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Snehk

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Posts posted by Snehk

  1. I'm planning to work on a few models, not only for TDM but also id Tech 4 in general. I'm not sure how a rig for player or character model should look like, what differences there'd be between them and if model bones would require a specific name (e.g. for IK). I know that there is a series of videos on how to make such a model from scratch, but I prefer "traditional" tutorials over videos (and don't really have enough time to watch them). I also know about Arcturus' excellent rigs, but I'm interested in creating my own for any future project for TDM/Doom 3 engine.

     

    Can anyone provide me with vague information how to set up my own rig? A short explanation and a few screenshots will be greatly appreciated!

  2. I think it should be possible with a few changes in the code. Full GUI functionality is still in the code and is used for world surfaces. Too bad I don't have enough time to tinker with it right now, and I guess I'll be busy until this weekend. I'll send a message to OpenTech Engine guys, they have changed Flash to CEGUI, so they should be able to give me a hint how to make the engine work on both.

     

    I, think that changing a few functions would only be required to make the engine use both (flash if gui files are not found and vice versa), but I'm not sure about it.

  3. The base is still WIP, and I've got higher priority things over my head right now. You may want to use dark radiant for most editing though, and only use the GUI editor from the executable. Dark Radiant is excellent for most editing and has a nice particles editor.

     

    Geometry of player model is done, UV Mapping is not a problem. Texturing will be kept simple, like a flood fill. I'm considering giving it a shadow mesh as well. I'll have a few troubles rigging it, but I may simply export player rig from Doom 3 or Darkmod for reference.

     

    Next I'll work on example levels to demonstrate how entities work. I'll also work on some more assets, like more particles, water textures etc. Basic tutorials will be done in the future as well.

     

    Currently the engine (like any other BFG fork) uses Flash for menus, HUD and PDAs. I'm considering dropping support for it and getting back to old Doom 3 GUI files. Restoring GUI for HUD is a matter of few edits in Player.cpp but things get more complicated when it comes to PDAs and menus.

     

    The reason to replace Flash is that it's deprecated and uses old ActionScript, but most importantly: Only one person have ever reverse-engineered Flash menus on this engine. Motorsep spent half a year on it, and I really appreciate the effort, but I'm not really keen on spending just as much time on learning how it all works. When I started messing with Doom 3 GPL and made my base from scratch, I was able to make a simple screen with map launching button in a few minutes, using reference scattered across the web. I still haven't delved into Flash, but I guess that it won't be so easy.

     

    Ideally, there should be two branches - master with Flash, and a separate GUI branch for all those magicians, stubborn fools like me, or Doom 3 modding veterans.

    • Like 1
  4. I'll either fork the engine and upload Windows 32bit binary (tools have issues on 64bit, but that's the only problem with it), or simply add them with next commit. It'll be most probably today.

     

    There's also the issue that currently the base is more suited for developers generally familiar with Doom 3, Quake 4 or Darkmod, and that the quality of test level is not that good. I put it up quickly mostly due to not having too much time to work on stuff during week. But now that I've made the repository, I can slowly make improvements. I'll be working on player model right now to remove the need for coding hacks, then I'll work on example maps showing how all the entities work.

     

    EDIT: Added binary and source code with latest commit.

  5. The link is in features section in point 1, where I mentioned minimal required assets. It's a link to Motorsep's repository. But I'll update the readme to make it clearer later this day.

     

    Once I'll get through early maintenance issues and add player model, I'll start working on entity demonstration maps (current test level is more like asset demonstration), and beginner level tutorials.

  6. List of improvements is on the engine source code repo. There is a link to it in dev base readme.

     

    I'm working on test player model - geometry is mostly done, I still need to UV map and texture it. Then I'll add a shadowmesh, animate the model and rig it. Next I'll have to add defs for it.

     

    Adding a player model will completely remove the need for any coding hacks, so you'll only need a binary to use the base. It won't take that long to do simple test model, but I don't have a lot of time to work on it. I'm giving myself a deadline of two weeks to commit the model.

  7. It's a simple base asset pack basing on minimum required assets shipped with Storm Engine 2. It's aim is to allow starting development quickly - a quick start base containing placeholder textures and simple assets that can be reverse engineered to see how to make something like this. It also provides entity defs, giving mappers entities to work with. I'm using Motorsep's engine. He's still around idtechforums, but I don't know if he's doing anything related to his engine, Doom 3 or development at all.

     

    The reason I haven't included binary is not to release the source code again (GPL - if you release a binary, you must release code) - there already is a repository for that, and the change that you need to do in Player.cpp is a minor hack, not a solution. The real solution would be providing the base with player model, which is something I'll do eventually.

     

    After some time I'll work it into base for general idTech4 engine.

     

    I can send you a binary I compiled myself if you wish to check it without any compiling.

  8. Thanks for the tips!

     

    I'll probably start mapping this weekend, as college takes my time efficiently.

     

    I have enough time to plan the level though. I'm starting with general layout of streets - a bit simplified, but it should suffice for it's purpose. Once I'll be happy with the layout, I'll flesh it out more and start working on layouts of each buildings that player would be able to access. I'm using Inkscape for layout design part (vector graphics, exported into .png for this preview). There is no ship on the map yet, I'll add it later.

     

    P98pUkb.png

     

    Player would be able to take multiple routes during this mission, the wide empty area would be more built up with different objects, while some of alleys leading to docks proper would be barricaded and guarded due to quarantine.

    • Like 2
  9. Thanks for replies and information!

     

    Jumping right into the code and exploring is my preferred method, along with word searches. And since most of the id Tech 4 code is well commented and self explanatory (I hope I can say the same about DarkMod sources), you can get results quite quickly (like disabling spawnargs to load a map without need for player model, or how to change Flash Hud to GUI).

     

    As for AI, I'm thinking about porting it whole. I already checked how it works on wiki, and think that the implementation is just golden and any project or prototype could benefit greatly from using it. DarkMod sources are really great base for RPG, slashers and (obviously) stealth projects.

  10. Hello! I'm new to the forums, and not sure if I should post this topic in this section...

     

    I'm interested in porting some of gameplay mechanics from The Dark Mod to Storm Engine 2 (or use as reference for recreating them) - namely AI improvements, movement, grabbing and manipulating objects, and combat. I already checked wiki and downloaded sources, but it would be much quicker if someone could point me in some direction or which files I'll need to modify.

     

    This is for general tinkering with code and building project prototypes. I already have minimal base assets required to load a level (minimum requirements for engine to launch at all was provided by developer, but building on that still took a while).

     

    While I'm at development side of things - after getting through some fan missions, I'll most likely make my own. I really love Thief series and The Dark Mod and appreciate the effort you put into this game!

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