Blog 3

Graphics Rendering

Graphics rendering is the process converting 3D wire frame models into 2D image with 3D effects. Rendering is the final process of creating the 2D image from the prepared scene. There have been many different rendering methods from wireframe rendering to more advanced techniques such as ray tracing. Real-time is often used in video games, although not all graphics are rendered in real-time. This is the process of the graphics in a 3D game are rendered by the computers video card, the graphics are updated so quickly there is no noticeable delay during game-play.

Culling in video games is not rendering anything that is unnecessary, this is because it cannot be visible anyway. Back Face Culling is faces which face away from the camera that cannot be seen on the screen so they don’t need to be drawn. View Frustum Culling is faces that are outside the view frustum cannot be visible on the screen which can be culled. Portal Culling is a technique that divides the scene into cells with portals between. While rendering a camera will be in a room and it will be rendered normally. For each portal that is visible in to room a view frustum will be set up and then the room behind it is rendered.

Once a scene is complete it is set up in the appropriate lay out ready for lighting. Lighting is one of the most important aspects in creating high quality scenes. The use of coloured lighting, shadows and reflection can help bring the final scene to life.

Animation Systems

Euphoria is a game engine animation engine which creates believable characters, worlds and games by animating 3D characters by body, muscles and motor nervous system. The characters actions and reaction are synthesized in Real-time which makes them different every time, even when replaying the same scene. It is common for current video games to use the ragdoll effect but Euphoria uses a more complex method, which animates the entirety of physically bound objects in a game environment. Euphoria is used in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption.

Partical system is the technique used to create with conventional rendering techniques. Objects which are replicated using partical system can be fire, smoke, moving water, explosions, hair, grass, sparks or abstract visual effects like magic spells or glowing trails.

Computer animation physics are laws of physics into a game engine to make the effects appear more realistic to the player. This is the simulation technique, which displays the movement of a character when they are interacted with. For example during gameplay in Grand Theft Auto IV if your character knocks into another character they will be knocked to the side or even to the floor if you use enough force. This is done to look realistic because it treats the characters body as a series of rigid bones and they are connected together with hinges and the joints.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is a technique used in video games to show intelligence in the behaviour of a non-playable character (NPC). The NPC is programmed for all the possible scenarios and made to seem more human and realistic. There are different features found in a video game to make a NPC appear more human. For example in a First Person Shooter game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 the NPC develops a survival instinct like being able to look for cover during a gun fight or if they realise they are out of bullets they will reload. Also if a NPC’s health is running low they can be set to run from danger and revive themselves. Another example is when NPC’s interact with each other for example in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas people will stop on the street and talk to each other, or if they are in opposite gangs they might begin a gun fight.

Pathfinding is also a common use for Artificial Intelligence which is seen in real-time strategy games. It determines how a NPC gets from one point on a map to another. It also takes into consideration the obstacles and terrain the NPC might encounter.

Middleware provides facilities that make development of graphics, sound, physics and AI functions easier, it provides a flexible and reusable software platform. They usually allow the same game to be run on various other platforms with few or no changes made to the game source code. The components in middleware are Havok for physics and Miles Sound System for sound. Miles Sound System is a sound software system for video games; it used little CPU time and provides adequate audio output.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphoria_(software)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middleware