Does gt4 really use 2D

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With the knowledge I have of the game, I'd say no but only in certain instances. The grand canyon is definately not 2D. The canyon itself is taking up 3D space. If it weren't, there would be a lot of clipping issues that would take a very long time to fix. However, the texture that is mapped on the canyon is 2D. Most textures are 2D since the camera will never make it to the back of a texture. So, there is no need in this sense to make a texture take up 3D space. I doubt that the backgrounds in GT4 are 2D, however, there may be a few plains that they kept 2D inorder to save space.
 
The quick answer is yes, the way they do it is very clever, by using several 2d backgrounds at differnt angles it looks 3d from the track, if there are any tracks where =you can force through the barriers like in GT3 you would be able to drive right up to the backgrounds. They could make 3d backgrounds but when they can make 2d backgrounds look so convincing why wast the power to render 3d ones.
 
Hmm, 2 different answers, I'd wait and see.
 
But live, you said the background of the canyon was a photo. I know the far background is 2D but from looking at ingame vids of the canyon, it looks 3D.
 
Yep, PD are using photos of real worl locations and mapping them onto objects in GT4, they change the colours so that they look like the rest of the game, the Canyon track does look 3d and maybe it is, but the photo's can be mapped onto 2d and/or 3d objects.
 
I don't know, I read this in a game magazine, I think it was a car magazine that PD increased the computers' ability to render detail has allowed the creation of scenes such as the canyon, where you have to look twice to see if it's the real thing. I doubt someone would be bragging on a photo they put into a game, seriously?
 
Originally posted by live4speed
Yep, PD are using photos of real worl locations and mapping them onto objects in GT4, they change the colours so that they look like the rest of the game, the Canyon track does look 3d and maybe it is, but the photo's can be mapped onto 2d and/or 3d objects.
Click to expand...
No, photos cannot be mapped on 3D plain.
Photos need their own plain. They cannot be mapped on a pre-existing plain or the will come out completely warped. Photos are one dimensional, so they can only be bent. The sky for example, an image can be mapped on a UV sphere but it will only be bent to give off the illusion that they are round. They can not, however, be mapped on a 3D plain.
 
They can, your ight, they have to bend them fist but there are software packages that are specifically for that purpose. The only games with fully 3d backgrounds on PS2 are games like world racing, and you can tell, a 3d background would be less detailed than a 2d background, a 2d background can literally be a photograph and you don't get more detailed than that (although it would look out of place in a game without the colours being messed with). And about the photo thing, to map it onto a plain you only need to save it as a regular texture, all textures are 2d, it's the object/plain that can be 3d.
 
There are magazines saying PD made those background. In game informer's first article on gt4 they showed the man behind the creation of the canyon and other backgrounds. He made that canyon from reference photos.
 
I think the canyo may be 3d, that would seem to go with what you've read as well, in that case the canyon would've been created from photo's, they did use pictures of the canyon in the game though, so PD used photos to create a 3d canyon and then mapped textures created from more photo's of the canyon onto it. That sounds about right.
 
I read the review for pgr2 on gamers.com. They said the developers of the racer took photos of the real life areas for their tracks. Now that's also said about gt4 and its developers.I believe they only used those photos for reference like they do for the cars. But PD should give us solid onfo so we know 100% what they have done and what tehniques they used because I seriously doubt PD would brag on just photos they took and rendered in the game.
 
I'll find the link, theres an interview with KY and they mention this in it.
 
Certain parts of the canyon are 3d, but other parts, such as the bits you dont drive on in the distance are flat 2d. Same on those italian looking tracks, when your driving down the steep hill down the town, and you see all those fields in the distance, just a flat piccy, but used to excelent effect. The simple fact is, that its a waste of system resources, and would cause the PS2 to grind too a halt if did all that in full 3d.

I don't see why it's so hard to believe that certain parts are 2d, loads of games use 2d plains of back ground, and I don't have a prob with it what so ever as long as you can't tell. TBH the 2d bits on GT4 are pretty noticeable, but it's still well pulled off, and I guess you won't notice while your racing too much.

below is my interpretation of it. 2d sky, 2d far back ground moutain range, the bit in the right hand corner is 3d as its part of the track. The effect is pretty well done, but i bet you never get too look down the canyon to where the 2 sides meet, even on replays.

http://www.geocities.com/code_kev/GT42d-3d.bmp

(yes I am kidding about the wheel rims)
 
That link doesn't work, I've pulled up over 200 articles on GT4 (I've not read them) so the link might have to wait a little while, unless it was in one of the mag scans at gtadvance, then it will be even longer cos the pics are down, I'll check some tonight.
 
Games like Half-Life have similar affects to their skies & no there not 3D. Its a simple but good effect & is made by putting several 2D pics together & making them appear 3D.

The Grand Canyon that is seen in the distance is certainly not 3D!
 
I think thats about right, in thoes pics. I figuerd I had to right click, arnt I clever.:lol:
 
I know for a fact the canyon in the distance is 2D but the canyon that sticks out is 3D. In the ingame vids on the canyon you will be able to see different sections of the canyon and it's very impressive if you ask me. I kind of like the technique pD is using.
 
well yeah ofc the bit that sticks out is 3d, its part of the track! Its not THAT impressive though, hell sega rally had a 3d sticky out bit on its mountain course and that was on the sega saturn. It's a nice effect but not exactly mind blowing lol.

"very impressive"

Can't say I find a jpeg VERY impressive, what would be VERY impressive is if that whole canyon was in full 3d with ummm lamas on the top, trees blowing in the wind, sand blowing in the wind, birds in the sky, and a pretty stream running down it (with ducks in it). All fully 3d ofc, with real time lighting. Oh and a 3d sky with moving clouds that mimic real weather patterns. THAT would be very impressive. Ridiculous, but impressive.
 
Good, got to have the human element. In your opinion, which out of the 2 have the stronger human element, gt4 or that other racer.
 
We'll this was discussed before I belive and KY did say that all backgrounds are 2d photos all blened together with this new graphics engine that they have, and he did say that the grand canyon IS if fact all 2d obviously besides the track your driving on lol, but the canyon itself is 2d. If anyone has been reading all the interviews and such you'll clearly see that it is true, you dont have to take my work for it but you all could belive what you want, just do a little searching around and you'll find the answer...
 

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