Creating World Class Graphics on the PSP

Shipped Titles PSP Art Topics Asset breakdowns Open Q & A

Shipped Titles

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics LOTR used assets from 3 previous console titles and 1 PC title with additional assets created to match. All had to go through strict approvals by multiple parties in a very short development cycle. LOTR included 40 min of film footage & re-edited to tell story of Middle Earth from Mordor’s perspective. No true in-game cinematics were created, fly- throughs introduced the levels and lots of combat cameras were used throughout.

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics Text

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics Text

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics Text

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics Text

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics Text

Lord of the Rings: Tactics Attract Mode Video EA, Publisher LOTR Movie Here

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMs2 Text

The SiMS 2 Attract Mode Video EA, Publisher Sims Movie Here

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text Walk Cycle movie here

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Text

Pirates of the Caribbean Attract Mode Video Buena Vista Games, Publisher Pirate Movie Here

PSP Art Topics

PSP Perceptions The PSP is not a true PS2 in terms of what can be loaded into memory (approximately 0.75) “Porting to PSP is not a simple matter of texture resolution!”

PS2 vs PSP workflow Smaller memory pool requires more coordination of art, sound, and design to pull back on typical PS2 pipeline and practices. Level effects vs sound files Game art vs. HUD texture resolutions # of unique characters vs design balancing

RUNTIME vs. LOAD TIME (Frame rate issues vs. Memory budgets) “To LOD, or not to LOD….”

Total Visible Mesh Count Hard edges Multiple shaders Combining close proximity meshes Separating large meshes – Skybox for example Cels and Portals Fog & far clip

Bone/Joint Count 200 Total Bones on screen is the (self-imposed) limit for frame rate LOTR: 16 characters max, each about bones. TBA 1P Shooter: 7 characters max; 1 Player, allies, opponents (per average level) TBA 3P Action/Adventure: 16 characters max; target bones each

Lighting “Fast Track”: Like PS2, our pipeline like 2 Dynamic Lights, 1 ambient & 1 directional Baked in lighting for environments is best for load & run time issues. Painted-in shadows or baked into verts.

Texture Resolution Less resolution resulted in less noise and cleaner looking characters. LOTR test image.

Shaders Too much alpha = sorting issues Too many passes on a surface = Runtime Slowing (decals, shine, UI, shadows, layers, etc) Effects: a good savings is to use add blend for glowing effects. No alpha channel needed

Environment Resolution Foreground, middle ground, background/skybox

Environment Resolution Foreground, middle ground, background/skybox

Total Visible Mesh Count Hard edges Multiple shaders Combining close proximity meshes Separating large meshes – Skybox for example Cels and Portals Fog & far clip

LODs [Level of Detail] Spend the memory loading in extra meshes to help run-time? Shadows Blob/Dots shaded across all, use LOD to draw, or go full detail?

Clipping No PSP software/hardware clipper built in Software clipper can be added at a runtime cost Environments can be subdivided, use scalable terrain mesh, or LOD system Overdraw: Try to minimize the amount so runtime sorting is less taxing.

Project Asset Breakdowns

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics Chart Here

The SiMs2 Chart Here

Pirates of the Caribbean Chart Here

TBA Flight Combat Chart Here

TBA 1 st Person Shooter Chart Here

TBA 3 rd Person Action/Adventure Chart Here

Creating World Class Graphics on the PSP