Why use ambient occlusion

Rays are shot at the hemisphere according to a random pattern determined by the sample methods described above ; this causes differences in the occlusion pattern of neighboring pixels unless the number of shot rays is big enough to produce good statistical data. The Ambient Occlusion panel, Approximate method.

You have two complementary options to reduce this problem:. This effect only occurs when the Strength factor is higher than 0. It mimics light dispersion in the atmosphere…. Ambient occlusion is calculated by casting rays from each visible point, and by counting how many of them actually reach the sky, and how many, on the other hand, are obstructed by objects.

This is done by firing a hemisphere of shadow rays around. Ambient occlusion is a ray-tracing technique at least with the Raytrace method , so it tends to be slow. Furthermore, performance severely depends on octree size, see the rendering chapter for more information.

Blender 2. Note If Multiply is chosen, there must be other light sources; otherwise the scene will be pitch black. Ambient Occlusion with 3 Samples. Ambient Occlusion with 6 Samples. Ambient Occlusion with 12 Samples. Some developers also focus ambient occlusion techniques on static background images that the player is unable to interact with. Instead of mere pixels, SSDO takes into account both the light coming directly at an object, as well as the light reflected off of the object directly behind it.

This added an extra layer of depth that made games even more realistic. Gaming engines like Unity and Unreal use SSDO as a way for developers to produce even more spectacular worlds with more realistic lighting than ever.

You can still end up with jagged edges or inaccurate shading from object to object. What SSDO does best is it allows the player or viewer to better differentiate objects from one another by the light or shadow between them.

This gives a sense of depth that is not achieved by SSAO, and while it's still not perfect, it brings us closer to realism while still operating within the limitations of today's GPUs. Global illumination GI , also known as indirect illumination, is the closest thing we have to photorealism in a digital picture.

GI takes the light from all sources in a world as they relate to each other. This means that if the shadow from a tree a few hundred yards away would reach you, it will, even if it's not in the current frame. While true, real-time global illumination has not been used in a game, it has been used by Pixar in Monsters U.

They used cutting-edge technology that allowed them to create monsters, buildings and other elements that looked very realistic. True shadows and accurate light made this movie a pleasure to watch for more reasons than just my own nostalgia , and fans agree. Ambient occlusion is a really cool trick.

It does a lot for the overall beauty and depth of a game, but the fact is that ambient occlusion just isn't included in most games. The primary reason is the demand it places on your GPU. Companies want to reach as many players as possible and not everyone has the latest GPU on their computers. This can make it very difficult for a really intensive game to do well.

This can most likely be attributed to one of the reasons that the Crysis series isn't doing as well as it once was. With time, other graphics effects have arisen that, while not necessarily delivering the exact same effect as ambient occlusion, create similar feelings of wonder.

Effects like distortion and bloom lighting create a realistic ambiance that makes the player feel like they are a part of the world.

The best part is that it isn't nearly as taxing on your system. Bethesda's Skyrim is a really good illustration of these effects. It's now even playable in VR. The short answer is not really.

Ambient occlusion is cool but ultimately a gimmick. I previously spoke about how there are other techniques besides ambient occlusion that make games and movies look good. But the truth is that there are many factors that go into why a movie or game does well.

Timing, story, content, and proper management of DLC also come into play. EA is a good example of why other things matter besides just looks. Star Wars Battle Front 2 missed its initial sales target because of the numerous microtransactions that hindered the gameplay and gave paying players an advantage.

While it was certainly a visually stunning game, it wasn't enough to save it and EA eventually had to address the microtransactions to remain successful. Other games like 2D platformer Shovel Knight rely on a unique twist of action, nostalgia, and humor to bring in huge amounts of players.

All of these are reminders that you can't rely on just one aspect to sell a game and that it takes a unique blend of design, graphics, and story to become successful.

There is absolutely no doubt that ambient occlusion is a really cool and great looking feature. There is also no doubt that GPU technology is improving year after year. So what does that mean for the future of ambient occlusion? Samuel is GamingScan's editor-in-chief. He describes himself as a dedicated gamer and programmer. He enjoys helping others discover the joys of gaming.

Samuel closely follows the latest trends in the gaming industry in order to keep the visitors in the flow. Ambient occlusion serves to provide a game with more realistic ambient lighting. You Might Like These Too. What Is Local Dimming?