So I have been thinking extensively on these pareidolic icons and how actual implementation of them could work. What I have shown, though visually simple, is not procedural. In looking for something that is, I believe I have found a method which can not only give procedural heads, but full procedural avatars, and not only full avatars but an infinite variety of visibly different species!
Perhaps these species will be able to move and interact in interior spaces someday, but lets take it one step at a time.
Inspired by an odd mix of bioluminescent jellyfish, chakra points, the Data editor as presented in updates 10 and 11 (some of the math from which might be useful) and the Ship editor from back in the beginning,
my idea is for creating strings of points like beads, each of which anchors an invisible volumetric 3D shape upon which, the lines are projected with branches in enforced symmetry.
Each line is also a small string of beads, the size, shape, color, brightness, transparency, motion, length, etc. can be mathematically determined (or the values of which can represent derived information about the AI in question). I don’t know exactly how their appearance should be determined, but I am sure the graphics guru can come up with something interesting.
These shapes can and should vary in whatever dimensions and transformations are applicable, provided they have a front line from which to enforce symmetry and maximum limits on the distortions. While shapes can overlap and intersect with each other without problems, vertically, they should probably not extend more than halfway into another shape. Taking cues from nature, their horizontal dimensions should form in ratios to the vertical, such as the golden or similar ratios that when applied throughout, lend to a more natural appearance and avoid some volumes having a huge size difference compared to others.
Whether these shapes should be simple in their geometry or complex, I am not sure. I imagine a complex geometry would allow for more interesting and complex avatars, but the math of projecting onto them (especially symmetrically) may be significantly more complex and suffer from diminishing returns. If however the shapes are simple, I think that the lines themselves should be given a bit more variety and complexity.
The most important aspect of these icons/avatars is the ability for the player to recognize a face, and that is primarily through locating the eyes and mouth. This should work by creating branches off of the spinal string, to additional anchor points with their own smaller volumes and line projections.
Not only does this ensure that the essential visible features will always appear, but it also opens up the possibility for creating expressions through motion and color for the eyes and mouth without having to affect the other volumes that make up the head. NOTE: Information rich expressions shown through the motion and color change of lines in every volume would be the ideal, but I cannot readily think of a solution which would give that effect reliably while avoiding visual confusion.
It is also a good idea to allow any anchor point to utilize the various 3D volumes possible, as it will allow for a far greater visual diversity in avatar appearances. With some limitations applied to the randomness, visibly different species could be created by a particular genome, with each species having the same 3D volumetric shapes in the same locations along the spine with the same ratio between their sizes, yet the size of each shape, the particular line projections, the color and image patterns of said projections could vary by individual.
Genders/subtypes of each species could also be enforced by having several more consistent configurations tied to particular naming conventions. As a side note, accessories(jewellry/badges/faction symbols)) could also be applied by including small asymmetric branches off a particular spinal or other node.
An aspect of this spinal projection method I find interesting is that there is no reason to stop at the neck. You could take this method and apply it to a whole body. Branches could be applied to the spine in the same way eyes are to create limbs (in any number/size/shape you like). Here I am reminded of the creature creator in Spore. While I think that there are some similarities, spore squandered its possibilities to create cutesy creatures that EA preferred. I think that the line projection style, avoiding the opaque texturing can accomplish more by leaving more to the viewer’s imagination, only hinting at a body’s shape rather than explicitly rendering it.
With some ambition, these limbs, along with every volume could have some animation to them, allowing them to expand and contract, to breathe, to move and be expressive. Maybe someday
At any rate, I think what I have presented can give a good conceptual foundation for the implementation of some fairly unique and visually interesting avatars. Can more be said about them? yes; Can the idea be vastly improved? yes. My service rendered, I leave the concept in more capable hands.
Edit: I realize that on the facial volumes, I didn't actually create a separate volume for the mouth. It was in fact an idea I had after I drew them, and didn't feel like re-drawing both heads.
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