Outerra forum

Outerra Engine => Development screen shots and videos => Topic started by: angrypig on November 20, 2010, 09:22:23 am

Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: angrypig on November 20, 2010, 09:22:23 am
When i saw our last screenshots with apache there were a lot of noise caused by self shadowing which made me little bit angry :). So I started to looking for a problem and I made some improvements to filtering algorithm. The new algorithm removes all undesirable noise which you can see on all previous screenshots. I also used Nvidia's hardware 2x2 PCF extension to raise number of random samples from 8 to 32 which makes transition between light and shadow more smooth. The final performance hit was little surprise for me because it was slightly faster than previous version with 8 samples which is probably caused by better cache utilization.

Detailed algorithm description will come later when we will have a little more time...

Finally here are a few screenshots with results.

new version of old screenshot :)
(http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_apache_sm_01.jpg) (http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_apache_sm_01.jpg)(http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_apache_sm_03.jpg) (http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_apache_sm_03.jpg)(http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_cessna_sm_01.jpg) (http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_cessna_sm_01.jpg)
and one detailed shot
(http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_cessna_sm_02.jpg) (http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_cessna_sm_02.jpg)
it also helps to remove the noise from curved surfaces
(http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_cessna_sm_03.jpg) (http://www.outerra.com/shots/s_cessna_sm_03.jpg)

I almost forgot video :D
[youtube2]9_UyXHUd9gk[/youtube2]
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: halobungie on November 20, 2010, 09:44:42 am
Hello,
the Pictures are UNCREDIBLE GOOD - ONLY FANTASTIC!!!
Greetings,
halobungie
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: RaikoRaufoss on November 20, 2010, 09:53:38 am
Great work on improving the image quality!
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: Abc94 on November 20, 2010, 02:47:34 pm
Haha it's getting harder and harder to tell if some of these images are real or not!

I especially like the 4th shot (the one of the top of the Cessna).  Was the screenshot taken from 'in-game' (such as how it would look if you were actually flying the Cessna) or did you have to do some extra rendering to get it to such a high quality?

(Crossing fingers hoping it's an in-game image)  :D
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: angrypig on November 20, 2010, 03:21:23 pm
Quote from: Abc94
I especially like the 4th shot (the one of the top of the Cessna).  Was the screenshot taken from 'in-game' (such as how it would look if you were actually flying the Cessna) or did you have to do some extra rendering to get it to such a high quality?

(Crossing fingers hoping it's an in-game image)  :D

Every picture and video that we are presenting is directly from game. We have no extra settings for screenshots or videos. Our philosophy is WYSIWYP... :)
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: Abc94 on November 20, 2010, 03:46:14 pm
I am guessing that is an acronym for What You See Is What You Play?  Well then I must say that Outerra has the best looking graphics (and not just terrain) of any game/simulator I have ever seen, and that's no joke!  :cool:

But what did you mean by "and one detailed shot" above the fourth image?

BTW I completely agree with WYSIWHP.  Too bad some developers don't.
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: angrypig on November 20, 2010, 04:40:19 pm
Quote from: Abc94
I am guessing that is an acronym for What You See Is What You Play?  Well then I must say that Outerra has the best looking graphics (and not just terrain) of any game/simulator I have ever seen, and that's no joke!  :cool:

Yes it means exactly "What You See Is What You Play".

Quote from: Abc94
But what did you mean by "and one detailed shot" above the fourth image?

That detailed shot means only closeup look on shadows casted by antennas.
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: C. Shawn Smith on November 20, 2010, 05:20:06 pm
Quote from: Abc94
Haha it's getting harder and harder to tell if some of these images are real or not!
I agree!  Very nice images, and a lot better.  The video of the Apache shadows ... man, it was hard to tell it was computer generated :).  I usually don't quibble on shadow detail too much, since my computer system has never been able to render them that well anyway (even though I plan for 2-3 years of usage, I always seem to fall behind by a year), but even the ones a few were complaining about weren't bad at all.  I probably wouldn't have noticed if someone hadn't pointed it out.
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: ZeosPantera on November 20, 2010, 08:50:04 pm
This thread has been approved for all audiences and it rated awesome.
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: Michal on November 21, 2010, 08:19:36 am
Wow, there is no gap between antenna and the shadow! Impressive :)
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: angrypig on November 21, 2010, 08:40:26 am
Quote from: _michal
Wow, there is no gap between antenna and the shadow! Impressive :)

Good point. This algorithm doesn't need shadow map offset so there are no gaps. :)
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: Michal on November 21, 2010, 08:44:56 am
Awesome. FSX self shadowing is terrible, there is almost 15 - 20cm offset, and no shadow dithering at all. New Flight video showed how low is the exterior shadow resolution. Selfshadowing in Outerra looks much better.
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: OGREMAN on November 21, 2010, 07:41:35 pm
OMG... I am wallowing in a pool of green drool ..... anticipation of this engine being adopted by a mainstream Combat flight sim developer is reducing me to tears of joy.  Shine on you crazy DIAMONDS! I love this..
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: ddenn on November 22, 2010, 03:22:12 am
That's very impressive!

Is it possible to make shadows a little bit blue, after the sky color? It could make picture even a bit more realistic

(http://www.bighornairways.com/images/cessna210.jpg)
Title: Shadowmap update
Post by: angrypig on November 22, 2010, 03:30:38 am
Quote from: ddenn
Is it possible to make shadows a little bit blue, after the sky color? It could make picture even a bit more realistic

They are already little bit bluish but that color is not taken from sky yet.