Ultra Engine testing

[IceBurger]

I really wanted to like Cryengine, but yes, it is sluggish, cramped, and hard to make look good (makes me cry). Leadwerks has a control scheme I really like (that's the main reason I use it, I also just like to tinker).

Finally, page 18. Page 17 was so long.

[Josh]

I hate it when I say something that completely contradicts what I just said, but I'm pretty certain voxels will work for diffuse GI. It just requires yet another iteration of this technology, which might take a month. It was actually very helpful for me to have to explain my reasoning to you, because the answer to the problem is actually contained in my response.

[klepto2]

Another small bug report (with potential fix):

When you move the camera to a position which is further away from the center than the far range, the sykbox becomes distorted and doesn't work anymore:

   auto camera = CreateCamera(world);
    camera->SetClearColor(0.125);
    camera->SetRange(0.1, 1000);
    camera->SetPosition(0, 0, -1000);

with a change to sky.frag to this:

#version 450
#extension GL_GOOGLE_include_directive : enable
#extension GL_ARB_separate_shader_objects : enable
#extension GL_ARB_shader_draw_parameters : enable
#extension GL_EXT_multiview : enable

#include "../Base/Limits.glsl"
#include "../Base/PushConstants.glsl"
#include "../Base/StorageBufferBindings.glsl"
#include "../Base/TextureArrays.glsl"
#include "../Base/materials.glsl"
#include "../Base/UniformBlocks.glsl"
#include "../Utilities/ReconstructPosition.glsl"

//#include "../base/base_frag.glsl"

//layout(binding = TEXTURE_BUFFER_CUBE) uniform samplerCube textureCubeSampler[MAX_TEXTURES_CUBE];

//Inputs
layout(location = 0) in flat mat4 cameraMatrix;
layout(location = 9) in flat uint materialID;
layout(location = 4) in flat mat4 cameraProjMatrix;

//Outputs
layout(location = 0) out vec4 outColor;

void main()
{
	if (EnvironmentMap_Background != -1)
	{
		vec3 screencoord;
		screencoord.xy = gl_FragCoord.xy / BufferSize;
		screencoord.z = 0.0;// get the depth at this coord;
		vec3 fragposition = ScreenCoordToWorldPosition(screencoord);

		vec3 v = normalize(CameraPosition - fragposition);
		v*=vec3(-1.0);
		//vec4 screencoord = vec4((gl_FragCoord.xy / bufferSize.xy - 0.5f) * 2.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
		//vec4 screencoord = vec4(((gl_FragCoord.xy - cameraViewport.xy) / cameraViewport.zw - 0.5f) * 2.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
		//vec3 texcoord = normalize(CameraPosition - (cameraProjMatrix * screencoord).xyz);
		outColor = textureLod(textureCubeSampler[EnvironmentMap_Background], v, 0);//9.5f) * 1.0f;
	}
	else
	{
		outColor = vec4(1,0,1,1);
	}
}

The sykbox is correctly centered around the camera at any position:

 

[Josh]

@klepto2 FYI, you don't need to normalize cubemap texture coordinates, so you can save a square root by eliminating this.

[klepto2]

True. This is not needed there. I have taken this from another shader i use and there i need to normalize the vector, but here it is indeed not needed.

[Josh]

Update is now available. I recommend deleting the Shaders folder since I deleted and cleaned up a lot.

The post-processing effects are cut down to just a few I want to focus on. They should all be working correctly, with transparency, with or without refraction enabled. The new SSAO is very nice, as well as the SSR effect.

The engine is now using exponential shadow maps, which I find give the best results and eliminate shadow acne. There is a possible artifact you can see on the edges of some shadows, but that can be fixed by detecting the problem and replacing it with a standard PCF filter on the bad pixels. (I think I only tested spotlights, so stay tuned for an update within 1-2 days.)

So graphics are now more or less finished, and I think things will go very quickly from here to the release.

Here's an example you can try, with post-processing effects in the order I recommend:

#include "UltraEngine.h"

using namespace UltraEngine;

int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
{
    //Get the displays
    auto displays = GetDisplays();

    //Create a window
    auto window = CreateWindow("Ultra Engine", 0, 0, 1600, 900, displays[0], WINDOW_TITLEBAR | WINDOW_CENTER);

    //Create a world
    auto world = CreateWorld();

    //Create a framebuffer
    auto framebuffer = CreateFramebuffer(window);

    //Create a camera
    auto camera = CreateCamera(world);
    camera->SetFOV(70);
    camera->SetFOV(90);
    camera->SetPosition(10, 3, 0);
    //camera->SetRefraction(true);
    //camera->SetRealTime(false);
    //camera->SetRotation(0, 180, 0);fsetvxrt
    camera->SetClearColor(1,0,0,0);
    
    camera->AddPostEffect(LoadPostEffect("Shaders/PostEffects/SSR.json"));
    camera->AddPostEffect(LoadPostEffect("Shaders/PostEffects/SSAO.json"));
    camera->AddPostEffect(LoadPostEffect("Shaders/PostEffects/FXAA.json"));
    camera->AddPostEffect(LoadPostEffect("Shaders/PostEffects/Bloom.json"));
    
    world->SetEnvironmentMap(LoadTexture("Materials/Environment/Storm/Diffuse.dds"), ENVIRONMENTMAP_DIFFUSE);
    world->SetEnvironmentMap(LoadTexture("Materials/Environment/Storm/Specular.dds"), ENVIRONMENTMAP_SPECULAR);
    world->SetEnvironmentMap(LoadTexture("Materials/Environment/Storm/Specular.dds"), ENVIRONMENTMAP_BACKGROUND);

    auto wall = CreateBox(world, 10, 50, 0.5);
    wall->SetPosition(0, 2.5, 5.25);
    //wall->SetReflective(true);
    wall->SetColor(0, 1, 1);
    //world->SetAmbientLight(0.25);
    
    auto drag = LoadModel(world, "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Leadwerks/Documentation/private/Assets/Models/Stanford/dragon.glb");
    drag->SetScale(0.1f);
    drag->SetColor(1, 1, 1, 1, true);

    auto wall2 = CreateBox(world, 10, 5, 0.5);
    wall2->SetPosition(0, 2.5, -5.25);
    //wall2->SetReflective(true);
    wall2->SetColor(1, 0.5, 0);

    auto wall3 = CreateBox(world, 0.5, 5.5, 11);
    wall3->SetPosition(-5.25, 2.75, 0);
    
    //wall3->SetColor(0, 1, 0);

    auto model = CreateBox(world, 500, 1, 500);
    model->SetPosition(0, -0.5f, 0);
    //model->SetColor(0.5);
    //model->MakeStatic();
    //model->SetReflective(true);

    auto mtl = CreateMaterial();
    mtl->SetRoughness(0.1);
    mtl->SetMetalness(0.6);
    //mtl->SetColor(0.5);
    // mtl->SetTexture(LoadTexture("Materials/dirt01_dot3.dds"), TEXTURE_NORMAL);
    //mtl->SetTextureScale(0, 0.05, 0.05);

    model->SetMaterial(mtl);
    //model->SetColor(0, 1, 0);
    
    wall3->SetMaterial(mtl);

    // drag->SetPosition(100, 0, 0);
    auto mtl2 = mtl->Copy()->As<Material>();

    auto mtl3 = mtl->Copy()->As<Material>();
    wall->SetMaterial(mtl3);

    mtl2->SetMetalness(0.75);
    mtl2->SetRoughness(0.1);
    mtl2->SetTransparent(true);
    mtl2->SetColor(1,1,1,0.5);
    //mtl2->SetEmission(0, 1, 0);
    //mtl2->SetColor(0.25);
    //drag->SetHidden(true);
    drag->SetReflection(false);
    //  mtl2->SetColor(1, 1, 1, 1);
      //mtl2->SetTransparent(true);
    camera->SetRefraction(true);

      //mtl2->SetReflection(true);
     // drag->SetColor(0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1, true);
      //mtl2->SetEmission(0, 0.5, 0);
    drag->SetMaterial(mtl2, true);
    // drag->SetReflective(true);

    auto bb = CreateBox(world, 20, 20, 20);
    bb->SetPosition(0, 0, 20);

    auto bbb = CreateBox(world, 30, 30, 30);
    bbb->SetPosition(0, 0, 30);

    auto light = CreateSpotLight(world);
    light->SetPosition(2, 2.5, -5);
    light->SetRange(0.1, 38);
    light->SetShadowMapSize(1024);
    //light->SetDepthBias(0, 0);
    light->SetHidden(true);
    light->SetConeAngles(45,35);
    //auto b = light->GetDepthBias();
 //   light->SetDepthBias(100, 0);

    //auto light = CreateBoxLight(world);
    //light->SetPosition(20, 20, -20);
        //ight->SetScale(20, 20, 20);
    //light->SetRange(0, 20);
    //light->SetRotation(45, -45, 0);
    //light->Move(0, 0, -10);
    //light->SetShadowMapSize(1024);
 //   light->SetDepthBias(0.5, 1.75);
    //light->SetScale(50, 50, 50);
    //light->SetRange(0.0f, 1.0f);
    //light->SetColor(4);
    //light->Staticize()
    
   // auto sp = CreateSphere(world);
   // sp->SetShadows(false);
    //sp->SetParent(light, true);

    //auto cone = CreateCone(world);
    //cone->SetScale(20, 10, 20);
    //cone->SetPosition(0, 5, 0);

    //wall->SetMaterial(mtl);
    wall2->SetMaterial(mtl);

    auto fw = CreateFileSystemWatcher(CurrentDir());

    auto mousepos = window->GetMouseAxis();
    Vec3 camerarotation = Vec3(0, -90, 0);
    camera->SetRotation(camerarotation);
    camera->Turn(45, 0, 0);
    const float mouselookspeed = 100.0f;
    Vec3 lookchange;
    const float mousesmoothing = 0.0f;// 0.75f;

    world->SetAmbientLight(0.15);

    auto tower = CreateBox(world, 10, 0.5f, 11);
    //tower->SetPosition(0, 10.25, 0);
    tower->SetPosition(0, 5.25, 0);
    //tower->SetReflective(true);
    //tower->SetRotation(0, 0, -10);
    tower->SetMaterial(mtl);
    //tower->SetColor(0, 1, 1);
    camera->Turn(0, 45, 0, true);
    //auto volume = CreateBoxBrush(world, 9.5, 5.5, 9.5);
    //volume->SetPosition(0, 5 + 2.5, 0);

    bool started = false;
    uint64_t updatedtime = 0;

    // 
    //wall->Staticize();
    //wall2->Staticize();
    //wall3->Staticize();
    //tower->Staticize();
    //model->Staticize();
    //drag->Staticize();

    //camera->SetRotation(0,0,0);
    //camera->SetPosition(0, 10, -300);
    //camera->Sync();
    /*auto col1 = CreateBox(world, 1, 4, 1);
    std::vector<shared_ptr<Entity> > cols;
    for (int x = 0; x < 20; ++x)
    {
        for (int y = 0; y < 20; ++y)
        {
            auto col = col1->Instantiate(world);
            col->SetPosition(x * 8 - 80, 2, y * 8 - 80);
            cols.push_back(col);
            col->Staticize();
        }
    }*/

    auto probe = CreateProbe(world);
    probe->SetPosition(0, 2.5, 0);
    probe->SetScale(10.1, 5.1, 10.1);
    probe->SetRange(0.1, 1000);
    probe->SetFadeDistance(4, CUBEMAP_POSITIVE_X);
    probe->SetFadeDistance(0, CUBEMAP_NEGATIVE_X);
    probe->SetFadeDistance(0, CUBEMAP_POSITIVE_Y);
    probe->SetFadeDistance(0, CUBEMAP_NEGATIVE_Y);
    probe->SetFadeDistance(0, CUBEMAP_POSITIVE_Z);
    probe->SetFadeDistance(0, CUBEMAP_NEGATIVE_Z);

    auto box = CreateBox(world);
    box->SetPosition(5, 0.5, 0);
    box->SetColor(1, 0.5, 0);

    // auto probe = CreateLight(world, LIGHT_POINT);
    // probe->SetPosition(0, 5, 0);
     //probe->SetRange(0.1, 100);
    //drag->SetColor(0, 1, 0,1,true);
    //drag->SetHidden(true);
     //probe2->SetRange(0.1, 10);
     //Vec2 depthbias = probe2->GetDepthBias();
     //Main loop

    float r1 = 0;
    float r2 = 0;

    while (window->Closed() == false and window->KeyDown(KEY_ESCAPE) == false)
    {

        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_UP)) r1 += 10;
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_DOWN)) r1 -= 10;
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_RIGHT)) r2 += 0.01;
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_LEFT)) r2 -= 0.01;
        r1 = max(r1, 0.0f);
        r2 = max(r2, 0.0f);
        //light->SetDepthBias(r1, r2);

        //Print(String(r1) + ", " + String(r2));
        
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_LEFT)) light->Move(0,-0.1, 0);
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_RIGHT)) light->Move(0,0.1, 0);
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_UP)) light->Move(0.1, 0, 0);
        if (window->KeyDown(KEY_DOWN)) light->Move(-0.1, 0, -0);
        //  sp->SetHidden(true);
        
       // if (window->KeyDown(KEY_P)) depthbias.x += 0.1f;
       // if (window->KeyDown(KEY_L)) depthbias.x -= 0.1f;
        //probe2->SetDepthBias(depthbias.x, depthbias.y);

        //   tower->Turn(0, 0.5, 0);
          // drag->Turn(0, 0.5, 0);

//        drag->Turn(0, 1, 0);

        while (PeekEvent())
        {
            const auto ev = WaitEvent();
            if (ev.id == EVENT_FILECREATE or ev.id == EVENT_FILECHANGE)
            {
                auto asset = FindCachedAsset(ev.text);
                if (asset) asset->Reload();
            }
        }

        camera->UpdateControls(window);

        //model->SetPosition(0, 0, 0.1);
        //light->Turn(0, 0.1, 0, true);
        //if (window->KeyDown(KEY_LEFT)) probe2->Translate(0.05, 0, 0);
       // if (window->KeyDown(KEY_RIGHT)) probe2->Translate(-0.05, 0, 0);
        //   if (window->KeyDown(KEY_UP)) light->Translate(0.0, 0, 0.05);
        //   if (window->KeyDown(KEY_DOWN)) light->Translate(0.0, 0, -0.05);

        //   if (window->KeyHit(KEY_SPACE)) light->SetPosition(light->position.x, light->position.y, -light->position.z);

        if (started)
        {
            auto curr = Millisecs();
            //if (curr - updatedtime > 1500)
            if (window->KeyHit(KEY_SPACE))
            {
                updatedtime = curr;
                //light->SetPosition(-light->position.x, 2, -2);
                //light->SetPosition(light->GetPosition(true), true);
             //   light->Sync();
                //camera->Render();
            }
        }

        world->Update();
        world->Render(framebuffer, false);
    }
    return 0;
}

 

 

[klepto2]

The sample looks nice, but once you setup a directional light, the whole scene (except the background) becomes ultra bright:

auto light = CreateDirectionalLight(world);
light->SetRotation(45, -45, 0);

 

Sidequestion: Is there a way to increase the Texturelimits? currently there are just 16 cubemaps allowed, Can this be altered in some way? In earler versions this was done through the ultra.json if i rembmer correctly.

[SpiderPig]

I think that's what's happening here too.  There are four red spheres and two white (or grey) spheres.  The sides that are facing the directional light are solid white.

[Josh]

Yeah, only spotlights will work right now, I am working on it...

[Josh]

I've got point and box lights working, just need to bring directional lights back to life now...

[Josh]

Update:

• Spot, point, box, and directional lights all working with exponential shadow maps. Directional lights have some issues with the shadow distance, but I wanted to just get the update out and then deal with the details after.
• Entity::SetReflection(false) will make an entity not appear in cubemap reflections. Dynamic objects or objects that are not close to the edge of a room should use this setting.
• Max cubemaps limit raised to 128

The shadow map blurring is disabled because I was testing things and forgot to enable it again, so shadow edges will be very aliased, but I'll fix that tomorrow.

[IceBurger]

4 minutes ago, Josh said:

 

• Entity::SetReflection(false) will make an entity not appear in cubemap reflections.

Now that's gonna be fun

[Josh]

@klepto2 @SpiderPig That might actually be the correct result. A diffuse environment map has a very big impact on brightness, and the only place it will not crank the brightness up is inside an environment probe, which effectively blocks the ambient light from coming in. I can't say for sure yet. If you have a directional light and a diffuse environment map, you are effectively lighting the scene twice as bright.

Additional commands to tune the IBL brightness for diffuse and specular will be added.

[Josh]

16 minutes ago, IceBurger said:

Now that's gonna be fun

That's what I had to do with the dragon model. Otherwise, it would appear stretched across the walls and distorted.

[Josh]

Okay, update is up with shadow filtering fixed. Exponential shadow maps only use a single texture lookup, instead of the 4x4 or 3x3 samples PCF requires.

[klepto2]

12 hours ago, Josh said:

@klepto2 @SpiderPig That might actually be the correct result. A diffuse environment map has a very big impact on brightness, and the only place it will not crank the brightness up is inside an environment probe, which effectively blocks the ambient light from coming in. I can't say for sure yet. If you have a directional light and a diffuse environment map, you are effectively lighting the scene twice as bright.

Additional commands to tune the IBL brightness for diffuse and specular will be added.

yeah, that might be true. Setting the Color of a directional light to 0.1,0.1,0.1 instead of full bright fixes the problem as well, but there are still some issues with the directional shadows:

The shadows are not very smooth. And they blend out way too early for directional lights (in my opinion).

Blocky:

[klepto2]

oh and btw: the earth at real scale: 

[Josh]

@klepto2 I am seeing a big jump in shadow width at the border between cascades. I think the solution is to decrease the blur radius each stage. I am adding a Light::SetShadowBlurRadius(pixels) command.

What's the near camera range in the space shot above?

[klepto2]

The range is  near: 50000.0 far:10000000.0

I dynamically increase the near range in steps the more i am away from the planet. I think it should be easier later if Doubles are used, but the shaders i have written are not yet build for that. Also I think a way to overcome this would be to use 2 cameras, one for the near objects, and a second for the planet stuff. 

 

The Radius of the earth is 6.371.000 m.

[Josh]

1 minute ago, klepto2 said:

Also I think a way to overcome this would be to use 2 cameras, one for the near objects, and a second for the planet stuff. 

Yeah, I recommend this. There are so few objects visible at far distances that it's easy to manage a camera for each heavenly body.

[Josh]

Trying a new technique I just invented.

Conventional shadow map:

My filtering:

[IceBurger]

10 minutes ago, Josh said:

Trying a new technique I just invented

Patent pending?

[Josh]

6 minutes ago, IceBurger said:

Patent pending?

No, that would cost about $30,000.

[IceBurger]

13 minutes ago, Josh said:

No, that would cost about $30,000.

Rip. It should still be legal to say it's "patent pending" even if you don't have a patent pending. Security through obscurity

[Josh]

22 minutes ago, IceBurger said:

Rip. It should still be legal to say it's "patent pending" even if you don't have a patent pending. Security through obscurity

It is, it's called a provisional patent, and it only costs a few hundred dollars. Once the patent is filed you have one year to complete the final patent. If you don't complete the final patent within one year you lose the ability to patent the item forever.