UNIGINE 2.1.1: UUSL Improvements, SDK Browser Usability, and Bugfixes

Port Angeles Demo

We introduced the Port Angeles demo at SIGGRAPH Asia a year ago, and now it is available for download to all UNIGINE Pro and UNIGINE Sim customers via the SDK Browser. The demo has the following features:

• Highly detailed terrain (2500 square kilometers) based on real geospatial data
• Road network based on vector geodata (OSM)
• Dynamic sky with volumetric clouds and a day-night cycle
• Multiple interactive modes
• Airfield illumination

We suggest the following (or better) hardware for the best experience in this demo:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-4670 (Haswell 4th generation) or faster
• RAM: 8 GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan / 780 or faster
• VRAM: 3 GB
• SSD disk, at least 10 GB free space

Renderer

• Added the following console commands for better SSAO control:
  • render_ssao_resolution renders SSAO in half (0) or full (1) resolution.
  • render_ssao_cavity disables (0) or enables (1) cavity.
  • render_ssao_quality sets the SSAO quality: 0 - use 4 samples, 1 - use 8 samples, 2 - use 16 samples, 3 - use 32 samples.
• Improved shadows performance.
• Fixed emission compensation for sRGB.
• Fixed fading for LightOmni and LightProj sources.
• Removed the render_rwtextures console command, the USE_RW_TEXTURES define should be used instead (enabled by default for Windows/Linux, disabled for OS X).
• Changed noise pattern for shadows.
• Removed the render_optimization_cleargbuffer and render_optimization_normalbuffer console commands, these are now always enabled.
• Fixed central screen rendering for AppSurround mode with TAA enabled.
• Changed the render_show_textures behavior:
  • 0 - all buffers are hidden.
  • 1 - shows a few most important targets, including G-buffer, refraction, SSAO, etc.
  • 2 - shows all rendering targets.
• Fixed water rendering in stereo mode.

UUSL Improvements

Unified UNIGINE Shader Language (UUSL) has been improved in terms of consistency and ease of use.

• Added the ability to pass textures to functions as arguments:
  • TEXTURE_OUT(NUM)
  • TEXTURE_OUT_2(NUM,NUM)
  • TEXTURE_OUT_3(NUM,NUM,NUM)
  • TEXTURE_OUT_4(NUM,NUM,NUM,NUM)
  • TEXTURE_IN(NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_2(NAME,NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_3(NAME,NAME,NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_4(NAME,NAME,NAME,NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_CUBE(NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_3D(NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_ARRAY(NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_SHADOW(NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_ARRAY_SHADOW(NAME)
  • TEXTURE_IN_CUBE_SHADOW(NAME)
• Removed TEXTURE_DEFERRED_RECT() and TEXTURE_LOAD_ZERO() textures.
• Removed NOISE_FLOAT() function.
• Added a bunch of intrinsic functions:
  • getViewDirection() returns the current viewing direction.
  • min3() returns the smallest of the first three vector components.
  • min4() returns the smallest of the four vector components.
  • nrand() returns a random value within the range of [0;1].
  • nrand() returns a float2 vector with random values within the range of [0;1].
  • nrandTiled() returns a random value within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed.
  • nrandTiled() returns a float2 vector with random values within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed.
  • nrand2Tiled() returns a float2 vector with random values within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed (For the second seed, the function shifts the vector: float2(x,y) -> float2(y,x)).
  • nrandTAA() returns a value (that is changed each frame) within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed.
  • nrandTAA() returns a float2 vector with random values (that is changed each frame) within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed.
  • nrand2TAA() returns a float2F vector with random values (that is changed each frame) within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed (For the second seed, the function shifts the vector: float2(x,y) -> float2(y,x)).
  • nrandTemporal() returns a value (that is changed each frame) within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed.
  • nrandTemporal() returns a float2 vector with random values (that is changed each frame) within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed.
  • nrand2Temporal() returns a float2 vector with random values (that is changed each frame) within the range of [0;1] divided by the tiled seed (For the second seed, the function shifts the vector: float2(x,y) -> float2(y,x)).
• Expanded the Direct3D API flow control attributes:
  • MAX_VEC4(value) -> max4(value)
  • MAX_VEC3(value) -> max3(value)
  • MAX_VEC2(value) -> max2(value)
  • MIN_VEC2(value) -> min2(value)
  • POW_2(value) -> pow2(value)
  • ANY(value) -> any(value)
  • ATAN2(value) -> atan2(value)
  • ABS_NOISE_FLOAT(float2 seed) -> nrand(float2 seed)
  • dot_fixed(V0,V1) -> dotFixed(V0,V1)
  • lerp_fixed(V0,V1,FACTOR) -> lerpFixed(V0,V1,FACTOR)
  • BRANCH -> branch
  • LOOP -> loop
  • UNROLL -> unroll
  • FLATTEN -> flatten
  • EARLYDEPTHSTENCIL -> earlydepthstencil
• Changed the input and output structures semantics:
  • IN_POS -> IN_POSITION
  • IN_VEC(NUM) -> IN_DATA(NUM)
  • IN_GEOM_VEC(NUM,INDEX) -> IN_GEOM_DATA(NUM,INDEX)
  • INIT_OUT_COLOR -> INIT_COLOR(TYPE)
  • INIT_OUT_DATA(TYPE,NUM) -> INIT_MRT(TYPE,NUM)
  • INIT_OUT_DEPTH -> INIT_DEPTH
  • OUT_VEC(NUM) -> OUT_DATA(NUM)
  • OUT_DATA(NUM) -> OUT_MRT(NUM)
  • OUT_GEOM_VEC(NUM) -> OUT_GEOM_DATA(NUM)
• Added functions for scattering adjustments:
  • hazeScattering() calculates the haze in the scattering mode.
  • hazeForward() calculates the haze in the forward mode.
  • hazeAlpha() calculates the haze transparency.
  • hazeSolid() calculates the haze in the solid mode.
  • hazeForwardSimple() calculates the haze for objects rendered in the forward mode, can be used in the vertex shader, turns objects to transparency.
• Removed the s_time() parameter.
• Added the s_perspective (the perspective camera), s_orthographic (the orthographic camera), s_frame (the current frame number) and s_taa_offset (TAA jittering) parameters.

C++ and C# API

• Added basic access to physics: Body, BodyDummy and PhysicalTrigger interfaces.
• Added set/getNormal() method to ObjectBillboards that enables orienting a specific billboard (works only if the billboards_impostor_base material is assigned).
• Added isFlipped() method to the Render class. Old Texture::isRenderFlipped() method has been removed.

UnigineScript

• Added set/getNormal() method to ObjectBillboards that enables orienting a specific billboard (works only if the billboards_impostor_base material is assigned).
• Added set/getSSAOBlur() method to the engine.render class that sets/returns the SSAO blur value.
• Added set/getSSAOCavityScale() method to the engine.render class that sets/returns the SSAO cavity intensity.
• Added set/getMotionBlurDepthFalloff() method to the engine.render class that sets/returns the value of the motion blur effect depending on the fragments depth (takes effect only if render_motion_blur_quality is set to 1).

SDK Browser

• Added "Remember me" option on the login.
• Added "Off","TAA", and "FXAA" antialiasing options for projects in 2.1+ SDKs.
• Better support for OS X El Capitan.
• Added "Video Debug" option that enables the debug context for OpenGL or DirectX 11.
• Improved offline license activation usability.
• Improved behavior in case of a unstable internet connection.
• Only add-ons compatible with the default SDK will be displayed.
• Various bugfixes.

Samples

Added more samples on built-in objects to the Samples demo.

Grass:

Clutter:

Documentation

• Added a FAQ on UUSL.
• Added new tutorials on creating of custom shaders for forward and post-processing rendering passes.
• Added an article on the post_sensor material.
• Added Chinese translations of the following articles:
  • Getting Started.
  • Project Workflow.
  • SDK Browser.
  • Virtual World Structure.
  • World Management.
  • Physics.
  • Nodes, Objects, Effects, Decals, Players and Worlds.
  • Execution Sequence.
  • Setting Up Development Environment.
  • Programming Overview.
  • Double Precision of Coordinates.
  • Performance Analyzer.
  • Mesh File Formats.

Other Changes

• Improved data streaming on extremely complex projects.
• Added Drop to ground to ObjectBillboards GUI allowing you to automatically place billboards onto the surface.
• Added adjustable Up direction for ObjectBillboards.
• Fixed the ObjectText crash on video_restart.
• Fixed crashes on very fast movements over detailed terrains.
• Added support for importing both morph targets and skinned mesh animations from FBX files.
• Reduced memory allocations and fragmentation.
• Fixed GLAppSDL sample for OS X.
• Fixed copy and paste in engine console on Linux.
• Reduced Syncker UDP packet size to 1 Kb.
• Changed the way of ObjectMeshSkinned synchronization via Syncker. Transformations specified in the code and physics applied to the bones won't be synchronized, only the animation frames will. You must have a single file containing all the animations and specify the path to it via setAnimName().
• Various bugfixes.