Unlimited detail graphics

[GSZX1337]

Does anyone really pay attention to these new graphic technologies anymore? It seems like they come in, generate a lot of buzz, then fall into obscurity. (Mega Texturing, Procedural Textures, etc.)

EDIT: Basically, if it's not in a game (a game that's been released), then I don't care).

[Anayo]

Um... procedural textures aren't new or exciting. All 3D animation programs have had them available since... geez, late 80's? Early 90's? I know they're useful in pre-rendered CG art (Ice Age, for instance, used a lot of procedural textures), and I'm not sure it'd be too exotic or weird to use them in a game engine. They just might look weird for surfaces that are better represented as bitmaps. I'd venture to say this "unlimited detail" idea is different than that. I just hope it doesn't end up like 3D head tracking on the Wii: something that looks awesome in a demo but never gets used by developers, not even once.

[Pulsar_t]

Does anyone really pay attention to these new graphic technologies anymore? It seems like they come in, generate a lot of buzz, then fall into obscurity. (Mega Texturing, Procedural Textures, etc.)

EDIT: Basically, if it's not in a game (a game that's been released), then I don't care).

I'm still waiting for the VR helmet to replace TVs

[GSZX1337]

Um... procedural textures aren't new or exciting.

Maybe I'm thinking of something else. I remember seeing on a forum a link to a gaming news site that talked about new textures and how they used very little memory, and that id wasn't going to use them, they're using MegaTextures instead, etc.

[Anayo]

Yeah, a procedural texture is generated by the computer with a math algorithm. It takes up less memory while never looking pixelated when you zoom in close to it and looks good for patterns in nature like the rings inside of trees, or sedimentary rock layers, but it's not good for really specific details like a person's face (when people try to do that it looks like "bad CG").

[Limewater]

I haven't watched anything but the very first "unlimited detail" video, and I'd have to watch and read more about it before I could say a whole lot.

However, one problem that immediately springs to mind is aliasing. From his description in the first video, is sounds like they are only processing one particle per pixel. That would be fine for a textureless surface, though then you might as well just use a flat-shaded polygon. However, once texture is involved, processing only one particle per pixel will give aliased results.

I suppose they could get around that by processing the neighborhood of the selected particle and filtering locally, but that would greatly increase the computational burden of the process. Oh well, I probably won't look into it any further unless something actually comes of it.

[DerekG52]

It sounds like it could be a game changer, its a shame they couldn't have a proper artist do a good tech demo for them. It's like bringing the cave dwelling IT guys to do a demo. If the tech is able to hold true water, it will bring big changes, because you know the first blockbuster to use this tech will sell by the truckload.

[Hobie-wan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.kkrieger

An old demo game thing that is a 96K executable that generates all the textures and 3d models procedureally when you run it to make a 3d game of sorts. Not particularly fun, but damn impressive what that 96K of code turns into when run.

[jp1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.kkrieger

An old demo game thing that is a 96K executable that generates all the textures and 3d models procedureally when you run it to make a 3d game of sorts. Not particularly fun, but damn impressive what that 96K of code turns into when run.

That is amazing. It reminds me of the old days when game developers really had to be creative to squeeze out something great. Imagine what kind of things would be possible if they still had the same dedication.

[Niode]

.kkrieger is pretty cool, I remember playing that game when they first released amazed at how small it is. Shame the game itself is pretty naff to be honest.