Rendering based on multiple projections

Abstract

A workflow for 3D content authoring, delivery, and rendering is facilitated based on pre-authored image projections to obtain improvements in authoring efficiency. Additionally, a content delivery platform centered on such pre-authored image projections provides a mechanism for significantly improving streaming efficiency for 3D worlds. Multiple images encode primary surface detail of 3D worlds in real-time applications. Examples of such projections include images that can be as rich as film frames, feature animation frames, high end digital renders, concept paintings, or any suitable combination thereof. An algorithm for improved image projection camera path trajectories, sampling selection, and blending may be implemented by various systems and methods to facilitate smooth transitions during movements of a player within a game set in the 3D space. In addition, a back-projection technique may be implemented by various systems and methods to propagate revisions of one or more projections.

1 . A method comprising:
 accessing a collection of images including one or more images depicting at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) space from a projection node along a projection path, the projection path connecting multiple projection nodes within the 3D space, the collection of images being accessed based on a positioning of the projection node relative to a player position that represents a user within the 3D space;   determining pixel colors of the 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the projection node; and   rendering the 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the projection node by rendering the determined pixel colors.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collection of images further include at least one additional image that depicts at least some of the 3D space from an additional projection node along the projection path within the 3D space. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the accessing of the collection of images includes selecting the one or more images from among multiple images included in the collection of images based on the positioning of the projection node relative to a player position that represents a user within the 3D space.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the selecting of the one or more images from among the multiple images included in the collection of images includes determining a line segment on which the projection node is an endpoint,
 the line segment being a portion of the projection path within the 3D space. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the determining of the line segment includes calculating a distance within the 3D space from the line segment to a further line segment that connects the player position to the camera position.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the determining of the pixel colors of the 2D scene is based on the camera position within the 3D space, a node position of the projection node, and a transform that corresponds to the one or more images.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the determining of the pixel colors of the 2D scene includes determining a projection-depth that corresponds to a 2D coordinate within the one or more images.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the determining of the projection-depth is based on a depth map that corresponds to the one or more images.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the determining of the pixel colors of the 2D scene based on the multiple images includes determining a projection-color that corresponds to a 2D coordinate within the image that corresponds to the projection node.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the determining of the projection-color is based on a color map that corresponds to the image among the multiple images.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the determining of the pixel colors of the 2D scene is based on a pre-computed weight that indicates an extent to which the one or more images influence the pixel colors of the 2D scene.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 accessing a further image that corresponds to a further projection node along the projection path within the 3D space; 
 determining further pixel colors of a further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from a further camera position; and 
 rendering the further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the further camera position by rendering the further pixel colors determined based on the further image. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the projection path has a forward direction in which the further projection node succeeds the multiple projection nodes along the projection path; and   the accessing of the further image is in response to movement of the player position within the 3D space in the forward direction of the projection path.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the projection path has a backward direction in which the further projection node precedes the multiple projection nodes along the projection path; and   the accessing of the further image is in response to movement of the player position within the 3D space in the backward direction of the projection path.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining further pixel colors of a further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from a further camera position; and 
 rendering the further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the further camera position by rendering the further pixel colors determined based on the rendered 2D scene. 
 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 accessing a collection of images, each image of the collection of images depicting at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) space from a projection node along a projection path, the projection path connecting multiple projection nodes within the 3D space, the collection of images being accessed based on a positioning of the projection node relative to a player position that represents a user within the 3D space;   determining pixel colors of the 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the projection node; and   rendering the 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the projection node by rendering the determined pixel colors.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 accessing a further image that corresponds to a further projection node along the projection path within the 3D space;   determining further pixel colors of a further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from a further camera position; and   rendering the further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the further camera position by rendering the further pixel colors determined based on the further image.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the projection path has a forward direction by which the further projection node succeeds the multiple projection nodes along the projection path; and   the accessing of the further image is in response to movement in the forward direction of the player position within the 3D space.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 an access module configured to access a collection of images, each image of the collection of images depicting at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) space from a projection node along a projection path, the projection path connecting multiple projection nodes within the 3D space, the collection of images being accessed based on a positioning of the projection node relative to a player position that represents a user within the 3D space;   a processor configured by a pixel module to determine pixel colors of the 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the projection node; and   a render module configured to render the 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the projection node by rendering the determined pixel colors.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the access module is configured to access a further image that corresponds to a further projection node along the projection path within the 3D space;   the pixel module configures the processor to determine further pixel colors of a further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from a further camera position; and   the render module is configured to render the further 2D scene that depicts at least some of the 3D space from the further camera position by rendering the further pixel colors determined based on the further image.