Render Order and Space Gases
by Matt Swanson · in Torque Game Engine · 09/03/2008 (3:52 pm) · 3 replies
Hello Everyone,
So here's the lowdown:
We got a large plane with a gaseous texture on it. We have it situated below the player to give our space game some nice look to it, just some space gas and a layer of stars under that. The problem is, to get the desired resolution we wanted we had to make the object very large with many very large textures on it. Now to cover the area we have, we need to make it even larger! We'd rather not add more large textures that aren't necessary.
So here are my questions to you all:
1. Let's say I want to place the gas layer ABOVE the player, well above, just below the camera and then rendered it on top of other objects but still below the player. This way we can have a smaller object but cover a much larger area. Is something like this possible?
2. Is there another/better way to go about this? Like some sort of billboard or something that will follow the camera automatically so we don't have to place it in every area we want it? Remember though, it has to look like the gas is moving at a different rate than the ships, the stars, etc.
Kind of a long-winded question, but I'm stuck here. Hope you can help!
Thanks in advance!
P.S. If you need more info just let me know.
So here's the lowdown:
We got a large plane with a gaseous texture on it. We have it situated below the player to give our space game some nice look to it, just some space gas and a layer of stars under that. The problem is, to get the desired resolution we wanted we had to make the object very large with many very large textures on it. Now to cover the area we have, we need to make it even larger! We'd rather not add more large textures that aren't necessary.
So here are my questions to you all:
1. Let's say I want to place the gas layer ABOVE the player, well above, just below the camera and then rendered it on top of other objects but still below the player. This way we can have a smaller object but cover a much larger area. Is something like this possible?
2. Is there another/better way to go about this? Like some sort of billboard or something that will follow the camera automatically so we don't have to place it in every area we want it? Remember though, it has to look like the gas is moving at a different rate than the ships, the stars, etc.
Kind of a long-winded question, but I'm stuck here. Hope you can help!
Thanks in advance!
P.S. If you need more info just let me know.
About the author
#2
It works well for views out of a window or skylight, but if the player has any vertical freedom or can see the horizon the effect falls apart. It's not suitable for an Eve Online type shooter.
09/07/2008 (3:57 pm)
This is a shot using cloud layers. There's a skybox, an opaque "star" layer, and two translucent "nebula" cloud layers moving at slightly different speeds. It works well for views out of a window or skylight, but if the player has any vertical freedom or can see the horizon the effect falls apart. It's not suitable for an Eve Online type shooter.
#3
09/07/2008 (4:10 pm)
Take a look at http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/Code/How_do_I_make_a_renderable_object%3F and make your own! sounds easy enough, assuming what you want it to do is render a plane with a texture on it. Simply make it always render at the cameras position(well, a little under/over). And make sure to disable the thingy that makes it not render while the object is off screen, since that wont matter.(Excuse my lack of terminology...is that even a word?) 
Associate Orion Elenzil
Real Life Plus
that might be what you're after.