Z - depth video

[orx-qx]

What do you think of possibilities of mixing in 3D? A lot of computer-generated imagery could have a Z channel (like particle systems, 3D objects) and mixing with Z-depth can produce interesting effects, spaced out look, so many possibilities...

In highend compositing software the Z-depth is common, but only with single frames saved in RLA or IFF picture formats as I know.
I think this is real thing which is usually faked with keying, where other information from video is used, like color, intensity...

Usual video has RGB channels, video-codecs and mixing software should easily work with RGBAZ. A lot of people is writing VJ progz and implementing it shouldnt be a problem.

Imagine colored objects bubbling through layered structures in 3D, effects like fading video into the deep space...

What do you say...



orx-qx

[many2]

This is a really good idea. I think I will add it to the visualJockey features requests. One of the problem might be to implement Z-depht info inside an existing video codec suitable for real-time use, but it is quite easy to render this info as a separate greyscale AVI and use it as a secondary indput to determine Z-positioning of pixels.

Many-2

[infopocalypse]

As alpha is composed of R, G, B that really isn't a pain. However Z isn't really depth... it's a whole new dimension to an image. Think of an image as a bitmap, that being as an array of 24-bit or 16-bit values 320 units wide and 240 units tall. Add z-depth and all of a sudden you make an already difficult operation x times more difficult.

[PiedPiper]

there is already some image formats that maintain the Z-buffer etc...

i believe the *.rpf file format allows for a full z-buffer.

i use this format to export images from 3dsMax4
into Combustion2...
compositing in 3d is NICE:) - but also a little complex

sadly i dont see Vjo handleing the amounts of data that RPF files use...... (2mb a frame?)

[sleepytom]

the way to do this is to create a 3d space and let people import there own 3d objects in and then map video onto the serfaces - this way allmost any 3d video effect can be created quickly and manipulated in realtime.

The new VJamm opengl version is doing this allready (currently in alpha testing but available to registered vjpro owners) it can map 16 avi clips onto objects and spam them about the screen very nicely - its really easy to make 3d 16 clip miemi type effects and the possabilitys will be almost limmitless once the controls are finnished

[orx-qx]

Sounds interesting... but not all the effects can be done this way, id prefer rather 3D voxel space.
You cannot mix 3D spikes with 3D bubbles by any mapping onto mesh objects. Some effects like fading out into space could be faked by using some sort of 3D spiral and mapping video onto it with changing one of the UV coordinates in time, but you need multiple texturing and it all will be very complex with time consuming preparations and programming.

With real z-depth mixing and effects you should be able to combine anything with anything intuitively and thats the difference.

[okashi]

surely one of the key things is what you show your image on...3d onto 2d doesnt go...kind of...get what I'm saying??

you could try a 3d screen...like smoke or atomised (very fine spray) water...have tried those myself with great success...even with a 2d image.

There is a Canadian Theatre company experimenting with multi-angle 2d projections that appear 3d...v cool indeed! Cant remember their name tho...sorry.

[pixelshifter]

if you want to mix in 3d you don't want to used pixel based images to define the z space, since this costs to much processing power. you're much better of using vectors. take a look at touch 101 (www.derivativeinc.com). this program lets you build any geometry. you can reference your current textures and project them onto the 3d geometry.

[VjDeranged]

Almost Baked idea :D

http://www.radtime.com/main/3dFilmOverview.asp


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