[Turn] show Cartier secret 3D Game Quality effects

Graphics 3D game Quality effects

In recent years, a large number of big 3D games made with the latest technology have made most players enjoy an unprecedented game quality experience, as well as a rapid technological innovation in graphics hardware. For players who often play games, there may be a sense of awareness of the game quality improvement, and for those who have played games in the past few years, and now suddenly come to play new games, it is estimated that the game is now the quality of praise and even exclaimed "incredible." However, there is a phenomenon we have to admit that: the game quality of the setting options more and more rich, while the players are also the "flower-seeking eye-appealing" game quality effects are a little puzzled. So today, Cartier will come to you in a detailed interpretation of 3D game effects, so that players in the experience of the game to enjoy the fun to have a good time to understand.

Cartier reveal 3D Game quality effects

Speaking of game graphics effects, we have to say that DirectX Api,directx (Direct eXtension, abbreviated DX) is a multimedia programming interface created by Microsoft Corporation. DirectX consists of a number of APIs, categorized by nature, can be divided into four parts, display part, sound part, input part and network part. The display part of DirectX is the key to graphics processing, which is divided into DirectDraw (DDraw) and Direct3D (D3D), which are mainly responsible for 2D image acceleration . It includes many aspects: We play mpg,DVD movies, see pictures, play games and so on are used DDraw, the reader can interpret it as all the underlined parts are implemented with DDraw, the latter Direct3D is mainly responsible for the display of 3D effects, For example, the characters and scenes in the game are implemented using the Direct3D technology in DirectX . The shader model instruction set in DirectX implements these complex and realistic game graphics effects. In fact, Shader (rendering or coloring) is a program that operates on a 3D object and is executed by the GPU, andShader model is meant to optimize the rendering engine pattern, which we can interpret as the GPU's rendering instruction set . When there is a major upgrade to the DirectX version, its most important update is included in the shader model:

Shadermodel 1.0→directx 8.0

Shadermodel 2.0→directx 9.0b

Shadermodel 3.0→directx 9.0c

Shadermodel 4.0→directx 10

Shadermodel 4.1→directx 10.1

Shadermodel 5.0→directx 11

We players generally play the game may be set at most is the quality of the AA (anti-aliasing) or resolution-related options, as the DX API continues to upgrade, the game's quality setting options are constantly improved and rich, In fact, most of the games now have quite a lot of options available to players in terms of quality settings compared to previous old games. As a result, players can no longer be limited to the basic quality requirements of previous anti-aliasing, but also try a richer variety of game quality effects, and enjoy 3D game quality effects for a new quality experience. Next, the Cartier will give you a detailed description of some of the important and novel game quality effects in 3D games, I hope that you later in the game when playing the game quality effects have a prior understanding, but also facilitate the game in the process of the game's quality of the quality of the picture to adjust.

High dynamic range Illumination (HDR)

High dynamic range Illumination (HDR)

The first thing we want to introduce is the more familiar HDR (High-dynamic range: High dynamic range illumination) This game effect. The HDR (high-dynamic Range) effect is a side-by-side image rendering effect with soft shadows (soft Shadow)/parallax Mapping (parallax mapping map). To achieve HDR effects, first of all, game developers in the game development process, using the game engine and other development tools to record the actual scene with HDR, of course, the development of a strong development team directly with small development tools (such as 3D max of some special effects plug-in) to create Hdri image; Secondly, our graphics card must support the display of HDR effects,NVIDIA graphics card must be GeForce 6 series or higher,ATI graphics card is at least Radeon 9550 or more. The HDR effect was first introduced by Nvidia, and was first implemented in Nvidia's graphics card, when ATI , which faced competitive pressures, followed Nvidia's support for simulating HDR for Radeon graphics, noting that it was just a simulation, and is achieved through the Shader Model 2.0 .

High dynamic range Illumination (HDR) Screen example

High dynamic range Illumination (HDR) Screen example

DX9 can be considered a revolutionary improvement in the history of DirectX, and DX9 's third version of DirectX 9.0c (Shader Model 3.0) is renowned with HDR technology. Because the use of HDR effect technology after the game on the screen color contrast and style will show a surreal feeling .

In-game options for HDR

But unfortunately, although the HDR to the player to bring more beautiful colors on the screen, but HDR technology also has a lot of "stubborn" has not been effectively resolved. HDR and AA (anti-aliasing) in dx9.0c are incompatible, although the ATI X1000 series and XBOX360 host can support HDR+AA is only a special case, but the HDR+AA scheme is not industry standard, ATI officials do not recognize this practice And there is the HDR technology also led to a new generation of game memory consumption multiplied, because the requirements of HDR in the design of the light and texture must be kept high precision, and texture map is not compressed on the memory, the capacity can imagine how scary. For this reason,DX11 designed the texture compression format specifically for HDR when designing the API: BC6H, the compression ratio reached 6:1. It is through the continuous improvement of DirectX API design, HDR technology in the practicality and efficiency to find a balance, and therefore gradually by the majority of mainstream games.

Finally, we use three words concise summary of HDR effects of the quality performance :

1. the bright place can be very bright
2. Dark Places can be very dark
3. the details of the bright and dark parts are obvious .

Ambient occlusion (Ambient occlusion)

Ambient occlusion (Ambient occlusion)

"AO" is the abbreviation of amblent occlusion, the Chinese translation is environmental occlusion. After the DirectX 10.1 API was launched, the Amblent occlusion was upgraded to Ssao (screen-space Ambient occlusion: Screen space ambient occlusion), and after Microsoft launched the DirectX one API, Ssao upgrade to Hdao (high resolution ambient occlusion: higher Definition Ambient occlusion).

No AO (left) and have AO (have) contrast chart

It is necessary for us to have a simple understanding of the interpretation of AO (ambient occlusion):AO is to depict objects and objects when intersecting or close to the surrounding diffuse light effect, can solve or improve the leakage of light, drift and shadow is not real problems, to solve or improve the scene in the gaps, folds and corners, Angular lines and small objects, such as the performance of unclear problems, comprehensive improvement of details, especially dark shadows, enhance the level of space, realism, while strengthening and improving the screen contrast, enhance the art of the picture . It can be said that the AO effect on the intuitive to our player's feelings mainly reflected in the brightness of the screen, not open AO effects of the screen light slightly brighter, and after the AO effect, the local details of the screen, especially the shadow will be more obvious .

The AO quality effect setting in Dust 2 game

Ssao achieves a better global illumination effect

"Alien vs Predator" Hdao on/off detail comparison

Ssao and Hdao are both variants or upgrades of AO Technology, in fact, the graphics core with unified rendering architecture can achieve AO (ambient occlusion) effect, and after Ssao is introduced in DX10.1, the more optimized code support is achieved to achieve more effective environmental occlusion effect. The Hdao, which accompanies the evolution of DX11 , has a further increase in efficiency compared to Ssao and AO. Hdao is an upgrade to Ssao, which mainly updates the function directive Gather4 for accelerating Ssao (in DirectX 10.1, Gather4 allows a 2x2 unfiltered texture to replace a two-line filtered texture) for faster and better shadow effects. It is worth mentioning that the name of Hdao is closer to the name of the ATI HD series graphics , plus Ssao and Hdao are ATI's graphics technology, so Hdao also written in DirectX 11 The API's library of functions .

Depth of field (Depth of field)

Depth of field (Depth of field)

With regard to the concept of depth of field, we can first look at the effect of this picture. From the picture below we can see that the red flowers show the clearest picture, and the distant green leaves are very vague.

Depth of field effect

A friend who knows something about photography must be familiar with the concept of depth of field. Now I'll look at what the depth of field is from the perspective of photography. To understand the depth of field, let's begin by understanding the concept of dispersion circle. Before and after the focus, the light begins to gather and diffuse, and the point's image becomes blurred, forming an enlarged circle, which is called the dispersion circle.

Dispersion Circle (Circle of Confusion)

There is a permissible dispersion circle before and after the focus, the distance between the two dispersion circles is called depth of field , that is: in the subject (focus) before and after the image is still a clear range, is the depth of field. Depth of field depends on the location of the focus.

Depth of field (depth of field)

In order to achieve the true effect of the game, Nature also introduces the concept of depth of field into it. However, the problem is that the 3D game is simply projecting the image on a flat panel display , so it does not have a depth of field effect, so in order for the game screen to produce a depth of field effect, it must be pre-processed before the image is output, and the vision beyond the focus is completely falsified.

Depth of field options in game quality settings

Comparison of DX9 and DX10 on the effect of depth of field

Analysis of depth-of-field effect in DX10

DX9 era in the depth of field effects of the treatment is a little "jerry-building", because its principle is the vision of the object's texture, shadow and lighting effects such as large shrinkage, coupled with fuzzy processing, and only the close-up to do normal rendering output.

DX10 's depth of field treatment is relatively pragmatic, because it is based on a geometric shader , the vision is fully in line with the normal mode of blur, and lighting and other special effects are also preserved.

Motion Blur (Motion Blur)

Motion Blur (Motion Blur)

Motion Blur is the moving effect in the scene image . It is more obvious in the case of prolonged exposure or rapid movement of objects within the scene. In fact, we often see some motion blur effects in movies or TV , and when we take pictures with the camera on fast moving objects, you will occasionally get motion blur. Therefore, the game with motion blur picture has the effect of quasi-real.

Motion blur Effect

In racing games , motion blur is often a must.

Racing games, motion blur effect is required

Motion blur effect in islanding crisis game

DX9 era of motion blur effect appears to be somewhat exaggerated or untrue, because the game screen only to do a relatively simple bokeh background processing, and the foreground of the high-speed operation of the object to retain the trajectory, and then simple to combine the foreground and background, the effect will be some drag shadow or residual shadow of the situation.

With the new geometry coloring technology, the flow processor resources can be used in DX10 mode to calculate the geometric coordinate transformation of objects, and then with the high-precision vertex texture pick-up technology, thus a relatively perfect reproduction of the whole motion process, and It also achieves "principled" in the processing of motion blur effect.

Volume cloud/volume fog/volumetric light

Volume cloud/volume fog/volumetric light

Volume Cloud/volume fog (volumetric Clouds/fog), in short: the volume cloud/Fog effect in the game is to use the image engine to simulate the translucent, irregular performance of clouds . In the early game, the use of the cloud fireworks effect is used in the usage of stickers, which can be reflected in the classic CS game, as for the effect is very rough general.

CS Smoke bomb effect, you can see the layered material

Volume cloud/volume fog effect

Volume Cloud effect

In fact, the definition of the volume cloud itself is not particularly clear, the European and American Industry view is: through the 3D engine generated in real time, can be changed over time, can interact with the material engine to produce changes (such as aircraft flying over the clouds), can be called volume Cloud/volume fog . Games like "Crysis" and "conflict world" are heavily used for volume cloud/volume fog effects.

A light map in the real world

Volume light effects in the game

The volume light effect in the island crisis game

Volumetric light, it can be said that most of the current games in the DX10 and DX11 API support with the volume of light effects, all thanks to the DX API in the rendering architecture improvements, So that these advanced graphics effects are more and better used in the game.

Soft Shadows (Soft Shadow)

Soft Shadows (Soft Shadow)

Soft Shadow, literally translated by soft shadows, is actually called "soft shadows" that seem more appropriate. in life, we know that the transition of Shadows is gradual, and the effect of soft shadows is to simulate this gradient and create a blur around the shadow .

Soft shadow options in Streetfighteriv games

There are generally 2 ways to produce shadows in the game: Shadow Mapping (Shadow map) and Shadow Volumes (volumetric shading). for a soft-shaded effect under shadow mapping, the method of high-precision hyper-sampling at the shadow boundary , such as the Unreal 3 engine, is to perform 16X super-sampling, which is why soft shadow consumes system resources.

For soft shadows under shadow mapping, usually a high-precision super-sampling at the shadow boundary, such as the Unreal 3 engine is a super-sampling of 16X, which is why soft shadow consumes system resources.

"Wild West" shadow Map size up to 2048*2048, resulting in a very good shadow effect, high hardware requirements

"Dust" shadow MAP size is unprecedented to reach the 4096*4096, shadow softening effect is also in place

The shadow effect of Crysis is, of course, top-notch.

Shadow Volumes (Volume Shadow)

Shadow Volumes (volumetric shading) is a geometry-based technique that requires the contours of the geometry in a certain direction to produce a closed volume, which can then be used to determine the shadow portion of the scene (often using a template buffer to simulate the projection of light). Shadow Volumes (volumetric shading) This technique is pixel-accurate and does not produce any aliasing , but as with other technologies, it has drawbacks: one, extremely dependent on geometry, and the other, requiring very high fill rates, which are CPU-intensive Resources. There are few games that use volumetric shading to achieve soft shadows, "DOOM3" and "F.E.A.R" are games that use volumetric shading techniques.

Surface subdivision (tessellation)

Surface subdivision (tessellation)

Surface subdivision technology is presumably a relatively familiar game special effects, in the recently launched DX11 game, we found that the application of surface subdivision technology more and more, and the use of this technology game in the game screen of the three-dimensional aspect of the display is particularly prominent. Below we will be able to experience the charm of the surface subdivision effect clearly from the picture contrast Chart of Heaven 2.5.

DX11 Surface Subdivision Comparison chart

DX11 Surface Subdivision Comparison chart

DX11 Surface Subdivision Comparison chart

DX11 Surface Subdivision Comparison chart

DX11 Surface Subdivision Comparison chart

The technique of surface subdivision in DX11

Surface Subdivision Technology Demo

Tessellation (surface subdivision) technology, is a simplification of the means, simply speaking, is in a simple polygon model, the use of specialized hardware, special algorithm mosaic into a number of polygons to achieve in the case of not consuming CPU resources, the real surface of the purpose of presentation. The difference between N-card and a-card in surface subdivision technology is thatNVIDIA 's DX11 graphics are designed with dedicated surface subdivision units, while AMD is designed with an internal integrated surface subdivision Unit .

Parallax mapping Map (Parallax Mapping)

Parallax map Map

Parallax mapping technology, also known as parallax masking mapping technology, in this technology, the texture of the coordinates of the transformation, some protruding texture will be obscured to other textures, which will appear to have a better bump feeling. The realization principle of parallax mapping technique is the same as normal map, which is processed according to normal map . Parallax maps provide a better visual effect than normal maps, and have the same purpose as normal maps: significantly reduce the number of polygons in a scene when the model details are guaranteed .

Normal mapping in the "Crysis" application, three-dimensional performance is very good

The parallax mapping effect in S.T.A.L.K.E.R, where dents on bricks and slabs are very vivid.

The Pebble with Parallax Mapping gives the impression of "the One"

Parallax mapping technology has not been widely used in the early days, because parallax mapping technology consumes more resources than normal mapping technology, while the computer at that time is a bit hard to run. The first game to use parallax mapping technology, called Wild West, was one of the first DX10 games, while the DX9 version does not support parallax mapping technology. Because the DX10 graphics card has a unified rendering architecture, it is convenient to centralize the use of shader resources to render complex effects. Coupled with a new geometry shader assistance, so the use of special effects can be more flexible, game developers can easily customize some of the special effects rendering, so the advanced technology are placed in the DX10 model is understandable.

Physical acceleration Effect

Physical acceleration Effect

It can be said that the physics acceleration technology realizes the real and natural water drop effect for the first time. Physics acceleration is one of the effects of 3D game effects, it can make the object be destroyed and moved, the object collision can produce a physical rebound effect, so that the game closer to the real, more near the object in the natural state of physical motion and other reactions. These effects are unthinkable in the early 3D games.

With the help of physical acceleration technology, we can achieve the following real physical effects in the game:

1. The explosive effect formed by the movement of a large number of particles in dusty, splash debris;

2. Design a variety of complex geometric models, in order to achieve more realistic physical motion and interactive action;

3. A large amount of billowing smoke and dust effect around the object that surrounds the movement;

4. Lifelike and delicate fluid movement simulation of river, debris flow and magma;

5. Soft objects such as clothes, bushes, and leaves can naturally flutter with the wind;

6. Clothing, banners and other soft objects due to various external influences to make different tearing or deformation effect;

7. The motion calculation of collision between rigid objects, a certain force under the formation of the quasi-true thousands of debris movement.

The physical acceleration of the skirt is more natural and realistic

The game of physical technology--"Batman"

On the principle of work, the physical acceleration technology is mainly responsible for two tasks: one, how to move the object almost natural, and the other, under the influence of the surrounding environment, the object how to make a more realistic interactive response .

At present, the physical acceleration technology is mainly divided into "three major factions",NVIDIA has its own PhysX physics acceleration engine technology,INTEL has its own havoc physics acceleration engine technology, AMD opted for the development of third-party physics engine technology based on OpenCL.

Summary of the 3D game effect of the Conference

Summary of the 3D game effect of the Conference

After reading the above-mentioned game effects, it is possible that many players have unknowingly experienced the new quality effects of these game effects before playing the game. And this time we have a comprehensive summary of these game effects, presumably the player will have a clearer idea of the game's quality effect settings. Finally, we have a brief summary of the effects of these games to end this special session on 3D game effects.

① High Dynamic range Illumination (HDR)

Brighter light, darker dark, more visible shading.

② Ambient occlusion (Ambient occlusion)

Make darker shadows more pronounced, and contrast more strongly

③ depth of field (Depth of field)

Highlight the focus, blur the background

④ movement Blur (motion Blur)

Blur processing of images related to fast moving, exploding and high-speed collisions

⑤ Volume Cloud/volume fog/volumetric light

Let cloud, fog and light are more realistic.

⑥ Soft Shadow (Soft Shadow)

Simulates a shaded gradient and creates a bokeh effect in the shadow perimeter

⑦ Surface Subdivision (tessellation)

Using more polygons to gradually approximate the appearance of real objects, so as to achieve the three-dimensional and hierarchical sense of the graphics screen

⑧ Parallax Mapping Map (Parallax Mapping)

Make the 3D screen have a bump and three-dimensional sense

⑨ Physical Acceleration effect

Enables an interactive, real-world physical response after moving or colliding with an object

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