rendering smoke in videogames

[randycat99]

If you get to look at it from a certain angle and usually when it is near the floor (or other large surface), sometimes you see the smoke effect is like a series of 2-dimensional planes that are sharply cropped as they meet the surface of the ground (despite that the smoke looks nicely realistic from any other angle and any other aspect). What is that, and why does it look like that? Is this indicative of a certain smoke rendering technique? Are there ways to improve on the realism of smoke effects from this particular aspect? I don't necessarily cringe when I see this, but it does strike my curiosity whenever it pops up.

 

[Rodéric]

Smoke lie many effects is rendered using Particle System.

A particle is a simple physical object, it's rendered as a billboard.
(front facing quad)

There's a few technics to render them as billboard with a 'depth' effect to avoid the particle from crossing the ground and become easily noticeable.

Note however that I like that fact since it allows me to know what tech is used where

 

[Grall]

For next-gen systems we need graphics processors that can do TRUE volumetric effects for smoke, haze, fire, fluids etc.

Some UK magazine (I think it was the official N64 mag) was convinced Bowzer's fire in Mario64 was volumetric, but that was just from them looking too long at screenies, or else they were bullshitting the reader. In-game it's clear it's a series of stacked transparent polys like always.

It's been stacked polys ever since, and it just doesn't look good!

To make flames realistic one has to use a buttload of polies, and then the illusion doesn't work if the flame moves too quickly - just whip out the flamer in recent shooter games and wave it around fast for a bit.

*G*

 

[randycat99]

Why don't they just stagger and skew the particle planes to breakup the pattern (so as to make it less noticeable)?

 

[Nick Laslett]

The Getaway has excellent smoke.

Especially in the in-game cut scenes where Charlie is smoking his cigar.

 

[bukima]

If you get to look at it from a certain angle and usually when it is near the floor (or other large surface), sometimes you see the smoke effect is like a series of 2-dimensional planes that are sharply cropped as they meet the surface of the ground (despite that the smoke looks nicely realistic from any other angle and any other aspect). What is that, and why does it look like that? Is this indicative of a certain smoke rendering technique? Are there ways to improve on the realism of smoke effects from this particular aspect? I don't necessarily cringe when I see this, but it does strike my curiosity whenever it pops up.

For smoke effects, buy a PS2... Among all the other great things is does, the smoke is the best I have ever seen!

 

[London Geezer]

For smoke effects, buy a PS2... Among all the other great things is does, the smoke is the best I have ever seen!

altough i disagree with the fact of *buying a console because it can do nice smoke effects*, i'd say, yes, PS2 has proved that it can do the most realistic effects when it comes to particles, especially because it doesn't hinder performance, unlike some systems (mainly PC) which have frame rate issues when rendering smoke effects...... even early games like SH2 had such realistic fog i was amazed.... and yes The Getaway has some of the best smoke effects i have ever seen rendered by a computer. the cigar smoke is absolutely beautiful, and the smoke coming out of the burning restaurant-pub (one of the early missions, and the same mission but played by the cop)is just amazing....

 

[Katsura]

Inherantly, the PS2 is a GREAT 2D machine

 

[randycat99]

Before this turns into a he-says-she-says/xyz console does abc, my comments are actually in reference to PS2 games. I have studied games on other consoles as well, and have noticed the same effect. So lets not neglect to realize that all of the consoles seem to have this "issue".

 

[Katsura]

See Ingenu's reply to you, perfectly done, nothing more to add

Check out GT3 rally stage for some very obvious problem

 

[Simon F]

Rendering smoke in videogames

I'd usually assume that meant that the fan on the graphics chip has stopped working...

Seriously though...

Why don't they just stagger and skew the particle planes to breakup the pattern (so as to make it less noticeable)?

It's probably a case of "so much to do and so little time". Other things are probably given more priority.