Retro Gaming Meets Modern AI
Nvidia's advanced DLSS 5 photographic realism injector has been widely discussed, but enthusiasts are now adding DLSS 5 to environments where it was never intended to go: old DOS games like the original 1991 Duke Nukem, and even the 1972 classic Pong.
Valery Kryzhanovsky embarked on a mission to test the technology with vintage games, with results documented on his channel. His testing spans 2D platformers, RPGs, and contemporary titles, and he provides instructions and downloadable resources for interested users.
Visual Outcomes and Artifacts
In Duke Nukem, rectangular visual elements become embossed to add a sense of depth. The filter does a competent job of detecting objects like the player, enemies, and projectiles without excessively altering sprite interiors, though excessive filter strength can yield psychedelic results resembling an acid trip.
Injection Techniques
To force-inject the filter into 2D titles, Kryzhanovsky ran games inside DOSBox before utilizing the popular ReShade filter to layer DLSS 5 on top. Parameter configurations are managed via the RenoDX user interface.
Technical Challenges
In a technical overview, Kryzhanovsky explains that because DLSS 5 was never designed for 2D static images or legacy 3D titles lacking motion vectors and object selection data, selecting the correct rendering injection stage—whether at the render stage, post-upscaling, or final output—is critical.
The chosen injection point is just as vital as adjusting filter strength, color presets, or pass counts. For example, injecting DLSS 5 at the render stage in a 3D environment can actively alter facial geometry, as observed during testing with RBDOOM-3-BFG.
Kryzhanovsky concludes that force-injected DLSS 5 performs best with still imagery, demonstrated by consistent results with Heroes of Might and Magic. He notes the technology shows promise but remains undercooked, hindered primarily by the lack of temporal elements since it evaluates only a single current frame.
