Process blocked

Geeee... so much time has past during the last post. You might wonder 'huhhhmmmm, maybe his 56K-connection just sux... com' on, welcome to the future, get some real internet!'. Well, the fact is, i moved to a new location, and it took much, much, very much, too much, sooooo much time, i can't believe it myself.
But finally i arrived, and hopefully things starting to get better now.
About the projects (you might guess it already), still on the run! If someone would pay me to make them in a team, fulltime, no question it would be easier. But as long life gets in the way, dangit...
I'll going to make some posts in the near future (you know what this could mean).

DEdit-Trick : Outlining

Hi there,

here is a little, neat trick for DEdit (and for sure, for other 3D-render programs and -editors as well) how to create an 'outlining'-effect. This is an effect known from drawn things, especially comics, and it is describing the optic when things are drawn with a more intensive style at their outer edges. That way, they can be shown more separated from the background and other elements in the drawn scene.

Now the big question : why talking about it here?
Well, during the last 4-5 years, working with DEdit and other 3D-rendering stuff, i collected/created a set of techniques and/or tricks that helped me creating maps in a more efficient way. Also, Tron itself is orientated to a style of computergraphics from the early 80's, at that time 3D-CGI always looked very 'edgy', so this optic can fit well (if used correctly and wisely).

IMPORTANT : It should be told at this point, that this effect can (but don't have to) be a massive backshot, if you don't use it right or to massivly in your maps. That said, your performance of the map could drop. So better make yourself some good thoughts about your map before you use this effect! And work cleanly, otherwise you create too much extra polygons, that will reduce the performance!

IMPORTANT : In each step of this tutorial i added the corresponding keys you sometimes could use. These are mapped to my keyboardlayout (german) and might be different if you changed the settings in your DEdit (heck, even i don't know which of my settings are still default or not :)).

HOW TO
Lets assume we're talking about an object like this in the map, where we want to have that outlining:


And our target is to reach such an effect:


How to do that?

It is simple. First duplicate the original(A) so you get a copy(B), that copy will be used for the outlining.
[SHIFT & C > SHIFT & V]


Now set the position of the copy(b) to the same as of the original(A)
[SELECT (A) > SHIFT & X > SELECT (B) > SHIFT & Z(maybe Y if your keyboard has not a german layout)]


In the next step, you increase the dimension of the copy(B) about 1 or 2 DEdit-units in each of the six directions. So like this:

(TIP: the higher the increase the more intense the outlining will be shown!)

Now put a texture onto the copy(B), for a Tron-styled map surely something 'glowish' :) (for toon-style you should use something black):


Flip the faces of all sides of the copy(b), so the outside is now inside (i have hidden the original(A) so you can see it better!):
[PRESS F]


All steps are done, all you have to do now is to compile/process your map, and make a test. You can run around in your map as much as you want, you will realize that only the outer edges of the cube will be showing.
Combined with, for example a flat-shading, you can also create a toon-look. You just need to setup a texture like something black on the copy.

Here are two example how this would look like if you have a more complex shape/architecture in your map, using this effect.

Update : xenesis-engine (II)

Some more work was put into this engine. So, for example, tests showed that it is possible to create a 'view' for the player where he can look about 32 up to 64 km in each direction, a massive view i would say. The terrainsystem still needs some work and optimization, but yay!
I also spent work into the skybox (or better skydome), not finished tho, but already some nice stuff to see. Here you go...

Update : xenesis-engine

I had the chance to get my hands back on my 'xenesis'-project, the engine i working on and which should act as 'backbone' for several of my other game-projects as 'diu'.
The screenshot shows that i managed to create a buffer- and terrainsystem by myself so i can load and present 'nearly' infinite huge maps (surely there are limits as the memory of the client etc., but aside from that it can be massive) and to have a wide view (based on performance you can look about 4 to 8 km in each direction from your position!). The screenshots shows a raw kind of landmass, i'm still working on multilayered texturing and tiling.

Update : xMDK

I know, i know. The last time i told i would try to release something for October, now it is December. Well, simple reason is i have to move very soon, so i was very busy the past months, and i will be for two more. A lot of things will change for me, and i have to find some patience to spend more time on it, but before that i have to bring order into the chaos that was created around me.
But progress about xMDK is great, anyway. Most things are done about the core-system for individual team-handling, self-controlled respawning and some more stuff. Right know i'm working on elements for an onslaught-like mode (which will be called 'hack' here), and some other game-modes are in concept-phase (some CTF-like, COOP-like, etc.)

Archives of Diu

You might know those 'Chronicles of...'-films and stories. 'Archives of Diu' is something like that. It will put all things related to the world Diu together. Based on that i create a kind of roadmap for the things i plan to create.

Roadmap:

'ARCHIVES OF DIU : The digital messiah - programmed destiny' :
Singleplayer-game, total conversion based on the Tron2.0-Engine.
Planned beta-release : December, 2009
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'ARCHIVES OF DIU : The digital messiah - VAR' :
Planned sequel for 'programmed destiny', but not fixed. Anyway, storyline is defined already
Planned beta-release : not set
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'ARCHIVES OF DIU : Order into Chaos' :
Telling about the begining of Diu. Releasing type not defined.
Planned beta-release : not set
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'ARCHIVES OF DIU : Constructor' :
Concept for an MMORPG/RPG-System. In concept/progress.
Planned beta-release : 2010-2011

Digital Art : Character

Currently i'm working on the look of programs, or at least how they should look in Diu. Right for now here are two sneak previews of a programs head: one normal, the other using a subprogram creating a kind of visor (first level of this subprogram, has two more).




Programs are very complex in Diu, nearly every part of their look has a function or use, so a reason why it exists or for what it is used for.