Engine Work

I have begun researching and developing tiny graphical upgrades to the game, for the overall look. There are certain things that can be put together to achieve an overall better look for any map, and I'm going to compile it all into a single resourceful tutorial for map makers.

It is very tiring seeing the exact same style of map development over and over again in the community. Although the game is kinda on a low-point, new maps generally don't do anything with look. Usually a level will be modeled nicely, but then shaders will be poorly slapped on and lighting will never be tweaked.

This list is a general idea of features that can be added into maps to achieve a better look. The game can handle them quite well, even for being almost 7 years old.



Imitation Lens Bloom
http://i16.tinypic.com/6l91j6c.jpg

Real-time Mirrors and Reflective Surfaces
http://i7.tinypic.com/6k75j6a.jpg

Dynamic Lighting
http://i8.tinypic.com/8eqyge8.jpg

Flares and Coronas
http://i16.tinypic.com/6ufzpqe.jpg

High Resolution Texturing and Bump-Mapping.
http://i12.tinypic.com/8a3q4jb.jpg

Particles and Volume
http://i15.tinypic.com/6jceps7.jpg

For now, until all the resources for a nice tutorial are compiled, if anyone has any questions on how to achieve any of these, you can PM me, or post in this thread.

:o

needs moar green screen :P

So it's not going to be an unofficial update to the game's engine...

Lol, nice work I bet many people will benefit form this :D!

I would like to learn how to do every sing one of these. I mean I'm Starting to grasp photoshop texturing. I would Love to know how I can do all of the above you show.


Also an idea for your map like in the cave area or somewhere in the map you should have like a model of a flare and you should make it going off, glowing and what not sparks, I mean with what you can accomplish with lighting it would look great

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Originally Posted by Kornman00

:o

needs moar green screen :P

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This is quite true.

Seconded on wanting to learn everything.

GIVE ME UR NOLLIDGE

Thirded.

explain moar.

green screen?

it's not like any of this is new. it's just that sunny is the one that applied it all at massive amounts to make it noticable :D

it's all standard HEK stuff, and none of it involves much more than ticking a few boxes and compiling a few things, for those who don't know.

lol, way to break the silence on how to do this tweek

Meh...he didn't really explain HOW to do it just that it was easy.

I have a different lighting related question.

Texture baking, is there a good step by step description of how, I'm pretty sure you need an app but that its not public, and I'd just like to know how I should go about it.

Also, good idea, I think people don't use what they have very well.

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Originally Posted by supersniper

Meh...he didn't really explain HOW to do it just that it was easy.

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sorta half and half..because now you know where to look to figure out how to do this. Just look thorught the tags and lighting

you can do texture baking in max.

you can for example UV like 10 different materials to a mesh, because you can't texture stuff yourself, and just ninja pieces from others. then you apply another UV channel to your mesh, hit 0 to open the RTT dialog, and you can render the diffuses/bumps/normals etc to that channel, and itll spit out your textures to you.

yes its easy, just make a lens flare, make a scenery piece, add a marker, attatch flare to marker, place in sapien done.

ooh...i didnt know you could do that..thanks tweek..if i could i would + rep you

awesome i can lol

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Originally Posted by Tweek

it's not like any of this is new. it's just that sunny is the one that applied it all at massive amounts to make it noticable :D

it's all standard HEK stuff, and none of it involves much more than ticking a few boxes and compiling a few things, for those who don't know.

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True! Except for certain things, which is applying what the HEK can do, in a way that it wasn't meant to do. But it's all compatibility. Lens Bloom, for example, wasn't developed into the game, but can work with the scenery/marker trick.

Since it hasn't been said yet, I'd like to make one thing known, since I am one of the sorry souls suffering from it:

While the techniques shown here will make a map absolutely beautiful, keep in mind that Halo's rendering engine is very taxing as it is, and these will lag the shit out of people not running on a newer machine. While it's kind of their fault for not being able to keep up with the times, please don't ABUSE these techniques, and keep them to a minimum in multiplayer maps.

Remember: lots of high-res textures, dynamic lights (even if not moving), particles, and lens flares can cause slowdowns.

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Originally Posted by p0lar_bear

Since it hasn't been said yet, I'd like to make one thing known, since I am one of the sorry souls suffering from it:

While the techniques shown here will make a map absolutely beautiful, keep in mind that Halo's rendering engine is very taxing as it is, and these will lag the shit out of people not running on a newer machine. While it's kind of their fault for not being able to keep up with the times, please don't ABUSE these techniques, and keep them to a minimum in multiplayer maps.

Remember: lots of high-res textures, dynamic lights (even if not moving), particles, and lens flares can cause slowdowns.

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Yes indeed they can :D

The key is to simply use your resources to their optimum performance.

If you have many high res textures, cut down on the dynamic lighting. If you have many particles, cut down on the high res textures. If you have many lens flares, cut down on amount and increase size.

Majority of the maps released have zero graphical upgrades. They are usually blocky, terribly textured, using the default Halo Clear Sky, and nothing applied shader wise. They also have either bad FPS because of zero portaling, or 400 FPS, from nothing added.

Balance it out by increasing what you can, making sure it doesn't get too bad.

You'd be surprised how much the game can actually take.

If we only would have the source code...100 lines of code and fake bloom is a thing of the past.

Also, nice. ^^

Can you go in-depth on a few of these things? I know you can tinker around with tags and get a working understanding of things, but I'd very much like a proper understanding, I won't really be able to take full advantage of these things if I just fart around and hope I make something work.

Im running on a shitty intigrated graphics card ok if I can handle it on high quality eerything then everyone else should be able to

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Originally Posted by Terror(NO)More

I'm running on a shitty integrated graphics card ok if I can handle it on high quality everything then everyone else should be able to

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my 2 questions to you then is, how old is your computer, and do you suck at halo for some unexplainable reason in multipayer.

I don't even have an integrated card and I still can't run halo on high without it messing with my game play... I'm due for an upgrade heh.

/slightly off the topic...
lol, also they have a spell check built into the forums, anything underlined thats red, just right click it and correct it, it takes 2 seconds... jus fig I'd point that out, like there was no reason to let integrated get past you.

I can understand fast typing and being like u tht sum lol, idk cuz thats aim talk, but poor spelling is poor spelling and when u have a spell check use it.

I won't deny I have bad spelling habits (I just thought habit had two b's lmao), but if it gets underlined by the spell checker, check it.

I'll be compiling a tutorial to explain the process behind these and examples. I wish to include them as a standard in map design for Halo. For obvious reasons I doubt they'll be included ><

I'd love to see how others apply these rather than me.

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Originally Posted by Apoc4lypse

lol, also they have a spell check built into the forums

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No...it's built into Firefox 2.

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Originally Posted by Patrickssj6

No...it's build into Firefox 2.

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Sick'em Patrick lol

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Originally Posted by StunkBacon™

green screen?

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Wasn't there a box map with the green screen and it was filled with a bunch of vehicles...?'
Like this?
I did remember seeing a video of it in use...

Also..

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No...it's build into Firefox 2.

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Built*. No grammar check in Firefox =D

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Originally Posted by SuperSunny

I'll be compiling a tutorial to explain the process behind these and examples. I wish to include them as a standard in map design for Halo. For obvious reasons I doubt they'll be included ><

I'd love to see how others apply these rather than me.

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:woot:

I await these with much anticipation.

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Originally Posted by Terror(NO)More

Sick'em Patrick lol

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I then highly recommend that people like you get firefox 2 :)

Do you think you could put out a basic cube map tutorial first? I've searched all over the place for one, but I haven't even come close to anything useful :(

Cube maps fail, but if you really still want to continue there is video ones over at Halomods.

The quality of the videos, are going to pretty much be the quality of you work.
(http://www.halomods.com/index.php?topic=Tutorials)

I don't want to stick with the default cubemaps, they're old, and I'm eager to distinguish a few objects from their vanilla versions, if only in the small details. Besides, reflections r kewl, damn commie :v

And of the linked tutorials, none of the descriptions reference cube maps *halp* :p

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Originally Posted by Botolf

Do you think you could put out a basic cube map tutorial first? I've searched all over the place for one, but I haven't even come close to anything useful :(

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No problem! I believe it is the most underrated aspect of the whole engine.

This would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

I still have yet to release any tutorials (as I am still playing around myself), but it's coming close!

I've tweaked Radiosity and Dynamic Lights enough to establish a high radiosity step-count (100 rather than the set 30), with minimal light power and dynamic lights with a balanced power to achieve proper light that works on multipurpose/specular maps WHILE bumping the good old bump maps.

http://i6.tinypic.com/6tero89.jpg
This isn't all dynamic.

http://i19.tinypic.com/6tlxuup.jpg
Yummy Shadows?

Now, what's great about a high step count in Halo is that scenery objects also have shadows that are smoother and appeal better.

http://i19.tinypic.com/6p7j989.jpg

http://i1.tinypic.com/6xlhfuh.jpg

And, for the future "High FPS loss comments"

I get 40-150 FPS on this map on an 8500GT 256MB with 1 GB of Ram, AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHZ. The 150 was when I looked at a teleporter with dynamic lights around it and static radiosity lights as well with a shader that had a cubemap, a bump map, and a few lens flares.

My system is crap. Many games run poorly. Except I get high FPS on this map, because it's portaled well now. (Although the whole concept of Engine Work is not towards this map, it's a simple test for now, and anyone can add portals to a well-designed map).

The shaders and lighting do not do that much damage. It is MUCH less than Church. This plays significantly better than many high-end works.

This means once information is compiled, I hope to hell it's not abused.

Using Jahrain's Tool, lightmaps can now be baked as well. I won't be doing that, though, (I love the tool, probably good for future projects, but this whole Engine Work project is for the Halo Engine's Internal Works, not using an external source to achieve higher quality lighting. I want to see what Halo can do itself).

Looks great, the rocky surfaces especially. They really look like they're popping out and have depth. +rep

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Originally Posted by Conscars

Looks great, the rocky surfaces especially. They really look like they're popping out and have depth. +rep

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Thanks! A good bump map can do wonders!

it's all very dark though.
i think that some invisible lights troughout the darkest placed providing some slight radiosity light could actually make it look a lot better.

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Originally Posted by SuperSunny

Using Jahrain's Tool, lightmaps can now be baked as well. I won't be doing that, though, (I love the tool, probably good for future projects, but this whole Engine Work project is for the Halo Engine's Internal Works, not using an external source to achieve higher quality lighting. I want to see what Halo can do itself).

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well, it doesn't have to be an external function. besides using jahrain's tool, max has this function called: "render to texture". essentially, by placing lights in your level, render to texture will paint the texture's with the lights and shadows (or adjust the lightmaps, i haven't done that yet. i don't know the results yet)
you've only released 1 tut thus far, and that's how to make lense flares a scenery object. can't wait to see the rest though

and a 256mb 8500? you can pick up a 512mb 8500 for $50-60, as for the amd 64 3000+, can't help u there

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Originally Posted by demonmaster3k

well, it doesn't have to be an external function. besides using jahrain's tool, max has this function called: "render to texture". essentially, by placing lights in your level, render to texture will paint the texture's with the lights and shadows (or adjust the lightmaps, i haven't done that yet. i don't know the results yet)
you've only released 1 tut thus far, and that's how to make lense flares a scenery object. can't wait to see the rest though

and a 256mb 8500? you can pick up a 512mb 8500 for $50-60, as for the amd 64 3000+, can't help u there

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That's essentially what the render to texture does, it bakes. It's what is used with the tool, that's not what I'm aiming for.
For the dark comment, is it really looking dark for you? The level appears well contrasted and visible (at least for me, there are dark parts but they are lit in specific areas now, and everything is visible). Also, this isn't exactly directed for my level, it's for Halo overall.

All hail Sunny!

Great work going on here Sunny, Even though theres comments saying it's to dark...etc, i quite like it. It sets the mood, and Halo has a flashlight if need be. Some of the 'tricks' you've pulled off, i never would have expected to have seen in this engine. I'd love to see you undertake a bigger, outdoorsey, origanal style map and apply some of these tricks to interior and even extior engines. I could see you+others working together and pulling something off like Highground/Standoff (lighting wise) in Halo 3, in this engine.

Keep it up Sunny :D

yeah sunny that looks amazing, +rep

Awesome job sunny. +rep

Sunny, you are amazing. When I get back to mapping, I'll be sure to use it. If I am able to hold that awesome, which I doub :(

This map is looking so awesome I would have to break out one of the underused smileys.
:iia:

I took a few screenies of the differences between basic radiosity lighting and then dynamic lighting added in.










Here are some of the 1080 HD shots I took before. Because of the high resolution textures, the end result wasn't too bad.

Wow is the only word.

So while I've been drooling at the screens I haven't been exactly paying attention to the technical part. Is this all the Halo engine or is it an external program?

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Originally Posted by MNC

Wow is the only word.

So while I've been drooling at the screens I haven't been exactly paying attention to the technical part. Is this all the Halo engine or is it an external program?

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Everything is all Halo. The only external program there is, is the 3p/FOV Hack by Bitterbanana, but I integrate the FOV into the map after compiling it, so even that doesn't matter. It's all Halo.

I whipped up a quick test to show how the game can look, for any future project for anyone that isn't only "Halo."


jesus look at the edge on that light, I suck with the cut tool in poly



Performance hit IS minimal with the stronger shaders and lighting. Obviously if many of these are placed in one open location it drags, but that's with almost any game now. If these are added into a typical map, with portaling, the hit would almost be invisible, unless your card actually sucks.

This imitates bloom, stronger normal maps, and naturally renders the reflections, normal maps, and dynamic lights. The lens flares for the bloom were specially created to blend properly in any environment, as long as there is light (radiosity). Also, with the standard radiosity, dynamic shadows are visible. If it were only dynamic lights, there would not be any shadows being created from the chief.

I'm going to admit, utilizing this IS hard. It took me a lot of work to get everything to look decently right.

But that's because I didn't plan any of this. I just did it. If a map is in development, it's best to finish that map first. Then the detail can be applied, generally in the form of the art style of the map. Shaders can be updated, lighting can be fixed and made more natural, and then screenies can be shown to wow everyone.
It would indeed be incredible to see future maps for this game (how ironic) look a little better visually.

can yo do this with flickering light?

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Originally Posted by SnaFuBAR

can yo do this with flickering light?

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Yes, but it would have to be part of the same object I'd assume. Each flickering light would have to be different based on the positioning of the markers, as the method I do now (scenery objects, no geometry but with markers for the flares) won't "link" to the light. But it can work. I'll test it out.

Wow...

Like I said before, this looks AMAZING.

when could we expect to see some tutorials?

~Scoob

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Originally Posted by Scooby Doo

when could we expect to see some tutorials?

~Scoob

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Very very soon, including the example map and scenario files.

Sunny's work continues to wow me, certainly inspires ya to make something so beautiful :p

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Originally Posted by SuperSunny

Very very soon, including the example map and scenario files.

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:woop:

DO WANT

Damn, this is like the Half-life FX of Halo.

I never thought Halo could even look like that, i would +rep you, but it says i gave you to much

Awesome stuff Sunny :-) It would be really awesome as Snaf suggested, if you were able to get the lights to flicker. I can just see single player levels where the lights shut off for a few seconds then the room fills with enemies ;o

I was actually experimenting with that the other day.., of course the lights werent nearly as appealing as sunnys

hmm looks very nice, very impressive for the halo engine heh. I look forward to reading some of the tutorials :)

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Originally Posted by Timo

Awesome stuff Sunny :-) It would be really awesome as Snaf suggested, if you were able to get the lights to flicker. I can just see single player levels where the lights shut off for a few seconds then the room fills with enemies ;o

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I'm trying it out with functions, which probably won't work right, but it's worth a shot. The lens flare and the dynamic light scenery need to be animated together, or have the same time functions.

If not, I probably have to create a custom scenery for each flickering light with markers for the lens flares and dynamic lights, and animate them that way. Function or scenery, it still wouldn't sink (which wouldn't be a problem, really, flickering lights are fast).

For campaign, it would be kickass. It's possible. 343 Guilty Spark had well-done animated dynamic lights, but they didn't have the lens blooms.

The end result of this, would be a strong light that illuminates an environment by making it glowing on the bright spots as it hits your eyes, all while giving you the ability to temporarily see, and then turning dark again, over and over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mJAEt6FusU

It's not exactly how I wanted it. In fact, it's probably not even close, but it brings the idea closer to reality.

It basically involves jitter functions in the self illumination map of the light texture shader, lens flare, and the scenery file for the dynamic light. The only problem is they...are random, because it jitters >< But it actually looks really good.

Holy crappe :O