Your input : 2d image manipulation libraries

[MasterBaker]

Hello!

I need a 2d manipulation library, to make iteration-based special effects on billboards and to integrate this into and Irrlicht-based game.

(If some of you know the psychedelic game "rez", i'm trying to obtain visual eye candy similar to that game. A lot of Rez's eye candy comes in the form of 3d textures pasted onto 2d billboards and then modified using blur and glow effects.)

Any idea of good 2d manipulation libraries that would let me create dynamic textures efficiently?

I've been thinking about using the code source from MilkDrop, the Winamp Plugin... but it relies heavily on Direct X, and it's a bit complicated! If I can find a simpler library that takes a texture and lets me apply a simple scripting language to alter the texture, that would be great...

Screenshot examples to clarify my need, because english isn't my native tongue
- http://www.sonicteam.com/rez/e/visuals/ ... g1_07b.jpg
On this screen, you can see that there's some sort of huge billboard behind the wireframe. The hazed explosion on it is the result of a 3d object that's been killed, rendered on the billboard, and then blurred and spread across the billboard.

-http://www.sonicteam.com/rez/e/visuals/ ... g1_11b.jpg
In this screen shot, you can see the tentacles of the "boss" emit a green light. This could be easily accomplished through the use of a 2d billboard with an animated texture.

-http://www.sonicteam.com/rez/e/visuals/ ... g2_05b.jpg
Another nice example of a dead 3d mesh turned into 2d and splattered all over the background.

Any input is appreciated! Thanks.

Masterbaker
http://www.ioverflow.net - A (soon to be, hopefully) unique 3D Experience.

[bitplane]

Are you planning to edit the textures every frame? uploading textures from system to graphics memory is very slow, the standard approach is to process the images directly on the graphics card using a pixel shader program. the screenshots you posted look like they make heavy use of shaders.
have a play with ATI's RenderMonkey to create the effects you would like, then recreate them in Irrlicht like in example 10. there are also some good shader examples here in the forums to get you started

[MasterBaker]

Yup, textures have to be modified for every frame.

I'll have a look at RenderMonkey and the tuts, and hope shaders aren't as nightmarish to use as some people say they are!

Thanks for the tip!