2:1 360 fov

[caseybasichis]

Is is possible to render a spherical map?

[Kojack]

A standard matrix style projection (such as in ogre and 99% of directx/opengl projects) can't handle wide fov well. Above 120 or so results in distortion on the sides, and 180 or above is impossible.

You can get wider fov by using multiple cameras and a compositor. For example, 6 cameras facing up, down, left, right, forwards, backwards. Have these into the sides of a cubic texture. Then have a compositor that converts from cubic to spherical.

[madmarx]

Or you put everything in the view of your camera, and then with custom shaders (note that geometry shader is mandatory to cut some triangles) you can render 360. It is not easy though because of the loop suppression.
You can also make forward rendering of (for example) 4 90° camera with correct angle between each them, if you don't care about vertical 180.
You ll find the fovx calculation on the ogre forums, search 'madmarx + fovx'.
Best regards,
Pierre

[Transporter]

We use 6 projectors to project over 252 degree with this technology http://www.vioso.com/. In out case we have 6 cams and a modified D3D9 render system which does the warping and blending stuff.