Modder xoxor4d just released an add-on that automatically enhances approximately 18,000 textures in Grand Theft Auto IV with physically-based rendering materials, and it's completely free. The transformation is so dramatic that screenshots of the modified game look so much like current-generation titles, which is impressive considering the said Grand Theft Auto game launched in 2008.
This is a modern rendering technology being applied to virtually every texture in the game, something that didn't exist when Rockstar North originally shipped GTA 4. Physically-based rendering is the gold standard in modern game development. It's what makes metal actually look metallic, wet streets reflect neon signs properly, and fabric appears soft instead of plasticky. Back in 2008, this technology was still years away from becomingan industry standard.
The modder achieved this through an automated process that captures textures while the game runs and converts them on the fly. It's a clever workaround that would have taken years to accomplish manually, and it works seamlessly with the existing RTX Remix mod for GTA 4 that adds real-time path tracing to the game.
When you combine path tracing with these new PBR materials, Liberty City suddenly looks like it could have been released yesterday instead of during the Bush administration.
