game engine and screenshot resolution quality for prints

[philippelamoureux]

As you guys know it's hard to take high res screenshot in game engines because some features are based on multiple-frames and not only 1. It's the case for screen-space reflections and temporal AA (says in the name).

 

I've never printed high quality stuff myself but i'm wondering if :

 

a print screen of my game window in native 2650x1400 + screenpercentage of 200% on top of that would look the same on paper as a 5120x2880 print screen without any screenpercentage modifier. Theorically they should have the same quality unless i'm very mistaken...

 

Also, according to different resolution calculator around the web, a 11x17 print would require a 6k ish rendering to achieve the ''retina'' quality. Do you think you can get away with a lower resolution and still have a very crisp looking image?

 

Thanks and sorry for the noob questions!

[Scott Schroeder]

Where are you printing this, home or at a print shop? What exactly are you defining as retina quality and does it really matter for printing purposes? I always figured that was more for monitor display.

 

Our el-cheapo everyday office printer prints 2k on 11x17 and it looks okay. You print our full size 4k renders on that and it looks slightly better than okay. By the definition of retina quality (The goal of Retina Display is to make the display of text and images extremely crisp, so pixels are not visible to the naked eye) that el-cheapo printer with a 2k image going into it prints out at or slightly below retina quality.

[Smile of Fury]

http://isthisretina.com/

 

That might be one of the calculators you've come across, but I always find it helpful. Really drives home the point that what you consider to be a crisp image depends on your viewing distance. So yes, if you want a magazine quality glossy image on 11x17, you need a ton of pixels. If you want to hang that on your wall, you can probably get away with significantly less and it will look perfectly fine.

 

In school I printed 36" x 72" boards at a resolution of 100 PPI and everything looked fine...to the jurors sitting 5 feet away.

[philippelamoureux]

It's a 11x17 for a client. They haven't specified a resolution or a specific quality level but I just don't want to give them an image that will end up looking shitty once they print it. I guess the view distance for a 11x17 would be starting at something like 12-20 inches away.

 

@Scott, would you give that 4k render to a client if they needed to print it on a glossy 11x17 paper or you would push the resolution even higher just to be sure it looks perfect?

[Scott Schroeder]

It's a 11x17 for a client. They haven't specified a resolution or a specific quality level but I just don't want to give them an image that will end up looking shitty once they print it. I guess the view distance for a 11x17 would be starting at something like 12-20 inches away.

 

@Scott, would you give that 4k render to a client if they needed to print it on a glossy 11x17 paper or you would push the resolution even higher just to be sure it looks perfect?

 

You can give them a 100k image, if they have a terrible printer or they downres it or think they need to upres it to a higher dpi in Photoshop, then it is out of your control. Even if they have an awesome printer, if they skimp on the paper then you'll get a lower quality print as well.

 

Unless you are the one controlling the printing, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over 4k or 6k res to send them. I'd go happy medium with 4k, even though I think that is a bit overkill for 11x17. But it gives them the ability to print higher if needed

 

We render to 4k and it suites our needs from 8.5x11 paper all the way to 30x42 poster size and even to banner size for construction sites.

[philippelamoureux]

Cool thanks Scott!