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Half-Life 2 Panoramics

Posted by Zonk on from the interactive-shiny dept.

rgovostes writes "VRMag, an online panoramic magazine, has QuickTime VR scenes from Half-Life 2. The corresponding article, Half Life 2: A Panoramic Approach, explains how the images were made and relates photographic elements with the game's rendering engine."

3 of 22 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Virtual Panoramic by GoRK · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't know what you're talking about. With a proper pano head and some decent stitching effort you can create 'perfect' panoramas without distortion. It helps to have the right equipment and knowledge though. Most panoramas out on the web are unfortunately shot on a regular tripod (which does not pivot around the right point) or worse, handheld, and stiched using some low quality automatic stitching software (Ulead 360, etc)...

    Using something that actually *works* like panotools and good wide angle lenses, you can whip up good looking shots with minimal effort.

    Here's one of my first 360's made with two shots and a lens with a 183 degree FOV. There are some problems with the horizon due to it being in the extremeties of the picture, but aside from the lack of resolution, it is pretty much seamless except for one small area by the sailboat where I simply could not get panotools to bend things right. If I'd have had more altitude with the kite, it would have been perfect. Next time I shoot one, it will be :) My shot was inspired by Scott Haefner's work on the same subject; however he has far more experience at it than I do (I have only made one shot).. If you really want to see some awesome stuff, check out his site.

  2. Re:What's the point? by MWoody · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, if Valve ever shuts down Steam, we'll need these images to remember the game that was Half Life 2.

  3. Re:First Story In A Game Ever! by Hast · · Score: 2, Interesting
    He's not particularly clued in on game engines neither:

    Valve implemented dynamic lights, vertex lighting and light maps, and even High Dynamic Range lighting, an advanced feature in digital photography. There are a few professional cameras able to capture HDR images, and you can imagine the difficulty in reproducing it. (see Greg Downing, see HDR SHOP).


    1) All non-POS cameras can produce HDR images. You just need to take multiple images.

    2) Adding HDR to a game is quite trivial (it's pretty much like changing the definition of a pixel from uint8 to float). Making it run well is harder, but that's the job of the gfx card. In reality HDR in games is a lot easier than in reality as you are generating the data yourself. You just have to decide which dynamic range you want.

    Currently "HDR" in games mean "a lot of bloom". I haven't seen a game that uses tonal mapping in order to make the effect "better" for the gamer.