Parallax map - Revision history

Caustic: Redirected page to Parallax Map

2014-10-10T13:56:51Z

Redirected page to Parallax Map

Throttlekitty: Throttlekitty moved page ParallaxMap to Parallax map: Convert old>new space and case.

2014-08-14T16:31:50Z

Throttlekitty moved page ParallaxMap to Parallax map: Convert old>new space and case.

Throttlekitty at 16:31, 14 August 2014

2014-08-14T16:31:34Z

Cheeseplus: 6 revisions

2014-07-29T08:44:46Z

6 revisions

EricChadwick: shader fx

2010-11-02T19:10:21Z

shader fx

EricChadwick: thread link, bruno demo (thanks to Ben Apuna)

2010-10-16T19:37:13Z

thread link, bruno demo (thanks to Ben Apuna)

EricChadwick: CategoryTextureTypes

2010-07-31T15:13:06Z

CategoryTextureTypes

EricChadwick: categories

2010-07-05T21:51:30Z

EricChadwick: WikiName

2010-07-05T21:51:16Z

WikiName

at 00:00, 1 January 1970

1970-01-01T00:00:00Z

New page

__NOTOC__
* Return to [[Polycount|Main Page]]<br> Return to [[Category:Texturing]]

[[Anchor(WhatIsAParallaxMap)]]
== What is a Parallax Map? ==
Parallax mapping is a technique for real-time approximation of displacement mapping.

Each pixel's texture coordinates are adjusted at render-time to create an illusion of depth as the viewer's eye moves across a scene.

The virtue of parallax mapping is efficiency. It is the cheapest real-time technique for displacement mapping.

The drawback is image quality. Parallax mapping doesn't look as nice as more expensive techniques such as "parallax occlusion mapping" and "relief mapping." Those techniques are similar to parallax mapping, but provide better image quality at a cost of additional texture lookups.

Parallax mapping uses a grayscale heightmap. Exactly where it goes will depend on your specific game engine, but it's pretty common to put it in the alpha channel of the normal map. Check the documentation for your engine to make sure.

[[TableOfContents]]

[[Anchor(Uses)]]
== Uses ==
As a rule, parallax mapping looks good on walls and floors. Any mesh with a relatively large surface viewed from non-oblique angles could be a decent candidate for parallax mapping.

In your heightmap, try to avoid sharp/steep edges and tall high-frequency details. Those can cause texture-stretching and rendering artifacts.

Use sparingly on any surface that is not relatively large. Be especially careful where the edges of a mesh are visible. Parallax mapping doesn't extend past the visible edges of a mesh. That can look weird. You may want to augment your parallax map with actual geometry at visible edges. (eg. bricks on the corner of a building might use actual geometry while the other bricks can be created by parallax mapping.)

[[Anchor(HowToCreate)]]
== How To Create ==

Method 1: Using [http://www.crazybump.com CrazyBump] to generate a parallax map from a normal map:

# If necessary, grab the CrazyBump demo from www.crazybump.com
# Make sure that CrazyBump's axis orientation preferences are set correctly for your normal map.
# Open your normal map in CrazyBump.
# Make sure that "parallax displacement" is turned on in CrazyBump's preview window.
# Select the "displacement" tab from CrazyBump's user interface.
# Adjust the "displacement map" sliders until your model has the desired appearance.
# If you notice shimmering artifacts, try increasing the "soften" slider.
# You're all done! Save the displacement map, and use it for parallax in your game engine.
# If your engine expects height in the alpha channel of the normal map, CrazyBump has a toggle for that on the preferences page. Just turn on the setting, open your normal map, and re-save it.

Method 2: Using CrazyBump to generate a parallax map from a photograph:

# Check out this here video: http://www.crazybump.com/video/

Method 3: Use 3ds Max ''Render To Texture'' to bake from high-poly geometry.

# Setup the projection for the low-poly model as usual.
# In the NormalsMap element in the render to texture dialog activate the checkbox "render height map to alpha channel".
# Return to [[Polycount|Main Page]]<br> Return to [[Category:Texturing]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-= Parallax Map =
+#REDIRECT [[Parallax_Map]]
-Parallax mapping is a technique for real-time approximation of displacement mapping, sometimes called "virtual displacement mapping." Each pixel's texture coordinates are adjusted at render-time to create an illusion of depth as the viewer's eye moves across a scene.
-−
-The virtue of parallax mapping is efficiency. It is the cheapest real-time technique for displacement mapping. The drawback is image quality. Parallax mapping doesn't look as nice as more expensive techniques such as "parallax occlusion mapping" and "relief mapping", see [[#Methods|Methods]] below. Those techniques are similar to parallax mapping, but provide better image quality at a cost of additional texture lookups.
-−
-Parallax mapping uses a grayscale heightmap. Exactly where it goes will depend on your specific game engine, but it's pretty common to put it in the alpha channel of the normal map. Check the documentation for your engine to make sure.
-−
-See the Polycount thread [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53229 The ultimate be-all end-all Parallax mapping thread].
-−
-<span id="Methods"></span>
-−
-== Methods ==
-There are more than a half-dozen versions of parallax mapping:
-−
-* Offset, and offset with limiting (both are your basic parallax)
-* Parallax occlusion
-* Relief
-* Cone step
-* Steep parallax
-* Pyramidal displacement
-* Iterative parallax
-* etc.
-−
-All except offset and iterative use more advanced rendering calls, only now becoming feasible on current-gen hardware.
-−
-If anyone is looking for a good rendering cost/visual effect tradeoff, look at iterative parallax, it is probably your best bet. Newer versions of parallax occlusion and cone mapping provide the best visual fidelity. And for the cheapest, parallax mapping is a couple extra instructions and a texture channel, almost negligible nowadays.
-−
-The [[#UsageExamples|staircases in Mass Effect]] probably have a specific parallax shader written for them; a generic parallax mapping solution would probably not give as believable an effect.
-−
-−
-<pre><nowiki>#!wiki dotted
-[[http://www.brunoevangelista.com/projects/|Detailed Surfaces Viewer]] by Bruno Evangelista is a demo application that shows multiple methods:
-−
-. Displacement Mapping
-. Normal Mapping
-. Offset Parallax Mapping
-. Relief Mapping
-. Parallax Occlusion Mapping
-. Cone Step Mapping
-. Multi-Layer Cone Step Mapping
-. Sphere Tracing (Per-Pixel Displacement Mapping with Distance Functions)
-</nowiki></pre>
-−
-−
-<span id="Uses"></span>
-−
-== Uses ==
-As a rule, parallax mapping looks good on walls and floors. Any mesh with a relatively large surface viewed from non-oblique angles could be a decent candidate for parallax mapping. Parallax works well for smooth curves, like rocks and carvings. It's not good for steep edges, because of the distortion.
-−
-In your heightmap, try to avoid sharp/steep edges and tall high-frequency details. Those can cause texture-stretching and rendering artifacts.
-−
-Use sparingly on any surface that is not relatively large. Be especially careful where the edges of a mesh are visible. Parallax mapping doesn't extend past the visible edges of a mesh. That can look weird. You may want to augment your parallax map with actual geometry at visible edges. (eg. bricks on the corner of a building might use actual geometry while the other bricks can be created by parallax mapping.)
-−
-Mass Effect uses parallax in an interesting way, to create stairs as a parallax indentation on what is basically just a flat plane.
-−
-<<Anchor([[UsageExamples]])>>
-{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
-| [[attachment:masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|Media:ParallaxMap/attachments/masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|attachment:masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|width="600"}}
-|-
-| A parallax-mapped staircase in Mass Effect.<<BR>><span style="font-size: smaller">Image by [http://www.bioware.com/ BioWare]</span>
-|}
-−
-{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
-| [[attachment:crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|Media:ParallaxMap/attachments/crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|attachment:crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|width="600"}}
-|-
-| Parallax occlusion mapping in Crysis<<BR>><span style="font-size: smaller">Image by [http://www.crytek.com/ Crytek]</span>
-|}
-−
-<<Anchor([[HowToCreate]])>>
-−
-== How To Create ==
-=== [[CrazyBump]] ===
-Using [http://www.crazybump.com CrazyBump] to generate a parallax map from a normal map:
-−
-# If necessary, grab the CrazyBump demo from www.crazybump.com
-# Make sure that CrazyBump's axis orientation preferences are set correctly for your normal map.
-# Open your normal map in CrazyBump.
-# Make sure that "parallax displacement" is turned on in CrazyBump's preview window.
-# Select the "displacement" tab from CrazyBump's user interface.
-# Adjust the "displacement map" sliders until your model has the desired appearance.
-# If you notice shimmering artifacts, try increasing the "soften" slider.
-# You're all done! Save the displacement map, and use it for parallax in your game engine.
-# If your engine expects height in the alpha channel of the normal map, CrazyBump has a toggle for that on the preferences page. Just turn on the setting, open your normal map, and re-save it.
-−
-CrazyBump can also generate a parallax map from a photograph.
-−
-=== 3ds Max ===
-Use 3ds Max ''Render To Texture'' to bake from high-poly geometry.
-−
-# Setup the projection for the low-poly model as usual.
-# In the NormalsMap element in the render to texture dialog activate the checkbox "render height map to alpha channel".
-−
-=== Shader FX ===
-[http://www.lumonix.net/shaderfx.html Shader FX] supports relief mapping [http://www.lumonix.net/Media/ShaderFX_ReliefMappingDemo.html real-time in the 3ds Max viewport].
-−
-=== Unreal Development Kit ===
-[http://aaronjclifford.com/images/tutorials/prallaxBakingDemonstration.jpg Parallax Baking Demonstration]
-−
-----
-[[Category:Texturing]] [[Category:TextureTypes]] [[Category:Bump map]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 = Parallax Map =
 Parallax mapping is a technique for real-time approximation of displacement mapping, sometimes called "virtual displacement mapping." Each pixel's texture coordinates are adjusted at render-time to create an illusion of depth as the viewer's eye moves across a scene.
@@ Line 99: / Line 98: @@
 ----
-[[Category:Texturing]] [[Category:TextureTypes]] [[Category:BumpMap]]
+[[Category:Texturing]] [[Category:TextureTypes]] [[Category:Bump map]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <!-- ## page was renamed from Parallax Map -->
 = Parallax Map =
 Parallax mapping is a technique for real-time approximation of displacement mapping, sometimes called "virtual displacement mapping." Each pixel's texture coordinates are adjusted at render-time to create an illusion of depth as the viewer's eye moves across a scene.
@@ Line 8: / Line 7: @@
 Parallax mapping uses a grayscale heightmap. Exactly where it goes will depend on your specific game engine, but it's pretty common to put it in the alpha channel of the normal map. Check the documentation for your engine to make sure.
+See the Polycount thread [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53229 The ultimate be-all end-all Parallax mapping thread].
 <span id="Methods"></span>
 == Methods ==
 There are more than a half-dozen versions of parallax mapping:
 * Offset, and offset with limiting (both are your basic parallax)
 * Parallax occlusion
@@ Line 20: / Line 21: @@
 * Pyramidal displacement
 * Iterative parallax
 * etc.
 All except offset and iterative use more advanced rendering calls, only now becoming feasible on current-gen hardware.
 If anyone is looking for a good rendering cost/visual effect tradeoff, look at iterative parallax, it is probably your best bet. Newer versions of parallax occlusion and cone mapping provide the best visual fidelity. And for the cheapest, parallax mapping is a couple extra instructions and a texture channel, almost negligible nowadays.
 The [[#UsageExamples|staircases in Mass Effect]] probably have a specific parallax shader written for them; a generic parallax mapping solution would probably not give as believable an effect.
 <span id="Uses"></span>
 == Uses ==
 As a rule, parallax mapping looks good on walls and floors. Any mesh with a relatively large surface viewed from non-oblique angles could be a decent candidate for parallax mapping. Parallax works well for smooth curves, like rocks and carvings. It's not good for steep edges, because of the distortion.
@@ Line 35: / Line 53: @@
 Use sparingly on any surface that is not relatively large. Be especially careful where the edges of a mesh are visible. Parallax mapping doesn't extend past the visible edges of a mesh. That can look weird. You may want to augment your parallax map with actual geometry at visible edges. (eg. bricks on the corner of a building might use actual geometry while the other bricks can be created by parallax mapping.)
 Mass Effect uses parallax in an interesting way, to create stairs as a parallax indentation on what is basically just a flat plane.
 <<Anchor([[UsageExamples]])>>
 {| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
-| [[attachment:masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|Media:ParallaxMap/attachments/masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg
+| [[attachment:masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|Media:ParallaxMap/attachments/masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|attachment:masseffect_20070301_screen005.jpg|width="600"}}
 | width=600}}
-| |[[attachment:oblivion_parallax_06B.jpg|{{attachment:oblivion_parallax_06B.jpg
 |-
-|  A parallax-mapped staircase in Mass Effect.<<BR>><span style="font-size: smaller">Image by [http://www.bioware.com/ BioWare]</span>
+| A parallax-mapped staircase in Mass Effect.<<BR>><span style="font-size: smaller">Image by [http://www.bioware.com/ BioWare]</span>
 |}
 {| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
-| [[attachment:crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|Media:ParallaxMap/attachments/crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg
+| [[attachment:crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|Media:ParallaxMap/attachments/crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|attachment:crysis_parallax_occlusion_mapping.jpg|width="600"}}
 | width=600}}
-| |[[attachment:steep-parallax_stalker.jpg|{{attachment:steep-parallax_stalker.jpg
 |-
 | Parallax occlusion mapping in Crysis<<BR>><span style="font-size: smaller">Image by [http://www.crytek.com/ Crytek]</span>
@@ Line 55: / Line 69: @@
 <<Anchor([[HowToCreate]])>>
 === [[CrazyBump]] ===
 Using [http://www.crazybump.com CrazyBump] to generate a parallax map from a normal map:
@@ Line 73: / Line 87: @@
 === 3ds Max ===
 Use 3ds Max ''Render To Texture'' to bake from high-poly geometry.
 # Setup the projection for the low-poly model as usual.
 # In the NormalsMap element in the render to texture dialog activate the checkbox "render height map to alpha channel".

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:13, 31 July 2010
Line 82:		Line 82:

	----		----
−	[[Category:Texturing]] [[Category:BumpMap]]	+	[[Category:Texturing]] [[Category:TextureTypes]] [[Category:BumpMap]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <!-- ## page was renamed from Parallax Map -->
 = Parallax Map =
@@ Line 83: / Line 81: @@
 [http://aaronjclifford.com/images/tutorials/prallaxBakingDemonstration.jpg Parallax Baking Demonstration]
-<<BR>>
+----
-* [[Polycount|Main Page]] > [[Category:Texturing]] > Parallax Map
+[[Category:Texturing]] [[Category:BumpMap]]

← Older revision	Revision as of 16:31, 14 August 2014
(No difference)

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