Parallax Occlusion Mapping
by Tim Reed · in Torque Game Engine · 07/27/2006 (4:44 pm) · 9 replies
On GameDev.net today there is a story about this. This looks like the Unreal Engine 3 technology.
The idea here is to take a texture of rocks or stones ideally and split the image. Everything that is not the rocks/stone is one layer and it resides where the texture is originally placed. The rocks/stones get raised up out of the texture through math creating the look of 3D without actually placing 30 or more rock mesh/objects in the scene.
The link can be found here:
http://www.gamedev.net/columns/hardcore/pom
Is this something that can or will be implemented to the Torqe Shader Engine or TGE?
The idea here is to take a texture of rocks or stones ideally and split the image. Everything that is not the rocks/stone is one layer and it resides where the texture is originally placed. The rocks/stones get raised up out of the texture through math creating the look of 3D without actually placing 30 or more rock mesh/objects in the scene.
The link can be found here:
http://www.gamedev.net/columns/hardcore/pom
Is this something that can or will be implemented to the Torqe Shader Engine or TGE?
About the author
#2
07/27/2006 (5:04 pm)
This is *kind of* old news. Do a search on the forums for parallax mapping.
#3
07/27/2006 (5:08 pm)
Wait...why is this in terrain discussions?
#5
07/28/2006 (7:27 am)
I put it here as it seemed closely related to terain because the texture is being manipulated.
#6
07/28/2006 (2:02 pm)
It's not...really related to terrain at all. Parallax terrain would be neat though.
#7
If only becuase parallax mapping is the *illusion* that the surface has depth. it might work for displacing the surface(like sand and the like) but not for anything that would legitiamtely displace it a significant amount. That and hte fact that collisions dont happen with parallax mapping.
@Matt, parallax occlusion mapping is more or less the mid-point between standard parallax mapping and true relief mapping. The difference lies in the fact parallax mapping only distorts the pixels based on the view, not ever actually covering anything in the texture, where as true(aka curved) relief mapping will *actually* displace the surface to make the surface have volume. parallax map occlusion mapping is between, where it'll occlude pixels to give a greater sense of depth, while not having to displace the surface.
so while yes, you can do either or, occlusion mapping is the between.
As stated, it's actually not possible to use this technique specifically fo terrain generaiton, but you can apply it to terrain textures, decals, or use it do do small craters and the like, but past that...not really.
07/28/2006 (2:14 pm)
Parallax terrain cant work.If only becuase parallax mapping is the *illusion* that the surface has depth. it might work for displacing the surface(like sand and the like) but not for anything that would legitiamtely displace it a significant amount. That and hte fact that collisions dont happen with parallax mapping.
@Matt, parallax occlusion mapping is more or less the mid-point between standard parallax mapping and true relief mapping. The difference lies in the fact parallax mapping only distorts the pixels based on the view, not ever actually covering anything in the texture, where as true(aka curved) relief mapping will *actually* displace the surface to make the surface have volume. parallax map occlusion mapping is between, where it'll occlude pixels to give a greater sense of depth, while not having to displace the surface.
so while yes, you can do either or, occlusion mapping is the between.
As stated, it's actually not possible to use this technique specifically fo terrain generaiton, but you can apply it to terrain textures, decals, or use it do do small craters and the like, but past that...not really.
#8
Parallax terrain cant work.
If only becuase parallax mapping is the *illusion* that the surface has depth. it might work for displacing the surface(like sand and the like) but not for anything that would legitiamtely displace it a significant amount. That and hte fact that collisions dont happen with parallax mapping.
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Thanks Jeff that is a nice bit of knowledge.
To clarify is it possible to use this with the Torque Game Engine, or only in the Torque Shader Engine?
Thanks,
Tim Reed
Indie Dev Group
07/28/2006 (9:32 pm)
-----------------------------------------------------Parallax terrain cant work.
If only becuase parallax mapping is the *illusion* that the surface has depth. it might work for displacing the surface(like sand and the like) but not for anything that would legitiamtely displace it a significant amount. That and hte fact that collisions dont happen with parallax mapping.
-----------------------------------------------------
Thanks Jeff that is a nice bit of knowledge.
To clarify is it possible to use this with the Torque Game Engine, or only in the Torque Shader Engine?
Thanks,
Tim Reed
Indie Dev Group
Torque Owner Matt Vitelli