Generating Random Fractal Terrain. Paul Martzmartz@frii.com Contents Part I: Generating Random Fractal Terrain IntroductionSelf-SimilarityMidpoint Displacement in One DimensionHeight MapsThe Diamond-Square AlgorithmCloudy SkiesOther Methods Part II: About the Example Source Code InstallationQuick StartUsing the ProgramCode StructureDownload Source Code References Part I: Generating Random Fractal Terrain Introduction Ten years ago, I stumbled across the 1986 SIGGRAPH Proceedings and was awestruck by one paper in particular, entitled The Definition and Rendering of Terrain Maps by Gavin S. Initially I was impressed that these algorithms (even the algorithms considered "flawed" by the authors) could create such incredible landscape images! I've been a fractal terrain addict ever since. The math behind the algorithm can get quite complex. For the same reasons that I won't go into the math details, I can't include a broad overview of fractals and everything they can be used for.
What can you do with a fractal terrain? Self-Similarity. The Ultimate Indie Game Developer Resource List. As3sfxr. N Tutorial A - Collision Detection and Response. SECTION 0: General Introduction --= Collision Detection in Games =-- Typically, collision detection in games is carried out into two steps: (1) determine which pairs of shapes need to be tested for collision (broad phase) (2) determine collision results for each pair identified in step (1) (narrow phase) In N, step (1) is implemented using a uniform "loose" grid of square cells; each shape is stored in the cell which contains its center, and each shape is collided against any shapes in its current cell, or the 8 cells touching the current cell.
Later tutorials will explain this system in greater detail; this tutorial will explain how step (2) was implemented in N. The algorithms we used to handle this step are of use to any game which requires fast collision detection that provides more than a simple boolean result. --= Collision Response via Projection =-- Before thinking about how to detect collisions, we should first think about what should happen to two objects which collide. comments: GPU Profiling 101 – Nathan Reed's coding blog. In the screenshots in my previous post, you might have noticed this readout in one corner: As you can see, even though Idyll is at a very, very early stage (it has no textures, only ambient and directional lighting), it still has a fairly complete performance measurement system.
I chose to implement this early on in development because it’s my belief that although it can be too early to optimize, it’s never too early to profile. Even at the very beginning of development, I want to know that the performance numbers I’m seeing are reasonable. I don’t need to worry about the details—I’m not going to worry that 0.47 ms is too long to spend drawing a 2700-triangle, untextured city—but I do want to know the numbers are at about the right order of magnitude. To put it another way, if I were spending 4.7 ms drawing a 2700-triangle, untextured city, then I’d be wondering what was going on! So now that you know why you should do GPU profiling ;), how do you actually do it?
Placing Queries. Jorge Jimenez – The day has come. In this important moment of my life, the day has come to end my skin research in order to take a new professional direction. These last months I’ve learned a very important lesson: efforts towards rendering ultra realistic skin are futile if they are not coupled with HDR, high quality bloom, depth of field, film grain, tone mapping, ultra high quality models, parametrization maps, high quality shadow maps and a high quality antialiasing solution. If you fail on any of them, the illusion of looking at a real human will be broken. Specially on close-ups at 1080p, that is where the real skin rendering challenge is. As some subtleties (like the film grain) are lost on the online version, I encourage to download the original blu-ray quality version below, to better appreciate the details and effects rendered (but be aware that you will need a powerful computer to play it).
I think there is still a lot work to do. Probably the most important one will be rendering realistic facial hair. Links: