6.1 Future Work
To extend the functionality of this tool, there are a number of
other controls that could be added. The process defined by Viorel
Mihalef in his paper allowed the user to select a specific profile
from a library of 2d waves. The ability to import the desired profile
before building the wave would allow the creation of much more varied
wave shapes.
As it stands
the tool creates a wave surface that has no velocity in its direction
of travel, as if a camera were moving along side the wave profile.
The option to create a wave that travels through a surface would
yield much more realistic results as well as having a more practical
use when applying the tool to a project.
The tool allows
the user to manipulate the key profiles, interpolate to create the
in-between curves and then loft the surface. It would be more beneficial
to the user if they could build the wave complete with in-betweens
and then modify the key profiles. In real time the interpolated
curves would update allowing the user to preview the wave at full
resolution.
6.2
Summary
In this report
we have discussed the science behind the propagation of ocean swells,
and the physics that govern the breaking of waves as they reach
shallow water. We have looked at the previous application of ocean
waves in computer graphics, and identified a gap in the current
toolset for the control and animation of a breaking wave.
From studying
the most recent computer graphics papers we have found a method
that yields results similar to those we first set out to achieve,
and have adapted the technique to the software available to us and
to suit our specific needs.
The final tool
takes the form of a series of Maya GUI windows, which allows the
user to create a representation of a breaking wave in NURBS.
This tool provides
the user with a basic ability to generate breaking ocean waves.
Because we have not included any fluid solvers in the calculation
of the wave, the generated surfaces lack the dynamic realism of
real water. Also it should be pointed out that with this method,
the interaction of the waters surface with objects cannot be simulated
without the inclusion of 3d fluid solvers.
The success
of this tool is not fully tested until it is applied to the original
problem of proxy modelling for compositing. But we can see that
for relatively low computing time we can generate believable looking
breaking waves and also have a large degree of control over their
breaking pattern.
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