---
title: "Global Illumination in Once Human: A Hybrid Approach for 16km Open World"
authors:
  - "Maode Shi"
  - "Lele Pan"
year: 2025
venue: "GDC 2025"
arxiv: null
doi: null
source: "https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/global-illumination-in-once-human-a-hybrid-approach-for-16km-open-world/907269"
topics:
  - "gi"
  - "probes"
  - "neural-compression"
  - "tod"
  - "open-world"
seed_rank: 1418
seed_batch: "gi-nature-2026-08-27"
reviewed: "2026-08-27"
pool: "graphics"
relevance_score: 9
lineage: china-graphics
cites:
  - title: "Dynamic Diffuse Global Illumination with Ray-Traced Irradiance Fields"
    url: "https://jcgt.org/published/0008/02/01/"
    year: 2019
    arxiv: null
    doi: null
  - title: "Lumen: Real-time Global Illumination in Unreal Engine 5"
    url: "https://advances.realtimerendering.com/s2022/"
    year: 2022
    arxiv: null
    doi: null
see:
  - "318-dynamic-diffuse-global-illumination-with-ray-traced-irradian"
  - "005-radiance-cascades-a-novel-approach-to-calculating-global-ill"
---

# Global Illumination in Once Human: A Hybrid Approach for 16km Open World

## One-sentence takeaway

16km TOD GI, 69:1 neural probe compression, flashlight-reactive probes, ML light-leak, PC+mobile. THE shipping Chinese hybrid GI talk.

## Why it's lovely

Why you might love this: A 16 km world that still bounces light, on PC and mobile. NetEase's hybrid GI — not a Western near-equivalent.

## Problem

Open-world GI at 16 km with 24h TOD cannot be Lumen-at-all-costs or a static lightmap. Mobile plus PC, flashlight-reactive probes, light-leak, memory.

## Design

- Hybrid GI: probes + bake + runtime, NetEase Once Human.
- Neural compression of probes (~69:1) for TOD.
- Flashlight-reactive probes; ML light-leak fix.
- GDC 2025 session 907269; schedule.gdconf.com URL from harvest.

## Evidence

Shipped-class Chinese hybrid GI. Do not drop for Lumen/DDGI near-equivalents — that is the China-shelf rule.

## Limitations

Talk. Session page, not a TOG paper. Details live in the GDC presentation.

## Implications for Broadside

Anoptic open-world GI on a budget: this is the China production card next to Lumen (1377) and DDGI (318). Different constraints, same problem.

## Bottom line

Mint Once Human GI. 16 km hybrid, NetEase.

## Links

- URL: https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/global-illumination-in-once-human-a-hybrid-approach-for-16km-open-world/907269