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Fragmented Reflection effect.

polycounter lvl 7
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Computron polycounter lvl 7
So, Halo: Reach has this cool effect for reflections on this Forerunner base:

Screenshot.ashx?fid=EE70B0E12B9C3CC6D0CB376E96299619&size=full


Look real close at the texture, every pattern is reflecting a cube map but in between the pattern they have hard edges for the pixels like Minecraft.

It looks like this:

(Zoom in)
Screenshot.ashx?fid=192232C548231DBC866782175004DEC3&size=full

I think they achieved this effect by disabling texture filtering for the normal map, resulting in a fragmented reflection. Any way to do this in UDK?

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  • PolyHertz
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    PolyHertz polycount lvl 666
    Looks like they have an unfiltered specular texture overlayed for the pattern.

    In UDK after importing a texture open it up in the content browser (double click it) and set "Filter" to "Nearest".
  • Computron
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    Computron polycounter lvl 7
    In the picture it looks like specular, but the cube map reflection is actually bent and fragmented (Like shards of a broken mirror), the specular is the same if you find the correct reflection angle which is why I think it is normals. they do a similar effect on sword base with a hexagon pattern instead of a minecraft like square pixel.

    Thanks for the tip!
  • DEElekgolo
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    DEElekgolo interpolator
    You show a lot of interest in halo. I got a pretty huge background of dealing with the inner workings of blam engine.

    Hell the game is what got me so much into computers back when I was about 6.

    I like you.

    So what you are generally seeing is the effect of a normal map "bending" the reflection vector so it samples a different part of a cube map.

    Something like this:
    dpreflect1.png


    I'm not specifically sure about the math behind it. I never had to personally deal with stuff like that yet.
  • kodde
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    kodde polycounter lvl 18
    Isn't it just a masking pattern for just the reflection part? That big white highlight (specularity?) at the top left is not being filtered that apparently.
  • Computron
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    Computron polycounter lvl 7
    I should have uploaded a better screenshot, it's a little hard to show the reflection without a video.

    It's like what DEElekgolo showed, but they don't filter the normals texture so instead of being a smooth little bumpy mirror, its like each pixel is a shard facing a different direction. imagine a disco ball. it looks cool in motion and it has nothing to do with specularity.
  • DEElekgolo
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    DEElekgolo interpolator
    I thought he was talking about how the reflection would shift and bend to the normal map.
    Areas like this.
    yHrgp.png
    Where the reflections would seep into those edges.
  • Electro
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    Electro polycounter lvl 18
    Using nearest/point sampling would give the pixel faceted effect that Computron is talking about.

    Either way, the effect is just achieved with a normalmap and specular/cubemap.

    The circuitry looking parts of it have lower specular values (but not completely black, as they're still being blown out to white in intense light as seen in the reflection hotspot in the screenshot).

    In short, what kodde said. :P
  • DEElekgolo
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    DEElekgolo interpolator
    Anymore halo stuff you're interested in?
  • Computron
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    Computron polycounter lvl 7
    kodde wrote: »
    Isn't it just a masking pattern for just the reflection part? That big white highlight (specularity?) at the top left is not being filtered that apparently.

    Huh, I didn't notice that, I guess it does have some spec variation int the pattern as well, I was paying more attention to the faceted pixel look. Thanks kodde.
  • Computron
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    Computron polycounter lvl 7
    DEElekgolo wrote: »
    Anymore halo stuff you're interested in?

    I have spent more time looking-at/dissecting their visuals than playing the game recently (a lot of time). I added a huge collection of my own theatre screenshots to my reference folder when anniversary came out. I hope the rumors of the PC port are true, I wanna play with the saber3d engine.
  • DEElekgolo
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    DEElekgolo interpolator
    Actually
    After I bought the game I couldn't help but take a peek inside. Some very interesting finds.
    The engine is based on the halo PC code base and even has some of the small server script functions in it. There are even some hints of an intended saved films system for the CEA campaign and plenty of left over debug data in it.

    Also lately a lot of xbox games have been storing its HLSL shaders as raw text as opposed to compiling them. Probably due to the difference in xbox 360 versions or for a future xbox update or something.

    Also there some suspicious configuration files as well.
    http://pastie.org/2849982
    Input = { HideMouse = 1 SyncState = 1 UseJoy = 1 MouseSensIface = 0.100000 }
  • kodde
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    kodde polycounter lvl 18
    Sorry for the confusion. I was referring to the area DEElekgolo showed :)
    And it was not really top left as I had mentioned. More like top centered.
  • Computron
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    Computron polycounter lvl 7
    kodde wrote: »
    Sorry for the confusion. I was referring to the area DEElekgolo showed :)
    And it was not really top left as I had mentioned. More like top centered.

    Holy crap, is anyone in this thread on the same page? I think snape killed dumbledore somewhere here but I'm not even sure of that. Lol


    DEE, you got a JTAG? Show me some graphics mods!
  • DEElekgolo
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    DEElekgolo interpolator
    Nah I dont got a jtag. I know my way around file formats and the such. The less specific the better.
    I have been in contact with some people who can mod it. Simple meta swaps though.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2_mykQ8WTs"]Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary Mods - YouTube[/ame]
    It is the halo 1 code base so not a lot of it is new.
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