mdgunn

Fantastic. So this means people can (in some cases) access the files used to make the LW object rather than it being locked only into the LW file right? I wonder would it be possible that items in the workshop can be made to automatically list the contents of their archive, so we don't have to rely on each author to manually do this.....or at the very least some single indication that an item is supposed to come with resources. On a related note. If items are more open (which I think is important even if they are only used in LW), is it clear what the usage terms are for each item. In particular can the item be used outside LW. Is there a default for that, such as unless stated by author then item is assumed to be OK to use elsewhere?

Agreed. I think community collaboration is a LW strength which as you say is reflected in the workshop. While I suggested scripts, shaders and game templates might be paid for items I was thinking that if items were to be paid for then such are more easily produced by the internal community than items such as high end models. On the one hand I like that the workshop is mostly free but on the other it would be nice to reward and encourage users that have clearly put in a lot of time to helping the community.

I feel the things that would probably sell are reusable generic content like game templates, shaders and possibly scripts. I think these are easier and quicker for existing skilled users to produce than complex animated models. I think Josh may have already stated that models are preferred because they are stable. I see the logic in this but from the point of view of sales I think the things people *are* probably looking for and would buy are probably game/project templates, shaders and maybe scripts. Models I think need to be easily to modify or extend (e.g. a base figure which can be changed) with props, retextured etc., or be a construction kit. Ideally models would not be tied to the engine though SHOULD provide features to make them work easily in the engine to encourage and help users along this easiest path. I think I like the idea of curated items though I think ratings, review and a dedicated linked forum page for each item can help provide a level of user driven curation. Forum pages can give publishers a more wordy or visual arena to portray their items and detail updates etc.. Just a passing thought. I think game templates in particular would sell quite well. If a user can see part of their vision in a game template then I think it's quite likely they may buy it. We don't want a masive amount of cookie cutter clones like U*I*Y but I would hope our user base is more interested in satisfying their own itch to develop something that works, rather than looking to flip assets for profit. Having suggested paid for templates I also have to say that I am REALLY glad that there are free game templates with the product. I really think they are critical aids in the learning process to make sure you stick with the product enough to produce something you are happy with. I think it is also important that the whole user base has access to the same ones. So I think game templates would sell but I think we still need more free ones as well. Maybe paid ones could fill the gap if that is how LeadWerks becomes more successful and users aren't upset they have to be paid for. The net gain may be positive if it helps more users get more successful projects out and get more users to the position where they expose LW favourably to the wider internet (blogs etc.).

Interesting to see some figures on costs. I'm glad it was investigated as an option as it was a largley external thing so has not used to much dev time. However, most other software seems to allow the user base to produce content. The catch is attracting the market which needs a large user base. Difficult. Can anything be learnt from GG and it's approach (hopefully you know which software I mean - I don't know if we're allowed to name names). They seem to have a fair bit of content in their store which in the past was possible to import to LW through a (lengthy?) process. I think the point about officlal DLC has some validity. I think people in general feel safer about that and expect it to be of high quality. With regards the icon. When I clicked on it I didn't know what it was, I just wondered what the new button did. I find the store a little awkward, maybe it's partly my connection but I find after clicking there are a number of seconds before anything seems to happen but no real screen indication that it is doing anything. Sometimes I feel a slight reluctance to use it just because it feels a bit clunky. In my mind the in-game workshop/store *IS* the place to go to look for things, so it has achieved that. I'm not sure about the purchasing aspect though. I suppose it's early days.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=630028747 Ended up scrapping my previous game idea a couple of days ago, just before leaving for the weekend so as per usual ended up throwing something together which ends up as more of a demo than a decent game. Ended up pairing almost everything back in an effort to get something that does ...something. Not too much fun in its current state, but possibly the basis for something better.

Thanks for this. Looks like it could be handy.

In general I think thickness of walls floors does not matter TOO much. Having said that I think I have heard it said that if they are thin then there may be a form of light leakage or something. Suggest you work to multiples of 32. You might go down to 16 or 8 if you have some specific need but for boundary walls/floors etc probably 32. There is an example room map somewhere that I think supplies textures you can use based on multiples of 32. It is a good exercise to examine it and extend or duplicate it. I will see if I can find it.... Check out these http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/10016-mapping-standards/ http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/page/contentguidelines Also consider using prefabs...e.g. for stairs...or almost anything really....these are like an isolated map with only the item in. You can use them across projects then too. They will probably help you keep control of things when you get lots of CSG brushes and find sticking them all in lots of folders gets out of hand.

Might be worth you having a look at the camera dolly script. You might even want to achieve your effect by switching to a cam to highlight the action (though it sounds like you probalby want to remain with the character.... ....anyway the important thing is that the camera dolly script can move a camera along a spline through way points where an event can be fired (using a flowgraph connection), potentially revealing your decal. Though you might not want a camera, perhaps the script can be modified without too much trouble to move your own 'revealing object' along a spline and triggering the reveals of the footsteps as it hits each waypoint....you could even have a spline for left footprints and one for right footprints, if it works out easier. The Camera Dolly script is in the workshop that you can get to from within Leadwerks. Just a thought.

Makes me think there should be some sort of container element that can contain scripts and that you can expand and collapse....and maybe a way to feed inputs and outputs out of it. Maybe allowing a sort of prefab script component.

The script almost works (and Aggrors almost worked apart from easy minor typo of enable rather than enabled). The logic is messed up in the toggle block. Try this function Script:Toggle()--in if self.enabled == false then self.enabled = true self.lastSpawnTime = 0 self.counter = 0 else self.enabled = false end end Make sure the toggle is hooked up to a block with an use script on it and connected to the spawner in the flow graph, but it sounds like you've got that figured. The debugger is super handy for putting in a breakpoint (click to the RIGHT of the numbers) and examining your code at a specific point (e.g. a logic branch). Also System:Print is a simple if archaic friend too! Hope it works out. Michael

Fantastic, it worked! I was pretty sure I'd tried randomly swapping round my value into the different parameters already, but you're right switching the value to the last parameter (z?) stopped the weird behaviour. This was pretty fundamental to my game so I can actually go ahead now. Many thanks. Now if only I can find enough time to get it finished/started for the tournament. Thanks very much! Cheers, Michael

I would like to shoot a projectile towards a point in space (in a 2D game). I have something almost working but I can't get my head round how to fix it. I would like to solve the following: 1) How to shoot in a certain direction not just where the mouse is (I could only get it working right with this mouse pointer method but in reality I just want to shoot something in a direction (and maybe not use mouse). 2) The projectiles shoot out sort of 90 degrees to where the mouse pointer is but I want them to shoot at where mouse pointer is. I seem to get automatically very confused when thinking about angles. 3) At certain positions (90 degrees?) the projectiles sort of flip to the other side when I really just want it to track smoothly all the way round. Here is the code. Can anyone help? Maybe there is just a better way to do it? function App:Start() --Create a window self.window = Window:Create() self.context = Context:Create(self.window) self.world = World:Create() local camera = Camera:Create() camera:SetRotation(35,0,0) camera:Move(0,0,-6) local light = DirectionalLight:Create() light:SetRotation(35,35,0) --Create a model self.model = Model:Box() return true end function App:Loop() if self.window:Closed() or self.window:KeyHit(Key.Escape) then return false end --Get the vector between the mouse position and the center of the screen local v = self.window:GetMousePosition() local dx = v.x - self.context:GetWidth()/2.0 local dy = self.context:GetHeight()/2.0 - v.y v = Vec3(dx,dy,0):Normalize() --Align the model to the vector self.model:AlignToVector(v,2) -- Create projectile bullet = Model:Sphere() bullet:SetPosition(5,0,0) bullet:SetMass(1.0) -- Align to mouse pointer vector bullet:AlignToVector(v, 2) -- Add velocity bullet:SetVelocity(Vec3(0,10,0), false ) Time:Update() self.world:Update() self.world:Render() self.context:Sync() return true end Thanks, Michael

Move rotate and scale are already on 1/2/3, at least on windows. W and E are already used in moving the camera in the viewport and it seems fairly sensibe having W/A/S/D/Q/E. Did you mean something else because 1/2/3 seem not too bad? Me I'd like to see pick object/pick face keys because AFAIK these aren't assigned shortcuts and at times I've found myself switching these lots to access the material adjustment panel.

I've found this a bit of a pain at times too. I am struggling to think of a single time that I've needed the default behaviour (selective memory?), though I suppose I wouldn't want to lose it but instead toggle buton or modifier key.

+1

Dunno if you sorted this since but if you mean you can not find the generic human/manakin model then it may be because you are creating projects based on a template that does not contain it. E.g. Empty Template. Try using FPS Template maybe. You don't really need the generic manakin model (or whatever you want to call it - the one with it's arms stretched out). All you need is the FPS controller script, but then you usually need to move some sounds and images into the right place if you have a bare project. If you still have trouble get back to us with some further description if you can.

Hi, I believe that if you change a variable named 'changemapname' then the main game loop that is running through Main.lua will pick up on the change in this 'secret' global variable and change the map for you. -- FROM standard MAIN.LUA template --Handle map change if changemapname~=nil then --Clear all entities world:Clear() --Load the next map Time:Pause() if Map:Load("Maps/"..changemapname..".map")==false then return end Time:Resume() changemapname = nil end You don't need .map on the end or other path info, just make sure the map you want to load is in Maps directory because as you can see in the code above this is where it will look. It's not the only way to do it but as it's sort of a built in global variable that is used in the standard Main.lua template it is one of the intended ways to do it. There is also a TriggerChangeMap.lua script.

Never tried it but there is a sprite object and you will be able to make it point always at player. Your enemies can probably use a modified version of the monsterAI script (in Assets/Script/AI). You can then use the states it has defined to switch animated textures on your sprite maybe (e.g. idling, attacking,dying). You should be able to control the speed the animation frames are switching using the time commands. This may help you get a test going with animated textures: http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/11848-need-help-with-animated-textures/page__hl__animated+textures This is jsut the first things coming to mind. Somones who's actually tried it may have a better idea!

If you didn't try modifying the mass yet then I would try that. I usually just set player to 10 (but my games are probably not the same as yours so it's not that that is the BEST value or anything). Try the enemy at the same mass as the player and them maybe double it or more if still problems. Just to see what happens. The physics system is really trying to simulate 'simplified' but proper physics, and the relative masses of things can be important. I suggest checking the mass setttings of player and enemy on the FPS Sample. When things bounce away and 'teleport' it is usually because the physics are doing the 'correct' calculation and bouncing away the strangely VERY LIGHT (though very large!) concrete block(!) or whatever. Physics can be a frustrating area so keep at it and I'm sure we'll sort it. Supplying the model and map for Josh will surely do the trick.

I'm considering implementing some water in a level in the form of waterfalls, stream or small pools (not necessarily at a single fixed level like the water plain). A few questions relating to this:- 1) How would people go about doing a waterfall? I'm thinking an animated texture with a refraction shader and maybe some particles (for splash) as I've seen done in Source engine (https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Creating_a_Waterfall_Material) 2) Is there a refraction shader available that would work for water (like they use in the tutorial linked above)? I see some refraction code in the water shader but I'm not sure whether to try and make that water shader work on a brush/model or start from scratch. I've never constructed any shaders so this feels like it might be difficult for me to do. I tried getting some water pools working by using the animated water image files on a new material but couldn't get it looking much like water at all. Anyone got some experience on getting better water (waterfalle/streams/pools).

Fiddling about unparenting things in the tree feels quite clunky. I often find myself dropping children somewhere I don't actually want it just so I can scroll around and try to move it to where I really want it. It can really bring you out of 'using the software as a tool' mode and into 'OK how do I get these tree nodes where I want them' mode. I hope this change makes it in soon.

There are 2 main ways to simplify a front-end for your game. FlowGUI - http://www.aggrortutorials.com/index.php/store/product/1-flowgui Not free but I bought it when I needed something done quick and it worked fine for what I was after and was quick to set up. It's not been updated for a while, but it had had several revisions and is not incomplete or half done. Also includes inventory item support. LEX template - http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/13171-leadwerks-extended-executable-template/page__hl__template Free - Not used it yet but I intend to give it a try. Maybe try that and see if it does what you want.

It seems it would be good if Select Object and Select Face had short cut keys (and should be an easy change - right?). Maybe 'F' for face mode and G for object mode? Not really thought what would be best. This may be more of a problem for me than others but in the levels I'm building you can see many sides of some blocks so I'm often wanting to align them all at once. Actually thinking about it, my actual issue is that I want to align textures on all faces so I select 'Select Object' then 'Select Face' so I can make the texture dialog appear. If it already showed when I was in 'Select Object' then I wouldn't need to move back to tool panel and switch tools and so wouldn't need them on hot keys so much anyway! Am I missing the reason why this panel shouldn't show in object select mode? Having it showing in object mode would also solve the 'hidden' nature of the texture panel. I think if you're new to Leadwerks then it isn't obvious that to access texture control you need to be in face mode. I realise it is actually kind of a face based tool but when all faces are selected (object mode) it works fine too. Anyway, I'm a big fan of being able to drive a program with keys so you can switch tools/settings with keys and keep mouse on your work (map/object whatever). Ideally I'd like everything to be configurable to your choice of keys.

With regards to the bullets going right through? You may need to assign collision types to items in the model tree of your NPC model. It seems even the crawler NPC does not have these set up and they have manually(?) been set up in the FPS Sample AI demo map. My suggestion would be to create a project based on the FPS Sample and take a close look at the crawler setup in the 'AI' map there. in particular, take a look at the collisions setup on the tree of the crawler model. Hope you figure it out.

Thanks Shadmar. I'd tried changing some of the other values in that section before, but not ctime. It goes right to left now and away from me which is better. I wish I could make it go any way I'd choose which after some more fiddling I've not sorted, but it's great that it now better matches the way I'd setup the level. This is a fantastic shader and prefab/map. Not sure why it isn't yet visible in the public workshop section on Steam. Maybe waiting for possible changes to the how the workshop will operate? Many many thanks for your stellar work Shadmar!