The remainder of the day I have been working on the Ambient Occlusion mapping system for the engine, and after the oohs and aahs from the conference call I had at 4PM, I figured I would show you what my current prototype looks like:
You need a programmers eye to see the potential and the problems. I am happy with the technique in general, but you will notice the facets of the curved surfaces have seams between light map texture info, so I am thinking of some kind of diffuse component in the vertex structure to over-rule situations where small lightmaps are not appropriate (and might save video memory too as it's per vertex rather than per pixel and the phong smoothing will make it look nicer).
I can also announce the start of a new incentive scheme which you can use right now to get some free goodies for your game making fun (and to help us gather more resources for continued high-octane development in the Reloaded lab). Rather than repeat information, here is a link to learn more:
http://en.tgcstore.net/?md=invite-friends
If you log into your TGC account and visit this page (and you a pledger), you will see a simple forum you can fill to recommend a friend to FPSC Reloaded. If they pledge, you and they get 8 new cool Jet Pack models, granting your in-game character the ability to FLY!
Hmm, not sure about the new incentive scheme. I understand the need for new ways of getting more money for Reloaded and even encourage it (I'm a huge fan of the program), but I think few people have friends who will also want to pledge. And users might get frustrated that they can't have the jetpack then. I think better options would be limited time model packs (only available for the next 30 days) or exclusive content (ex. only gold pledgers can buy these packs) or even larger more expensive packs (though they'd have to be top quality.) If you did one of the first two options you could put the caveat in that it will be released again or to the wider public exactly 12 months from now. If you did that each month, when Reloaded gets out of beta you'd have stuff being released each month. I dunno, just some ideas I'm throwing out. :) Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThumbs up the ao looks good.
ReplyDeleteRegarding that incentive thing, i beg you to rethink this approach.
Instead you could simply spent more time on adding a Melee system and like i proposed in my mail - a. Flamethrower, Gravitygun.
If you expect that we want the same model in 8 different looks, you are wrong.
Most of us who take this serious are fine with one variant, simply afterwards we will make our own jetpack model. The mechanics are important.
I understand that TGC needs more pledgers but if you sacrifice Reloaded's future for some more bucks.. It might just totally fail and i doubt that TGC can risk this failure.
I vote for
-Flamethrower
-Gravitygun
-Melee System
Imagine what potential users will see in this!
New game ideas born..more pledgers
For those who don't want to use the incentive scheme, you will be able to get the Jet Packs through the store soon, and for those who don't want to pay, the V1.0085 hot fix has all the LUA commands you need to create your own Jet Pack entity :)
ReplyDeleteI can also assure everyone that the functionality took no more than a few hours to code, and the services of a 3D artist for a few days. All development energies have remained on the V1.008 and V1.009 build work and will continue to be the case.
Features such as new weapon functionality and melee combat systems are key engine components and will be part of our MAIN development work rather than released as optional extras. The Jet Pack was a good choice for the incentive scheme as it is optional and supplementary. Some people may want it, other won't, it cost us nothing to create so everyone wins. No harm, no foul, more choice.
The philosophy of the incentive scheme is simple. More pledgers = More development. The more users we can find, the more we can create, the less time it will take and the more games you can make.
It's a shot in the dark, sure, but there is no downside here and even if the Jet Pack only attracts a handful of new plegders it will have served its purpose and opened the door to other similar opportunities. That being said, if anyone has any ideas how we can create more pledges WITHOUT derailing the main development, I would be very happy to hear them. If the Jet Pack does not take off (pardon the pun), it was worth a try, nothing was lost, and the engine now has LUA commands that can make you fly, so everybody benefits either way ;)
(If the Jet Pack does not take off (pardon the pun), it was worth a try, nothing was lost, and the engine now has LUA commands that can make you fly, so everybody benefits either way ;))
DeleteI have to say ,i agree.
Hi Lee
ReplyDeleteGreat work on the Ambient Occlusion mapping and thanks for giving this some attention so quickly. This is going to be one of the most significant improvements to the engine.
Really looking forward to seeing where this goes and how it will be integrated in FPSCR.
Lee, thanks for the Jet pack it is a great idea! One thing I can do for Reloaded sometime soon is begin a internet marketing campaign. It would be based on Keywords, and will revolve around my winning level Past Life Regression, which I created for this purpose. I will be making a website for it. I have had some good success with this kind of marketing already. It should not be too difficult to inspire people to pledge.
ReplyDelete