Topics

1

Tools / wanted: g3d models with normals map for testing

« on: 1 December 2013, 18:47:04 »

And, if possible, specular map.  And any other kind of texture effect that g3d nominally supports!  And any description of how they were authored and how export support is.

Thanks!

2

MegaGlest / 3.9.0 feedback

« on: 19 November 2013, 15:45:06 »

I haven't played glest in a long time so it was nice to go download the new 3.9.0 and give it a whirl.  I am using it to introduce my kids to computer games.

Here's some general feedback:

* the animation of the MG logo in the video is really nice, and it'd be great if the same animation could be used in the game too.
* the MG icon looks decidedly outdated, especially at high-res on the mac
* I've had problems with the mac respecting the height and width screen settings.  I presume this is a platform / SDL problem rather than MG code itself though
* ditto I've had a crash in the Intel HD 4000 driver (which is used on my laptop when running on battery).  I sent a report to Apple
* I'm not fond of the opening modeling; the models aren't high-res enough to look good that close, and without ground they seem to just float aimlessly.  I think it'd be better to go straight to the menu
* at high-res all the models look very low-poly.  They are low-poly.  I'm thinking about what we can do about this programmatically.  Perhaps I can experiment with code to add midpoints to obtruse angles in models or something
* and ditto the land.  Perhaps add midpoints to tiles too so they are much smoother.  And perhaps even auto bump mapping too
* when I got to the new game screen, the defaults seem really bad.  You start on a conflict map with Indian vs Egypt starting off right next to each other
* on the new game screen, in the top-left, it says "v3.7.1".  This can't be right?
* the GUI really really really needs a combo-box widget

My daughters use low-end old laptops so I'll play with profiling for the low-end Linux users too.

I'll add any other feedback after a few games here too.

3

Off topic / 0ad doing a kickstarter

« on: 6 September 2013, 21:01:49 »

Well, indiegogo, which is much the same kind of thing:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-0-a-d-an-open-source-strategy-game/

Go give them support!!



(modified post because the video was displaying over the text - arch)

4

Tools / Optimising G3D tool

« on: 24 August 2012, 13:52:47 »

I put it on github: g3dopt.py

It combines all compatible meshes.  It is an excellent compliment to G3dHack; if you run this python script first, you can usually get a few more K out of G3dHack optimisation.

It is optimising the model for drawing by reducing the number of glDrawElements and buffer switching needed.  This is apparently a big deal for things like webGL.

It was very tempting to interleave the vertices and normals and bump the version number up to 5.. but I didn't.

5

Tools / Rendering G3D Properly

« on: 21 August 2012, 12:54:41 »

Ludum Dare 24 approaches fast (tell me if you want to join the usual team; please please do!).

I want to fully understand how to properly render G3D V4 files.

The properties flag has 0x01 for 'draw team colour through transparent parts of texture'.  Is this correct?

And what does properties 0x02 'two-sided' mean?  Does it mean to enable/disable GL_CULL_FACE?

What's the winding? GL_CCW?

How do you ensure that you draw the semi-transparent bits and the opaque bits in the right order etc?

And so on!  What else should I know/do?

I will be sharing my webGL loader, obviously: github, and eventually if gh-pages builds, online too.  I had to do some surgery to binary-load floats properly and fast.  DataView API is too new for most browsers and TypedArray.set() has bugs on my FireFox etc.

(I've run G3dScan auto-optimise.  Can, before eh Friday, it have a way to auto join meshes that are in the same texture and have the same flags etc and are compatible for joining?  With big webGL scenes, the number of drawElements calls is actually a factor.  One thing is sure- Mr War isn't going to optimise them in Blender)

6

Off topic / Ludum Dare

« on: 12 January 2012, 20:39:10 »

This April, the Ludum Dare competition celebrates its 10th Anniversary!

I encourage you all to go look at the various games entered in the 22nd (its more than once-a-year) Ludum Dare that has just finished.

There is a solo mode, where you make your own game in a weekend from scratch.

And there is a team mode called "jam" - like musicians - that has three days.

Nearer April I'll remind the coders here to book some hobby time that weekend.

Now, more important is all of you who are not *yet* confident coders.

Ludum Dare is a really really great fun way towards becoming a confident coder, and taking part is a fun, self-rewarding challenge even if you aren't actually a coder.

If anyone wants to set themselves the target of entering Ludum Dare in April and wants to talk through and prepare and learn some basic programming, I'm sure they'll find a willing and helpful audience here on this forum.

Go for it!

7

Off topic / inspiring fantasy art

« on: 30 November 2011, 21:25:05 »

These pictures turned up on http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2011/11/drb-feel-good-issue-5.html

8

Closed bug reports / [lacks info] MegaGlest 3.5.3-beta1: Crash after 5 minutes of playing

« on: 4 November 2011, 19:53:38 »

I haven't been playing with the svn recently so to me the new intro and such was new and fresh and very nice.

The whole thing pauses at times when I change menus or the first time I click on any unit in-game.  This could be related to it being a debug build perhaps?

When its not pausing, it runs nice and fast.  I have integrated Intel graphics and it feels much snappier than previous releases.

I still click through the exit dialog; most annoying, that really ought not be allowed; dialogs ought to be modal, and clicking on the dialog outside the button should not drill through it buttons underneath.  Shame!

Sadly after about 5 minutes of gameplay it always crashes for me, but gives me no info why:

Code: [Select]

v3.5.3-beta1-VC++: 1500-Oct 19 2011 04:54:43, SVN: [Rev: 2782M], [STREFLOP]
[2011-11-04 19:41:44] *ERROR* In [..\..\source\shared_lib\sources\graphics\model.cpp::Shared::Graphics::Mesh::loadV3 Line: 374] Error v3 model is missing texture [C:\Users\Will\AppData\Roaming\megaglest\techs/imperial_2/factions/warlords/units/crossbow_tower/models/texture_defense_tower.tga] meshHeader.properties = 2 meshIndex = 0
[2011-11-04 19:41:44] *ERROR* In [..\..\source\shared_lib\sources\graphics\model.cpp::Shared::Graphics::Mesh::loadV3 Line: 374] Error v3 model is missing texture [C:\Users\Will\AppData\Roaming\megaglest\techs/imperial_2/factions/warlords/units/defense_tower/models/texture_defense_tower.tga] meshHeader.properties = 2 meshIndex = 0
[2011-11-04 19:41:46] *ERROR* In [..\..\source\shared_lib\sources\graphics\model.cpp::Shared::Graphics::Mesh::loadV3 Line: 374] Error v3 model is missing texture [C:\Users\Will\AppData\Roaming\megaglest\techs/imperial_2/factions/warlords/units/moving_castle/../defense_tower/models/texture_defense_tower.tga] meshHeader.properties = 2 meshIndex = 0
[..\..\source\shared_lib\sources\graphics\gl\font_textFTGL.cpp::Shared::Graphics::Gl::TextFTGL::Render] Line 243 Error = 1282 [invalid operation] for text [50/150(0)]
Error saved to logfile [C:\Users\Will\AppData\Roaming\megaglest\error.log]
[2011-11-04 19:46:25] *ERROR* In [..\..\source\glest_game\main\main.cpp::Glest::Game::ExceptionHandler::handleRuntimeError Line: 409] [Unknown error!] gameInitialized = 1, program = 027F4258
[2011-11-04 19:46:25] *ERROR* In [..\..\source\glest_game\main\main.cpp::Glest::Game::ExceptionHandler::handleRuntimeError Line: 502] [Unknown error!]
[2011-11-04 19:46:25] *ERROR* (null) Exception: 0x6167654d [0x73656c47]

 []

And the error.log.  Like I said, it's not giving much away:

Code: [Select]

[2011-11-04 19:46:25] Runtime Error information:
======================================================
Unknown error!

9

Closed bug reports / [fixed] svn-2453 unit particle has bad shape

« on: 7 July 2011, 11:05:10 »

an error occurs trying to create a particle because it has a bad shape here:
https://github.com/williame/megaglest/blob/master/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/particle.cpp#L672

However, shape is always initialized; I've stared at the code; how can a unit be created without passing through the unit particle system type setValues()?
https://github.com/williame/megaglest/blob/master/source/glest_game/graphics/unit_particle_type.cpp#L50

(click to show/hide)

suggestion: UnitParticleSystem::UnitParticleSystem() to initialise shape to sLinear.

however: I'd still like to be shown how we have unit particles that aren't going via the setValues() bit.  Have I missed tileset particles or something?

10

MegaGlest / [TESTERS WANTED] Speeding up rendering

« on: 6 July 2011, 23:51:42 »

I have begun to look at improving the framerate.

I would like YOU to test my very first change on your system.

If you are comfortable building from source, please take 5 minutes to test this very simple change.  This change is not at all indicative of the final performance I am aiming for, it is simply to validate if we are moving in the right direction.

This is a very simple change to source/glest_game/graphics/renderer.h/.cpp

Please use the "?" key to see your rendering FPS BEFORE applying the patch, and then after.

Please report before and after FPS, and your graphics card make, model and RAM size.

Thank you very very very much!

11

Feature requests / Multiple projectile and splash effects

« on: 12 June 2011, 21:44:18 »

We have some simple use-cases in mind:

• both smoke and flames following a missile or arrow
• both smoke and flames following each individual missile or arrow in a volley (e.g. the Industaron's MIRV superweapon)
• a nuclear bomb mushroom cloud made from multiple splash effects (suggests each has a start-delay)

However, in the implementation I don't want to design-out or limit other obvious use-cases and scenarios, so if you have other uses or thoughts its useful to add them!

At the moment each unit attack skill has a projectile and splash specified.  The projectile is used for determining what you hit and the splash is triggered when the projectile has landed.

This means that there is strictly 1:1 particle projectile.

Should I add the additional particles as 'sub particles' specified in the particle xml, or specify them in the unit xml?  Any suggestions on what the XML might look like?

What happens if you have multiple 'top level' projectile effects?  Will only one be used for scoring?

How will the engine know when to trigger splashes if the projectiles have potentially different flight times?

How and where will we specify delay for a splash effect?

Any other questions?

We really want to open the door to new things without breaking the default behavior or stepping out-of-character in the XML....

^{(A feel a new fresh topic is required, although similar things have cropped up in the past )}

12

Off topic / icfp contest

« on: 12 June 2011, 16:04:17 »

... is this coming weekend!

Even if you can't find the time to make a proper entry, it is mind-expanding to think about the problem and how you might solve it!

13

Feature requests / [done] Animated projectile models

« on: 10 June 2011, 07:04:00 »

Would allow you to animate the projectile used.

^{Also, speculation from looking at existing code that if your projectile shared a model which animated with something else that used the animation, then you'd have got random frames of it instead of strictly the first frame.  Doubt this bit anyone in practice though.}

Patch here: https://github.com/williame/megaglest/commit/0505d680e8ce3fc34d56fd157e413670ca9c6eb7

14

Tools / correcting normals

« on: 27 May 2011, 06:40:19 »

what's wrong with the lighting in these models that Mr War posted?

Industaron Kestral jumpjet

When flying in one direction one the light is towards the camera, when flying in another its away.

You can speculate that the meshes are single sided but should be double-sided.  Except that the blender script always exports double-sided..

Yet I've seen the same when getting Martian tripods to turn around; and that can't be caused by sidedness can it?

Is it the models, or the export script, or the game?

If the models, how to correct it in blender?

15

Mods / single faction in its own techtree

« on: 10 May 2011, 05:35:43 »

( Splitted by titi:  this discussion started in the japanese mod thread. it was splitted to its own topic by titi )

If it's in it's own techtree, this means it can only play against itself right?

16

Feature requests / animation speed of idle animations synced to music

« on: 9 May 2011, 15:20:19 »

Opt-in in the unit xml for each model and particle

E.g. blacksmith blows smoke rings faster as a crescendo builds in the soundtrack

17

Bug reports / linux only bug: g3d viewer shows meshes with GL_CULL_FACE

« on: 9 May 2011, 09:00:43 »

Many models show themselves inside out in the viewer.  

Maybe the models have their normals flipped.  The models are likely broken.

But I've seen these "broken" models in most mods - its a very common problem.  And they show ok in-game.

18

General discussion / particles: a dome/shield effect

« on: 6 May 2011, 20:34:43 »

I'd like to make a particle that approximates a dome.  It should be very nearly transparent.

Is there a way to have the particles only be at certain distance from the centre?

They all seem to be travelling from the centre, meaning it is the centre that is brightest because it is there that, at any time, the most particles are.

19

Tools / GlestTools (on github)

« on: 2 May 2011, 06:16:53 »

GlestTools are a set of Python scripts that allow you to pack mods, make animated thumbnails from G3D animations and much more!

Installation

On Windows:

• You need to install Python (often this is installed already if you are using Blender; else get it at www.python.org)
• And  pyOpenGL, Numpy and PIL

On Ubuntu:

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get install python-numpy python-imaging python-opengl
You then of course download GlestTools and unpack it somewhere on your hard-disk.

(Please give feedback on the accuracy of these instructions; they are from memory)

Generating thumbs for your models

From a commandline, you type:

Code: [Select]

cd [path-to-where-you-installed-the-script]
python g3d_thumb.py [path-to-g3d-model]
You can also give it the path to a folder, in which case it will generate thumbs for all G3D files found in that folder or any sub-folders!

Generating webpages with thumbs of all your models

Code: [Select]

cd [path-to-where-you-installed-the-script]
python techtree.html.py [path-to-techtree-folder] {optional_suffix}
This will create an html file with the name of your techtree, with a table for each faction, with a list of their unit animations.  It creates thumbnails for you.

(The suffix is an optional thing; if you are generating several sets of pages with similar names you can specify something to add to all the file names to ensure they don't clash.  If you don't have this problem, then ignore this option.)

20

Tools / Tool for debugging 3D graphics

« on: 27 April 2011, 05:57:10 »

Can't wait to try this! http://zrusin.blogspot.com/2011/04/apitrace.html

Presumably on windows people might try

Code: [Select]

[url=http://msdn.Bill Gates.com/en-us/library/ee417072%28v=vs.85%29.aspx]PIX[/url] and gDEBugger, which I have never tried.

21

Off topic / Off Topic: iPhone tracking

« on: 26 April 2011, 12:53:36 »

Completely non-glest-related:

I made a simple tool to show your iPhone location log on Google maps here: http://markolson.github.com/js-sqlite-map-thing/

If you have your iPhone backups on your computer, just drag-n-drop them to that page to get the visualisation.

Its 100% client-side javascript - no data gets uploaded anywhere.  You can stare at the code to feel sure if you like.

Sourcecode here https://github.com/markolson/js-sqlite-map-thing

22

Bug reports / MegaGlest 3.5.0 win32, screen blank if loose focus

« on: 23 April 2011, 15:07:21 »

When I loose focus (e.g. prompt to open firewall when going to new game screen, or resume after hibernate, or alt-tabbing) and return to MG, the screen is just blank (but music plays).  You need to alt-f4 to get away from it.

23

Mods / AI/Balancing Strategies and Debate

« on: 10 April 2011, 08:15:36 »

What we really need is a tool that does a simple "if you have 2 factions, and this much time, who wins?" Doing a monte carlo sim.  Useful for balance within existing mods, useful for the idea of a scifi tree for all.

(Simple as in inexact, not simple as in trivial to implement.  I imagine it actually being easiest accomplished by a headless ai-only game played as fast as possible and recording the results of a few gazillion such games.  This is as inexact as the ai is bad.  Hmm, bonus is helpful in developing more human-feeling ai?)

To my mind, different resource structures are compatible.  It is all about hp at any particular part of a timeline.

24

Bug report / Worker animation doesn't match the resource

« on: 16 March 2011, 07:53:26 »

There is a bug I've noticed generally that, when you move a worker that has harvested something, and then you tell them to harvest something else, they first return to the castle with the wrong type of resource animation.

25

General discussion / Future file format support

« on: 11 March 2011, 11:26:00 »

There have been discussions about future file formats for models and textures.

I thought it good to summarise the conclusions so we don't have to re-learn our conclusions when Glest merges and its time for wider support.

Textures should be lossy compressed and mipmapped with DDS.

Animated models should be stored as MD5.

Inanimate models should be stored as OBJf.

This would reduce filesize by an order of magnitude, and be faster to load.

The drawing performance of MD5 has not been compared to G3D but speculation is its not deal breaker.  DDS and OBJf will both be faster to draw in all cases.