Idea that might improve the graphics of CM and CMBB (HUGE PICS)

[George-III]

As all of you know there is no real-time light sourcing in the CM engine. However I think I have figured out a way to do a pretty good job of faking it.

Its kind of complicated to explain so I will try to keep it as simple as possible. I can post a more detailed explanation (with screen shots) later if someone wants it. Ok here goes....

What you do is fire up the old Voidhawk version of CM and divide up the bmp's of a vehicle into "verticle" and "horizontal" surfaces.

The "verticle" surfaces would be the bmp's for the front, side and rear of the hull and turret. The "horizontal" surfaces would be the bmp's for the hull top, turret top and gun barrel.

Ok, now open your photo editing software. I use Corel Photopaint 7 but Im pretty sure you can do this with Photoshop as well. Load the "verticle" bmps. Click 'effects', 'render', then 'lighting effects', then select 'ambient' as your light source. Now render 50% ambient lighting on all the "verticle" surfaces. What you are doing is rendering shadows on all the "verticle" surfaces on the vehicle. (note: you will need to apply a color-mask on any bmp with the pink background color otherwise it won't stay transparent)

Next load all of the "horizontal" bmb's, only this time your going to render 100% ambient light on these.

For surfaces that are at an angle (like the front of a Sherman) I render these at 75% ambient light.

The result may seem a bit subtle but it makes a HUGE difference in the game. Tanks look VERY 3d. Almost like metal miniatures. Also, I cant really explain this but tanks look .. well.. HEAVY and menacing.

Ok now for some photos. Ill start with a Sherm 105. The first photo is the original texture. The second photo is the same texture but with shadows added:

Is that cool or what :cool: .. see I told you they looked heavier

Ok next lets look at the Panther. Again first photo is the original texture and the second photo is with shadows added:

Oh and one more thing I forgot to add. All of these are the low-rez original bmp's. This whole process doesnt add anything to the size of the bmp's. They just LOOK more detailed.

Ok next up is the Chaffee:

I love how detailed the textures look yet nothing is changed as far as the size.

To BTS:

I have been experimenting with this for the past month or so and I can tell you I would NOT go back to the old textures. I am posting this because I am hoping that you guys will be able to use this with the CMBB textures. If you want, I can help you convert the bmp's so you can see if it would help the look of CMBB. I very much want you guys to succeed with CMBB so anything I could do to help just let me know.

[George-III]

Now that you get the idea here are some more photos with just the shadows:

(sorry about the huge size but you need to see the detail)

[von Paulus]

Ahem well I think it's a nice work, but the problem is when the tanks rotate, the graphisms doesn't change.

Don't worry, you had a good idea

[George-III]

Originally posted by Von Paulus:

Ahem well I think it's a nice work, but the problem is when the tanks rotate, the graphisms doesn't change.

Don't worry, you had a good idea

Well, you have to trust me on this. The graphics dont have to change when the tank rotates because the shadows are basicaly "high-noon".

It even looks good at night but you would have to see it in game to know what i mean.

[Thomm]

I *love* your results and I hope that they will have some influence on future CMs and Mods! Good contrast does so much for `fleshing out' 3D structures!

Great work!

Thomm

[Runyan99]

I think it is a very interesting idea.

[AFLC]

I have to ask one question: Why is the color of the grass always diferent between the shadowed and original pics?

[George-III]

Originally posted by AFLC:

I have to ask one question: Why is the color of the grass always diferent between the shadowed and original pics?

I was also doing some experiments with rendering light on the ground tiles. This looks promising but Im still working on it.

[Lordfluffers]

Yep, Im afraid they look superb! Hats off to you George.

[Kanonier Reichmann]

One of the side-effects of what you're doing seems to be a general thickening-up effect on the tanks road wheels due to this area always being in the shaded area. Perhaps it's just me but your changes seems to have given a more solid suspension look to all the tanks. Just for that effect alone I give it 2 thumbs up.

Regards

Jim R.

[lcm1947]

I agree it's much more 3D and real looking. I can't imagine why this wouldn't be used on everything like terrain, troops and all vehicles and equipment. I for one am impressed. What an idea! :eek:

[Michael Dorosh]

For something so simple, those are terrific results.

[André]

Wicked idea! Now somebody please convert ALL CMBO mods to look like this.

[ParaBellum]

It's always so easy once someone's got the clue...

Great work! I really hope we'll see more like these soon.

[Splinty]

George, could do that with some of the Hi Res stuff? Just to give us a look at what it does for the details?

[kmead]

I think this is a good idea. I also think that at the moment, the degree of shadowing is too great and accentuates the blocky polygonal (low polygon count) quality of the current CMBO models. I think that with some addtional adjustment of the values you are using it would be more realistic and attractive. As it is now, it looks crude and really doesn't add to the fine work that the mod artists have provided you with.

I applaud your efforts and merely suggest that fine tune your approach. For example, the ground reflects light upward so you might consider applying your effect differently to the lower portions of the bmps like the suspension and lower glacis. Using the rendering mode as a gradient from the bottom to the top will give the effect I describe. In any case keep experimenting to get to where this is a improvement.

[Jarmo]

OK, we need an insane modder for creating a ShadowPack

of all CM textures... volunteers?

[Tarquelne]

Wow.

I'm going to at least try it on some of the lighter vehicle mods. I never liked the that original Panther look, for example, but the "darkened" version looks great in the pic.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by Jarmo:

OK, we need an insane modder for creating a ShadowPack

of all CM textures... volunteers?

Isn't Molek back in town? Right up his alley I should think...

[aka_tom_w]

if all the .bmp files needed the same treatment and could be identified in one folder an action script in Photoshop could process all of them into shaded textures in NO TIME

The real trick here is to identify and collect in one folder all the appropriate .bmp files

then just run the photoshop script one them

-tom w

[dalem]

Would look pretty silly at dawn/dusk, or in the rain. I doubt BFC will settle for "fake" ambient lighting any more than they'd settle for "fake" armor thickness models.

At least, I hope they won't.

-dale

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by dalem:

Would look pretty silly at dawn/dusk, or in the rain. I doubt BFC will settle for "fake" ambient lighting any more than they'd settle for "fake" armor thickness models.

At least, I hope they won't.

-dale

No less silly than the shadows that most mods already have being cast by headlights, barrel rod carriers, etc. They don't rotate with the sun or cast longer shadows at dawn either. This is simply the same concept applied to the whole mod. I like it.

[dalem]

Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by dalem:

Would look pretty silly at dawn/dusk, or in the rain. I doubt BFC will settle for "fake" ambient lighting any more than they'd settle for "fake" armor thickness models.

At least, I hope they won't.

-dale

No less silly than the shadows that most mods already have being cast by headlights, barrel rod carriers, etc. They don't rotate with the sun or cast longer shadows at dawn either. This is simply the same concept applied to the whole mod. I like it.</font>

[Scott B]

Actually, those pictures have me wondering what they look like at a distance; does the effect look more subtle at higher views?

Great idea, by the way - I like the way you're approaching this.

Scott

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by dalem:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by dalem:

Would look pretty silly at dawn/dusk, or in the rain. I doubt BFC will settle for "fake" ambient lighting any more than they'd settle for "fake" armor thickness models.

At least, I hope they won't.

-dale

No less silly than the shadows that most mods already have being cast by headlights, barrel rod carriers, etc. They don't rotate with the sun or cast longer shadows at dawn either. This is simply the same concept applied to the whole mod. I like it.</font>