Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

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Hypersonic
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Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 3:04 pm

Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Hypersonic »

When flying creatures get near your zenith they become difficult to see due to only being rendered as a vertical sprite. It would be useful to show horizontal sprites for monsters whom are above 45 degrees pitch. Just like vertical sprites for under 45deg pitch, horizontal sprites would have 8 directions. Yes this would require new artwork. If implemented Heretic's Gargoyles might be a good start as they are plentiful. If it works out perhaps horizontal sprites as seen from above could be done as well, not just from below.
Drake Raider
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Drake Raider »

This would probably be a feature request, but it sounds like on a technical level it would be a fantastic idea.... though I would expect a good starting place would be to make some of the graphics first and then lobby for it.
Hypersonic
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Hypersonic »

Yes the artwork isn't trivial, just for all the animations for the 8 directions for vertical sprites there are quite a few frames
https://www.spriters-resource.com/pc_co ... eet/30552/
Each one of these would have to have a matching underside point of view graphic with the same monster facing direction.
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Reactor
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Reactor »

Well, AFAIK it was a continued request in the "Feature requests" forums back then, and every time, a big solid "NO!" was the response. Sometimes "No, no, no, never!" when the developers lost their patience.
I'd say to stick to voxels or models to eradicate this problem alltogether.
Hypersonic
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Hypersonic »

I did do a search for this, perhaps I used the wrong key words.

Voxels might be a good intermediary step, then take pictures of the voxels from 8 (from side) or 16 (from side and from below) or even 24 (from side, from below, and from above) different view points. Those pictures then put on vertical or horizontal sprites. I wonder if someone can make a voxel to match the current sprites, or at least reasonably close.

EDIT: It appears voxel work has been done (video is 2013, any progress since then?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tQIf__O7ik
Looks like it works with GZDoom
http://www.teamhellspawn.com/voxels.htm
"To play Doom with voxel items in ZDoom or GZDoom use zdoom_vox.zip"

Anyone still crafting voxels for this project? Would be nice to have all sprites converted to voxels.
https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Doom_voxel_project
"There is no accurate way to automatically convert a series of Doom sprites to a 3D voxel model. The work must be done by hand, which is very time consuming."
Perhaps some of it could be automated. Manually match pixels between different view points, then have a program calculate a 3D position for that pixel.
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Reactor
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Reactor »

Hm. Perhaps you may try your luck with this puppy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wpS0rsmXIg

Be warned - there is NEVER a guarantee that its results will be compatible with GZDoom. Still...better than nothing...
Hypersonic
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by Hypersonic »

That doesn't seem to turn sprites (which are basically snapshots of an object from a specific directions) into a voxel, rather turns just one viewpoint into basically a thick pancake.

Using 2 sprites representing 2 different viewpoints of a frame of an object, you should be able to produce 3D pixels of a voxel. For example, from a head on view you can get the x and y coordinates of a pixel, then you can get the z of that same pixel from a side view.

EDIT: basically https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogrammetry
Last edited by Hypersonic on Wed Nov 15, 2017 9:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ramon.dexter
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Re: Horizontal sprites for overhead monsters

Post by ramon.dexter »

well, good luck :)
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