DynaPix - Normal Map Pixelization for Dynamic Lighting

We propose a simple method for emulating the effect of data moshing, without relying on the corruption of encoded video, and explore its use in different application scenarios. Like traditional data moshing, we apply motion information to mismatched visual data. Our approach uses off-the-shelf optical flow estimation to generate motion vectors for each pixel. Our core algorithm can be implemented in a handful of lines but unlocks multiple video editing effects. The use of accurate optical flow rather than compression data also creates a more natural transition without block artifacts. We hope our method provides artists and content creators with more creative freedom over the process of data moshing.

Art assets for games can be time intensive to produce. Whether it is a full 3D world, or simpler 2D background, creating good looking assets takes time and skills that are not always readily available. Time can be saved by using repeating assets, but visible repetition hurts immersion. Procedural generation techniques can help make repetition less uniform, but do not remove it entirely. Both approaches leave noticeable levels of repetition in the image, and require significant time and skill investments to produce. Video game developers in hobby, game jam, or early prototyping situations may not have access to the required time and skill. We propose a framework to produce layered 2D backgrounds without the need for significant artist time or skill. In our pipeline, the user provides segmented photographic input, instead of creating traditional art, and receives game-ready assets. By utilizing photographs as input, we can achieve both a high level of realism for the resulting background texture as well as a shift from manual work away towards computational run-time which frees up developers for other work.