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Afro Samurai confirmed for European releaseWe all know what 3D graphics are - length, width & depth, but how many know what 4D graphics are? If you are one of the millions of people thinking 'What the %&$* are 4D graphics?', don't be alarmed. You've already seen them. Shocking isn't it? We all remember Kutaragi proclaiming not too long ago that PS3 would utilize 4D graphics, but what exactly did he mean?
4D, from a developer’s point of view, is is the progression of Life in time. It is where every tangible object in your game is living and constantly changing. As a result, change becomes an integral part of 4D graphics.
But how does all of this become possible? The answer is the dynamic rendering of procedural textures. Sounds complicated, but it's not. Let me explain; Procedural textures are textures which are linked to an algorithm. Instead of the texture being drawn pixel by pixel, you define the way these pixels have to be lit to produce the texture you want.
When the procedural texture is placed somewhere, you utilize an engine for actually generating these bitmap textures. They have life. They can change in a way you define them, especially through time. In a lot of the current games, the randomized textures method is used. Developers use one bitmap and just map it on randomly in the environment to create the design for that specific area. Every texture is not defined or unique. So, the method to create procedural textures allows for more control.
Allegorithmic is a utility set which allows an extensive realization of procedural textures. With it you define the procedures way using MaPZone, and then use ProFX to rasterize the images, producing the final result to be displayed by a renderer or a game engine.
Observe the following example:
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If you look closely at the calm boat dock scene above, the docks are being splattered by rain. The wood is literally degrading with every drop that hits it. The light poles are rusting with every second. The light bulbs are degrading with every photon of light they are emitting. The wooden cabin is degrading, while the grassland outside is rotting slowly. These all fit into the core realization of 4D graphics.
Now, let’s fix a common misconception. These 4D renders can be processed on the Xbox 360 with an average mean time of 10-12 seconds. Yes. The renders are possible, but the dynamic realization of procedural texture streaming is not. The dynamic renders with characters in the scene, with progression of life through the time continuum, are not possible with the 360 system. It would take days to produce dynamic renders on the 360 in the fullest definition of 4D graphics--this with the software already optimized for it.
All the videos on this page can be run perfectly and efficiently, without taking days to render, currently only on two specific platforms. Upscale PC’s and the PlayStation 3. Procedural techniques are demanding in terms of power, so the more power you get: the easier it is to render these 4D graphics dynamically. Programming for the PS3's eight Synergistic Processing Units (SPUs) can be a challenge sometimes, but there is definitely a lot to gain from the architecture, and the dynamic renders can be processed on the fly with the PlayStation 3.
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The 4D graphics above, centralizing on the dynamic renders of procedural textures, show a distinguished change of the bathroom scene as time progresses. The scene starts with a very nice bath tub. Probably one that we would love to take a bubble bath in. But, as time progresses, the bathroom rusts. The tiles shatter, the mold grows, and Mr.Clean won’t work here anymore.
The scene then changes to that of an overhead of a bathroom sink next to a metal core. The metal rusts, the sink degrades in texture, and the mirror shatters. The scene quickly changes to normal, all to show a mirror in the next one.
Now, this mirror is a prime example of 4D graphics made from a core factor of dynamically rendered procedural textures. The mirror shatters while falling, and then slowly ... (continued on next page)
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That was an awesome read,thanks.
spare us the technicality
Yeah, but I'd like to see it in the game play. I'd like to see how much the 4D doing the difference than the 3D.
looks awsome. cant wait to sit and play in these envoiroments :P
Amazing article, thanks v/much
That means if you just put away your controller at faced a plant for 10 years it will actually grow... COOL!
Great article and this shows that the PS3 is the ONLY TRUE next gen console, look forward to seeing this in games
The real question is how does this make better games? If you can fake this effect by switching textures between two or three states, then whats the benfit of the playstation method? Is the effect easier to achieve? does it cut down on development time? Find a way to make this a quantifiable bonus before celebrating it.
These dynamics would be great in a Silent Hill game or another horror genre type. Imagine walking into what looks like a seemingly normal house, and then suddenly everything starts degrading fast. Walls will brown, tiles crack, windows break and then suddenly here comes Pyramid Head...well you get the point...that would be f***ing freaky.
318kb... thats impossible
I remember watching those awhile back. They still look awesome.
Looks average. has anyone seen shrek 4D @ universal,i have several times now thats the bees!
is that why GRAW2 took so long?
Please! Stop showing demos of the hardware capability and actually release a game!!!
-dad
very interesting. ps3 rules!!
wass up PSU guys feel free to add me my PSN ID is cool661
psn id: gingo.... when i read the title i was like psu av finally snapped but after reading this is like the coolest thing ever
The first video was incredible. a littlve over 300kb for that whole scene is remarkable. However, I honestly fail to see how the giraffe eating couldn't be done anywheer else. It's just a two second animation that even I could pop out in 5 or 10 minutes with my limited 3Ds Max knowledge. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Sony boy, I just think you're focusing on the wrong highlights.
this would be most effective in gta 4
or OBLIVION
or [insert any ps3 game here]
"that even I could pop out in 5 or 10 minutes with my limited 3Ds Max knowledge." I'm a game developer first and foremost, and can tell you that you can and will not definitely be popping that out in 5 or 10 minutes with 3D Studio Max. As 3DStudio Max can't support procedural textures. If you don't see how that's so complex, animation is certainly not your thing.
Incredible... thank you Usman. @ Perfect Sin that is an awesome example.
sweet. now we know it can be done on ps3 lets see sony put it in one of their next big 2008 games.
woah this is was an amazin read once again provin the almightly power of the ps3
it almost looks surreal. I would love to see a resident evil or a silent hill in this setting.
Alpha2 if you dont like graphical evolution go play W11
I do really love my PS3 but to say that motorstorm isn't capable on 360 is just a lie!
cool article
Hey KainZ7 how about you try not being a prick. My argument is valid.
Really, the only thing that this corrects that can't be done with bit-mapped textures is size. And that's a good thing. That means more content. I downloaded the program used to make these textures (it's free, so I'd recommend that anyone interested does the same), and It's very similar to using photoshop. I can't wait for this to start being used in games.
Oh my god! Graphic Ectasy. PS3 is my girl lol.
i think i can love now ^_^ lmao thats how this article made me feel
Alpha2, In some points your right. The goal sony is trying to acheive is making games more realistic. Think about it we have gone a long way since atari. From your point of view yes i would rather play 5hitty graphic games but if they are fun then its the best. Indeed, Your right. Not everyone thinks like you do, I personally want a more realistic picture but at the same time a fun game. It makes better games by giving it a sexy look. Many games MIGHT be fun but, I bet you have turned many of them down because they look hideous. So yea the point is, Graphics for OUR generation the year 2007! ARE a big deal.
ps3 will be a killing machine
The 360 & ps3 share the same dna but the diference is that the 360 has 6 conventional threads and the ps3 has 1 conventional + risc 6 threads.
Basicly the ps3 can do 4d and so could 360 but the 360 real capabilitys that outshine the ps3 is the intelligence and the iteractivity of the cpu itself with game.
x360 = strong multiple AI and personalitys , 3.5d graphics and interactive background.
PS3 = interactive personalities and AI and 4d graphics.
You know what game would be great for this? Alan Wake! Why on earth is this not in development on the PS3 anymore? I guess I'll be getting White Knight Story. Great article.
Alpha2 hes not being a prick your just being stupid the article wasn't about watch 4d graphics revelutionize gameplay it was about how new technology and how it's cool...
would make for a nice house cleaning game
That is amazing! Envoiroments that live, breath, and as time passes changes by it's self! Only the Playstation 3 is able to do this! I have invested my money into something worth investing in! The Xbox 360 just isn't as powerfull as the Playstation 3. The Xbox 360 has had it's days and the Playstation 3 has finaly been realized to be A Very Powerfull piece of technoligy! The future of The Playstation 3 is looking very good and the spectrum of games for the Playstation 3 is extremly wide.
~SONY RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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By your definition, isn't damage modelling on cars in games about 10 years old '4D' graphics? Which, by the way, needs a new, non-buzz word name that actually doesn't break physics.
Looks good cant wait for the playstation to be at the top of the list again with is more advanced games.
I loved this, great article! verry interesting. I'm exited all over again.
the ps3 only has 7 psu - 1 is switched off during manufacturing to increase chip yield and decrease costs per cell processor. blade systems with fully enabled cell processors cost about twice as much as a ps3... still, even 7 psu are a lot of horsepower...
in regards to procedural textures: i can only recommend to have a look around www.scene.org and especially take a very close look at the 64kb and less demo sections. there is some real eye candy on display, amazing animations, sound and textures and that all written in 64kb of code (or less). these guys from the pc demo scene really know how to program ultra-efficient algorithms and how to squeez every last drop of juice out of the available hardware - how i wish that sony would donate some dev-kits to these people...
amazing ps3 IS the best concle
Hehe cool, 4D, thought 3d had it all, wonder if there will come a 5D
that s why I waited in line for 2 days for a PS3
bring on the games
@ HalfLifeDev
Not sure where to begin...........should I call BS on the fact you say you're a game developer, you know 3DS Max, or that 3DS Max can't support procedural textures. I've been using Max on a daily basis for like 6 years so I know what it can and can't do......and 3DS Max most certainly supports procedural textures you idiot! So if you're full of cr@p about knowing Max, I'm pretty sure your full of crap about being a game dev. Oh and If you do actually use Max, go into the Tutorial files....they have a nice one on doing procedural textures, but that can't be right.......because you claim it can't be done in Max.........Freakin Poser
mgs4 and killzone 2 will both take some advantage of this but we wont start seeing games reach full ps3 potential until between late 2008 and mid 2009 but its interesting what rivel stated if you could understand all that mumbo jumbo he was saying that a player would be able to fully control the effects of the world around him by doing different things in a certain point time that will effect the future in the game differently rather the game following in a straight path with a few bumps and turns. ps3 is actually the first step in virtual reality if this technology is mastered a fully immersive world thats living and breathing that is responsive
amazing.
simply amazing.
great read guys! thanks alot!
Only possible on PS3.
really amazing