Visual Analysis of N64-era Zelda Games #2 (Pre-Rendering)

Following on from the previous post, this post aims to address further visual differences between the two eras of Zelda games.

Pre-Rendered Scenes.

Due to the Nintendo 64's lack of power, small scenes were pre-rendered at a higher level of visual quality than were required. These small areas would be very basic in interaction, usually just collision areas, maybe a pot or two or even a chest.

Ocarina of Time made use of this quite a lot, even in some core areas that the player would visit a multiple of times.

These scenes are made in modelling software to the highest poly count possible and then rendered out for use as a texture. The new texture is then placed in the background and any collisions are placed in the environment.

Because the scene is basically one large texture and collisions, its possible to create quite visually stunning scenes, especially considering what hardware it is running on.

Basically, the scene above without any visuals would look very similar to this:

The high quality rendered texture would be at the far back, and the red outlines act as collisions to prevent the player going off the image and breaking the illusion.

Depending on the scene however, a more advanced method would be utilised. In addition to just an over head view, sometimes and entire room will be pre-rendered from a closeup perspective.

Now instead of having just a static 2D overhead camera with limited movement, this new perspective is now a more tradition 3D / third-person camera. This means that the camera is now the pivot of this particular room, as the player moves in either direction the camera will continue to follow them providing a greater illusion of high quality 3D environment.

This method too is quite simplistic and used more often than the previous method above, it too can be used as an alternative method as it can include the same overhead view.

To achieve this more in depth 3D illusion, the game makes use of cubemaps. This is when each side of a cube is given a similar high quality pre-render and when combined creates a seamless environment.

When placed onto a cube and a camera placed in the centre, this will create the effect of a cylindrical room. As the player runs around the scene, the camera will always be able to focus on the character. Also because this cubemap has a bottom image too, an additional camera can be placed overhead and the two can be switched between in real time. Thus making it appear as if this is a very detailed environment, when in fact its simply a very basic octagonal scene, with some minor collisions for furniture.

Usage

Windwaker (WW) does not use any pre-rendered scenes of the kind because the hardware is capable at rendering much higher quality visuals and a greater amount of 3D information. So any room in WW has been created in full 3D allowing for 360 camera movement.

WW does has opportunities to incorporate this style of environment as there as numerous small rooms, especially at the beginning of the game. So, it should be possible.