Implementing the Aligned Axis Billboard...

[christianclavet]

Hi.

Do you plan to implement the aligned billbard patch from Rogerborg for the 1.5 version? I didnt saw it implemented(yet). It would be very useful for simulating tree and other types of flat objects.

I have some idea also with that features (If anyone have the time to implement it)
- face cam animator:
This animator would align any node to face a specific camera. There could have options to enable/disable certain axis. Could be useful for a lot of things. The animator would have 3 bool for the axis constraints, and to specify the camera to face. You would then apply the animator on the node.

- Option to billboard axis align for particles. That could be great for faking a waterfall, etc...

- Once you got some axis constraint on the billboard, someone could take for example a render of hig detailed tree (take a render for each 10 degree) and with the 36 pictures change the billboard pic by retrieving the angle of the node. So with that you could build a very good looking forest without taxing too much the GPU.

[Halifax]

- Once you got some axis constraint on the billboard, someone could take for example a render of hig detailed tree (take a render for each 10 degree) and with the 36 pictures change the billboard pic by retrieving the angle of the node. So with that you could build a very good looking forest without taxing too much the GPU.

That is a pretty cool idea, I like that. Although wouldn't that create some crazy popping?

<offtopic>
Also, have you ever seen PagedGeometry (for Ogre)? It rivals SpeedTree for the speed at which it renders forests. I don't know how it does it, but it's cool. That would be cool if someone did it with Irrlicht.
</offtopic>

[rogerborg]

Heh, good suggestion, in that hybrid already suggested to me (by PM) that it be done with an animator that could be applied to any scene node.

Which it should be, but I'm reeeeeally short on time at the moment. Any volunteers?

[Steel Style]

Really nice idea, christian.

Hi.

I have some idea also with that features (If anyone have the time to implement it)
- face cam animator:
This animator would align any node to face a specific camera. There could have options to enable/disable certain axis. Could be useful for a lot of things. The animator would have 3 bool for the axis constraints, and to specify the camera to face. You would then apply the animator on the node.

- Option to billboard axis align for particles. That could be great for faking a waterfall, etc...

Yes I think that could be cool and not too hard to do.

- Once you got some axis constraint on the billboard, someone could take for example a render of hig detailed tree (take a render for each 10 degree) and with the 36 pictures change the billboard pic by retrieving the angle of the node. So with that you could build a very good looking forest without taxing too much the GPU.

But about this, it's will need a lot of picture you know, because by takin 10° you will need 35 picture for 1 rotation axis. But if u can see front back left right easily wat about upper position ? 35 * 35 will be too much. But also we can suppose that u was talking about it for far view.

Please escuse my poor english

[christianclavet]

Yes. That technique if for far view, and you could render only the half (180 degres), so you will still have the illusion that the tree is solid from a distance.

Depending of the need of the project it would'nt be too hard to check specific angles (get the angle of the node, then take the proper billboard texture to display)

Perhaps this could also be implemented as a special animator that you could put on a billboard (texture replace animator) would take the specified axis of the node, then use a spritebank for the pictures. Some parameter could specified to tell if the sprite will cover 90, 180, 270 or 360 degrees and loop or mirror (reverse order)

Is the spritebank been reworked a little? It was not that easy to add sprites to the spritebank.

[Steel Style]

Yes but If it's only for far view I don't know if it's will be really interesting I mean that it's would be same as using boring sprite but if it's cool be a system to get a better lod (Creating sprite from Hipoly first, draws them for the far tree and put the low poly tree at the same angle when approach could be cool althougt)

Wich could be working like addTree(hipolymesh, mediummesh, far view for the lowpoly , angleofview )

Then why not add a bilboard like addTreeRegion()..