Foliage (low poly)
by Jesper Andersen · in Torque Game Engine · 04/09/2002 (6:30 am) · 12 replies
Is it possible to implement foliage in the torgue engine, besides the high poly trees (wanna delete those) cuz with the current trees, too much will cause a slowdown.
But without them, the landscape will seem bare, i have been wondering if you could implement low poly trees and grass (mainly just foliage) into the engine...like shown in bigworld: citizen zero or SOF2: double helix, where far away foliage (100 meters) will not be shown, but rendered as you move closer, the same with trees...
Have any of you tried to implement this feat???
Best Regards
Jesper Andersen - Concept Artist
But without them, the landscape will seem bare, i have been wondering if you could implement low poly trees and grass (mainly just foliage) into the engine...like shown in bigworld: citizen zero or SOF2: double helix, where far away foliage (100 meters) will not be shown, but rendered as you move closer, the same with trees...
Have any of you tried to implement this feat???
Best Regards
Jesper Andersen - Concept Artist
About the author
#2
Using the fxReplicator patch from Melv May to look after the multiple object placement.
What you don't see in this snap are billboarded objects (always face the camera, like the little shrubs there should) which I simply forgot to ask to pose for the 'photo', and objects set with LOD (level-of-detail). The tent has LOD implemented, although it doesn't show in this shot.
04/09/2002 (7:22 am)
Using the fxReplicator patch from Melv May to look after the multiple object placement.
What you don't see in this snap are billboarded objects (always face the camera, like the little shrubs there should) which I simply forgot to ask to pose for the 'photo', and objects set with LOD (level-of-detail). The tent has LOD implemented, although it doesn't show in this shot.
#3
04/09/2002 (7:47 am)
Can the foliage be animated as well??
#4
04/09/2002 (7:50 am)
Yes, it can be animated. 
#5
Logan
04/09/2002 (7:57 am)
There are other tricks that you can do as well with low poly modeling to create various shrubbery that has a fairly low polygon count. You can get some very nice large trees that are about 300 polys.Logan
#6
04/09/2002 (8:07 am)
so i can make a fairly large "jungle" setting with very low poly models...cool, but why has'nt this been utilized more, for example in realms wars???
#7
04/09/2002 (8:11 am)
It all takes time. A lot of time ...
#8
example: x no. trees, bushes, grass + x no. squares???
04/09/2002 (8:45 am)
but then you could create foliage plugin for torgue, that created random fields/jungles and what not...example: x no. trees, bushes, grass + x no. squares???
#9
As Cerdip showed you, it's not impossible... but it's not easy.
In fact, this is one of the main reasons I'm taking most of my project indoors :p
04/09/2002 (6:54 pm)
Jungle settings have got to be the toughest to pull off in a game. Most games just give you a very narrow view of the jungle, which is pretty unrealistic.As Cerdip showed you, it's not impossible... but it's not easy.
In fact, this is one of the main reasons I'm taking most of my project indoors :p
#10
04/10/2002 (1:10 am)
i know it's not easy, but it's doable, with a couple of level designers you could pull it off
#11
He means the sort of alpha range based fade in of grass/foliage ala serious sam and quite a lot of others now.
Basically, its a procedural effect, only client side (I guess), which draws grass nearer to you in a higher polycount, alpha faded for distance.
Phil.
04/10/2002 (1:22 am)
This stuff isnt quite what the original poster was asking for.He means the sort of alpha range based fade in of grass/foliage ala serious sam and quite a lot of others now.
Basically, its a procedural effect, only client side (I guess), which draws grass nearer to you in a higher polycount, alpha faded for distance.
Phil.
#12
04/10/2002 (2:18 am)
exactly phil 
Torque 3D Owner Frank Bignone
Darkhand Studio