The problem with NovaLogic's VoxelSpace engine (used in Delta Force, Comanche and Armored Fist series) is that it's using a height map, and to speed up rendering, "locks" the Z axis to simplify a bunch of formulas to render voxels comprising the terrain much faster. Comanche 1 and 2 used sprites so that wasn't as noticeable, but Comanche 3 introduced polygon-based models, where the third axis speedup produces uneven deformation when looking up or down (you can see it in the video). You can see the same problem in OutCast. The choice of an engine with such limitations for a tank an helicopter and a ground soldier game is interesting, and you can notice how most of the gameplay in those games involves long range action along the horizontal plane. Notice how NovaLogic jet fighters games do not use VoxelSpace but a polygon-based terrain engine.
Today voxel-based renderers must allow correctly projected 6-DOF orientation of the viewport, and not just render terrain but arbitrary objects, and integrate together with various lightning and shader effects to stand any chance outside the neo-retro or abstract category.
"voxels" are also a demoscene term for a method of rendering height-mapped landscapes in 3D, using a kind of raycasting technique. Technically they are "voxels", but the algorithm and their use is quite different from the sort of thing talked about here.
one thing is that only the landscape is rendered as "voxels" and it's mostly a textured height map, so it can't contain multi-level structures such as bridges, etc. it's best suited for mountain ranges and beaches and things like that.
just the term "voxels" is quite generic already, and doesn't really describe one algorithm over another, except that you're not using polygons.
Comments
In the Comanche series, "voxels" were a selling point on the box.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku-ICQvQJGI&sns=em
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comanche_series
No story I've seen on this engine seems to mention that series.
The problem with NovaLogic's VoxelSpace engine (used in Delta Force, Comanche and Armored Fist series) is that it's using a height map, and to speed up rendering, "locks" the Z axis to simplify a bunch of formulas to render voxels comprising the terrain much faster. Comanche 1 and 2 used sprites so that wasn't as noticeable, but Comanche 3 introduced polygon-based models, where the third axis speedup produces uneven deformation when looking up or down (you can see it in the video). You can see the same problem in OutCast. The choice of an engine with such limitations for a tank an helicopter and a ground soldier game is interesting, and you can notice how most of the gameplay in those games involves long range action along the horizontal plane. Notice how NovaLogic jet fighters games do not use VoxelSpace but a polygon-based terrain engine.
Today voxel-based renderers must allow correctly projected 6-DOF orientation of the viewport, and not just render terrain but arbitrary objects, and integrate together with various lightning and shader effects to stand any chance outside the neo-retro or abstract category.
"voxels" are also a demoscene term for a method of rendering height-mapped landscapes in 3D, using a kind of raycasting technique. Technically they are "voxels", but the algorithm and their use is quite different from the sort of thing talked about here.
one thing is that only the landscape is rendered as "voxels" and it's mostly a textured height map, so it can't contain multi-level structures such as bridges, etc. it's best suited for mountain ranges and beaches and things like that.
just the term "voxels" is quite generic already, and doesn't really describe one algorithm over another, except that you're not using polygons.