Recursive Space

Creators: Alexander Bruce
Engine: Unreal Tournament 2004
Modification: UT2K4 Level Component

Last Update: 14th July 2007
Current Status: Working. Minor fixes left.
Further Development: Improving interaction with trace weapons
Download: Not yet available

Description: Bringing an old mechanic to a new dimension...

Page 5 - Implementation - Detailed Backgrounds

In addition to removing artifacts that appear from decals, there's another reason why making the portals unlit is useful. Given that it's our AlphaBlack ConstantColor texture that is dealing with our opacity and clearing up our trails, we can put whatever we want in the diffuse slot of the shader, and end up with nicer recursive worlds.

Making the walls unlit means that we'll actually be able to see these new textures that we apply to our walls, as otherwise the portals would still be black unless light sources within the level were affecting them. I threw together this quick example using one of the SkyRender textures so you could see the difference. It's not perfect, but I'm sure if I gave it the time later to create custom textures for each wall it could be.

Recursive Space with Clouds

The only thing I've been unable to get working even with this method was the SkyBox, as it doesn't really make sense to have a surface that's both a Portal and a Fake Backdrop. However, I'd say things have progressed along rather nicely from the completely unplayable Hall of Mirrors effect we initially got just by placing two portals facing each other. Now, onto the more experimental bit that I'm still working on.