Virtual Haj version Alpha 1.9 video

We won Gold Medal at ITEX '10

Our booth in 21st International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition under Multimedia University at KLCC Convention Center 14th to 16th May 2010. Virtual Haj project won Gold Medal under education category.We would like to thank MDeC, Research Management Center (RMC), MMU, FCM, our 5 interns as well as family, friends and supporters for this award. Virtual Haj Alpha Demo 3 ITEX version will be online soon.

Almost ready Saei Corridor

Need to add some walls before wrapping up Saei corridor model. Baked texture of windows looks ok. Window texture image not done yet.
Saf lines aligning towards kaaba are on the Saei floor. This view is facing Safa. In this angle, we can see kaaba as well.
This is the view towards Marwah hill. In between these two rows of columns is the path for the elderly and those on wheelchair. Marwah hill is just a few inches off the floor and we can walk on it.
Another view towards Safa. We have to walk to and fro these two hills 7 times. Everytime we reach a hill, we stop for a while, then face the kaaba and say our prayers.

Baking shadows for Saei Floor

Shadows for the intricate window motifs in Saei corridor requires texture baking and some image editing. Will only use floor maps for shadows but not maps for columns etc.
Details of window motifs modeled using a series of boxes to help cast the shadows. May not reflect the actual motif on the saei corridor (original motif is a lot more intricate - cannot use boxes).
Raw baked shadows casted on Saei floor. Image requires overlay with marble texture and gradient dispersement (the corridor is actually brightly lit) before the final image map can be produced.
Raw baked shadows as mapped in Saei corridor. Detail window motifs will not be imported into the game engine. Only a texture map version will be used for the windows in the game.

New Tawaf model converted to game

There were several issues while converting the tawaf model. Z-buffering (rendering near and far overlapping objects) especially high contrast objects (white inner roof of old section tier 1 to dark brown brick arches) generates crawling overlapping effect.
The other problem is some UV textures are not in its correct position especially long large polygons. May need editing of UVs before exporting. See that back wall not aligned with front columns?.
Initially the carpets are texture baked but the output is too large textures (need more than 512 pixel) or small texture but the carpet will be too pixelated (jagged edges of texture). Not texture baked for the moment. May consider using vertex color instead.
Collision with outer walls now happen earlier (before reaching the walls) and a special invisible collision object will be built as the switch between Tawaf model to Saei building. Upon collision with this special object, the tawaf model will then switch to Saei model.

Other problems include objects need mirroring (maybe transformation matrix conversion problem), objects need repositioning, material inconsistencies and normal alignment (may also be from the mirroring issue). Lately there's also object deformation problems (still checking what's causing it).

Baked Textures for Tier 0

We now have baked textures for Tier 0 area. Notice the shadows. Crowd shadows are not possible using this method (crowd is dynamic - moving!).
However, we are limiting the texture size not to exceed 512 pixel. This should enable unaccelerated graphics to run it. We aim for the best possible quality to run on the lowest possible hardware for this project.
The whole Tier 0 has been subdivided into 5 areas: Kaaba + round floor, and the four corners including stairs. Other tiers coming up!.

Saei Crowd Design

Saei Crowd is a little different from Tawaf crowd. In Tawaf, the crowd rotates around Kaaba. In Saei, the crowd should walk from one hill to the other from one side of the corridor to the next. The different characteristics of the two crowds are...

Tawaf Crowd Group:
a. 10 people per group.
b. People scattered all over the group boundary.
c. Each person has walk cycle animation but static in position.
d. Some facing and waving to the Kaaba near Hajarul Aswad & Yamani corners.*
e. Group is animated rotating around Kaaba.
*Not implemented yet

Initial Saei Crowd Group:
a. 10 people per group.
b. People scattered all over the group boundary.
c. Each person has walk cycle animation but static in position.
d. Some facing and waving to the Kaaba when they arrive at each hill.
e. Group is animated to follow a continuous path from one hill to the next.

Revised Saei Crowd Group:
a. 10 people per group.
b. People start walk animation from one side of the group boundary and end at the other side
c. 4 sets of different animation groupings needed; walk level, walk up ramp, walk down ramp and turn.
d. Group is not animated but positioned in a chain and may be slightly overlapping.
e. When one animation in a group ends, the start of animation on the next group will make the people in the crowd seemed like continuously moving forward.
f. Some facing and waving to the Kaaba when they arrive at each hill.

Problems with the initial idea of the Saei crowd animation are (reasons for the revised design):
1. When moving from level floor to ramp, some crowd may be buried and/or lifted off the ground.
2. Animation on ramp may make the people's body not vertical but slanting upwards or downwards.
3. Wierd animation may occur at the turning point at the hills (inner turn too slow, outer turn too fast).