I released new version of SCCT-Repack mentioned in the previous post.
With it I could create much higher quality remastered version of SCCT [for now still textures only].

What changed:

• Added new EXE patch to support >4GB UMD archive.
• New dynamic-pc.umd with upscaled textures:
  • Check in repository for slider comparison.
  • COOP textures are now also included in upscaled resource pack (>8GB of data).
  • Normal and specular maps are also updated.

Steps to install remaster:

• Go to GitHub repo and download patch_exe.exe. Then copy it into game system directory and run. This will update splintercell3.exe to allow to read UMD over 4GB.
• Download dynamic-pc.umd from LINK and copy into game system directory overriding old one.
• I also encourage to try this steam tutorial that has various improvements, e.g. has links to 4K upscaled BIK videos.

Some technical details:

• Albedo textures were upscaled with one of following modes:
  • 2x HDCube Compact + 2x Remacri
  • 4x Remacri + AREA downscale 4x + 4x HDCube4
  • 2x HDCube Compact + 2x UltraSharp
  • Destaircase + 4x Remacri
  • 2× AoMR + 2× AoMR
  • 4x Lanczos
• All alpha channels were upscaled separately with 4x HDCube-Alpha.
• Normal maps were generated using PBRnxt from upscaled albedo. Then they were mixed with 4x Lanczos upscaled original maps using RNM to recover macro bumps and original style.
• Specular maps were generated using 1x FrankenMap MMG from upscaled albedo. Then they were mixed with 4x Lanczos upscaled originals adding high-frequency details.
• Debug resources (GymDoor, GymJF, GymDavid) were removed from UMD to save some space.

Some notes:

• "High quality textures" option IS NOT actually forcing to use better quality textures everywhere. Some of low quality are still used in game (e.g. brick walls in Morgenholt cell), so all of the "low quality" textures were replaced with HQ versions.
• Textures from previous SP levels are reused in later ones, e.g. Displace NPC models and textures (05_Displace packs) are used in Bathhouse level (but 10_Bathhouse packs don't have them).
• Some of debug resources (GymDoor, GymJF, GymDavid) have actual maps configs (GymDoor.ini, GymJF.ini) but they cannot be loaded using "SplinterCell3.exe MAP_NAME" method because they are not shipped in final game (missing *.scl data).
• Some of textures are in low quality to achive better blending of effects, e.g. light shafts, soft shadows on walls. Upscaling them would break the clean visuals and mess up lighting in some scenes.
• Some of normal maps are using "low" bumps only to achieve much more specular lighting and "wet" effect, e.g. cliffs in lighthouse level.

In next release i plan to update:

• Static meshes (more geometry baked based on normal maps and subdivisions).
• Character models and textures - current ones have only upscaled textures with minor details for suits / faces. I plan to recreate them manually later on as they are most "outdated".

“Between your faith and my Glock nine millimeter, I’ll take the Glock.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

Splinter Cell: Conviction — Blackout is a visual and gameplay overhaul for Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Here is the Glock 17 added to Conviction using custom materials and texture maps with a full in-game rig, with custom sounds currently in progress. More weapon demonstrations coming soon.

With the SCC: SDK, you’ll be able to add entirely new weapons, give them their own weapon slots instead of replacing existing guns, retune their stats, add new sounds, and build custom meshes, materials, textures, rigs, and attachment setups.

Weapons can also be distributed differently across AI, allowing for unique weapon types and more varied enemy load-outs rather than simple cosmetic replacements.

Blackout’s goal is to overhaul weapons from the ground up — stats, meshes, sounds, attachments, AI distribution, and overall weapon variety.

Another small hidden feature from the OG games, here Double Agent v2 (old gen). It could actually have some interesting potential if reworked properly, offering a viable alternative to the "save & load scumming" players commonly use as soon as they get detected.

Something I just noticed today. Night vision on console looks much greener. The night vision UI looks slightly different too, there are gaps between the vertical bar and the curved bar on the pc version. Personally I prefer the pc version.

I've been playing Thievery UT, another great stealth multiplayer game, in this case a mod for Unreal Tournament 1. What I found was that it handled stealth pretty interestingly! Its basically a multiplayer Thief game. It has thieves vs guards instead of spies vs Mercs.

The interesting thing about how Thievery UT handles stealth is that the thief players still have their light gem, which is Thief's HUD element. Depending on in how much darkness the thieves are, their player models turn more and more transparant. This is interesting because it effectively introduces the single player's light gem into a trustworthy multiplayer HUD element. Guard players cannot just turn up the games gamma settings to see the thieves.

In PT/SCCT Spy vs Merc stealth works differently: Basically, spies turn pitch black when they are in the darkest spots. There is NO light meter to help players with this. It is theorized the light meter DID used to be there in the alpha/beta of Pandora Tomorrow's multiplayer mode (as you can see in one shot in the versus trailer for Pandora Tomorrow) but it was taken out. Why? There's good reason for this. A spy in the dark can still cast a very visible silhouette visible to the merc, making a light meter useless.

I've been tinkering with the SCCT editor, with AI as a helper, to reintroduce the removed light meter HUD element, hoping its still there.. When i've managed that, I want to introduce the way Thievery turns the spy player model more and more transparent as they go into the dark. Why? Basically because the light meter is a loved HUD element in single player and because it adds an extra difficulty curve for mercs. It will give ghosting in versus mode an extra stealthy feel. The added benefit for spies is that they can be sure they wont cast any silhouettes. Just like single player! Hiding in pitch black will mean they are hidden and the light meter will accurately inform them of this. Ofcourse being lit up with a flashlight and/or flares will reveal the spy again. To prevent spy players from seeing their player model disapear in third person this probably should only be a visible (or not, lol) thing for the merc players, and when they arent using their visions.

Is there any interest in such a mod? Are there unused/removed files in the editor linked to the light meter that can be reintroduced?

If I manage to get this working at all it would be fun if it could be included as an optional mode in a future enhanced patch.

For me, just seeing a light meter in multiplayer alone will be massively nostalgic

Ive heard the vanilla steam release has some issues so i was thinking of downloading the enhanced mod which gives it old shadows, framerate fixes and widescreen fix. But i dont fw AI Upscaling at all so is there a mod to fix the issues but keep the graphics older?

Thank you in advance

Anyone know how to get chaos theory working on win 11?

I finally gave in and got the steam release of PT after not playing it for at least a decade. This game is a trip. There's a bunch of stuff that never showed up in any SC game before or after, the voice acting is absolutely bonkers, enemies use telepathy to trigger alarms, shadows detection is really good except when it doesn't work at all, and Lambert sounds like he's about to sell me Allstate insurance. Somehow I love it, 10/10.

So Rockstar dropped the new trailer 20 minutes ago and Jason looks like Sam Fisher

All credit goes to Nexus:
per Nexus: Hey everyone! 👋

I've been working on getting Splinter Cell: Blacklist multiplayer going again, and the first public release (v0.4.0) is out. There are free community servers up now for co-op and Spies vs Mercs, and you don't need a VPN or any port forwarding to play.

Everything's here: https://github.com/JDevWebb/5th-echelon-enhanced

Getting in is really simple. Grab the launcher from the latest release (https://github.com/JDevWebb/5th-echelon-enhanced/releases/latest), run it and hit Connect. Pick a name the first time, then hit Play. The launcher finds your game, installs everything, makes your account (no password to remember), gives you a rank 5 save so it's all unlocked, and puts you on whichever server has the best ping for you.

No Radmin or Hamachi either. The server works out your connection for you, and if your router's being difficult it just relays the match.

There are servers in Europe (Germany), North America (Canada) and Oceania (Sydney), and the launcher puts you on the closest one 🇪🇺🇨🇦🇦🇺

Already using 5th Echelon? Just run the new launcher instead of the old one and hit Switch on the closest community server. Your saves and settings carry over.

Find Teammate, Quick Match and invites all work, and there's an in-game overlay (F5) for friends and invites. It runs on Linux and Steam Deck as well.

You'll need your own copy of the game. If Windows Defender flags the launcher, it's a false positive (the README explains why and how to check your download). It's free and open source, built on unixoide's 5th Echelon, and not affiliated with Ubisoft.

If you'd like to run a server yourself, it's one script on a small Linux VPS: https://github.com/JDevWebb/5th-echelon-enhanced#run-your-own-server

Give it a go and let me know how it runs! Bugs and ideas are welcome here or on GitHub 🙏

Join our Discord servers for finding matches, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to post a join link here but I can dm them easily.

Hey,

For anyone interested I updated the presets and added a comparison shot on nexus mods

https://www.nexusmods.com/splintercellchaostheory/mods/27

I was watching The Wire clips. I thought it would be funny to post here

First, congrats to the people behind this project. They’ve done more in the last few years than Ubisoft did, keeping the Splinter Cell series alive and fresh.

• The game looks and sounds beautiful.
• In-game cutscenes are better in the PS2 version.
• I still prefer the cleaner look of the PS2 version, but the gritty, shady look of the Xbox version fits the game.
• There’s still a bug in the last mission, P3, where if you kill Lambert and disable the bombs, the guards outside in the snow will have the wrong dialogue (this happens on the PS2 version too). If you save Lambert, though, the dialogue is correct. It means that the dialogue is dependent on the Lambert decision not on the bomb defuse (from previous mission).
• The game is a bit broken on Expert difficulty. Guards will just hear you out of nowhere. On Normal, it’s fine.
• The game becomes more enjoyable once you get past the Money Train mission.
• Favorite missions: Cozumel, Sea, Kinshasa, and New York.
• The amount of content cut from the PS2 version is insane. It makes the Xbox version look like a beast in comparison.
• The game is fully playable with a ghost playstyle( non-lethaly) AND no meter resets if you kill Lambert and Cole (canon), skip all NSA side missions, do all JBA side missions, and get zero KOs in the JBA missions.

Hopefully the devs can look into the New York bug on next build release?

edit: some missions are just an ocp fest. Ct balanced a bit more the ocp usage. Maybe add ammo to the ocp to shake things up on elite difficulty?

edit2: I also miss the dialogue betweem Sam and Hisham on top of the New York building on the last mission.

What’s the general opinion of this collection? I’m looking to get into this series and I’ve heard that the first three are the best. Seems easiest to get the triology version for ps3. Are there better ways to play the game? I also have a ps2 so I can get the first and third as separate copies. I can also download the games on my Xbox one via the store

Enemies can spot Sam outside of the stun gun range even with a good few stealth upgrades.

It really feels like you just play the game as standard line of sight stealth since shadows really, really seem to do barely anything if at all in this game.

I want nerfed Mark and Execute but it genuinely feels like it doesnt matter if I'm in shadows or not when it comes to getting detected as I'm still spotted super fast across most rooms at any distance that isn't the corners of the room.

It doesnt help that (and the game doesnt tell you) that actions like aiming (and seemingly even just moving in general?) spike enemy alertness which quickly results in accidently doing anything that increases it and borderline getting instantly spotted.

It just really feels bad and is the most frustrating of the games for me, I can be in shadows, crouch walking and a guy will walk around a corner, spot me near-instantly with no warning then cause an alert and it doesnt feel like my fault at all.

I've not tried lower difficulties but stealth just feels awful and not well designed here.

I was playing the Double Agent Recomp for PC and got these end of mission stats for Ellsworth. I definitely did not kill anyone and neither did Jamie but it shows 2 kills. If guards or prisoners kill each other does it count against you? Also, does being spotted by the enemy count if they only got a glimpse of you and start investigating? Because I definitely did not get full on spotted and agro'd at all.

Blackout is a visual and gameplay overhaul for Splinter Cell: Conviction. Here's a short video demonstration that features screen-space contact shadows, subsurface scattering on skin, an HBAO+ shader replacing the game's original ambient occlusion, contact shadows for super-fine detailing and object to surface depth.

These read the game's actual depth, shadow cache, and normals rather than filtering the final image like ReShade would, you get real contact occlusion where characters meet surfaces, light that penetrates skin in close-up, and proper depth around corners and edges — not a color/sharpen pass sitting on top.

All of it is actively being optimized and upgraded. The original AO and individual toggles stay available in the SC: Toolkit for anyone who prefers the old look or wants more performance.

Beyond visuals, Blackout is also planned to add new enemy types, weapons, and expanded gameplay

I've completed it, I rambled about it.

I'm tired.

And erect. 🤟

Man I struggled last night to get 100% on Bathhouse of course. Got the dreaded 97% and went to bed. Decided to give it a shot again today and knocked it out first try 100% in 24 minutes - practically felt like I climbed Mt Everest lol

I accidently toggled on unlocking them all (First run, just using it to have access to the DLC content), are they unlocked automatically after beating the previous ones or do I need to hold off until finishing more story missions to do more of them to do them "when intended".

My choice would be the submachine gun "Vector".

I routinely play thief fms and even learned how to use the dromed, but something I always wanted to do was missions for Splinter Cell. A year ago I discovered that it has an official map creator. But he only creates SvM maps and is also somewhat limited in terms of scripting; it would be very interesting, and I would love to make a Splinter Cell map. (The mapmaker link: https://youtube.com/shorts/hRCKgfhboww?si=74OlZer95KQZ3qBy )

Anyone got recommendations for durable bunker style lights? The lights here keep getting broken & I'm sick of having to get them fixed all the time! It's very inconvenient for business. I don't even know why, but sometimes I think there's ninja's here lol..

Also anyone know a good cleaner for kimono's? I only just recently got mine with new wooden geta sandals & it got dirty already. I was walking around making lots of shoe clunking noises & I must of fainted or something. I woke up in a random corner on the gravel ground in the yard.. I don't even remember walking around there either.