New MoP graphics engine settings - SSAO (Screen Space Ambient Occlusion)

[Daeveren]

I was looking for more info about this new feature, but could barelly find any. And since I've just got myself in the beta I figured I should post here some comparison screenshots with SSAO on and off.

Combined with the new ligting and shadows engine in MoP, SSAO (wikipedia link) really improves the visual atmosphere in WoW scenes. Even tho SSAO itself it's quite subtle unless you specifically look for it, overall it improves the image quality and depth.

Some comparison screenshots with SSAO off and then on - I recommend opening the pictures in different tabs of your browser so that you can switch through them for comparison purposes. Thumbnails are linked to the original size version (1920x1080) of the screenshots.


Scene 1- most notable differences are on the left side of the image and under the player's mount






Scene 2 - here it really makes a huge difference on the stairs and on the fence






Scene 3 - even in interior scenes the difference is visible






Scene 4 - it works even for objects in distance






Scene 5







Comparison screenshots taken from same spot in Org, between live and MoP engine.






And bonus:

The new mists/fog effects







Player reflections on water (not to be confused with shadows, even tho they look quite similar)







Notes:

• currently on beta, SSAO only works with multisampling set to 1x (AA off)
• player reflections on water only show up on the 'good' Liquid Detail settings, once you set to 'ultra' they dissapear; also, the reflections are only visible from certain angles (camera close to horizontal plane) and are quite misplaced, they're not actually 'true' reflections.

[Dither9]

Can someone please explain to me what SSAO does? I can only see differences in the first comparison and it just looks like the mount has been lifted off the screen slightly.

[Lumine]

I was glad to see that they were adding some new effects.

The Fog/Mist is looking good but I'm not totally sold on the SSAO as they currently have it set. With AA set to 1x it makes player characters look superimposed on the scene.

Personally I'd love to see normal mapping added and some more work done on local lighting.

[Daeveren]

Can someone please explain to me what SSAO does? I can only see differences in the first comparison and it just looks like the mount has been lifted off the screen slightly.

Try looking at the other sets of pics aswell, especially in the Scene 2 the differences are pretty obvious.

As for the explanation, I think a good one comes from Blizzard themselves, have a look here from 5:40 http://youtu.be/PxrovhsK9fo?t=5m40s

[Demithio]

SSAO kills performance, unless you're on a very high end video card. I find that SSAO offers little graphical enhancement for the performance cost. You will see the effects of SSAO mainly in areas such as beds of grass and things of that nature. Now if Blizzard were to implement a DX11 Ambient Occlusion (such as what LOTRO has) the results would be much more dramatic visually.

[Articuno]

SSAO kills performance, unless you're on a very high end video card. I find that SSAO offers little graphical enhancement for the performance cost. You will see the effects of SSAO mainly in areas such as beds of grass and things of that nature. Now if Blizzard were to implement a DX11 Ambient Occlusion (such as what LOTRO has) the results would be much more dramatic visually.

SSAO IS ambient occlusion, the term stands for "Screen Space Ambient Occlusion".

[Daeveren]

Enabling SSAO currently on beta isn't taxing on fps on my pc atleast (I get higher fps drop from changing shadows from Good to Ultra).
Worth noting that SSAO on 'low' is almost unnoticeable... pretty much, with their current implementation, you either have it on 'high', either have it disabled.

[Demithio]

SSAO IS ambient occlusion, the term stands for "Screen Space Ambient Occlusion".

Yes I know that already, thanks, but its a DX9 part. As I said, DX11 AO would have a much more dramatic effect for those with DX11 video cards with less performance hit. SSAO DX9 can still be used for those without, with a performance hit.

---------- Post added 2012-05-06 at 03:48 PM ----------

Enabling SSAO currently on beta isn't taxing on fps on my pc atleast (I get higher fps drop from changing shadows from Good to Ultra).
Worth noting that SSAO on 'low' is almost unnoticeable... pretty much, with their current implementation, you either have it on 'high', either have it disabled.

Like I said, it depends on your video card. I see a bit of a hit with SSAO high and 1x AA (the only mode it currently works in), in areas that SSAO actaully has an effect. I'm on a OCed 470 GTX, you may have better.

[MasterHamster]

Alright, now I know I'm either very tired or that my eye sight has deteriorated.

Can't tell any difference

[Paulosio]

Alright, now I know I'm either very tired or that my eye sight has deteriorated.

Can't tell any difference

Click the images and open them in full size rather than just looking at the thumbs in the OPs post. I don't actually think it looks better with it off or on... just slightly different shadowing.

[dokhidamo]

I see no difference except some lighting effects are darker in the one image set.

[Anetheros]

It somehow looks like they're faking it (especially obvious in the first picture under the upper part of the dragons wings - why would they cast a shadow onto the ground?).

Also, the water reflections still aren't perspectively accurate but rather distorted & flipped copies of the actual render.

[Horrid Crow]

Looks actually really bad with some objects, and better with others. For example, the stairs in the second scene are a lot better with this new effect, but the player and tree branches on the right look like fake cardboard pieces floating in front of the rest of the scenery...

[Daeveren]

I see a bit of a hit with SSAO high and 1x AA (the only mode it currently works in), in areas that SSAO actaully has an effect. I'm on a OCed 470 GTX, you may have better.

For me it's around 5% fps drop enabling SSAO on 'high' (AA off, GeForce 460 OC)

[MrHappy]

nice ty for the comparison shots it realyl does add depth to the game and makes the lighting much more realistic and better. I am liking hte change

...now only to acquire a new graphics card to run wow on ultra to see the awesomness >.>

[LegendaryDude]

I hope i am not the only one who sees absolutely no difference

[Gritalian]

I hope i am not the only one who sees absolutely no difference

You're not, but lets just pretend we see it.

[Trassk]

the mist effect over the water is really nice, just hope it doesn't eat up much on my graphics card :S

[Axelhander]

I hope i am not the only one who sees absolutely no difference

You're not. I suspect it's because there's no difference.

[ihateyouall]

It's hard to see the difference in the thumbnails. Open up both pictures of the big staircase in pandaria, make sure you're looking at them full-sized, and compare. That's probably the shot where it is the most visible. If you can't see it on that comparison, umm, I don't know what to say. Take off your sunglasses?