The near future could be easily subdiv models + normal maps + displacements + GI real time renderers + realistic shaders, so with modelling, i imagine better tools to "draw" polygons to make subdiv models. The modelling tools are improving so fast, and a good example is now with modo 401. Tools can be better, but at the…
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se1fz2RRdKY[/ame] http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~galran/papers/iWires/ interesting take on "feature extraction" and feature based modelling. Think in terms of bringing modelling to masses in a sketch-up like approach.
I think we're finally getting modeling under control but what really needs a new revolutionary update would be animation. Unlike the near constant modeling tool updates and brand new packages that make huge strides forward, animation hasn't really progressed at the same level. Probably because real-time lags behind what…
The reason why they haven't is largely because of the graphic cards arms race. Traditional graphics accelerators have been a staple of the PC gaming and console markets for over a decade. And the rendering pipeline that traditional graphic accelerators all support is targeted at polygonal rendering. But there has been a…
For the near future (like within the next 5 years, I'd say), I predict less artist involvement in the optimization end of asset creation. Whether it's through voxels or some other means, I think high res modeling and all the texturing will be entirely sculpting/3d painting based, without any need to even think about the…
I agree with Vig. Modeling has progressed far, far beyond what it used to be. For less than $1000, you can buy a sculpting software package. And for another $1000 (or less) you can assemble a computer to run it on. (with acceptable performance) All of that will give you what you need to sculpt incredibly detailed models.…
The only reason I don't have one is the lack of support from apps. Others possible future things:* Simplification/automation of UV layout/mapping * Sculpting integration into 3D modeling packages
actually i think displacement mapped sub-d's are made with exactly the same workflow we use now, despite the fancy name. basically do everything the same, same quick tricks on highpoly, still dont need uvs on it, still make your lowpoly ingame model, with uvs and good edgeloops for deformation and efficient use of polys.…
Voxel is a combination of the words volume and pixel. It is essentially a 3D pixel. So instead of your 3D model being made of many polygons it is instead made of many boxes that dynamically re-sized and re-position themselves based on how near or far you are from areas of detail. They have been used in the game industry…