Prediction: HDR will become the new scourge of gaming

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

It may not surpass lens flares and rag-doll physics, but it will be close. Some of the 360 launch games are already getting pretty obnoxious with using effects far more outrageous than are seen in real life. I can only imagine what the second generation might inflict upon us. It can be a nice effect if used sparingly, but something tells me that developers are going to miss out on the "less is more" concept and blatantly overuse HDR.

[JFo]

Please forgive my ignorance, but what does HDR stand for?

[Romier S]

High Dynamic Range lighting. (i.e. Bloom lighting)

 

but something tells me that developers are going to miss out on the "less is more" concept and blatantly overuse HDR.

I can accept post processing effects like HDR in some games that use it well. Prince of Persia Sands of Time for instance is an excellent example of a game that used such effects to its benefit. Guild Wars is another one that comes to mind.

 

In terms of launch titles for the 360, the Fifa demo about made my eyes bleed due to the excessive use of HDR effects. I thought Need for Speed Most Wanted overdid to an extent as well (again can only speak from playing the demo). On the other hand Project Gotham Racing 3 I think does use it's HDR effects really nicely during races to simulate coming out of a tunnel, or over a bridge. Call of Duty 2 has some of the best HDR effects I've seen in a game due to the fact that it is so understated.

 

As with any graphical effect, there is always the possiblity of overuse.

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

High dynamic range. To see an example of it really being overused, check out the second garage in PGR3. When you're inside the garage, it makes the outside area appear blindingly bright even though the light contrast between the inside and outside areas isn't nearly large enough to warrant the effect.

 

Also, Need For Speed has some blatant misuse where it tries to simulate brightness glare around treetops even on an overcast day.

[Anthony G]

Does anybody have a screenshot of it in effect?

[Thro]

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2005/06/14/hl2_hdr_overview/1.html

[JFo]

Thanks for the clarification, guys. Now I feel like I can participate in this discussion.

 

Prediction: HDR will become the new scourge of gaming

 

Really? I was going to say that shitty gameplay and a lack of innovation were going to be the scourges of the industry, but that's just me.

 

It may not surpass lens flares and rag-doll physics, but it will be close.

 

Concerning ragdoll physics, let me just ask this: Would you rather have the bodies of fallen enemies going through walls when they die? I'll take ragdoll physics (when done well) over that any day.

 

It can be a nice effect if used sparingly, but something tells me that developers are going to miss out on the "less is more" concept and blatantly overuse HDR.

 

I agree that when used well (i.e. Prince of Persia or Shadow of the Colossus) it can be a really effective graphical touch. However, I think that we'll see less abundant use of it as time goes by. I think we're seeing a lot of it now because it's a relatively new effect and it's an easy way to make games look "pretty" to the masses. As we see more and more of it though, I think we're going to see developers use it more sparingly as they realize that it's something you can't have in every game you make.

[Romier S]

Here is a shot:

 

[ATTACH]699[/ATTACH]

 

See the over exposure of sunlight gleaming over the top of the buildings? That's an HDR effect.

[Anthony G]

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2005/06/14/hl2_hdr_overview/1.html

 

Thanks Thro and Futurevoid (God I want PGR3). Yeah, I can see your point Bling. Overdose can get distracting. Was it used in Ninja Gaiden (the light through the windows in some levels makes me think it was)? If so, it worked well with that game.

[Ryan FB]

I found NFS:MW nearly unplayable because of the HDR/bloom until I turned off Overbright and set Visual Treatment to Low to make it look like a normal game again.

[Whooter]

Here is a shot:

 

[ATTACH]699[/ATTACH]

 

See the over exposure of sunlight gleaming over the top of the buildings? That's an HDR effect.

 

But that's what it really looks like in Vegas.

[JFo]

Was it used in Ninja Gaiden (the light through the windows in some levels makes me think it was)? If so, it worked well with that game.

 

I don't remember. Most of the time I'm too busy trying to stay alive.

 

Actually, I do think there was some blooming in that game, especially in the second Hurricane Pack. Toward the end of the main quest as you ventured into the demon realms you saw a lot of it as well. In that instance, I thought it was a very effective use of it, since it gave the entire location an otherworldly feel.

[rustyjaw]

What I still don't get about HDR is; why simulate poorly exposed film? Unless I really don't understand the effect, this is what it seems to be.

 

Now, I can see why this, if done with care, might add a cinematic quality to a game. But movies generally aren't poorly exposed, unless it's done to attain a specific visual effect (or it's shot on digital), and even then it can be annoying.

 

Of course, this precise argument can be made about lens flare, which most photographers strive to avoid.

 

In both cases though, the effect is not to put you in the game, but to remind you that you are 'watching' a game. I'm not sure that's a good thing to aim for in many cases.

[Derrik Draven]

Yeah, the lens flare phenomenon was a strange one. Ever see lens flare looking at the world through your eyes? Me neither.

 

So they added it to make games look like...film??? :eh

[Romier S]

But that's what it really looks like in Vegas.

Heh, never been there but I have no doubt you're right. It's just the quickest example of HDR I could find.

 

In both cases though, the effect is not to put you in the game, but to remind you that you are 'watching' a game.

Well in the case of something like Guild Wars, you're not striving for realism. The same goes for a game like Prince of Persia. In both cases it helps to give those game an ethereal quality. As if you are viewing them through your minds eye in a dream so to speak. It adds an element of fantasy which I think works very well.

[Carlucci]

In both cases though, the effect is not to put you in the game, but to remind you that you are 'watching' a game. I'm not sure that's a good thing to aim for in many cases.

 

I'm getting pretty tired of the splatter/raindrops-on-the-camera-lens effect for this same reason.

 

 

 

Carlos.

[JFo]

Of course, this precise argument can be made about lens flare, which most photographers strive to avoid.

 

Which is interesting because many filmmakers intentionally insert them into their movies. Go listen to the commentary track on the extended cut of Almost Famous. Whenever you see a lense flare, Cameron Crowe stops and thanks his director of photography for getting it for him.

 

I remember having a discussion with a friend of mine once about the opening shot of the film Contact. As the camera begins to slowly pull away from the earth, you see a lens flare as a result of looking at the sun. What my friend wanted to know was why they inserted a lens flare into a special effect shot when it's technically not realistic and could have been avoided. My guess is that filmmakers and game developers like using it because it somehow makes the source of the light (i.e. the sun) seem brighter. I could be wrong though.

 

Another effect I've noticed a lot in games recently is when blood or some other substance splatters on the screen. This was an effect used quite often in Call of Cthulhu for the Xbox. In lieu of a HUD, the game would splatter a bit of blood on the game's camera to show you've taken damage. Now, obviously if your blood splattered on your face, it wouldn't look like it it was thrown onto a camera lens. In a game like Metroid Prime, it makes sense to do something like this since you're looking through the visor of Samus's helmut. Granted, I don't think it's something that's being overdone at this point, but since we were on the subject of effects we've been noticing in games, I figured I'd bring it up.

 

EDIT: Carlos, I see that already our minds are becoming one!

[bendak]

You are probably right, but at least its an effect more grounded in reality. I can't believe how rampant lens flare became. You can make the arguement that it's acceptable if your character is wearing a helmet with a visor, i.e. Master Chief but even then it's unrealistic. You think the UNSC is going to spend millions developing this perfect battle armor and have their super-soldiers performance be hampered by using material that produces such crazy lens flare, possibly interfering with their performance??

 

One cinematic effect I really like in some games is motion blur.

 

Back to HDR, I like the effect in PGR when you come out of a tunnel although it is a little overstated.

 

Game devs: Subtlety is key!!!!!!

[rustyjaw]

I remember having a discussion with a friend of mine once about the opening shot of the film Contact[/i']. As the camera begins to slowly pull away from the earth, you see a lens flare as a result of looking at the sun. What my friend wanted to know was why they inserted a lens flare into a special effect shot when it's technically not realistic and could have been avoided. My guess is that filmmakers and game developers like using it because it somehow makes the source of the light (i.e. the sun) seem brighter. I could be wrong though.

 

I remember that scene too, my guess would be that they wanted to almost subliminally plant the idea that the scene was actually not CG, but rather shot by a camera like (most of) the rest of the movie.

[MrJames]

You can see how HDR is used this new PGR3 video showing off all the cities.

 

http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2390_en.html