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[LittleAngryDog]

In the current generation some games already use photogrammetry. I think the use of this technique in the development of RE7 a great choice. The game is simply beautiful and runs at 60fps.

1) Will RE8 on PS5 reuse photogrammetry on an even more advanced level? I hope so.

2) Does anyone know the answer to why the games with photogrammetry can reach 60fps with such incredible graphics?
What is the secret to this performance?

 

[daibaron]

Star Wars battlefront also uses it to a spectacular effect. I didnt know RE7 used it too.

 

[iconmaster]

In my limited understanding, you can think of photogrammetry as taking a very detailed, 3D photo of an object or scene. (Really it's a reconstruction based on many photos, but let's simplify here.) The problem with this technique is that it gets you a 3D still photo. Completely believable, but very limited interaction. A character won't realistically pass through photogrammetric foliage; photogrammetric hair and cloth won't shift and billow. Those things have to be built or generated in a different way to get those physical interactions.*

So for things that are very stable, like rock, dirt, man-made structures, sure -- photogram away. For everything else, there's MasterCard you'd still use the more traditional methods.

Personally, I think shallow physics are one of the biggest remaining shortcomings of video games, so I wouldn't call this the future of the medium.

(* Could you clean up a scanned mesh and add bones to get it moving with some realism? Probably, but since you haven't built the "layers" of the thing [e.g. a bandolier hanging around a jacket hanging off a shirt wrapping a torso] the flexibility of this workaround would be very limited.)

 

[Paradicia]

The performance is good because what you're looking at is essentially a photograph in layman terms.

 

[Ballthyrm]

Just like CGI, the workload doesn't dissapear, it just get shifted elsewhere.
And I like games with strong Artistic direction, photogrametric games tend to all look the same because we haven't got good lighting techniques to use with the technology.

Until we find a way to emulate what they do in movie with the light in real time, photogrammetric game still are going to look flat and dead.
As stated above there is a reason, most of theses games don't have to many things moving around or breaking apart.

 

[LucidFeuer]

More like present.

But as Ballthrym said there are trade-offs, I wouldn't say lightning is one since you can pre-bake GI into any textures and AO adds to the effect but it's more a matter of workload as photogrammetric textures only makes sense for highly detailed stacked textures that you have no point for in big scenes (that's why besides grounds or rocks, there's not much of a point).

I like the idea of Rage single mega-texture buffering, this could work for it, because it's more a problem of the underlaying texture processing and loading schemes than texture production or kind.

 

[Shifty]

The future for photorealistic games, perhaps.

 

[WaterAstro]

Photogrammatry is a currently a necessary skill for environment artists in big companies.

 

[camelCase]

I know I will be shat upon for this, but you should probably define this term if you're going to make a topic about it, but I did a google search anyway and will post what I have found:

pho·to·gram·me·try

1. the use of photography in surveying and mapping to measure distances between objects.

Only because I've never once heard the term or anything about it in games.

But this definition doesn't fit very well with the more in depth mosts I'm reading ITT. I don't mean to admonish you but this thread would be better if the OP a definition / explanation at the very least.

 

[WaterAstro]

Well, photogrammetry is pretty much that. It uses scan data from multiple photographs taken around the object to recreate a 3D object model.

 

[Silent Viper]

In my limited understanding, you can think of photogrammetry as taking a very detailed, 3D photo of an object or scene. (Really it's a reconstruction based on many photos, but let's simplify here.) The problem with this technique is that it gets you a 3D still photo. Completely believable, but very limited interaction. A character won't realistically pass through photogrammetric foliage; photogrammetric hair and cloth won't shift and billow. Those things have to be built or generated in a different way to get those physical interactions.*

So for things that are very stable, like rock, dirt, man-made structures, sure -- photogram away. For everything else, there's MasterCard you'd still use the more traditional methods.

Personally, I think shallow physics are one of the biggest remaining shortcomings of video games, so I wouldn't call this the future of the medium.

(* Could you clean up a scanned mesh and add bones to get it moving with some realism? Probably, but since you haven't built the "layers" of the thing [e.g. a bandolier hanging around a jacket hanging off a shirt wrapping a torso] the flexibility of this workaround would be very limited.)

I want to know how Dice is able to implement environment destruction in their games while using this technique? You said interaction is limited, then how large destruction happening in BF 1 and all?

 

[Melubas]

I didn't really like what I saw from it in RE7. From a performance standpoint it looked great for the fluid gameplay you got but playing it in 4k on PC I found the environments kind of blurry compared to other games. Outlast 2 for example looks absolutely phenomenal, not sure what technique they use.

 

[llien]

A short info on what photogrammetry is in OP could save readers a bit of time.

 

[thelawof4]

Those games just had good QA.

Photogrammetry in itself is not that demanding and definitely not the only reason RE7 and BF2 look that good. It is also very time-consuming and costly (if you dont own the equipment/software already).

Even Skyrim can use photogrammetry models and textures (some really good and some not so much):
Photogrammetry 2.0 PT 1
Photogrammetry Rocks

IMO the advance in lighting-techniques is far more interesting.

 

[bratpack]

Yes resident evil 7 did look amazing cannot wait to see if resi2 will do something similar.

 

[Calibos]

The future for photorealistic games, perhaps.

The Op’s Question answered correctly.

Well, photogrammetry is pretty much that. It uses scan data from multiple photographs taken around the object to recreate a 3D object model.

A simple, good explanation.

It’s really been refined as a process for creating and cataloging environment models like rocks, trees and props.

Also, destruction is possible as once the process is done you essentially have a 3d model with all of the accompanying maps. Accounting for shattering the object and capping the holes with a textured surface is procedural.

It’s an intensive process to learn and perfect, but I am sure large studios like Dice have a library of models and textures from there past games, and for a game that’s trying to be photoreal, nothing beats actual photos.

Videos:





I have messed around with the process and you can get a result pretty quickly with just an iPhone, a PC and the Agisoft software. Getting something useable for a high end game would take a whole lot more work than I have time for though.

EDIT: I have oversimplified some of this stuff and that wasn't my intention. Destruction isn't as simple as a procedural capping of holes etc...

 

[TheMikado]

The Op’s Question answered correctly.



A simple, good explanation.

It’s really been refined as a process for creating and cataloging environment models like rocks, trees and props.

Also, destruction is possible as once the process is done you essentially have a 3d model with all of the accompanying maps. Accounting for shattering the object and capping the holes with a textured surface is procedural.

It’s an intensive process to learn and perfect, but I am sure large studios like Dice have a library of models and textures from there past games, and for a game that’s trying to be photoreal, nothing beats actual photos.

Videos:





I have messed around with the process and you can get a result pretty quickly with just an iPhone, a PC and the Agisoft software. Getting something useable for a high end game would take a whole lot more work than I have time for though.

The problem is that it takes talent skill and time, then the consumer says wow for the first 5 mins then continues to b*tch about the game.