Voxel Mesh Material Mapping for Natural Game Collision Behavior
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing game technologies struggle to effectively reflect materials and behaviors of objects managed using voxel data in virtual spaces, particularly in generating natural appearances and behaviors in games.
Innovation Solution
A method for generating and updating display meshes based on voxel data, where material IDs are set for each voxel, determining vertex coordinates and materials using density and proximity, and simplifying vertices to reduce texture usage, while maintaining natural appearances and behaviors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If material IDs are set for each voxel to reflect materials in object appearance and behavior, then the realism and natural appearance of objects is improved, but the data complexity and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments material information by assigning material IDs to individual voxels rather than treating objects as monolithic entities. This allows different regions of an object to have different material properties (e.g., wood, metal, glass) while maintaining a unified voxel-based data structure that simplifies processing compared to traditional mesh-based approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from continuous material properties to discrete material IDs. Each voxel stores a material ID that references a material definition, transforming complex material data into manageable integer values that are easier to store, process, and retrieve while still enabling diverse material appearances and behaviors.
2Manufacturing precision
If vertex coordinates are determined based on density values for natural appearance, then the visual quality and natural behavior of objects is improved, but the calculation complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calculations by pre-determining vertex coordinates based on density values during the mesh generation phase. Once calculated, these vertex positions are stored and reused for rendering and collision detection, avoiding repeated complex calculations during game execution while maintaining natural appearances at object boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies density-based vertex determination selectively only at boundaries where voxels transition from occupied to unoccupied states. This partial application focuses computational effort only where visually critical (at surfaces and edges) rather than throughout the entire object volume, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining visual quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple textures are used to represent different materials, then the material appearance quality is improved, but the texture memory usage and rendering complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes material IDs universal by using them for multiple purposes: determining display mesh materials for rendering, defining collision determination mesh materials, and controlling in-game behaviors. This single material ID system replaces what would otherwise require separate texture assignments, behavior definitions, and collision properties, reducing overall system complexity and memory usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies homogeneity by using a uniform material ID assignment rule across all voxels: each voxel's material ID is determined based on its density value and neighboring voxel densities. This consistent approach simplifies material determination throughout the entire object, enabling efficient batch processing during mesh generation and rendering while maintaining material diversity through the variety of material IDs assigned.
4Measurement precision
If collision determination uses detailed mesh geometry for accuracy, then the collision detection precision is improved, but the processing speed and performance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments collision detection into two distinct meshes: a detailed display mesh for visual accuracy and a simplified determination mesh for collision detection. The determination mesh uses the same voxel data structure but with simplified geometry optimized for fast intersection tests, separating the requirements for visual fidelity and collision performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using different levels of geometric detail in different contexts. The display mesh maintains high detail for visual rendering, while the determination mesh uses simplified geometry specifically for collision detection. Material information is preserved locally in both meshes to enable accurate collision responses without requiring full geometric detail everywhere.
Data Source
AI summary
An example of an information processing system generates a display mesh based on voxel data. The information processing system generates a voxel update range in a virtual space, based on game processing, and updates at least one of a density and a material ID, in the voxel data, for each of voxels corresponding to the voxel update range. The information processing system updates the display mesh corresponding to the updated voxel data. The information processing system, based on collision determination between a determination mesh and a determination shape corresponding to a determination target, generates an in-game behavior according to a material of the determination mesh at a collision position. The information processing system renders a virtual space including the display mesh, based on a texture corresponding to the material of the display mesh.