Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam) Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Location: Brazil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 7:56 pm Post subject:
OS Tools in 2007... The plans (that can be changed anytime).
Subject description: Announcing OS 3D Engine, OS Movie Maker and even a Battle Arena...
First of all, what I'm posting here are plans that I have today. For those who know me, my plans changes quite fast (just look at the OS SHP Builder roadmap if you have any doubts of it).
Also, the plans posted here aren't promised for this year, at least not all of them. I'll do my best to finish them asap, but I'm a human and, as such, I have my limitations as well.
So, with that said, here's what I have in mind at the moment. I'm developping an OS 3D Engine to be used by the future C&C tools (except OS SHP Builder). Here's the features I plan for it:
-> Voxel, W3D and W3X support. W3X is the XML version of W3D used on Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.
-> The new engine will allow programs to load and render multiples units.
-> Units will be able to be selected, to move, teleport, self-destruct, attack, etc...
-> Except for OS: HVA Builder, the interface should get more similar to generals (for zoom, camera rotation, unit selection and unit actions).
-> The engine will be able to load and recreate the behaviour tags set on ini files from previous Command & Conquer games. My priority will be Tiberian Sun, then Red Alert 2 (supporting RP exclusive tags) to finally go to Generals and, maybe, C&C3.
-> Support for multiples terrain types (elevations will take longer)
-> Support for multiples cameras.
-> Support for different factions.
If my plans with it get successfull, I'll add the following extra features:
-> Support for 2D files, such as SHP. However, the engine will need the users help to determine the best way to voxelize it. The following options are expected: Extrude, Mirroring, 8-faces analysis for infantry and turrets, fill the gaps. Note that these methods will not be 100% efficient or do any miracle.
-> Transformation of voxels into models and of models into particle systems. (The last one will require an uber system, specially video card)
-> TMP support for terrain and possible elevations.
Note that these 3 features are extremely hard to apply, which is why they are not priority.
Now, with that engine, I'll be able to create several tools from it. Here's the list:
1) OS 3D Viewer: This tool will be the evolution from OS Voxel Viewer and it will also allow you to preview your C&C units without loading the game, with the new features from the new OS 3D engine.
2) OS: HVA Builder: There will be few updates on this tool to use the new 3D engine. It will still only support voxels and edit one at once, however, it may read some art.ini tags for more acurate preview.
3) OS Movie Maker: You'll be able to create movies with voxels, W3D, W3X, etc... Unit interface will be similar to Generals.
4) (Very Low Priority) OS: Battle Arena: This tool will simulate mini-battles among groups of units, for ballance testing purposes.
Voxel Section Editor III is not in the list of the applications supported by this new 3D engine yet, since it will hard to implement the new engine on it.
And for those wondering when will it be done... the answer is simple: when it is done. My crystall ball is broken and it won't be fixed in less than 100 years. My mind reader device doesn't work either. I've also noticed that my magic wand never worked and it won't work for a my lifetime either... QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Location: In ur BIOS, Steeln ur Megahurtz!
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject:
it all seems interesting indeed, to say the least. especially the low-priority stuff. _________________ Please, read the signature rules of the forum. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Location: Flying into hostile territory
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:23 pm Post subject:
good luck with the w3d format WW and EA used in generals and Renagade as dozens of community members have been searching for a solution to that for a long time. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Wow... This gives me yet another reason for donating as soon as I can convince my parents to trust money transfer like this ... Even if you only manage to pull off small things from that wishlist, you're still ridiculously, well, awesome.
Now enough of me babbling like an electrocuted monkey. Will the 3D engine properly display normalised vehicles? Are you planning to create such voxel lighting for TS and RA2? And if you manage to add shp support, will it be possible to view them 'in-game', simulating the TS and RA engines (with lighting settings)? QUICK_EDIT
And, I know with the new 3D stuff being introduced and stuff, FFS, the community needs a tool that can be used to help find FLH settings in TS and RA2. I think that's the only tool we really could use for now. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam) Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Location: Brazil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject:
@ORCACommander: I already have a strong base code for w3d here, from a viewer I've done a long time ago, but it had rendering problems. I also have a code from Stucuk too, a w3d viewer he made a while ago, but it's not complete, but it renders.
@TitanMarkII: That would be appreciated
Quote:
Will the 3D engine properly display normalised vehicles?
- Once it modelizes it, I think it will.
Quote:
Are you planning to create such voxel lighting for TS and RA2?
- I don't understand this question.
Quote:
And if you manage to add shp support, will it be possible to view them 'in-game', simulating the TS and RA engines (with lighting settings)?
- Yes, it would and it would be the way the would look better in the tool.
@Moder666: There is a high possibility that this tool will help you to find the FLH settings, because it is in one of my top plans to make the units attack and to make them attack, a projectile must be created at the point determined by your FLH settings. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Location: DAS BOOT IM DER OSTSEE
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:46 am Post subject:
And please dont put voxel lighting in...VV's so abused by lazy people who dont show an ingame of their 'OMG UBER VOXEL TANK OF GOD!!!!1' only for it to look like a pile of shit ingame. Im tired of VV shots because the creator is too lazy to actually put it ingame. _________________ PPM's Reichstrollfuherer, 236th Trollenparties brigade. QUICK_EDIT
And please dont put voxel lighting in...VV's so abused by lazy people who dont show an ingame of their 'OMG UBER VOXEL TANK OF GOD!!!!1' only for it to look like a pile of shit ingame. Im tired of VV shots because the creator is too lazy to actually put it ingame.
Frankly, I haven't seen such topics lately. Please point me to them, but I guess you're too lazy for that. If we're following your point of view posting a new voxel should require an in-game shot, else the topic will be removed, wether the voxel is finished or not. Simple as that. I think that's a good rule if you insist on telling Banshee to cut out a really useful feature which would be perfect for a tool like this one. Without it, what would be the point of the 3D engine supporting voxels? The OS VV doesn't display it properly right now, aye? If the VV gets improved, it views things properly and very suddenly it doesn't look as crappy anymore and makes it easier to point out mistakes without having to download it! Now you can complain without having to click the download button! Yay!
Besides, if you really want to use a voxel and it does look good in the VV but not in-game then it's the fault of the normals because the shape and color are the only things you can actually see in a VV shot of the old generation. Then again, autonormals aren't really hard to apply these days, now are they?
Okay, that was my sarcasm dose for today.
Please think before discouraging somebody to try an important project like this.
And Banshee, I meant the actual display settings for TS and RA2, they display voxels in rather different ways, actually it wasn't really a separate question...
FLH settings would be greatly appreciated. If you can make it fire a weapon, can you actually set the general settings of the projectile/weapon? Nothing fancy like a particle system, but things like ballistic projectiles, burst and (burstdelay), speed of the projectile, would be very useful for testing rocket launching vehicles, to make things look realistic without having to fire up the game (and fire up the unit, literally ). QUICK_EDIT
Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam) Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Location: Brazil
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 5:22 pm Post subject:
@TitanMark II: TS and RA2 rasterize the voxel (makes it look 2D) while rendering, since everything else in the game is in 3D, unlike OS:VV which sends a 3D shape to OpenGL, because OS:VV allows you to rotate the camera, zoom in and out and the terrain and skyboxes are 3D objects. QUICK_EDIT
And if you manage to add shp support, will it be possible to view them 'in-game', simulating the TS and RA engines (with lighting settings)?
Iv given Banshee the source to SHP Life, which was built in under a month for the purpose of displaying SHP's (Creating a scene to see how it would look ingame, animated, etc) Never released to the public because it was never finished. _________________ Free Map Editor - Game Requirements - Stucuk.Net QUICK_EDIT
You can post new topics in this forum You can reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
OS Tools in 2007... The plans (that can be changed anytime).
This gives me yet 
... Even if you only manage to pull off small things from that wishlist, you're still ridiculously, well, awesome. 
