Interiors larger than exteriors (eg Doctor Who's Tardis)
by Michael Day · in Torque Game Engine · 08/01/2004 (7:14 pm) · 5 replies
I am trying to determine the best method for implementing interiors that are larger than the exterior. I have not been able to find a thread on this topic (so far). The closest I have been able to find was the following thread on having vehicle interiors that could be navigated:
http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=15512
I was intrigued by the possibility of subspaces mentioned in this thread. Has anyone implemented such a beast?
My interest is to create something like the Tardis, but it could be used for other things as well:
1. Link a large interior to a vehicle without having the associated physics problems as the subspace physics would not (necessarily) be linked to the vehicle and the 'interior' would not need to be modelled with the vehicle. The subspace could even have it's own physics or modified gravity settings, etc.
2. Allow tunnells without having to punch a hole in the terrain. The tunnell would exist in a seperate subspace. Great for levels where buildings can be moved/created/destroyed.
3. Modified form of Teleport where only a short distance is travelled inside the subspace but the two ends are in different parts of the 'real' world.
4. Many other things....
If nobody has done such a thing I will have a bash at it, but would like to save some pain if possible.
http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=15512
I was intrigued by the possibility of subspaces mentioned in this thread. Has anyone implemented such a beast?
My interest is to create something like the Tardis, but it could be used for other things as well:
1. Link a large interior to a vehicle without having the associated physics problems as the subspace physics would not (necessarily) be linked to the vehicle and the 'interior' would not need to be modelled with the vehicle. The subspace could even have it's own physics or modified gravity settings, etc.
2. Allow tunnells without having to punch a hole in the terrain. The tunnell would exist in a seperate subspace. Great for levels where buildings can be moved/created/destroyed.
3. Modified form of Teleport where only a short distance is travelled inside the subspace but the two ends are in different parts of the 'real' world.
4. Many other things....
If nobody has done such a thing I will have a bash at it, but would like to save some pain if possible.
#2
08/01/2004 (8:12 pm)
Why not just make a new class the uses .dif objects as a boat or starship? It would need some mountpoints, for things like turrets and the pilot of the vehicle. Sorry if this is a bit off topic.
#3
08/01/2004 (10:08 pm)
You may need to do your own solution to this problem. It can be a bit tricky to do non-euclidean spaces with components which were designed to support a more consistent view of reality... alternatively which were designed to use simple convex physics instead of a more complex solution. Hard to say. :)
#4
I had thought of the teleport effect, but as you stated, there are drawbacks with the interactions between areas. Ideally I would like to have all objects able to pass in & out as if it was a standard object. Visibility between areas is also very important. If I was able to have doors with teleport triggers it would be much easier.
@Josh
While I might be able to make a .dif into a vehicle (don't know, haven't looked into this), what I really need to do is have the interior space larger than then exterior. (Little bit OT, but I am curious) On the subject of starships, how would the gravity work if you were flying the starship? Artificial gravity should always give the impression of a down that is relative to the starship, not the world gravity. Could you still manage to have playes walking around the ship if it was 'upside down'?
@All
I had thought that a special form of portal could be used to link between subspaces. This would mean a building shell could be created with a subspace portal linking it to the interior. If I create the special portal properly then all the interactions should still function correctly. Yeh, this is probably a major simplification, but hopefully you can see what I mean.
@Ben
Figured I would have to do this the hard way, but you don't know unless you ask!
08/01/2004 (10:24 pm)
@BryceI had thought of the teleport effect, but as you stated, there are drawbacks with the interactions between areas. Ideally I would like to have all objects able to pass in & out as if it was a standard object. Visibility between areas is also very important. If I was able to have doors with teleport triggers it would be much easier.
@Josh
While I might be able to make a .dif into a vehicle (don't know, haven't looked into this), what I really need to do is have the interior space larger than then exterior. (Little bit OT, but I am curious) On the subject of starships, how would the gravity work if you were flying the starship? Artificial gravity should always give the impression of a down that is relative to the starship, not the world gravity. Could you still manage to have playes walking around the ship if it was 'upside down'?
@All
I had thought that a special form of portal could be used to link between subspaces. This would mean a building shell could be created with a subspace portal linking it to the interior. If I create the special portal properly then all the interactions should still function correctly. Yeh, this is probably a major simplification, but hopefully you can see what I mean.
@Ben
Figured I would have to do this the hard way, but you don't know unless you ask!
#5
08/02/2004 (7:00 pm)
You could always have zero-G in the spacechip and have the player floating around like in acual spacestations. Or your could have an attached pyshical zone to push the players down. 
Torque Owner Bryce "Cogburn" Weiner
It really depends on your requirements. If you don't need to have direct access between both sides of the portal (like you can see through it) then it is really easy.
"Mounting" that vehicle could teleport you to an interior that is placed UNDER the terrain. It could then (based on where you placed it) extend far larger than the terrain itself. It would be totally inaccessible from anywhere other than your portal. The rest is simply illusion of the effect. Here's an example with a building: Make a small interior (one room house). Place a trigger that teleports the player to your second interior just inside the doorway. The player opens the door, walks in and "poof" they are in the new interior. The 2nd interior object should have the EXACT same front room as the original so the effect appears seemless. The reverse effect can be accomplished in a little more complicated manner but you get the idea.
It's a clean transition without map loads, but the problem is that you cannot shoot through it nor interact with objects on the "outside". To get that to work would require some extensive engine modifications.