Yakoob on 27/5/2009 at 05:22
Wait, isn't voxel basically using a shit ton of tiny objects (voxels) to build bigger structures, ala lego? Why would you want to use that for character models though? Bitch to animate, requires shitton of memory and produces choppy edges with enough zoom / not enough voxels? Isn't the only applicable use of this destructible terrain?
Or am I confusing something here?
Toxicfluff on 27/5/2009 at 09:58
Quote Posted by Yakoob
Wait, isn't voxel basically using a shit ton of tiny objects (voxels) to build bigger structures
What, a bit like triangles you mean?
Quote Posted by 5T C4rm4ck
It's interesting that if you look at representing this data in this particular sparse voxel octree format it winds up even being a more efficient way to store the 2D data as well as the 3D geometry data, because you don't have packing and bordering issues. So we have incredibly high numbers; billions of triangles of data that you store in a very efficient manner. Now what is different about this versus a conventional ray tracing architecture is that it is a specialized data structure that you can ray trace into quite efficiently and that data structure brings you some significant benefits that you wouldn't get from a triangular structure. It would be 50 or 100 times more data if you stored it out in a triangular mesh, which you couldn't actually do in practice.
Oldish article, so his opinion might have changed. 3d and 2d data sounds interesting though, like it could tie in very closely with megatexture style parametric detail....
I'm not really au fait with all this stuff though. Is he actually talking about voxels as in the paper thin squares of yore, or is it just a structural thing? The bit where he says billions of triangles of data makes me unsure.
Matthew on 27/5/2009 at 10:11
Wait, voxels are back?
Bjossi on 27/5/2009 at 10:26
Toxicfluff, I think voxels are boxy, kind of like a 3D pixel.
Yakoob on 27/5/2009 at 12:35
Quote Posted by Toxicfluff
What, a bit like triangles you mean?
Quote Posted by Bjossi
Toxicfluff, I think voxels are boxy, kind of like a 3D pixel.
Aye, that's what I meant. They work fundamentally different from triangles.
But if they managed to squeeze in more detail at smaller memoryspace than triangles then kudos to them.
Volitions Advocate on 27/5/2009 at 13:19
If they're working on 6 before they even release a game for 5 they better hurry up and release the source code for tech 4 *wags fist*
Renzatic on 27/5/2009 at 15:10
Quote Posted by Yakoob
But if they managed to squeeze in more detail at smaller memoryspace than triangles then kudos to them.
That sounds about what Id is going for with Tech 6. I remember reading an article way back where Carmack stated he wants to do for polygons and 3D detailing what Tech 5 does for textures. High res voxels would seem to be a step in that direction.
gunsmoke on 27/5/2009 at 15:36
Quote Posted by Assidragon
Some people need to learn more about the upsides of raytracing... it's definitely going to replace the current raster graphics.
I always was lead to believe that it is WAY too taxing on raw computing power to be useful in games. It seems best suited for still images and the like.
Bjossi on 27/5/2009 at 16:37
The trade-offs are worth it though, for example shadows will require little to no resources, and I believe the same goes for AA.
june gloom on 27/5/2009 at 18:09
Westwood's Blade Runner used voxels, and I remember Blood and Shadow Warrior using voxels as well. Supposedly Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 do as well. This shit isn't exactly new.
