Altering apparent camera brightness in-game
by K. Scott Piel · in Torque 3D Professional · 06/28/2010 (10:12 am) · 9 replies
/sigh
My frustration level is high... I've been hours reading threads and trying to solve what should be a simple problem. No matter what I do, I can't read the CHM on the draft docs and I don't have source. The lack of documentation for Torque3D is a never-ending point of irritation.
That all said (sorry, I really had to vent) here's the thing I'm after: I'm simulating the gunner's targeting system on the Stryker for a National Guard training app. I need to vary the brightness of the camera display in-game in real-time in response to the gunner's manipulation of the controls.
I can't alter the sky, time-of-day, etc. as the changes have to apply to his screen only and no one else in the environment. I have to assume that there's some kind of exposure control for the camera or client-view but for the life of me I cannot find it documented anywhere.
Can someone please point me in the right direction.. a code snippet would be worth its weight in gold. The Colonel will be here Thursday for a feasibility demo on this project, so once again, I'm up against a timeline.
Sincere thanks to anyone to can straighten me out on this.
@GG -- I know you hear this time and again, but if you don't get your documentation problem resolved, you might as well quit. Experts don't need the docs, but if you want people to invest in your engine, you *HAVE* to make it possible for people who know *NOTHING* about how your engine works, and who do not have the source, to be productive. If people cannot quickly be productive with Torque3D, they'll go find a tool they can use. I'm saying this because I like where you're going and want to support you, but my frustration level has hit the limit. I'm right on the edge of jumping ship.
My frustration level is high... I've been hours reading threads and trying to solve what should be a simple problem. No matter what I do, I can't read the CHM on the draft docs and I don't have source. The lack of documentation for Torque3D is a never-ending point of irritation.
That all said (sorry, I really had to vent) here's the thing I'm after: I'm simulating the gunner's targeting system on the Stryker for a National Guard training app. I need to vary the brightness of the camera display in-game in real-time in response to the gunner's manipulation of the controls.
I can't alter the sky, time-of-day, etc. as the changes have to apply to his screen only and no one else in the environment. I have to assume that there's some kind of exposure control for the camera or client-view but for the life of me I cannot find it documented anywhere.
Can someone please point me in the right direction.. a code snippet would be worth its weight in gold. The Colonel will be here Thursday for a feasibility demo on this project, so once again, I'm up against a timeline.
Sincere thanks to anyone to can straighten me out on this.
@GG -- I know you hear this time and again, but if you don't get your documentation problem resolved, you might as well quit. Experts don't need the docs, but if you want people to invest in your engine, you *HAVE* to make it possible for people who know *NOTHING* about how your engine works, and who do not have the source, to be productive. If people cannot quickly be productive with Torque3D, they'll go find a tool they can use. I'm saying this because I like where you're going and want to support you, but my frustration level has hit the limit. I'm right on the edge of jumping ship.
About the author
Senior Software Engineer and generic geek
#2
06/28/2010 (1:49 pm)
Regarding the CHM file: Make a copy of it and open that. It's Windows' awkward way of keeping you safe - but also in the dark about it. If that would not work, right click, check properties, and right under where it shows read / write permissions, you should see something that would turn this safety feature off for this one file.
#3
06/28/2010 (2:52 pm)
As Hans said, a Post Effect is the ideal way to do it. You need zero source changes to do it.
#4
06/29/2010 (5:22 am)
Thank you all for the feedback. I'll look into the postFX this morning and report back.
#5
06/29/2010 (9:20 am)
Is there a tutorial somewhere that explains (for a novice) how to set up and create shaders/postFX? I'm trying to figure this out, but I'm not making much headway.
#6
06/29/2010 (9:47 am)
@ Konrad -- thank you -- the unblock did hte trick. Now maybe I get better edumacated.
#7
Thanks to everyone who piped up with assistance in this and my prior posts.
06/30/2010 (5:36 am)
Well... I wish everyone here the best. We have decided corporately to drop Torque and switched to Unity. When you're dealing with government contracts, deadlines and performance requirements, it just isn't realistic to operate in a documentation vacuum. I sincerely hope folks here at GG get it together... it's a good product, but not professional enough to be a viable tool for our mission.Thanks to everyone who piped up with assistance in this and my prior posts.
#9
Every one of my colleagues warned me not to bother with Torque speculating some of the very same reasons. That was back in the very early TGE days, and everyone around the studio would joke about Torque being a little toy game engine. But I persisted because I liked the idea of a game engine aimed for the lower budget, creative, aspiring independent game developer.
Torque is not even trying to live upto the community spirit that got it to the place it is today.
I had been a avid fan of Torque from the very early days, following the news of the Sierra/Dynamix/Vivendi fiasco even before there was a GarageGames. As time progress the proud feeling of Torque loyalty is being consumed by disappointed regret...
That is all, i sigh.
06/30/2010 (11:08 pm)
Quote:Torque...not professional enough to be a viable tool...
Every one of my colleagues warned me not to bother with Torque speculating some of the very same reasons. That was back in the very early TGE days, and everyone around the studio would joke about Torque being a little toy game engine. But I persisted because I liked the idea of a game engine aimed for the lower budget, creative, aspiring independent game developer.
Torque is not even trying to live upto the community spirit that got it to the place it is today.
I had been a avid fan of Torque from the very early days, following the news of the Sierra/Dynamix/Vivendi fiasco even before there was a GarageGames. As time progress the proud feeling of Torque loyalty is being consumed by disappointed regret...
That is all, i sigh.
Torque 3D Owner Hans Cremers
http://www.torquepowered.com/community/blogs/view/16695
Edit: maybe this could come in handy too:
http://www.torquepowered.com/community/resources/view/18479