Billboard Light Transmittance Control for Virtual Game Rendering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transmission of light in three-dimensional virtual game spaces increases calculation and processing loads, limiting the display of light transmission to specific areas or times.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a billboard setting unit to create a pseudo three-dimensional representation of light-transmitting objects by rotating a plain object around a center point to face a virtual camera, acquiring two-dimensional thickness map data to set transmittance and reflectance based on light angle incidence, and executing a two-dimensional simulation to display fluid-like objects with reduced processing loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If volumetric lighting technique is used to show light transmission on light-transmitting objects, then the realism of the three-dimensional space is improved, but the calculation amount and processing loads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a two-dimensional thickness map that copies the essential thickness information of the three-dimensional light-transmitting object. This map serves as a simplified representation that can be processed efficiently while still enabling realistic light transmission effects when combined with the billboard technique, thus resolving the contradiction between visual realism and processing load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the critical thickness information from the complex three-dimensional object and separates it into a dedicated two-dimensional thickness map. This extraction allows the lighting calculation to focus only on the essential thickness data rather than processing the entire three-dimensional geometry, significantly reducing computational requirements while maintaining visual accuracy.
2Illumination intensity
If volumetric lighting technique is used to show light transmission, then the visual quality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light transmission effect into distinct components: a billboard for the object's appearance, a separate two-dimensional thickness map for geometric thickness information, and a lighting calculation system that combines these elements. This segmentation allows each component to be processed independently and efficiently, reducing overall system complexity while achieving high visual quality.
3Illumination intensity
If light transmission is shown in more areas and times in the game, then the realism is improved, but the processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The two-dimensional thickness map serves as a reusable copy of thickness information that can be applied to billboard objects regardless of their position or orientation in the game world. This copying approach allows light transmission effects to be rendered in multiple areas and at multiple times without recalculating three-dimensional geometry, thereby improving both visual extent and processing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the display of light transmission with low loads in three-dimensional virtual game spaces, enhancing realism without increasing processing burdens.
Implementation Method 1
a billboard which has a plain object and which rotates around a predetermined center point in the plain object so that the plain object faces the virtual camera
Implementation Method 2
setting transmittance of the light from a light source in the virtual space based on the thickness information
Implementation Method 3
change transmittance of the light from the light source based on the angle of incidence of the light from the light source to the plain object of the billboard
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention causes a computer to function as a virtual space generating unit, a game screen displaying unit, a billboard setting unit, a data acquiring unit and a transmittance setting unit. The billboard setting unit sets a billboard which has a plain object and which rotates around a predetermined center point in the plain object so that the plain object faces the virtual camera in the virtual space. The data acquiring unit acquires drawing data of the object and two-dimensional-thickness map data, the two-dimensional thickness map data showing relationship between a two-dimensional coordinate on the object shown on the billboard and thickness information on each position coordinate of the object. The transmittance setting unit sets transmittance of light from a light source in the virtual space based on the thickness information.