Alice and Wonderland Status (can we can we?)

Ali Chamas alichamas at yahoo.com
Mon Dec 13 06:01:24 UTC 1999


Hi Andreas!

--- "Raab, Andreas" <Andreas.Raab at disney.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Just briefly:
> 
> > * There was a special type of 3D object called a
> Point
> > Model. Instead of defining points and faces, the
> model
> > used single points to represent it's form. For
> each
> > point, an image was used. When this type of model
> > rendered, each image would render front on, and
> only
> > it's scale would be relative to it's distance from
> the
> > camera.
> 
> This is possible (though a bit complicated). You can
> create a plane, map a
> texture on it and have it oriented towards the
> camera at each frame.

That sounds like the one. My Alice isn't that strong
(yet) but i assume that this could be done by <simply>
sub-classing the appropriate alice class, and
over-writing the methods relating to shape and
rendering (maybe a few more)? Can it be done for the
next version? ;})

> > * Director can use a 32-bit (millions+alpha) PICT
> file
> > to render a sprite with.
> 
> There are currently no alpha blend textures. The
> engine doesn't support it.
> Sorry, but that's planned for the next version.
> 
>   Andreas

Using the point model and alpha blend textures would
be an awesome way to render (fast) complex and
visually awesome surfaces, getting more towards the
nature of bump mapping and surface control of 3D
packages. The alpha surphaces alone could handle
things like clouds, water, small faked bump maps,
smoke, flares the list goes on. You could even start
to change surfaces alpha blend value on the fly, as
some of the 3D engines of todays games are doing. For
example, if you're in a scene, and you're following a
character, then a wall obscures the cameras view, the
wall is blended down to about 20%, sometimes with a
circular gradient so that the outer areas of the face
are more opaque, and the inner parts are more
transparent. The point models are great for
interactive tasks, games, models which require an
element rather than a mesh. Explosions, star fields,
trees. I'd also be assuming that they take less time
to render since the point represents an offset within
a flat image (or even as you mentioned with a simple
plane surface).
I don't mean to sound like a kid in a candy store, but
regarding these two features - CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE
CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN
WE ???!!! :j

Peace,
Ali.
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