Volumetric LightRays

I don't really remember the exact technique I used for the shots on that thread (I think it was still partially CPU assisted back then), I modified our light shaft rendering system countless times. But in essence, it always boils down to a volumetric visualization technique.

On todays hardware, you would probably use a slicing technique. You basically render multiple geometric slices through the shaft volume, orientated in parallel to the current camera plane. The slices are textured according to some 3D function - be it a 3D texture, a noise function, some pixel shader simulating a falloff cone, whatever. You then multiply with a projected shadowmap comparison (from the light point of view) to get volumetric shadows. Multiplying the result with an animated Perlin noise function simulates floating particles in the air, like dust or mist.

What effect exactly would you like to reproduce ?

I was just wanting to do lightrays in general. Rays coming through a window, or rays shooting off of a spotlight, etc... Basically, what you demonstrated in the screenshots in that thread (nice stuff btw...)

My artists have been clamoring for some nice engine assited lightrays (currently doing the extruded geometry with additive blending, which they are unhappy with). Having the shadows in the lightrays is just a bonus (though the technique you describe seems fairly straight forward).

I need to read the explanation you just give a bit more, to try and digest it... still having trouble visualizing the technique :p

But thanks, it's giving me something to think about.