Translucent Object Rendering for 3D Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

In game processing, when a virtual object obstructs the player's view, it is difficult for the player to recognize the position and shape of the obstructing object, particularly in three-dimensional virtual spaces with multiple objects, which impairs gameplay experience.

Innovation Solution

The game system employs a rendering technique where the obstructing object is rendered with a translucent first portion and a constant opaque second portion, with transparency adjusted based on the relative positional relationship between the player character and the object, allowing the player to recognize the position and shape of the obstructing object.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the obstructing object is rendered with high transparency to reveal the player character, then the player can recognize the player's position, but the shape and form of the obstructing object become difficult to recognize

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of player character positionVSAvoidshape recognition of obstructing object

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The obstructing object is divided into multiple portions based on their contribution to obscuring the player character. The first portion (highly opaque) represents areas that strongly obstruct the player, while the second portion (more transparent) represents areas with lesser obstruction. This segmentation allows differential transparency application that balances player visibility with object shape recognition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different transparency values are applied to different portions of the obstructing object based on their local characteristics and obstruction strength. Rather than applying uniform transparency, the system assigns higher opacity to portions that more strongly block the player character and lower opacity to portions with lesser blocking effect, optimizing both player visibility and object recognition locally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Shape

If the obstructing object is rendered with high opacity to maintain its shape visibility, then the player character's position becomes hidden, but the object's shape remains clear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshape recognition of obstructing objectVSAvoidvisibility of player character position

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The obstructing object is segmented into portions with varying transparency characteristics. By identifying the first portion (highly opaque) and second portion (more transparent), the system can selectively apply transparency to reveal the player character while preserving the overall shape through the opaque first portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different transparency qualities to different portions of the object based on their obstruction characteristics. Areas that strongly obstruct the player (first portion) maintain high opacity for shape recognition, while areas with lesser obstruction (second portion) use lower opacity to improve player visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If conventional transparency or silhouette display methods are used to indicate player position, then the player's location is visible, but the three-dimensional shape and surface orientation of the obstructing object cannot be recognized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of player character positionVSAvoidrecognition of 3D object shape and surface orientation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using simple silhouettes or uniform transparency, the object is segmented into multiple portions with different transparency values. This segmentation preserves three-dimensional shape information while indicating player position, as the varying transparency reveals spatial relationships and surface orientations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality variations in transparency across the object's surface based on their obstruction characteristics. This approach maintains three-dimensional shape and surface orientation recognition while simultaneously indicating player character position through strategic transparency application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8882593B2Game processing system, game processing method, game processing apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium having game processing program stored therein

Publication Date: 2014.11.11 NINTENDO CO LTD

AI summary

An exemplary game system and the like which do not impair ease of playing a game are provided. The exemplary game system displaying a scene including a predetermined object located in a virtual space includes: an object locating section configured to locate a polygon model as the object in the virtual space, the polygon model including a first portion and a second portion set to correspond to a surface which can be determined as a hidden surface in the first portion on the basis of a normal vector; a game processing section configured to perform game processing; a transparent processing section configured to increase transparency of the first portion of the object when a predetermined condition is met in the game processing; and a rendering processing section configured to render the first portion on the basis of the set transparency and to render a polygon of the second portion.