Under Wikipedia's entry on "voxel" there is a list of video games that use the technology.jp1 wrote:I would like to see an example of the "much the same thing" that you are talking about. I have never seen any real time rendering of this type before.
The methods described in the video on the first page ("we have bajillions of voxels, and an algorithm which selects which ones to render") is the standard way to deal with voxels (assuming you have more voxels than you do pixels to display them, which is where we want to be). What the voice over describes as some sort of revolutionary leap forwards is not. It's standard 101 for voxel engines (and has been for some time). In fact, it's the same concept that's been applied to most 3D engines (including polygon engines) for over a decade now. This "trick" of rendering only what you need an no more is not new for either polygon engines nor voxel engines (the PowerVR series of video cards found in consumer PCs and Dreamcasts did this in hardware, even if the game engine didn't explicitly attempt it).
Outside of video games, the medical industry uses realtime voxel engines regularly. Many 3D images that comes out of CT scans and the like is represented this way. Whack "voxel" into google images, and see what shows up (plenty of medical imaging comes up).
The glaring downside to voxels at the moment is that you can't wrap a texture over them (or at the very least turn a simple, painted texture into a meaningful visible layer for your lump of voxels), and this is why we see major game and visual effects studios shying away from it as a "day-to-day" way of displaying 3D information. Voxels are great for things like terrain and solid objects of an organic nature (trees, grass, other foliage). They're a reasonable substitute too for particle-based objects also (clouds, smoke, water, fire, etc). They really excel at "infinite" things things that can be calculated by formula (again, landscapes and terrains, or a wall with random cracks, nails, boards, etc that spans for as long as you like).
So for now, voxel engines tend to make things look more like giant 3D pixel art (because, that's exactly what it is). What's needed more than a new voxel rendering engine are improved voxel content creation tools (I think ZBrush is getting there, but it's early days yet). Just like the modern tools of the polygon and texturing trade have evolved over the years, so will voxel creation and painting tools. Only after that occurs will we see mainstream adoption of voxel engines. Releasing a nice rendering engine is only half the battle.
Note tools like these...
http://www.3d-coat.com/voxel-sculpting/
...that concentrate still on the sculpting, and not the final art, skin and imagery. Pretty sculptures with no colour.
Needless to say that last point is glossed over by the sales guy in the video, which is not surprising.
I think I'm more elitist than arrogant. But I'll take either compliment.jp1 wrote:I was referring to your attitude which I feel is arrogant.
