Prior to the release of DirectX 8.0, game developers had several ways of animating interactive 3D characters. Finally, I'll show you two ways to implement soft-skinning using DirectX 8.0 support for fixed function indexed vertex blending and vertex shader matrix palettes. I'll start with a brief history and comparison of these techniques as they relate to DirectX and then move on to the fundamental concepts behind soft-skinning. While the technique of tweening continues to be popular, soft-skinning offers greater dynamic control as well as increased realism and is therefore the focus of this article. DirectX 8.0 provides more ways than ever to create smooth and realistic character motion beyond simple articulated structure animations, with improved support for vertex tweening and blended vertex deformations (hereafter referred to as soft-skinning). Perhaps one of the greatest impacts of this new programmable pipeline will be on the development of more powerful character animation techniques. The new API exposes an unprecedented level of control and flexibility that allows you to reach down to every vertex and pixel that passes through the graphics pipeline. Microsoft® DirectX® 8.0 is at the forefront of these advancements and manages to break through the chains of what was once a fixed-function programming model. Computer games stand to gain the most from these advancements as more powerful hardware joins forces with greatly improved APIs, enabling developers to create real-time 3D imagery that's as interactive as it is visually stunning. S the world of real-time 3D graphics continues to evolve, developers move closer to achieving the types of realistic images seen in high-budget feature films. This is followed by the use of matrix palettes from within vertex shaders to create a customized soft-skinning solution that takes advantage of the benefits of vertex shaders, such as hardware acceleration and custom lighting algorithms without the limitations of fixed-function solutions. This is made possible by its improved support for vertex tweening and blended vertex deformations, also known as soft-skinning.Īfter a brief history of the use of these techniques in DirectX, soft-skinning using the fixed function pipeline is discussed. SUMMARYDirectX 8.0 allows the creation of smooth and realistic character movements that are more life-like than simple articulated structure animations.
#Animatrice direct 8 code#
This article assumes you�re familiar with C++, DirectX 8.0, and 3D Graphicsĭownload the code for this article: Matrix.exe (37KB)īrowse the code for this article at Code Center: Soft-Skinning Shader DirectX 8.0: Enhancing Real-Time Character Animation with Matrix Palette Skinning and Vertex Shaders
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