mdgunn
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Posts posted by mdgunn
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16 hours ago, jen said:
Useful for minimaps!
Never got round to mini maps yet so out of interest is the mechanism presented here the most obvious choice to go with or what are 1 or 2 other ways that might be considered?
I imagine it depends on your game of course (as always) so I suppose I mean in most cases what methods might have been used?
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12 minutes ago, ScrotieFlapWack said:
@Core in Leadwerks when you calculate your normals you will want to specify an angle rather than calculating the normal angle by an average. I would recommend to try and put a high angle like 70 or 90 and see if that works for you.
@mdgunn when you mark edges as sharp in Blender that adds a tag to that edge, its mainly for the edge split modifier. Marking edges as sharp lets the edge split modifier know which edges the modifier is applied to.
Had a quick google and there seems to be a degree of confusion, among Blender users themselves, and in the thread I read some users cite Blenders manual and others informing that the manual is/was incorrect.
https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/55975/what-is-the-role-of-auto-smooth
My conclusion from the thread was that auto-smooth is pretty much doing the same thing as split mesh modifier (including respecting sharp marked edges). Someone said it doesn't add (extra/duplicate?) vertices, though some said game engines/gpus in the end usually do.
So why 2 similar things, auto-smooth, and split mesh modifier Usually this is because modifiers sometimes add more control, or by being a modifier you can make their operation occur at a particular place in the modifier stack.
Open to further corrections.
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I still get a bit confused about the different options here but I think you may want to look at auto-smooth in blender. I think having this on means that resulting models have edges SPLIT (at a threshold - so avoiding individually marking this) so that they must be represented as truly flat by other programs. Auto-smooth values of 30 degrees usually work for most things but depending on the model you may need higher or lower. You can apply the same thing locally to any edge. I think this is 'Sharpen Edge' command. I always get this confused with creasing too but I think making stuff to be considered sharp is what will work when exported outside blender.
I could be totally wrong so anyone feel free to correct me.
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I'm trying to practice modelling now and then so I had a go at a similar couch. Your's is more detailed. Mine turned out at 417 faces 852 tris. Wouldn't call myself an expert but image attached if any use.
I'm using a number of simple unconnected intersecting meshes (same single blender edit object) with hidden faces removed. Not trying to model out a single box modelled block. If you know what I mean? The cushions of course take the most geometry. I like the idea of trying to re-use many simple 'materials' in a larger shared texture which I think would boost performance significantly and maybe offset to a degree medium-poly modelling. I wouldn't say I've settled on a particular method myself though.
Currently I've found it quite satisfying and quick to take things to a low or mid level of geometry with multiple simple materials (which you can then drag and drop to switch in leadwerks), rather than regenerating maps all the time.
Thanks for the vid @ScrotieFlapWack . I follow that person on YouTube already but I'm always forgetting to go back through his stuff.
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Oh..forgot to say...glad to see the update and hear you're still moving forward
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There are some free or good assets and tutorials on Fusion 360 GumRoad
E.g. this guy
https://gumroad.com/mrdavids1#
Think he and others are also on CubeBrush.
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I'd be interested. Can't promise I'll have the time to provide much useful feedback but I can try.
Personally I use PlayStation VR. You might want some non oculus/vive feebback? Can be a bit janky as I don't have everything set up as well as you can (in principle you can do passable/decent sitting or even roomscale VR with head tracking and controller tracking).
I have previously had LeadWerks working with the PSVR and it worked fine (at least to get a simple static scene going). Cool to see your own world in VR. Am certainly interested in getting it a bit more functional and simple to use.
I'd probably be considering a simple VR (or VR supported) game for xmas competition (depending on some further success and a idea to engage me).
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Thanks for the update. Anyone is free to add a post in the Suggestion Box.
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Ah right......it was a close thing really. I did kill all but 2, if I was at the end, ..a lift up? Unfortunately the 2 fire imp creatures followed me into the lift....I was sort of playing around with them. They killed me in the lift. Game-play wise....maybe better I lost like that than had an easy escape.
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Great effort. My poor aim led to me running out of ammo (near the end I think) . If I could punch, that might be an option.
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Had some trouble entering main maps (after note). Tried 1280x720 with vsync of and that helped a bit. Ultimately it crashed and before that would flicker to black occasionally. I have multi-monitor setup so it might have been an extra factor.
Good game though. Quite a complete effort, with the music and effects. Good job.
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I suspect not. Didn't think format dealt with instances but not really speaking from a position of any significant knowledge.
Why would you want to do this (I'm sure there are good reasons)?
Are you trying to design the level in Max and not have to re-create in Leadwerks?
If that is the aim how about putting nulls/empties (whatever max uses for the term) or maybe a bone if empties don't work. If you have a name you would later recognise in a script in Leadwerks you could locate these elements and place a mesh there (so gaining instancing from Leadwerks I think?).
Alternatively maybe you need a script to run through the map elements in max and write out some data which you can then read in later in Leadwerks. E.g. you generate a lua script setting up a table with elements of position, type etc. for boxes etc and Leadwerks creates instances.
Dunno what max is like but I would of thought this fairly simple to do in Blender (if you have a small amount of scripting knowledge - which I have only seen a little of but I think is probably not very difficult).
Max must have some equivalent but if not you export the FBX from Max, import to Blender and run the script there.
Maybe you need to give us a little more information on the WHY bit so we understand the overall goal?
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Python would be nice. I think it would have to be easy to integrate and low maintenance (if it locked in the core). If the generators you mention work out maybe it is.
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Exit Zed is my submission for the Halloween 2017 tournament. Wasn't sure if this was the place to post it but some others seem to have.
Get it here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2jpIzs3rRC2SUs3eHZoRThIY3M
My main aims was to brush up on a workflow for generating levels and generating my own meshes in Blender.
Making a fun game was sort of secondary, sorry. The game design I wanted kept changing and what is in here is not at all what I wanted but just what I had to drop in at the last minute. Standard FPS fare, shoot stuff and run mostly.
You should be able to get to the end but I've yet to put a 'nice' end in place and the game will probably quit out. You should know that you reach the last exit though.
The zombies may seem a bit bugged and get back up on you. This was going to be the intention though in it's current state it probably seems more like a bug.
Standard FPS controls. Torch may be useful in some cases - it won't run out either!
Exe is called escape zed, not sure at what point I changed my mind but I hadn't updated the project to reflect the name change. I'll probably change it again but for now I'll go with Exit Zed as the official title.
Gun sounds need to be toned down a lot so apologies for that.
EDIT: Just checked the build again. Seemed to play to end fine before but possible crash a few maps in. Will need to check again later tomorrow.
EDIT2: Tried it again, didn't crash. See how you get on.
EDIT3: A few more shots from development.
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If you're thinking about releasing a game you should also check out https://itch.io/
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Problem map is still a problem for me but in a new fresh project I haven't reproduced in recent tests. I was pretty sure I'd reproduced in 2 different clean projects previously.
As a reminder the unusual elements here are:-
1. This is happening for CSG steps (though I originally hit the problem with meshes so it may be both)
2. If I rotate the problems steps back to the north south position they seem fine.
Maybe Josh has a way of better understanding what is up with the steps.
This kinda threw me of my stride for the game competition but I hope to get back into things and plan to build some more maps so I have a chance to run into it again over the next few weeks.
I'll report back if it comes up again.
Cheers guys
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12 hours ago, Thirsty Panther said:
Have you tried to make a new map from scratch?
Are you using the player prefab? With your map the player gets stuck just before the steps start. Its like the players physics cylinder is catching on the step.
Hope this helps.
Pretty sure everything was as close to neutral as possible. I thought that I did the map from scratch in an FPS template but it's possible I moved the problem map into the FPS template I suppose. The player controller is the default prefab with no modifications to the script.
I will try again with another FPS template 100% from scratch to makes sure things are a clean as possible.
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23 hours ago, macklebee said:
What it turned out to be was that if you zoomed way in to see the profile of this small bump, its face angled in such a way that the player controller was interpreting the face as a slope too great for the controller to climb.I think the fix was to clean up the angle and it seemed to work properly after that.
Thanks for the info. I had wondered if it was a mesh issue which is why in my example I re-did the steps just as CSG. Could be that it's still something with how CSG gets converted to mesh, but if it is then that sounds like a bug.
I'll do a few more tests.
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3 hours ago, Thirsty Panther said:
I agree with you. You should not have too have a work around for basic items such as the stairs that you are using.
Out of interest I changed stairs height to 10cm and the problem persisted. So there is something odd going on.
I couldn't find that other post I was thinking of. From memory he was using a model that had a bevel on the step that was causing the problem. So different to yours.
I went into the FPS controller map and rotated the blocks in there and it didn't replicate the problem ie worked as normal.
I also made my own map with stairs 16cm high and 24cm deep using the FPS player prefab with no problems.
Hopefully Josh will have a look at it.
Interesting....
So just to be clear, you are saying you tried my map and saw the problem in that specific map even with steps 10cm high?
But are you saying you made your own map and didn't see the problem even on steps rotated (or constructed) in east/west direction?
Also if you didn't see it maybe try steps that run east-west but are not at ground (zero) level. I forget if it was a factor but I remember I first noticed it when I had steps up on a higher level.
I usually use pivots attached to CSG steps so I can move and rotate all at once. Could also be a factor if trying to reproduce isn't seeing the same results..
...thanks for looking into it.
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Just now, Thirsty Panther said:
Someone had a similar problem ages ago.
Their player was getting caught on a small step.
Sorry I cant remember the solution.
I'm on my way to work now so I have a search when I get home.
Out of interest. would you go the invisible ramp route? sounds like you may have not needed to do this, so maybe you do different game types where it isn't an issue?
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1 minute ago, cassius said:
yyou could put an invisible ramp over the dteps. I use ramp with steps texture on it, not real steps.
Yeah I mention this in the workaround, but thanks for stating this as I AM interested to know if working around this is wide-spread.:
QuoteWORKAROUND: Use alternate CSG ramp (material invisible) or collision mesh with ramp for physics collision. Ramp means there's nothing to bump into but stairs now feel like ramps.
Should we really need to work around it, or is everyone working round something that everyone would hope worked without the need to work around it?
My concern is that for this simplistic situation should the physics (or engine) behave with this variance (north-south vs east-west)? In this case a bit or geometry running north-south is fine till you turn it west-east. No problem one way, then BOOM problem.
A 16 high step is the sort of scenario where I think it would be fair to expect this issue not to occur. This step size is the officially recommend size so if it has problems best not recommend it. I think other sizes may have been OK actually. Even if bigger. However, as I think Josh probably concluded when making his recommendations 16x24 generally works out quite well. Particularly if building for modular layouts.
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When climbing small stairs (only 24 deep x 16 high)running in EAST-WEST direction (if looking in top view) - EAST/WEST IS IMPORTANT!
You may often get snagged on a teeny tiny step. Needless to say this is a disaster if you're being chased by a monster/enemy so in my opinion this is a major problem. Baffled as to why I've not heard it mentioned so maybe I'm doing something silly but seems straightforward to encounter to me.
Maybe someone else can test and see if results vary?
The same steps (copy paste) in a north south direction never seem to snag. Seems to be some physics bug. Affects both meshes and CSG. I think it may get worse if mesh is more complex, i.e. more triangles per step and you simply use polymesh for physics mesh calculation.
WORKAROUND: Use alternate CSG ramp (material invisible) or collision mesh with ramp for physics collision. Ramp means there's nothing to bump into but stairs now feel like ramps.
I can't remember for sure but it may be more obvious if steps are elevated (so you aren't on 0 plane - may be a false assumption).
Test map. Use with default FPS template.
east-west-step-physics-issue.map
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6VeumVppQE&feature=youtu.be
C++ Tutorial
in Programming
Posted
I think you are coming across the bug I mentioned here:
where the tutorial is not fully in line with the code. The actor class is there and should work out OK but it's unfortunate that the tutorial and code don't fully align. For a tutorial this is an unfortunate (perhaps even unacceptable?) oversight.