Crawling Along

Progress for Zone XXI is crawling along. We've got a few new additions and what not, but nothing major. We've just finished adding destructable crates with physics. It was a pretty good idea from Dave and how I decided to put it together was rather clever. I set it into a set of functions. One for creating the crates, one for handling the crates, and one for destroying the crates. They also have force limits so depending on how much force is put on them determines if they will break or not. The crates start out as one complete object, but after they pass their force limit, they shatter with the force applied. The crates also bare weight by size ratios like the rest of the objects in the editor meaning that even though two crates may have the same force limit, the bigger crate would be less effected by the force after the force limit was passed because it has a bigger mass. I've attached a video Displaying the capabilities of the destructable crates. I've also begun working on spawn zones allowing the player to spawn within box areas. Which box it spawns in will be decided by size weights. This basically means that a box of bigger size will have a better chance at spawning a player while a box of smaller size will have less of a chance at spawning a player. This makes sure the spawns are evenly spread out. I've also cleaned up the rest of the editor. I got ghosting working and object editing is now complete. It has ghosting too. Besides that, we've only really talked about details we might add to the game, and Dave has been working on models nonstop. That's all for this post. Till next time.

You think it. We create it.

Video

Finally got the video done. it shows most of the abilities for the editor, but only 2 out of the 7 objects. The others are still getting worked on. It's really fast although the video kills a little bit of the fps. Its got full scaling control, collision calculated positioning, real time physics, full rotational control, and more. This is just the start of it, but I believe it to be a pretty good go. The music for it was actually created by dave. We've got a works in progress thread for it on The Game Creators website. The thread hasn't had anything posted to it yet. This video is our first proof of progress. We've also decided to name the game Zone XXI for its relation to the 21st century style. That's all for this post though. Hope you enjoy the video. Till next time.

You think it. We create it.

Zone XXI Level Editor

So I got the first level set up with newton boxes by hard coding and realized how ridiculous it was going to be to do that, so I decided to start a level editor, its coming along quite well with a few minor fall backs. It has several modes for different objects, entities, and editing types, and all objects instantly become scaled newton objects as soon as they are created. It also already controls rotation, screen to 3d points calculations, scaling, and camera controls. Its going very well, only draw back is the textures are for some reason not loading which i'll have to look into. I've also created a video showing off the level editor in its very early stages, and how much is already put in. I'll upload it in a post pretty soon, I might want to do a little more before I show any progress.


You think it. We create it.

New Team

I know I haven't had a lot of updates lately, I've been getting settled in with DBP and trying to get everything transfered over to it correctly. I do have news though that I've recently joined up with a modeller, Schulzy, who happens also to be a song producer. This is a link to his songs http://soundcloud.com/schulzy175/like-a-computer. Schulzy also has another partner who is a modeller as well. He was asking for help from a programmer and I took the opportunity. Having a business partner could never be a bad thing. We've started work on a top down shooter which we haven't had the chance to name yet. I'm already in the process of getting it working with newton physics and its looking rather promising. This is my first go with newton physics and its really interesting. I'm having fun fooling around with the physics and stuff in side programs, but when it comes down to actually doing work. Its hard to get the right amount of force in an actual game. We've already got a level layout for the first level and its planned to be an online multiplayer game, so it looks like this will be my first go at multiplayer with DBP too. I'm still continuing work on the editor, I just have to rewrite all my button functions because in DBP, functions aren't local like they were in DBP, and I also have to figure out a few other bugs with things like pasting sprites and simple stuff like that. All in all though. It shouldn't be too long before I'm back on track and in the swing of things. That's all for this post though. Till next time.

You think it. We create it.

Progress

So I've currently got the rewrite finish with some flaws like a button return flaw, it'll be sorted out soon. I know its not my code, its DBP, because I dragged the code into DBC and made a quick check program for it and it worked. Regardless of the buttons dilemma. I'm very pleased with switching to DBP. It opens up a world of possibility for all the editors. DBP has its own particle system. I'm still going to make one I can work with, it just makes my life easier tho. It has shaders and post processing effects too, so now i can add depth of field, bloom, and cool shading techniques for stuff like invisibility, water effects, and more. It also supports bone animation so I don't have to manually create my own system for managing bones for the animation editor. I've also already downloaded some add-ons that will really up the editor like EZ Rotate from   http://www.gametoolshed.com/ for Euler rotation, Anisotropic and LOD plugins from kaedroho for major improvements in speed of objects and texture details, a full xbox 360 controller support library plugin from http://www.exodev.com/ so games can be played just by plugging in an xbox 360 controller, and newtons physics wrapper so dynamics objects can now be used and realistic effects like explosions can be used too. That's all for this post. Till next time. 

You think it. We create it.

Upgrade

Well... After finally having decided that upgrading to DBP would be beneficial, I've decided to do it, requiring a complete rewrite of my menu maker, which isn't an entirely bad thing, maybe I won't have to change too much.... Keeping my fingers crossed, but regardless if I do have to rewrite all 6,000 lines, it will definately end up better, because I've learned a lot this time around and it should be twice as good this upcoming time. Besides that, I don't really have any other updates besides that I've been working on getting the site out there and getting it advertised. Thats all for this post. Till next time.


You think it. We create it.

Tidying up

Today was a day of tidying up unfinished code and making things look a bit cleaner. I got the id changing for the buttons and images done. I just gotta get saving and loading done for it and the menu maker is done, once again "for the most part" if I can reiterate. Still not to what my idea of "done" is. The saving I'm currently working on is the hardest part, because I have to make it so it saves it and the saved file can be loaded straight into a game. I can say though is that if there is anything I've learned from this project, its that if you have an idea that you're not sure you want implemented in the game Just Yet, get it done that moment, because small little ideas that you have at the moment may take about 30 mins to put in once you're just starting up, but if you wait too long, that simple idea you had that you didn't want to waste thirty minutes on will take about 5 hours. You'll regret it in the end if you don't get it done right then and there. Well today wasn't that big of an update, but at least its something. Till next time.

You think it. We create it.

A new day, a new post

Since my previous post pretty much talked all about the engine I'm planning on building, I thought I would update you on its current progress. The Menu Maker is currently the furthest along, because of its use in the other programs for the engine. I plan to use it for the HUD's for the other editors and for any textbox and button presses necessary. It currently stands about 92% done. I'm not sure if I'll even add all the capabilities I was hoping for. I only need to add a few finishing touches before it should be "Completed". I used quotations, because like I said I have other ideas in mind I haven't added in yet, but anyways, onto the World Editor. The World Editor is currently the only other editor I have started on at the moment due to not being able to create HUD's yet, I didn't want to get ahead of myself. I'm probably about 5% into the world editor. No other handling besides the terrain has even been started. As for the terrain, I've got molding it with a double circle brush done, which is like a circle inside a circle, a slight bit of water, and a skybox added. It can currently just raise and lower the terrain with or without smoothing for different height and radius ratios. Besides that, I've created a slight amount of models for the future game I plan to make with this including a knife, an automatic shotgun, and the start of a assault rifle. The only work that was done yesterday was on the blog as you can probably see. I spent about an hour doing the background for it trying to get an impressionist feel and to a point at which I was pleased with it. I think it doesn't look too bad, but it could definately look better. Either way, I never claimed to be an artist. Well that's all for this post. Till next time.

You think it. We create it.

The Beginning

Since this is my first post. I figured, I'd get the gears rolling and tell you about my idea and how I plan to make it a reality. What I plan to do is to get myself set up in a way so I can hold a monthly competition of people suggesting games. Each poll would be held at the start of the prior month. In other words, the poll for February's game would be held in January, Marches game in February, and so forth. To get to that point though, I first have to establish a way of creating the games at a rather quick pace. This is where this blog begins. What I plan to do is split my engine up into 4 section. First, the menu maker used for creating any HUD's or menus I might need for games. Second, the world editor used for creation of terrains, placement of objects, and positioning of waypoint, spawnpoints, and triggers. Third, the effects editor used to create effects like muzzle flash and explosions which would then be placed in the game. Fourth, the animation editor used to control characters animation speed and how the character would walk according to that animation. The blog comes into play, because I will be updating it frequently with any progress I've made on any part of this including media, the engine itself, storylines, and whatever else I feel like posting about. That's all for this post. Till next time.

You think it. We create it.