High Quality Normal Map Compression

Munkberg, Jacob; Akenine-Möller, Tomas; Ström, Jacob

High Quality Normal Map Compression

Files

095-101.pdf (1.75 MB)

Date

2006

Authors

Munkberg, Jacob
Akenine-Möller, Tomas
Ström, Jacob

Publisher

The Eurographics Association

Abstract

Normal mapping is a widely used technique in real-time graphics, but so far little research has focused on compressing normal maps. Therefore, we present several simple techniques that improve the quality of ATI s 3Dc normal map compression algorithm. We use varying point distributions, rotation, and differential encoding. On average, this improves the peak-signal-to-noise-ratio by 3 dB, which is clearly visible in rendered images. Our algorithm also allows us to better handle slowly varying normals, which often occurs in real-world normal maps. We also describe the decoding process in detail.

        @inproceedings{:10.2312/EGGH/EGGH06/095-101
,
booktitle = {Graphics Hardware
},
editor = {Marc Olano and Philipp Slusallek
},
title = {{High Quality Normal Map Compression
}},
author = {Munkberg, Jacob and 
Akenine-Möller, Tomas and 
Ström, Jacob
},
year = {2006
},
publisher = {The Eurographics Association
},
ISSN = {1727-3471
},
ISBN = {3-905673-37-1
},
DOI = {/10.2312/EGGH/EGGH06/095-101
}
}