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    3D objects

     
     

    3D objects.

    Aston2 engine can draw polygonal 3D objects. To activate 3D mode use special attribute render="scene3d" in section paint:

    ...
      <skin name="background">
        <paint render="scene3d">
          <obj3d model="teapot1.3ds"/>
          <obj3d model="teapot2.3ds"/>
          <obj3d model="teapot3.3ds"/>
        </paint>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    As you see in this example, the section paint contains the sections obj3d in this case. Let's consider typical obj3d in details:

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <obj3d model="pot.3ds">
              <material/>
              <render_option/>
              <camera/>
              <transform/>
              <light/>
          </obj3d>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    The attribute model contains file name for object in standard 3DS format. Also, Aston2 can support built-in object model="*QUAD*".
    The section material contains description of object material:

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <obj3d model="pot.3ds">
              <material visible_face="cw"
                        light_mode="none"
                        diffuse_source="map"
                        diffuse_color="0xFF007700"
                        diffuse_image="flower.jpg"
                        diffuse_uv="vertex"
                        diffuse_op="replace"
                        reflection_source="map"
                        reflection_color="0"
                        reflection_image="reflection.jpg"
                        reflection_uv="chrome ball"
                        reflection_op="add"
              />
              <render_option/>
              <camera/>
              <transform/>
              <light/>
          </obj3d>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    The attribute visible_face gives visibility of each side of polygon's face. Available values are:
    • visible_face="cw" - clockwise sides only
    • visible_face="ccw" - contra-clockwise sides only
    • visible_face="both" - both of sides
    The attribute light_mode used for dynamic lighting. Available values are:
    • light_mode="none" - no dynamic lighting
    • light_mode="flat" - calculate light for each face
    • light_mode="gouround" - linear interpolation from each vertex (don't supported in current version of Aston2)
    Now, let's consider the attribute group for first pass of material rendering.

    The attribute diffuse_source gives color source for pixels in first pass of material rendering:
    • diffuse_source="none" - skip this render pass
    • diffuse_source="const" - fill all polygons by const color
    • diffuse_source="face" - take from face color
    • diffuse_source="vertex" - linear interpolation between vertex colors
    • diffuse_source="map" - take from texture image (according texture coordinates)
    The attribute diffuse_color defines color const in case when diffuse_source="const".
    The attribute diffuse_image defines texture file name in case when diffuse_source="map".
    The attribute diffuse_uv gives texture coordinates source:
    • diffuse_uv="vertex" - from vertex info, usually it reads from 3DS file
    • diffuse_uv="chrome ball" - calculates texture coordinates on the fly, for chrome reflection effect
    The attribute diffuse_op means mathematical operation with object pixels (src) and previous screen pixels (dst):

    diffuse_op="replace" dst = srcwrites new pixels over old pixels
    diffuse_op="blend" dst = dst * (1 - alpha) + src * alphablend by alpha value
    diffuse_op="add" dst = dst + srcaddition
    diffuse_op="modulate"dst = dst * srcmultiplication

    Here are two attribute groups for first and second material rendering pass:

    first pass second pass
    diffuse_source reflection_source
    diffuse_color reflection_color
    diffuse_image reflection_image
    diffuse_uv reflection_uv
    diffuse_op reflection_op

    Usually, second pass adds reflection effect. That is why default values are (i.e. when it skipped in XML):

    • diffuse_op="replace"
    • diffuse_uv="vertex"
    • reflection_op="add"
    • reflection_uv="chrome ball"

    Well, let's consider the section render_options. Section material in this example is reduced:

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <obj3d model="pot.3ds">
              <material/>
              <render_option zsort="ranging"
                             rbuffer_size="20000"
                             flush_cache="0"
                             mag_filter="nearest"
                             z_adjust="best"
              />
              <camera/>
              <transform/>
              <light/>
          </obj3d>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    The attribute zsort gives method to sort polygons by deep distance (along Z-axis):
    • zsort="none" - no sorting. It's fast, but can give incorrect looking (for example, if color operation is "replace" or "blend")
    • zsort="ranging" - it's most fast solution, but it gives some restriction for 3d models
    • zsort="z-buffer" - most accurate way, but slow with software rendering (not implement in current Ason2 version)
    The attribute rbuffer_size gives size of ranging buffer (used when zsort="ranging"). The z-ranging sorting can work incorrect if this value less than total amount of polygons in scene.
    The attribute flush_cache used to sort polygons of several 3d objects. Set flush_cache="0" if obj3d is not last in scene.
    The attribute mag_filter assigns texture magnifying filter.
    • mag_filter="nearest" - 'nearest neighbour' - fast, but not accurate
    • mag_filter="linear" - bi-linear filtering, finest, but slow
    The attribute z_adjust gives perspective correction method:
    • z_adjust="none" - fast, but rendering result can be distorted
    • z_adjust="y_only" - corrects only along Y-axis, still fast
    • z_adjust="full" - accurate, but slow
    • z_adjust="fast" - most fastest method
    • z_adjust="best" - most optimal method
    • z_adjust="quality" - most accurate method

    Next section is camera:

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <obj3d model="pot.3ds">
              <camera fov="1" aspect="1.25"/>
              ...
              ...
          </obj3d>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    The attribute fov gives the field of view angle. Reasonable values belong to interval (0.5 - 2.0).
    The attribute aspect gives width/height ratio for 3d-render view area. For example, if a scene has being drawn on wallpaper with resolution 1024x768, than aspect ratio is 1024 / 768 = 1.25

    Now, let's consider how to place 3d-object before virtual camera. To do this we need transform object coordinates. Basic transformations are: move, scale and rotate. Typical transformation sequence looks like this:

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <obj3d model="pot.3ds">
              ...
              ...
              <transform op="scale" x="zoom" y="zoom" z="zoom"/>
              <transform op="rotate" x="90"/>
              <transform op="rotate" y="alpha"/>
              <transform op="move" z="25"/>
          </obj3d>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    In this example, following transformations are present:
    • scaling by an animation variable "zoom"
    • rotating on 90o along X-axis
    • rotating by an animation variable "alpha" along Y-axis
    • move along Z-axis on 25 units (place before virtual camera)
    The animation variables are used for interactivity and animation effects.
    For example, let's consider declaration of an variable "alpha":

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <anim_vars name="a">
              <frame alpha="0"/>
              <frame alpha="360"/>
              <sequence name="anim_Spawn">
                  <loop/>
                  <frame render="0" fps="0.1"/>
                  <frame render="1" fps="0"/>
              </sequence>
          </anim_vars>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    This looks like a declaration of animation for images. The section anim_vars contains list of frames and list of sequences. The attribute name="a" should give unique name for each anim_vars section (it's name of animation context, rather than a variable!). Each frame contains list of variable's names as attribute with its values. Sequences declared same way as for image animation case.
    Look at this indicator example, for clock widget:

    ...
      <skin name="face">
          <anim_vars name="1">
              <frame a_hour="0"/>
              <frame a_hour="720"/>          
              <indicator name="hour"/>
          </anim_vars>
          
          <anim_vars name="2">
              <frame a_minute="0"/>
              <frame a_minute="360"/>          
              <indicator name="minute"/>
          </anim_vars>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    As you already guess, "a_hour" and "a_minute" can be used as animation variables for rotation angles of clock hands.

    And finally, let's consider how define light for dynamic lighted objects (when light_mode="flat"):

    ...
      <skin name="background">
          <obj3d model="pot.3ds">
              <material light_mode="flat" diffuse_source="none"/>
              <light type="ambient" color="0xFF111111"/>
              <light type="directional" dir_x="-1" dir_y="-3" dir_z="3" color="0xFF017eff"/>
              <light type="directional" dir_x="1"  dir_y="3"  dir_z="3" color="0xFF002266"/>
              ...
              ...
              ...
          </obj3d>
      </skin>
    ...
    

    Light sources list declared via sections light. The attribute type gives light type:

    • type="ambient" for ambient light part
    • type="directional" for directional light source
    Direction of light defined via dir_x, dir_y and dir_z (in case when type="directional").

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