Having diligently searched through thousands of TES: Oblivion screenshots, scattered across multiple directories, I must, with some amazement and great sorrow, admit to myself that no screenshot of Vilja in combat exists. Neeshka, yes. I've more than plenty of those, though only a relatively small number are worthy of enhancement.

Be that as it may, today's Gemini-enhanced image finds my avatar in Ayleid Ruin Vanua, gazing upon the Helm of the Crusader, on his way to becoming an avatar of the Nine, in which guise he tackled the Oblivion Crisis during my second playthrough.

<link> The Helm of the Crusader, a Gemini-enhanced second-playthrough image <link>

Gemini gave me trouble with this one. First, for some unfathomable reason, it added a second character screen left of my avatar. I told Gemini to remove that character; it didn't. I told it to again; it did but then added a free-standing stone arch screen left of my avatar. I told it to remove the arch; it did. I left things alone at that point. What I should have done, and am tempted to do, is tell it to add a soft glow to the Crusader's Helm, in keeping with the original. But who knows what that might lead to?

Today's Gemini-enhanced Oblivion screenshot is a winner in all but one regard: my avatar's chest covering. When I first enhanced this image, it nailed that covering but got the helmet wrong. Several corrective attempts failed to fix this. I deleted everything and started afresh. This time it nailed the helmet but failed to give the chest covering its correct Castle Seaview (mod) design. This also I can't correct. I like the image well enough to let things stand as is...for now.

<link> Gemini-enhance Oblivion image—Battle on the Bridge, a first playthrough capture <link>

Oooh, Hamfat and his horse have matching headgear!

Yeah. I was then, and remain, a fan of the Castle Seaview (mod) quest armor and horse. It was my avatar's armor of choice throughout much of my first playthrough. My avatar's focus changed in my second playthrough, from being a questing adventurer to becoming a servant of the Nine and the Empire. In more practical terms, the mod that assigns him road patrols and tax gatherings requires that he wear a limited number of authorized armors, the Oblivion Crisis reward armor being amongst them.

In today's Gemini-enhanced Oblivion screenshot, we witness combat within ruins as Neeshka distracts their Trollish adversary, allowing my avatar, attacking from the side, to plunge his sword into the beast's chest.

<link> Ruins Troll combat with Neeshka and my avatar, a Gemini-enhanced first playthrough image <link>

Gemini's first stab at following my instructions was pretty spot-on. Neeshka and my avatar look like themselves, armor and all, other than Neeshka's skin being not quite blue enough. I had Gemini correct this during its second pass. I consider this image more an "improved screenshot" than either "artwork" or "photorealistic." (Yes, I told Gemini to add the blood.)

Today's Gemini-enhanced Oblivion image is a second playthrough <link> Leyawiin evening street scene. <link>

Both those shots look really good!

Today's Gemini-enhanced Oblivion screenshot captures first-playthrough nighttime road combat with my avatar and Neeshka versus a Khajiit...hopefully no-one we know.

<link> Nighttime road combat, a first-playthrough Gemini-enhanced image <link>

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Mar 13 2026, 12:52 PM

Nice effects on that sword!

Oh, so it's like you're manally altering these images thru the Gemini program? Wow.

Yep. I select a screenshot that looks worthy of enhancement or is of special significance to me, paste it in Gemini, tell Gemini what I want altered and what I want left alone, press the enter key, and hope for the best. My goal is, normally, to make it look as close to the original as possible, only photorealistic/artistic.

I do ask Gemini to alter some things; add reins to horses that are held by the rider, change a horse's legs to make it look like it is traveling forward, make a weapon stab through or cut into an opponent, and so on and so forth. In other words, if it's not in the original screenshot because of game limitations, I'll attempt to remedy the lack.

Now, these past couple of days I've sometimes told Gemini to go above and beyond, such as with iny second-playthrough capture of the battle between a transformed Martin Septim and Mehrunes Dagon at the climax of the Oblivion Crisis. The screenshot itself is an incomprehensible mess, not worthy of posting. Following my instructions, Gemini transformed it into a lovely piece of artwork. Could it be further improved? Possibly. But I find drawing from the well too often can sometimes cause more harm than good. Plus, sometimes Gemini simply won't produce the results I want, regardless of what I tell it.

Some things it's simply bad at, like keeping my characters' faces as is (but photorealistic), except up close. Nor does it understand Vilja's hairstyle at a distance.

<link> [b]Here's a link to Free Tier Gemini[/b] <link>
Drop in a screenshot. Give it as detailed instructions as you feel necessary. If the first pass doesn't work out, try again. Being free, no harm is done.

Today's enhanced Oblivion screenshot installment shows my avatar and Vilja on Talos Bridge. The non-doctored image is okay, but nothing special.

<link> My avatar and Vilja on Talos Bridge, a nighttime second-playthrough image <link>

Here's what I told Gemini:
"Transform this torch-lit nighttime outdoor Elder Scrolls Oblivion screenshot into a photorealistic image. Do not alter the characters' attire, faces, or hairstyles; just make them photorealistic."

<link> Here's what Gemini makes of it <link>
Gemini, as usual, didn't follow my instructions to the letter, but I've no real complaints and much to praise, despite Gemini continuing to find Vilja's hairstyle incomprehensible. (To be fair, it comes closer to getting it right here than it often does.)

What confuses me has nothing to do with image enhancement but rather why Vilja is seen in civilian attire while my avatar is armored. Under every circumstance I can envision, they should both be either in civies or armored. Yes, there were situations when this wasn't true, but not with them being where they are when they are. It is almost certainly a mystery without solution.

Gemini did a nice job with the night sky.

Yes it did. Also, the play of light on the bridge floor paving stones.

Yes, Gemini did do a nice rendition on the bridge scene. I really like the paving stones. I can see what you mean about Vilja's hair. It's the color that confuses me.