Can someone explain this? (Interiors.)

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Evil_Stig

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Evil_Stig
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I just don't understand how the interiors can look this good:

gran-turismo5-interior-photomode19-640x406.jpg


The polygon count there must be ridiculous. Even at point-blank range, it's seamless. I realize this shot is from photo mode, but doesn't the PS3 essentially have to render the same model, with the same poly count, for multiple cars during actual races? How is that possible? Or are they switching to a higher poly count for photo mode -- meaning they had to model every cockpit twice?!!

I'm simply baffled. Pleased as punch, but baffled!
 
2 models, they're using low-poly models in races :)
 
textures can make a lot of things look more complex than their actual shape is - i.e. gears of war
 
Well some shortcuts can be used like bump mapping and normal mapping which probly doesn't appear until' the photo is taken, or is more enhanced. Shadows are fixed, more anti aliasing is put in, and some strange sweaty guy quickly wipes up the interior with armor all.
 
No, what happens is this: PD creates a model of the car using 1 mill - 2 mill polygons. Then, it uses the rendering program to reduce the number of polygons to about 250k polygons for in race models, and about 500k for photo mode. There isn't any need to recreate the model, just reduce the polygons and manually edit any imperfections.
 
Wait how do you get inside the car?!
 
Yes it's a LOD (level of detail) thing. Photomode uses higher poly models than race, and race scales down the poly count as the cars are further from the view point. On top of this, much of the detail seen above is in the shaders, which are simply put... lighting effects applied to textures to create the illusion of them having a 3D detailed surface.

The good thing about these high poly models is that whatever GT release comes to PS4 will surely be able to use the same models, either the photomode versions in race, or even the original models with no scaling down!
 
Looks in-game to me.
 
If you do it in photomode (replay one, not phototravel) then the interior doesn't look nearly as good. So that's the model they use for racing, plus with less processing on the shadows and lighting.
 
Ahh, okay. Thanks for the answers guys. I didn't realize they had programs that could scale down the poly count automatically, but it makes perfect sense now that you mention it. No wonder it took them so long to model those 400 premium cars; the level of detail in the original, unscaled models must be off the charts.
 
DG_Silva
No, what happens is this: PD creates a model of the car using 1 mill - 2 mill polygons. Then, it uses the rendering program to reduce the number of polygons to about 250k polygons for in race models, and about 500k for photo mode. There isn't any need to recreate the model, just reduce the polygons and manually edit any imperfections.
Click to expand...

1 - 2 million polygons is bologna.
 
It might not only be just higher polygon counts, it could also be pre-rendered artwork. Since the interior photo can only be done is certain photoshoot location at given car location, that could simply use pre-rendered artwork. Pre-rendered artwork is very popular in the gaming industry now since it allows better graphics with limited processing power especially in consoles.
 
thephenom32
It might not only be just higher polygon counts, it could also be pre-rendered artwork. Since the interior photo can only be done is certain photoshoot location at given car location, that could simply use pre-rendered artwork. Pre-rendered artwork is very popular in the gaming industry now since it allows better graphics with limited processing power especially in consoles.
Click to expand...

It isn't pre-rendered, you can walk around the car, move the car, change the lighting etc. it's real time. The LOD is the same when you drive with the cockpit view (or use the two other cockpit replay cams), but it is not even close from the outside.
 
Evil_Stig
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I just don't understand how the interiors can look this good:

gran-turismo5-interior-photomode19-640x406.jpg


The polygon count there must be ridiculous. Even at point-blank range, it's seamless. I realize this shot is from photo mode, but doesn't the PS3 essentially have to render the same model, with the same poly count, for multiple cars during actual races? How is that possible? Or are they switching to a higher poly count for photo mode -- meaning they had to model every cockpit twice?!!

I'm simply baffled. Pleased as punch, but baffled!
Click to expand...

First off a lot of that is textures and mapping (shadow/bump/reflection/normal) which can make a fairly low poly model look really smooth, especially on simple and normal curves.

Here is an example from way back in 07 (just what I foudn with a quick google) that shows what can be done with low poly models. Since then a LOT of improvements with shaders and mapping has made almost photoreaslitic results even in motion with relatively low poly models.

http://www.gameartisans.org/gamecon/tutorials/tut_3.htm

Super low poly Koenseigg

http://exchange3d.com/cars/koenigse...3313.html?act=viewProd&productId=3313#preview

Here's an F1 car with only 14000 polys that looks quite decent:

http://www.exchange3d.com/3D Model of Ferrari Formula1 Racer lowpoly/prod_4832.html#preview

And a nice Ferarri for only 26000 polys

http://www.exchange3d.com/3D Model of Ferrari 375 Le Mans/prod_9019.html#preview

Also notice the prices... some nice looking models to be had for less than $50 (sometiems less than $20!).

Poly counts nowadays are like megapixels on cameras... so much else is responsible for picture quality that the poly count really doens't mean as much as it once did.

Also when rendering the race, a much lower poly and lower detail model is used (that's part of why photo travel takes so long to render a single frame shot) and a lot of the polys are never really drawn as an occlusion engine determines what you can't see and thus doens't need to be rendered.
 
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