existing loading screen images extracted from the respective games: Unused XML2 Beast Astonishing, Unused XML2 Wolverine Astonishing, XML2 Garokk, XML2 Professor Xavier (thanks to ak2ny for doing this),
*Added the following letterboxed loading screens from XML1, which I upscaled and removed the titles and silver borders on the top and bottom: XML1 Nuclear Plant Letterboxed, XML1 X-Mansion 1st Floor Letterboxed, XML1 X-Mansion Act 3 Letterboxed,
*Added some more custom loading screens featuring art by Peter Nguyen: Custom Boom Boom by Peter Nguyen, Custom Cable by Peter Nguyen, Custom Cannonball New Mutants by Peter Nguyen, Custom Deadpool by Peter Nguyen, Custom Domino by Peter Nguyen, Custom Domino Alternate by Peter Nguyen, Custom Polaris by Peter Nguyen, Custom Sunfire by Peter Nguyen, Custom Wolverine In Japan by Peter Nguyen
*Reverted to BaconWizard17's legal_pc and credits01 because they looked better than my upscale.
*Added the following by Shafcrawler (some upscaled, some from his deviantart page): Custom Blink by Shafcrawler, Custom Daken by Shafcrawler, Custom Dazzler by Shafcrawler, Custom Destiny by Shafcrawler, Custom Goblin Queen by Shafcrawler, Custom Lady Mastermind by Shafcrawler, Custom Polaris by Shafcrawler
*I removed the unused alternate main_menu one. Since we have a much better quality version of the main_menu loading screen now, and that the alternate one only has a subtitle as a difference from the better quality, and the subtitle is noticably lower quality when painted into main_menu, and I couldn't paint a higher quality subtitle in because this loading screen is blue and the logos are all on black and that black is noticable no matter how careful I am.
*Fixed mistake in Cable's loading screen numbering in the How To file
*Added more character numbers to How To file and made parts of it more clear
*Cut Content lists and Production Materials Archive are now in the Knowledge Database on the MarvelMods forums
*Added in other loading screen versions I didn't use, as well as older versions of upscales and stuff like that.
*Made some names of loading screens more clear

Is it alright if your Bonus Official Loading Screens mod pack can be made for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance as well? Because I tried to use them for that game, but the colors are all reversed.