Author Topic: Sudgestion/Question: Bump maps... (Read 595 times)

TexMurphy · « **on:** June 15, 2006, 06:53:06 AM »

Is it just me who thinks bump maps would be a great way to enchase AH2 graphics?

I mean just for plane skins it would be awsome... planelines could be indented.. scratches and bumps in the metal could be indented as well..

Terrain would be much better with bumpmaps as well as it wouldnt look nearly as flat. Buildings, runways would look much better as well..

How much does bump map cost in performance?

Could it be added with a toggle on/off?

Tex

hitech · « **Reply #1 on:** June 15, 2006, 10:07:42 AM »

Frame rate impact would be almost none.

Download size would increase.

Load times would increase.

Video mem and system mem would increase 8 bytes per vertex.

Cost in creating planes would increase.

Additional visual would be noticable on your plane and very rairly on other planes.

Basicly at this stage cost out ways the gain.

Did have bump mapping on terrain previously.

HiTech

badhorse · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2006, 12:22:58 PM »

Not even sure what a bump map is, but seeing a response from HTC makes my heart soar like a hawk.

Krusty · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2006, 12:43:17 PM »

bump mapping is (in a nutshell) adding shadows and highlights on a flat surface to give the illusion of 3D bumps, or imperfections, in the surface. More readily visible in HL2 and modern games. Those games are first person games, however, and usually have completely different setups that allow them to use it more effectively.

TexMurphy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2006, 06:14:52 AM »

Thanks for the response HT!!

How come you removed the bump maps on the terrain or is it actually still there but you dont use it for the stock titles and terrain objects?

I definatly agree that enemy planes wount benefit from it but imho they are a graphical non issue. Its what you see the most that is the most important hence terrain, sky and own plane.

My thought was that if terrain and own plane graphics could improve the over all vissual impression of AH would improve.

Tex

Krusty · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2006, 10:50:58 AM »

Heh, it might be cool to see damage on your wing "bump mapped" on... just on your plane though.

Kev367th · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2006, 03:26:34 PM »

Spoke on a similar subject (alpha layers for shinyness, so we can control individual parts of the plane) to Skuzzy, he said part of the problem was the amount of layers DirectX supports.

Alpha layer would be great - Bare metal finish (shiny) with markings, anti glare panels etc all flat, all controlled by the alpha layer instead of a materials file.
I believe the standard is white (totally shiny) to black (totally matt/flat). Greys get you in-between settings.