I''m writin'' a 3D space flight game in DX8 and I really don''t know how to make a sphere-mapped space backdrop. I''m currently using a cube-mapped backdrop as implemented in the "Water" sample in the DX8 SDK, but I don''t like the look. It''s too....well......"cube-y". You can totally tell that you''re flying around inside a giant cube. Does anyone know how to implement a sperically-mapped backdrop? Thanks in advance! HanSolo Sector 13 Games

Could you be a bit more specific why it seems to look like a "cube". For me sky-box looks just like "real sky". Maybe you are using ugly textures or can you see the cube''s edges?

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Thank you, but I fixed the problem. It was in fact just ugly texturing. If anyone has the same problem, you can find a solution at:

http://www.gamasutra.com/features/visual_arts/19981023/skybox_02.htm

HanSolo
Sector 13 Games

Hi. I am using Direct3D 8.0

I know how to render a textured box with normals pointing in.

I think this is how a sky box is made?

I don''t know how to make the box stay in the same position no matter where the "camera" is.
If I move around I can go to the edge of the sky box.

In sky box sample programs I have seen, the sky always seems to be off in the distance.

How is this accomplished?

Perhaps calculate the skybox separately from other in-game objects... rotate it according to the angles you have for the camera, but don''t translate it based on the camera position. This should be fine assuming the skybox is centred around the origin. There are probably better ways, but I''d try that myself.