New Accelerated Volumetric Video Codec compresses data so creators can populate digital scenes with more volumetric characters than ever before while maintaining high data quality.
Arcturus, a leader in volumetric video technology, has released an update for its HoloSuite toolset that boasts a new way to deliver lightweight, scalable volumetric video to game engines with real-time rendering and playback. With its high-performance codec, anyone from virtual production teams to game creators can populate digital scenes with more volumetric characters than before while maintaining a high level of data quality.
The new Accelerated Volumetric Video (AVV) is a high-performance video codec that significantly compresses volumetric files while maintaining the data quality. It allows creators to build virtual environments and the ability to play back more volumetric video characters in real-time. Users can access similar Levels of Detail (LoDs) tools found in game engines to prioritize the character nearest the camera, with better playback performance and higher quality characters.
“With each new generation of any visual technology, the demands on the hardware are an issue that can definitely slow adoption,” said Arcturus CEO Kamal Mistry. “It could be exactly what a project needs, but if it isn’t practical to use, no one benefits. AVV makes volumetric video a viable solution for digital scenes looking to add a high quantity of human characters.”
Along with improved scalability, the AVV codec adds features designed to improve visual quality of a volumetric character.
- Texture Analysis — An automatic texture detail analysis improves compression and helps build multi-resolution textures, leading to more optimized playback and improved visual quality.
- Normals Transfer — Surface normal can now be transferred from the source capture data to the compressed final result to improve relighting in a game engine.
- Smart Texture — Poly and texture budgets are prioritized toward facial features, leading to higher quality facial details.
- Motion Vectors — Motion data can now be encoded in an AVV file to improve visual quality in game engines, for fast action clips and engine antialiasing.
- Continued Support for OMS — Creators working on mobile applications, planning on streaming will still have access to Arcturus’s current OMS codec.
The tools, now accessible to HoloSuite users, have already been used in multiple professional projects, including an as-yet-unannounced Dimension Studios virtual production project and the recently released remake of the classic game The 7th Guest VR from Vertigo Games.
“The original 7th Guest managed to tell an engaging story using full motion video, but for virtual reality, we wanted to elevate that experience and use full 3D recordings of the performers, captured through volumetric video,” said Vertigo Games project lead Paul van der Meer. “We worked closely with Arcturus to compress the data with almost no loss and reduce the original volumetric assets by a quarter. For the first time ever in VR, we were able to include multiple volumetric video streams featuring real performances in 3D, giving players a new and compelling experience.”
Accelerated Volumetric Video is an add-on, free for experimentation and non-commercial use for HoloSuite subscribers. Annual HoloSuite licenses are available for commercial and private use. Special pricing for education is available. Visit the Arcturus website for additional information.
Source: Arcturus
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
