Best water rendering effects *spawn

Slightly spoilery (underwater shot very early in the game) just something i noticed and i'd like to ask. To start, refraction beneath the water surface works in this way (simplified but you get the point):
23_24djkbm.jpg


Uncharted 4 gameplay shot: http://abload.de/img/uncharted-4_-a-thiefsw6j6i.jpg
Crysis 3 underwater: http://abload.de/img/crysis304.30.2016-07.2wjwy.jpg http://abload.de/img/desktop04.30.2016-08.whkq3.jpg
RotTR underwater: http://abload.de/img/riseofthetombraider04ufjni.jpg http://abload.de/img/riseofthetombraider04jmjrd.jpg

Real life picture for comparison: http://il6.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/6964600/thumb/1.jpg

Is there any other game that has realistic water refraction underneath the surface like Uncharted 4? I don't have all games to test and not every game allows you to go underwater that's why i'm asking :)

I very seriously doubt that UC4 or any other game is doing real refractions. It's just too expensive (i.e. so are real reflections).

It's very easy to render a scene from the perspective of the camera and "distort" the image with a noise pattern.
 
I very seriously doubt that UC4 or any other game is doing real refractions. It's just too expensive (i.e. so are real reflections).

It's very easy to render a scene from the perspective of the camera and "distort" the image with a noise pattern.
Actually I'm more confused on how that picture of UC4 represents refraction. You have no basis of comparison from that angle. This is a picture that showcases refraction.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/optpic/brokpen.jpg
 
Was super rub-a-dub mentioned? The water physics are some of the very best.
 
In Prince of Persia Sands of time was great water, 3D water, with reaction to hero movement, refractions and even reflections. On PS2, don't know how about other platforms. I don't have any link to video, just played this game today for the first time.
 
Why do I sometimes feel like I was the only person who noticed the original FEAR's impressive 3D water tech used in a few specific places?


AFAIK neither FEAR 2 or 3 featured this anywhere. The limited use of it in FEAR 1 probably meant it might've been too CPU intensive for it's time when running AI, large amounts of physicalized objects all at once. It would explain why it was kept to small little areas.
 
Last edited:
Good example from ICO!
PS2 ones are so awesome. Many of them are jello-like but so damn cool looking :D

As other ones to suggest looking at... I would say look at MGS2 swimming area (underwater looks very nice, but it's not really a "water surface" simulation, but the surface water also looks great), and also Dark Cloud (the puddles in dungeons have water surface simulation, while the ones in the towns are just flat but have a very nice shader).

Also if you want to really have fun with water physics you can download the FLEX nvidia demos :)


https://developer.nvidia.com/gameworksdownload#?dn=nvidia-flex-0-8-0

Make sure to download the 1.0.0 version, I think that is newest, and you also have to register with Nvidia to download this I think.
 
was it just the texture giving the illusion or did the water geometry truly deform

edit: Ok seems it was deformed

Whatever effect they used I always disliked it because at the shore the waves would push up through the sand. It looked silly.
 
Serious Sam water from GameCube version ^^

27515225211_e4ee4b12bf_o_d.png


Looks much, much better in motion, 60 fps and nice real-time refractions :)
 
Why do I sometimes feel like I was the only person who noticed the original FEAR's impressive 3D water tech used in a few specific places?


AFAIK neither FEAR 2 or 3 featured this anywhere. The limited use of it in FEAR 1 probably meant it might've been too CPU intensive for it's time when running AI, large amounts of physicalized objects all at once. It would explain why it was kept to small little areas.
Wading in a pool of mercury is probably bad for health. Maybe. :p
 
Got another set, this time from Halo 2 Vista/PC. First time I have got FOV adjustment working, and also working online! Very cool, look up Project Cartographer for the online, very easy to install over the regular installation :)

G9HRBxB.png


XrDazdX.png


Also bought Serious Sam classics/HD remasters on Steam so I will try to compare the water in that to the GameCube version ^^
 
Got another set, this time from Halo 2 Vista/PC.
Side-note: I thought I read a long time ago they had meant to get dynamic interaction into the game, but it didn't look nice so they stuck with the static mesh.

Also, I remember getting the water to reflect where the scarab walks past you in New Mombasa. Had to crouch and look at the scarab at a certain angle while in the pool of water there before going through the doors and up the stairs. Not sure if it was just a corner case bug considering how weird the distortion behaves.
 
Back
Top