SkyX plugin [SkyX 0.1 released! - Page 1]

[Xavyiy]

@xadhoom
In the video just one cloud layer is render, my aim with cloud layers is to get fast and good looking clouds, maybe in a furter future I'll add a little true volumetric clouds to SkyX, but not for now... I've to change a lot of things(At really, almost all!), and... university, practices, exams, friends, girlfriend, etc... spends almost all my free time!
About the camera question, only a main camera is passed to SkyX constructor, and the skydome is moved as needed. I've to add multiple camera easy support and look into possibilities to avoid these synchronising issues.

Xavi

[Xavyiy]

I've been playing tonight with the environment, and here're some screenshots!








Hope you like it!

Xavi

[Cutter]

Hope you like it!

I do!

Is it possible to see your clouds from above? I don`t want real volumetric clouds, just a simple effect for the extreme zoom level in a RTS game.
Perhaps you have seen Anno 1701, they did it very nice. http://www.pcgameshardware.de/screensho ... andard.jpg HDR is a bit exhilarated in this screen, looks much more realistic here on my machine.

[Pyritie]

Oh my GOD that's pretty.

[jacmoe]

Awesome is a bit tame,all considering, but that's all I can think of!
Just totally, beautifully awesome!

[Nauk]

Totally incredible, muy rico

[KungFooMasta]

Now we just need GroundX, and everybody will have amazing scenes.

[stealth977]

Now we just need GroundX, and everybody will have amazing scenes.

Dont forget the DiggerX if you create a GroundX, since everybody is asking about digging holes nowadays

[Xavyiy]

Hi all!
I'm sorry about my desaparition these last weeks, unafortunately my final exams date is each day closer.. so, I spend my little free time in programming and going out with friends, I haven't much time to read the forum !
Anyway.. even the little free time that I've, I'm working on a full volumetric cloud engine for SkyX using the "A Simple, Efficient Method
for Realistic Animation of Clouds"(http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3 ... 1#Fulltext) paper, you can see here a little video of the results in the original implementation: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 3954925559
My idea is to release SkyX during this summer and work on a new Hydrax version with some new features

Xavier Verguín

[calsmurf2904]

you should combine Hydrax and SkyX and call it NatureX
That way you have everything you need right in one package.

[Nargil]

Yeah and implement a function:

void NatureX::CreateReallyCoolGame();

[Penguin]

Would it be possible to combine this with caelum? There are some features I like about SkyX, and some I like about Caelum. If you use that cloud system, I'd want to use that.

[DanielSefton]

Goodness me! If you create anything close to what those clouds in that video look like, I'd be speechless.

Would it be possible to combine this with caelum? There are some features I like about SkyX, and some I like about Caelum. If you use that cloud system, I'd want to use that.

Caelum is a mature library. SkyX is still in early stages. Obviously there are more features in Caelum at the moment. I doubt he'd want to combine them, that would defeat the purpose of creating his own sky library...

void NatureX::CreateReallyCoolGame();

That's the disadvantage with all these awesome libraries. It has become so easy for everyone to create a visually stunning game, with no work on their behalf, and I can imagine everyone's games are going to end up looking the same. Soon we're going to be flooded with people going "i hav maiek a MMOROORPGHH wit cris1s vizualz l000k!!!!1111oneone"

[trilobite]

Xavyiy wrote

A Simple, Efficient Method for Realistic Animation of Clouds

Code: Select all

Then Eq. 3 is calculated by
the following equation.
a[i][j][k][ti+1] = ¬a[i][j][k][ti ] ∧ h[i][j][k][ti] ∧
(a_left1[i][j][k] ∨ a_left2[i][j][k] ∨ a_right1[i][j][k] ∨
a_right2[i][j][k] ∨ a[i][j+1][k][ti] ∨ a[i][j+2][k][ti] ∨
a[i][j-1][k][ti] ∨ a[i][j-2][k][ti] ∨ a[i][j][k+1][ti] ∨
a[i][j][k-1][ti] ∨ a[i][j][k-2][ti]), (A.3)
(i=0, …, s; j=0, …, ny; k=0, …, nz).

PROCEDURE DisplayImage()
Place the camera at the sun position.
Set the parallel projection.
Clear screen with RGBA = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0).
ShadeClouds()
Place the camera at the viewpoint.
Set the perspective projection.
Clear screen with background color.
RenderObject() /* Rendering objects except clouds */
RenderClouds()
END PROCEDURE
PROCEDURE ShadeClouds()
Sort metaballs in ascending order from the sun.
glDisable(GL_DEPTH_TEST)
glBlendFunc(GL_ZERO, GL_SRC_ALPHA)
glEnable(GL_BLEND)
FOR k = each metaball DO
Place the billboard at the center of metaball k.
Rotate the billboard so that its normal is oriented to the sun.
Set the billboard color as RGBA = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0).
Map the billboard texture with GL_MODULATE.
Render the billboard.
Read the pixel value corresponding to the center of metaball k.
Multiply the pixel value by the sunlight color.
Store the color into an array C[k] as the color of the billboard.
END FOR
Store the image (T) in the frame buffer as a light map texture.
END PROCEDURE
PROCEDURE RenderClouds()
Sort metaballs in descending order from the viewpoint.
Store distances between metaballls and the viewpoint in an array
D.
glDisable(GL_DEPTH_TEST)
glEnable(GL_BLEND)
k = number of shells
WHILE D[0] < distance to shell k DO
RenderShell( k )
k = k – 1
END WHILE
glBlendFunc(GL_ONE, GL_SRC_ALPHA)
FOR n = each metaball DO
IF D[n] < distance to shell k DO
Render shell(k)
k = k – 1
glBlendFunc(GL_ONE, GL_SRC_ALPHA)
END IF
Place the billboard at the center of the corresponding metaball n.
Rotate the billboard so that its normal is oriented to the
viewpoint.
Set the billboard color as C[n].
Map the billboard texture.
Render the billboard with the blending function.
END FOR
WHILE k > 0 DO
RenderShell(k)
k = k – 1
END WHILE
END PROCEDURE
PROCEDURE RenderShell(k)
Calculate colors of vertices of shell k.
Map the light map texture T with GL_MODULATE.
Render shell k.
glBlendFunc(GL_ONE, GL_ONE)
END PROCEDURE

You know, whenever very smart people use the word, "simple", it usually isn't. Especially with complex phenomena like clouds and light scattering, the only simple part is staring in awe as the beauty unfolds.

This is stunning work of the highest professional caliber. I eagerly await the opportunity to incorporate this fine contribution into my project.

[DanielSefton]

You know, whenever very smart people use the word, "simple", it usually isn't. Especially with complex phenomena like clouds and light scattering, the only simple part is staring in awe as the beauty unfolds.

Haha. Couldn't agree more. If I remember correctly, even sinbad said "they can be a total bitch".

Volumetric clouds was Ysaneya's first endeavor for his Infinity Universe, and, he's a legend... But, so is Xavyiy, so we've got nothing to worry about.

[Xplodwild]

As I said in the volumetric light topic, it would be great if it's OpenGL compatible (GLSL or Cg) . (Cross-platform games are great).

[xadhoom]

Ok, the video looks amazing. I´m eager to see something similar in SkyX! But first of all:

Good luck with your exams xavyiy!

[mdc]

Another legendary contribution Xavyiy.

[dudeabot]

if you can put the option to use the clouds you were using on the first screenshots, they are simple and beatiful ( sure if its worth )

[Penguin]

Would it be possible to combine this with caelum? There are some features I like about SkyX, and some I like about Caelum. If you use that cloud system, I'd want to use that.

Caelum is a mature library. SkyX is still in early stages. Obviously there are more features in Caelum at the moment. I doubt he'd want to combine them, that would defeat the purpose of creating his own sky library...

No, not combine the libraries, I want to load both of them into my game, and use certain parts of each.

[Xavyiy]

Little update, volumetric clouds development:



-------
@Penguin
I think it's not viable to use the two plugins at the same time, but maybe if the skyx volumetric cloud system have success I can create a specify cloud system( CloudsX ? ) that could be integrate with any sky plugin or static skybox.

@dudeabot
Of course layered clouds are going to be available too

And thanks to all for the opinions

Xavi

[Kencho]

They are beautiful!

PS: I wouldn't pick CloudsX as a name. Reason? The english pronounciation

[steven]

Beautiful

Your next release will be implemented in OGE

[xadhoom]

Wow, especially the first cloud looks very detail rich. Will they have some kind of turbulence animation?

xad

[jacmoe]

PS: I wouldn't pick CloudsX as a name. Reason? The english pronounciation

It does, however, describe close enough how the SkyX screenshots makes me feel: heavenly awesome!