Billboards not affected by Fog

Pherael · 01-28-2015 05:36 PM

As in thread subject. I'm using billboards for trees in distance but they looks very unnatural with fog.

georgatos7 · 01-29-2015 12:48 AM

I can't help since i haven't tried anything like it but out of curiosity, do you have a pic?
I'm very interested my self for this, how is the performance for big numbers of trees?

Pherael · 01-29-2015 10:52 AM

Well, this is very very early version of randomly generated island (so doesn't looks very good) but sure:

With fog:
[Image: uc?export=download&id=0B2UJDG_6H...WxiUk5OODQ]

[Image: uc?export=download&id=0B2UJDG_6H...WxiUk5OODQ]

Over 1000 m distance view:
[Image: uc?export=download&id=0B2UJDG_6H...2pPNWlrTms]

Well, using billboards give me great boost to performance. I add this functionality recently, so I still testing it. Hard to tell exactly numbers, there is many factors. For example, my billboards cast fake shadows, so they looks more naturally. I think this affect performance more than billboards itself. As for quick test I did now, even about 1000 billboards don't slow fps more than 1 fps.

I'll post some information about it later in Kill the Dragon thread.

georgatos7 · 01-29-2015 11:56 AM

Wow man it looks amazing. I see the issue was that they are unaffected by fog.

I don't know how it works but maybe trying to draw them at a stage before the fog is applied. I'm just throwing an idea here.

Pherael · 01-29-2015 12:35 PM

When I try to draw them outside RM_BLEND stage, billboards were black squares (RM_PREPARE) or don't display at all (outside Renderer).

Houge · 01-29-2015 03:09 PM

One question. What happens when you look at the trees from the top?
Billboards shall face the camera, so it should make an effect of trees "lying on the ground", right?

Pherael · 01-29-2015 03:45 PM

Its happens only when you looking at them from top or from very high angle, but billboards are displayed always far from hero, so this is not a big problem. They looks good even from top of the mountain.

The biggest problem so far is transition from 3d object to billboard. This is (sometimes) very noticeable, but I have few ideas how fix it.

View from cliff with almost max player angle (I limited looking down to 45 degree)
[Image: uc?export=download&id=0B2UJDG_6H...DY2YmNJR3M]

[Image: uc?export=download&id=0B2UJDG_6H...DY2YmNJR3M]

georgatos7 · 01-29-2015 07:57 PM

Awesome Pherael, the pics are looking very nice, also i really like the swore line. It blends the scene very well.
You said this billboard system is something you developed or is it built-in?

Pherael · 01-29-2015 08:11 PM

From Esenthel

Code:

// draw in 3D space

   void draw3D(C Color &color, Flt size, Flt angle, C Vec &pos, ALPHA_MODE mode=ALPHA_BLEND_DEC)C; // draw as 3D billboard, this can be called in RM_BLEND mode or outside rendering function (in drawing function), this method supports only IMAGE_2D images, this relies on active object matrix which can be set using 'SetMatrix' function

georgatos7 · 01-29-2015 08:21 PM

Nice, along with your nice trees it looks really well.

Edit : Y i can't see a way to apply fog to it, draw3D doesn't write to Depth buffer also if that has to do with anything.

georgatos7 · 01-29-2015 10:33 PM

Hey if you don't wanna bother making your own system you can maybe try to fade the billboards based on distance.

Code:

Image *billboardImage = Images(UID(...TREE...));

flt distance = Dist(treePos, Cam.matrix.pos);

flt density  = 0.01f;

flt expFade  = 255.0f / Pow(2.7182f, distance*density);

Clamp(expFade, 100.0f, 255.0f);

(*billboardImage).draw3D(Color(255, 255, 255, expFade), 5, 0, treePos);

Might look crappy though i don't know. smile

If it had something like another color value that you could lerp to it would have been awesome, maybe Esenthel can add this to the draw3d source.

Pherael · 01-29-2015 11:15 PM

Thanks for you support.
I already wondered about fading, but I don't think it will work.

I'll wait for what Esenthel say, then decide what to do next.

**Esenthel** · 01-30-2015 01:31 AM

Hi,

I'll add this for next release through a new method VI.fog(true) smile

also you will get better performance when using VI for batched drawing

**Esenthel** · 01-30-2015 02:07 AM

Just commited this to Source Beta branch.

Pherael · 02-04-2015 09:31 AM

This is great news. As always, really appreciate it grin

Can't wait for next release.

Billboards not affected by Fog
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