Another Turret and LOD Question.

[Furyofaseraph]

Hey, i have a few questions about turrets and LODs:

1) i dont understand how the LOD system works. What does the "feature" indicate?
2) can turrets have LODs
3) can turrets have that animated recoil, ala-Star Wars Death Star Turrets?

Many thanks. ^_^

[turgotZ]

ORIGINAL: Furyofaseraph

Hey, i have a few questions about turrets and LODs:

1) i dont understand how the LOD system works. What does the "feature" indicate?

++ Feature_n
_Optional_
Starshatter uses an adaptive LOD system. The characteristic feature size of each level is some measure of the "graininess" or amount of detail in the model. It represents the size of something small but important (like a gun barrel or an antenna or a guidance fin) that is not in the next more coarse LOD model.

The game engine computes the apparent size of the characteristic feature for each level, given the distance of the object from the camera, the camera focal length, and the screen resolution. If a polygon the size of the characterstic feature would be rendered as one pixel or less at the current distance, then the next higher LOD is used.

This technique minimizes the noticeability of pop-in when a model changes from one LOD to the next, independent of the player's chosen screen resolution.

Typical numbers would be on the order of

LOD 1: 1000
LOD 2: 100
LOD 3: 10
LOD 4: 1

The feature size for LOD 1 is actually irrelevant, but could reasonably be set to the radius of the model. Since there is no next lower level of detail available, the game engine simply uses the object radius to determine when the model should no longer be rendered at all.

The characteristic feature size in model units for one level of detail in a multi-LOD ship. The n can be 0, 1, 2, or 3 from lowest detail to highest detail.

NOTE: Feature size is not a measure of distance from the camera to the model. The feature size indicates how large the visible details are for each LOD mesh. The highest detail mesh should have the smallest feature size, and the lowest detail mesh should have the largest feature size.
spin The 3D rate of spin in radians per second for one mesh component file. There must be exactly as many spin attributes as there are models per level of detail. For example, if a ship has three levels of detail, and each level has two meshes (one spinning one stationary) then there must be exactly two spin attributes in the definition.


EXAMPLES:

// THREE LOD MESHES:

// big features
detail_0: "low-detail.mag"
feature_0: 1000

// medium grain features
detail_1: "medium-detail.mag"
feature_1: 100

// fine detail
detail_2: "high-detail.mag"
feature_2: 10

ORIGINAL: Furyofaseraph
2) can turrets have LODs

I dont believe so

ORIGINAL: Furyofaseraph
3) can turrets have that animated recoil, ala-Star Wars Death Star Turrets?

Many thanks. ^_^

I have never seen it done so I'm inclined to say no its not possible, it would be a cool effect though.