Jump to content
Ultra Engine Community

Admin

Administrators
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    3,209

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Admin

  1. Admin
    Linux is a solid and secure operating system that’s perfect for gaming, but at this time Windows remains the lead platform for PC games. One company wants to change that by putting the game development process right on Linux. Leadwerks Software has launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring their game development software to the Linux operating system. The company says this will allow users to build and play games without ever leaving the Linux operating system.
     
    The company's Kickstarter page lists three goals for the campaign. First, they point out that most Linux games are ported over from Windows, rather than being developed natively on Linux. The company wants to change this by putting the game development process on Linux.
     
    Second, the company hopes to expand the Linux library of games. They say that putting game development tools in the hands of Linux users will allow more Linux games to be built, and can even lead to Linux-exclusive titles.
     
    Leadwerks is known for advanced graphics, and the company says they want to bring this to Linux. This will let Linux users play AAA games that run natively on Linux, instead of going through emulators like WINE. The company points out that the superior performance of OpenGL on Linux makes it the perfect platform for AAA games.
     
    Leadwerks is also running a Greenlight campaign to put Leadwerks on Steam and integrate Steam features to streamline the game development process.
     
    Leadwerks Software aims to raise $20,000 in 45 days to build Leadwerks for Linux. "We're really excited to be working with Steam and the Linux community," said Josh, founder of Leadwerks Software. "We think there's a unique opportunity here. The timing is right. I think Linux is really ready for mainstream PC gaming, and we really just want to take Linux gaming to the next level".
  2. Admin
    Valve Software's Steam is a game distribution platform used by millions of gamers worldwide. What started as simply a way to buy and update games has evolved into a vast ecosystem with instant messaging between friends, game hubs featuring players' screenshots and video, and workshops for sharing user-generated content. Last fall, Valve added software titles to its lineup of products, and implemented Greenlight, a system that lets users vote directly on which titles should be sold on Steam. Valve says this removed the bottleneck their manual approval process imposed so that more titles can be approved for Steam.
     
    One company wants to push the Steam ecosystem even further by building the process of game development right into Steam. Leadwerks Software has announced the launch of their Greenlight campaign for Leadwerks 3: Steam Edition. Leadwerks is a visual tool for building any kind of 3D game, including dungeon crawlers, first-person shooters, and side-scrollers.
     
    The company's Greenlight page explains they are working with the Steam SDK to integrate features of the Steam ecosystem. For example, the company plans to open up a workshop where Steam users can buy and sell digital goods for making games. This lets developers get all the content they need straight from Steam. Game assets like models and images take a long time to produce, so this feature could remove a big roadblock for producing finished games. Leadwerks is also simplifying the Steam publishing process by packaging up game files so they are ready-to-use in Steam. This makes it easier for indie developers to put their games on Steam.
     
    Leadwerks founder and CEO Josh says that "I think Steam users are a good match for us because Valve has been such a big influence in my design. Our editor is similar to the Source Engine workflow, so modders will be able to pick it up pretty quickly. There's a lot of talent in the mod communities, and we're trying to channel that". Lua script is another benefit, since it's already used in hundreds of games, and many PC gamers are used to tweaking game code. The software also has some visual scripting features that make life easier for non-programmers who just want to design a game quickly.
     
    You can vote for Leadwerks by visiting http://www.leadwerks.com/greenlight or find it in the software section of Steam Greenlight.
  3. Admin
    An update for Leadwerks 3 has been released, bringing new graphical enhancements to mobile games. Building on the efficient art pipeline and user-friendly tools of Leadwerks 3, the engine now supports projected shadows for characters and other dynamic objects. This technique works by casting a shadow onto the surrounding world geometry, to provide real-time shadows that run fast on all platforms.
     

     
    To enable dynamic shadows on a single object, just select it in the editor and choose the new "Dynamic" option in the "Cast Shadows" property. You can also do this in code by calling Entity::SetShadowMode(Light::Dynamic).
     

     
    Leadwerks 3 has also gotten a visual upgrade with the addition of post-processing effects. In Leadwerks 2, all post-processing effects like volumetric light scattering, screen-space ambient occlusion, depth-of-field, and bloom were hard-coded. That is, they were written into the core engine and it was difficult to customize the renderer. Leadwerks 3 has added a new command, Camera::AddPostEffect(), which allows the user to attach a shader right to a camera, to automatically render post-processing effects.
     
    The new update also includes features to make it easier to share projects. The Project manager has been outfitted with new Import and Export buttons. You can export an entire project as a single ZIP archive. You can also import a project from a .zip or .werk project file. This makes it easy to share projects and collaborate with other Leadwerks developers as a team.
     
    Leadwerks is a fast and flexible development platform for building mobile games with native code. You can download a 30-day trial version on the website here.
  4. Admin
    Leadwerks Software announced today the release of Leadwerks 3, their new development platform for building mobile games with native code. Based on the technology developed for their successful game engine for PC, Leadwerks 3 brings a totally new approach to mobile game development.
     
    While environments such as Unity and MonoDevelop use managed code...that is, code that is designed to be easily run on multiple devices...Leadwerks uses an approach called native code. Applications built with native code are optimized to work with each platform. That means games written with Leadwerks will run faster and be more powerful than their managed code counterparts.
     
    Mobile is growing rapidly, but there still exists a gap between mobile gaming and the larger game industry, which has traditionally focused on consoles. Professional game studios overwhelmingly favor native code because of its speed and flexibility. By focusing on the standard the game industry already uses, Leadwerks provides both professional studios and indie developers with an easy pathway into mobile. Games written in C++ can be ported to Leadwerks 3 without having to rewrite them in a new programming language.
     
    Leadwerks 3 brings some innovative new approaches to the table:
    The editor features tools for building game levels using a technique called constructive solid geometry. This streamlines the process of creating games, and makes it easier for artists to see what their games will look like as they build them.

    Leadwerks 3 uses automatic asset conversion. This means that images and objects can be reloaded on-the-fly, so an image file can be modified in Photoshop and the result will show up in the editor right away. This removes tedious steps from the game development workflow.

    AI is supported out-of-the-box. The traversable areas AI can travel within are highlighted in the editor as you build your game level. Pathfinding is dynamic, meaning that if a door opens or a drawbridge lowers, the AI is smart enough to take the new routes that appear.

    The script language Lua is also supported, and can be combined with games written in native code. Scripted objects can be linked together in a visual flowgraph editor. This makes it easy to set up game interactions, something that can be a challenge when working with development platforms based solely on code.

     
    Leadwerks CEO Josh said that “Leadwerks 3 is a big step forward for our company and our users. We’re bridging the gap between mobile gaming and the traditional game industry.” The product received a favorable response at the GDC 2013 expo. ”C++ is the game industry standard. Our market research at GDC 2013 revealed a huge demand for a cross-platform game engine built on native code. We found the design philosophy of Leadwerks resonates with a lot of developers.”
     
    Leadwerks 3 can be purchased from the company’s website for $199, with add-ons for iOS and Android publishing available separately. A source code license is available for professional studios. A 30-day trial can be downloaded from the company’s website.
     
    Leadwerks Software has provided game development tools to thousands of developers worldwide since 2006. It’s technology has been used in commercial games, education, training simulations, and military applications. To find out more, please visit www.leadwerks.com.
  5. Admin
    After a wild week at GDC 2013, it's nice to be back doing what I do best...writing code!
     
    A new build of Leadwerks 3 is now available. We've added light vector maps so that lightmapped surfaces can display normal mapping effects. Lightmapped materials with normal maps should use the texture "Common/lightvectormap.tex" in slot 4. (If you create a new lightmapped material, this will be done automatically.)

     
    This technique works by calculating the average light vector that influences each luxel in the lightmap. Each vector is weighted by the light's intensity and range to get an overall vector representing the direction most light is coming from. The light vectors are encoded in a secondary light map that looks like this:

     
    This effect will even work with specular reflection, as seen in this totally over-the-top screenshot:

     
    We also made about a dozen small fixes to the engine and editor. For more detail on recent issues resolved, visit the bug reports forum. Like any new software, we've had some teething problems, but it's pretty easy to resolve those issues as they arise. Bugs can be fixed as they are identified, but bad design is forever. Fortunately, I think we've got a great design and a good and stable development system.
  6. Admin
    Leadwerks 3 is a new game engine purpose-built for mobile. By building the entire platform on pure native code, Leadwerks aims to bring a new level of performance and flexibility to 3D mobile games.
     
    After two years of development, the team is now beginning a closed beta test. Select members of the community will provide feedback and testing so that final bug fixes and refinements can be made.
     
    You can sign up to our mailing list for up to date information as we finish up development of the new Leadwerks. Visit www.leadwerks.com to learn more.
  7. Admin
    The Leadwerks team will be hosting our next Google Hangout on Sunday, September 16, at 17:00 GMT (that's 10:00 AM in California). Aggror will talk about his experience leading the Leadwerks Community Project, and we'll provide a sneak peak at the new Leadwerks game engine.
     
    Follow us on our Google+ page before Sunday and check back to join the Hangout. We're limited to ten participants, so first come, first serve. See you then!
  8. Admin
    The Leadwerks team will be hosting our second Google Hangout on Sunday, July 22, at 17:00 GMT (that's 10:00 AM in California). We'll spend 30 minutes talking about all the cool things happening in the community, and answer your questions about our upcoming new game engine.
     
    Follow us on our Google+ page before Sunday and check back to join the Hangout. We're limited to ten participants, so first come, first serve. See you then!
  9. Admin
    The Leadwerks team will be hosting our first Google Hangout on Sunday, July 1, at 17:00 GMT (that's 10:00 AM in California). We'll spend 30 minutes talking about all the cool things happening in the community, and answer your questions about our upcoming new game engine.
     
    Follow us on our Google+ page before Sunday and check back to join the Hangout. We're limited to ten participants, so first come, first serve. See you then!
  10. Admin
    Leadwerks Software is now offering internships through the Center for Entreprenuership at Sacramento State University. Internships are available for programming, 3D art, web development, and marketing.
     
    Programming Internship
    Assist the development team with tools and core engine design.
    Work with game development team to create a sample Leadwerks3D game.
    Gain experience working in a professional software development environment.
    C++ and Lua experience are a plus but not required.

    3D Art Internship
    Become proficient with the Leadwerks3D design tools.
    Provide feedback to the development team to improve the art pipeline.
    Assist game development team by producing 3D models, textures, animations, and game levels.

    Web Development Internship
    Work with marketing to enhance our online identity.
    Develop social features for our online community of game developers.
    Foster online community relations.

    Marketing Internship
    Author promotional materials for website, press releases, and newsletters.
    Interact with the development team to communicate technical information to the public.
    Enhance and promote our unique company brand.

    Spring and summer positions are available now. Interns will work 10-20 hours a week, gaining experience working on a commercial product as part of a professional software development team. Apply at www.leadwerks.com/careers.
  11. Admin

    Leadwerks Levels Up

    By Admin,

    Leadwerks has been accepted into the Sacramento State University Center for Entrepreneurship. The mission of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration (CBA) is to develop and nurture innovative business ideas and to capitalize potential entrepreneurial opportunities, both from CSUS and local entrepreneurship communities.
     
    The Center will provide entrepreneurs with the skills and resources needed to launch a venture and to identify and cultivate solutions to entrepreneurial problems, the network structure to bring the plan to fruition, and the technical training to grow the enterprises.
     
    This means Leadwerks now has a physical office right here in California and a vital link to the local technology and business communities as we complete the last leg of Leadwerks3D, our upcoming game development software for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Mac.



  12. Admin
    Leadwerks Engine 2.5 has been updated with a few small fixes and added commands.
    -Added GetModelLODEntity(), CountModelLODEntities().
    -Added vegetation index in pick structure.
    -Improved vegetation terrain coloring.
    -Fixed terrain color map.
     
    You can download the update by running the Leadwerks Engine sync tool.
  13. Admin
    Leadwerks Software has released version 2.5 of their game development software Leadwerks Engine, featuring enhanced graphics and support for the Microsoft .NET application framework. Josh, CEO of Leadwerks said, “.NET support fits in with our goal of making game development simple and more approachable for programmers. We have an energetic community of coders who have been requesting .NET support for some time, and we’re happy to deliver that in Leadwerks Engine 2.5 along with enhancements to our renderer.”
    Leadwerks Engine lets developers write games in C++, C#, VB.NET, and Lua script. The company seeks to simplify the complicated process of game development by providing a streamlined production pipeline and an intuitive command set. “With traditional game development tools, you've got to choose between ease of use and the quality of your results,” continued Josh, “We don’t see things that way. We believe powerful tools should also be flexible and fun to use, and that’s been our driving philosophy since the first version of Leadwerks Engine was released back in 2006. We’re very excited about extending support to a new audience using the .NET framework. We also support C# programming with Mono, in preparation for our plans to bring great graphics to mobile devices.”
    Independent game developers are using Leadwerks Engine to deliver games with visuals that can go head-to-head with titles from major studios. Tricubic Studios is using Leadwerks to develop their helicopter flight simulator Combat-Helo. Richard Hawley, Director of Tricubic Studios, said that “Leadwerks gave us a shortcut to achieve the kind of special effects seen in major AAA titles including HDR, motion blur, infrared vision, and dozens of real-time lights for dramatic day or night scenes with no performance penalty. The vegetation system alone can compete with systems costing many times more. We needed an engine that could render hundreds of thousands of trees to convince the player they were flying a lethally efficient helicopter at low level. The performance of Leadwerks has just been amazing.”
    Leadwerks Engine continues to be priced affordably for independent game developers at $199.99, with a source code license available under a separately negotiated agreement. A fully provisioned 30-day trial version can be downloaded from the Leadwerks website.
    Founded in 2006, Leadwerks Software provides cutting-edge game development tools at an affordable price. By providing amazing technology that's easy to use, Leadwerks empowers game developers, digital artists, and architects to bring their 3D ideas to reality. With over 10,000 customers worldwide, Leadwerks has earned a loyal customer base and developed proprietary technologies that are now being leveraged to build new products and expand their market to include tablets and smart phones.
  15. Admin
    Leadwerks Engine 2.43 is now available. This version features improved raycast performance, a new DRAWEACH entity callback, and a few small bug fixes. Registered developers can download the update by running the Leadwerks Updater.
  16. Admin
    The Leadwerks Engine 3 Forums are open to all Leadwerks developers so you can post your ideas and get information on the development of Leadwerks Engine 3. Additionally, forums are now divided up by product, with forums for Leadwerks Engine 2, Leadwerks Engine 3, and 3D World Studio. We think this organization will provide more room to grow in the future.
  17. Admin
    Leadwerks.com is now hosted on our own dedicated server located in Chicago, Illinois. It was found that this location gave the best overall results for our worldwide user base. We tested the new server in advance for a couple of days, and transferred the database right before switching the DNS, so no data should have been lost. Please submit a bug report if you experience any problems.
     
    The Leadwerks server has a 500 gb secondary hard drive where site backups are automatically saved to, in addition to the manual backups I perform. The main site database is being downloaded manually every 3 days and saved on a 2 terabyte hard drive. Additionally, the databases are being uploaded to another remote server. Once a month the entire site will be downloaded (individual files) and burned onto several DVDs, as the ultimate fail-safe. Leadwerks.com and Werkspace are a website for you, the Leadwerks community. We will go to any lengths necessary to make sure your data is safe and protected.
     
    We also have a new version of the website skin with an added search bar, visual improvements, and bug fixes. I'll be fixing up parts of the site and adding the documentation system back in, so keep an eye out for that.
     
    Thanks to WiredTree and Invision Power Services technical support teams for their great support, and to Tom Christian for his work with the website skin.
  18. Admin

    Data Loss Announcement

    By Admin,

    First, so you don't have to read through all my rambling, the website database is set back to November 2010, and there is no way around it.
     
    I was working with the forum software on Sunday, 4-17, and I was just very pleased with how things were working. I saw there was an update for the bug tracker application, and the change list just mentioned some bug fixes, so I felt okay installing it. The new version removed custom issue fields, which we use extensively for listing hardware, drivers, operating systems, etc.
     
    It's not very easy to revert to previous software versions. I had performed a full website backup earlier that day, so I figured the best way to revert the tracker app would just be to have the IT admin revert the server to the backup I had made. I'd downloaded it to my local hard drive and it was intact, and also still available on the server. I also had an earlier full website backup I made on April 2. I figured this would be a minor inconvenience that would take the forum offline for a few hours.
     
    Here's the interface in CPanel:

     
    I also talked to the IT admin and they assured me that the full website backup does includes MySQL databases. I sent the following message to them Sunday afternoon:
     
    My caution in this email might indicate I had a suspicion something was wrong. Did I somehow know something would go wrong? Should I have? This thought is nagging me right now.
     
    I've been on the phone with tech support for a couple days, but you don't need the whole story. The outcome is the server was erased and repopulated with the contents of the backup archive. All files were intact, but the databases were not saved when the backup was performed. The previous backup I had was from April 2, which would not be a terrible loss. It appears the same occurred then. In fact, since I have been dutifully saving full website backups since November, thinking I was making extra effort to be on the safe side, the databases were never being saved in the archive. So the last copy of the forum database I have is from November 2010. I've been quite diligent with backing the site up, but that doesn't mean anything if the backups aren't working. The host automatically backs up sites under 10 gb every 24-36 hours, but that size excludes us.
     
    Although it was easy to bring the forum software up to date, all forum data since November 2010 is gone forever. The loss of this is staggering. To me, and to others here.
     
    You can get your screenshots here in a single package. They're randomly named, but if you really need something you can find it, and it's divided up by month:
    http://leadwerks.com/werkspace/index.php?/topic/3098-screenshot-archive/page__pid__28584#entry28584
     
    I still have all the attached files from posts, blogs, downloads, etc., but they are randomly named and I don't know how possible it is to go through them.
     
    The thing that really hurts is the lost documentation that was created after November. That's going to take time to recover from. We'll recover, but the loss is still sinking in for me. Jorn worked really hard on that at a reasonable pay rate and I feel really bad about it.
     
    I have records of all registered users. If you registered for your Leadwerks account after November of 2010, your account will be recreated and your password will be set to your registration key you received.
     
    The wiki and old forum are fine.
     
    The new forum skin is fine, but not installed at the moment.
     
    This must never happen again.
     
    First, a better backup protocol is needed. The most important thing is that the backups actually be valid backups. Obviously, I've learned that MySQL databases must be backed up individually and that a full website backup from CPanel is not reliable. Data is saved to a 2 TB external hard drive. Additionally, I am opening a safe deposit box where code and site data are regular deposited. I already thought I was doing everything right, so at this point I feel like I can't be too careful.
     
    Second, I am locking the forum software at the current versions, unless a critical vulnerability is discovered. In 2009, all we had was an installation of PHPBB. The idea for Werkspace was something Annika came up with and gradually sold me on. We listed all the features we wanted and found forum software that would allow it. Customizing the look and feel of the software to fit in with the theme of Leadwerks was a long process, but we finally got a suitable skin made. I am satisfied with the features and functionality of the system, and now we can just leave it be, indefinitely. The data loss does not affect the skin we had developed. The skin will continue to get minor improvements, but those kind of changes are easily performed and rolled back, if need be.
     
    Third, semi-annual tests are needed to make sure data can be restored successfully to a test server. Backups don't help if you wait until you need them to find out they don't work. A test server will be used to install the latest backup on every six months, or before any restoration takes place. Maybe this is overkill, but nothing was supposed to go wrong before, and we found out otherwise.
     
    It seems redundant to say I'm sorry about this occurrence. I know we'll get back to normal, but it hurts pretty bad. The key point is my data backup technique was flawed, so all the backups I've been performing were worthless.
     
    -Josh
Copyright © 2024 Ultra Software.
All rights reserved.
×
×
  • Create New...