Graveyard Pack Released - with a lil' bit of funk rubbed on it!
by Alan James · 03/12/2009 (5:46 pm) · 24 comments
Hey everyone! If you've been following Will Zettler's plans, you'll remember that he's noted that we've joined forces to bring you the "Tombs & Crypts Graveyard Pack."
Will introduced his plan to release a graveyard pack a while back, and I offered to, in technical terms, "rub a little bit of funk on it." i.e., take a look at his textures, introduce some models I had been working on myself for a similar idea, add in some other content and make suggestions on additional audio tracks and such.
So here are a few screens and shots of the result:
The pack consists of over fifty dif models with all source art, a couple tree samples from RRGTS "Storms and Seasons Environment Pack", several skyboxes, some BB'd Png foliage, an assortment of terrain textures, and of course a half a dozen of Will's own ambient audio tracks to mix and match to make your own unique haunted graveyard.
Here's a couple of the four model index pages:
At this point the models are only .Map/.Dif format, I will at sometime update this for Will and add in DTS/Obj/? formats for a broader scope of use (I currently have some things I need to move back to the front burner, so I can't give you a solid eta on that). At this point this all works great with TGE 1.5.2 and TGEA 1.8.1 and it includes one demo level for TGE and two for TGEA.
If you'd like to check it out, along with several other of Digital Lightstorm's Audio packs at really great prices, check out www.monsterpacks.com I'm sure Will would appreciate it! (I wouldn't complain either!)
Speaking of moving things onto the front burner, I'm sure most of you have run into the magenta/green resizing issue with difs exported with any of the latest Map2Dif versions.
Well, I took it upon myself to hack it up a bit, figured out that I could fake it but not truly fix it and so turned it over to someone who actually knew what he was doing.
I haven't seen him post a blog concerning this, so I'll go ahead and let the cat out of the bag, post a link to Andy Rollins nice work and we can get a few other folks testing this updated version of the Map2Dif with what I believe is a working lightmapping fix.
Fixed lightmap code courtesy Andy Rollins:
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/v2/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
This fixed code has helped me move ahead towards another release of the "Corridors & Conduits Scifi Construction Kit". I've got 90% of the TGE version maps done, and now it's a matter of tweaking the location of portals so that when multiple pieces are placed together, the unlightmapped portions are hidden - this is really necessary on very, very dark levels in particular so that they are pitch black to start with. Also, now that the T&C Pack is somewhat out of the way, I can focus on the performance issues I wanted to address with the C&C Scifi Kit, i.e. LOD's is particular but also a good going over of all the content for tweaking.
Anyway check out the "Tombs & Crypts Graveyard Pack" at www.monsterpacks.com, say "HI" in the forums (we like to see that new folks have stopped by, and keep an eye out for a updated release of the Corridors & Conduits Scifi Construction Kit. I also have *several* other content projects in the works, A Goldmine Pack that actually is about 80% complete, a Damaged & Destroyed Building Pack, Several Ancient Civilizations Packs (South America, Middle East and Europe) and a few other surprises.
Thanks!
Alan
Will introduced his plan to release a graveyard pack a while back, and I offered to, in technical terms, "rub a little bit of funk on it." i.e., take a look at his textures, introduce some models I had been working on myself for a similar idea, add in some other content and make suggestions on additional audio tracks and such.
So here are a few screens and shots of the result:
The pack consists of over fifty dif models with all source art, a couple tree samples from RRGTS "Storms and Seasons Environment Pack", several skyboxes, some BB'd Png foliage, an assortment of terrain textures, and of course a half a dozen of Will's own ambient audio tracks to mix and match to make your own unique haunted graveyard.
Here's a couple of the four model index pages:
At this point the models are only .Map/.Dif format, I will at sometime update this for Will and add in DTS/Obj/? formats for a broader scope of use (I currently have some things I need to move back to the front burner, so I can't give you a solid eta on that). At this point this all works great with TGE 1.5.2 and TGEA 1.8.1 and it includes one demo level for TGE and two for TGEA.
If you'd like to check it out, along with several other of Digital Lightstorm's Audio packs at really great prices, check out www.monsterpacks.com I'm sure Will would appreciate it! (I wouldn't complain either!)
Speaking of moving things onto the front burner, I'm sure most of you have run into the magenta/green resizing issue with difs exported with any of the latest Map2Dif versions.
Well, I took it upon myself to hack it up a bit, figured out that I could fake it but not truly fix it and so turned it over to someone who actually knew what he was doing.
I haven't seen him post a blog concerning this, so I'll go ahead and let the cat out of the bag, post a link to Andy Rollins nice work and we can get a few other folks testing this updated version of the Map2Dif with what I believe is a working lightmapping fix.
Fixed lightmap code courtesy Andy Rollins:
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/v2/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
This fixed code has helped me move ahead towards another release of the "Corridors & Conduits Scifi Construction Kit". I've got 90% of the TGE version maps done, and now it's a matter of tweaking the location of portals so that when multiple pieces are placed together, the unlightmapped portions are hidden - this is really necessary on very, very dark levels in particular so that they are pitch black to start with. Also, now that the T&C Pack is somewhat out of the way, I can focus on the performance issues I wanted to address with the C&C Scifi Kit, i.e. LOD's is particular but also a good going over of all the content for tweaking.
Anyway check out the "Tombs & Crypts Graveyard Pack" at www.monsterpacks.com, say "HI" in the forums (we like to see that new folks have stopped by, and keep an eye out for a updated release of the Corridors & Conduits Scifi Construction Kit. I also have *several* other content projects in the works, A Goldmine Pack that actually is about 80% complete, a Damaged & Destroyed Building Pack, Several Ancient Civilizations Packs (South America, Middle East and Europe) and a few other surprises.
Thanks!
Alan
About the author
#2
03/12/2009 (7:21 pm)
Nice work - I must admit, I had my doubts on the texturing work, but the alliance formed with MonsterPacks was a smart move and got you into the market. Well done, and MonsterPacks are a quality content provider, it's a win, win for everyone - except me - downed twice by you and Todd when you released graveyard packs before me - gahhhhhh - just kidding ;-)
#3
BTW, we could *really* use some skeletons on www.monsterpacks.com, so if you aren't tied up with any particular outlet...hint, hint...drop me an email.
Alan
03/12/2009 (7:27 pm)
LOL Andy! Yes, Will and I think this was a good working result for both DLS and RRGTS!BTW, we could *really* use some skeletons on www.monsterpacks.com, so if you aren't tied up with any particular outlet...hint, hint...drop me an email.
Alan
#4
03/12/2009 (7:32 pm)
@Andy H. There's always room to build a better mouse trap ..or in this case, a graveyard :O) 
#5
Luck!
Guimo
03/12/2009 (7:44 pm)
This is going to be an excellent scenario for Warscale. Has anybody here thought about making a gladiator arena?Luck!
Guimo
#6
Is the only way around this to put some omni's on the exterior of the dif ? Also ive found that when in the dif, i get the same effect when the avatar usually goes pink it just goes into a shadow, even if standing under a lightsource
p.s. sorry for hijackin the blog with this map2dif stuff :o
03/12/2009 (8:03 pm)
Alan, that map2dif ive hit some issues with it, on say a standard house dif thats portalled and manually lit on the interior etc, but has been scaled down within torque, i get this instead of the pink/green lighting when on the exterior of the house...Is the only way around this to put some omni's on the exterior of the dif ? Also ive found that when in the dif, i get the same effect when the avatar usually goes pink it just goes into a shadow, even if standing under a lightsource
p.s. sorry for hijackin the blog with this map2dif stuff :o
#7
This is the reason I wanted to get it out, so that others could start taking a look at it and maybe we can resolve a few of these issues. I have the hacked version that you can also try, I went about it a little differently and it might produce different results:
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
Like I said, mine's a hack where I simply replaced the magenta/green lightmap borders with a neutral grey. Hey, it's worth a shot!
03/12/2009 (8:11 pm)
@Andy W. Not a hijack at all, it was a multi-topic post. =)This is the reason I wanted to get it out, so that others could start taking a look at it and maybe we can resolve a few of these issues. I have the hacked version that you can also try, I went about it a little differently and it might produce different results:
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
Like I said, mine's a hack where I simply replaced the magenta/green lightmap borders with a neutral grey. Hey, it's worth a shot!
#8
03/12/2009 (8:17 pm)
Cheers Alan, I'll give that one a shot and see what the results are
#9
The noticable difference though is compile times, the first one with the dark shadows absolutely flies through compiling a map, the second one it hits the lightmap stage and sits there a few mins not responding, then wham it completes...
03/12/2009 (8:34 pm)
Alan, that second one seems alot better sofar, concerning the neutral shadown colour, but when in a dif that has different colour lights, it isnt effected by say a green or red omni light... i think at the moment its a welcome tradeoff against the neon pink avatar but does remove the immersion feel a bit when standing under a red light and the avatar looks like its still outside in sunlight :/ the avatar pics up shadows etc well where theres less lighting though.The noticable difference though is compile times, the first one with the dark shadows absolutely flies through compiling a map, the second one it hits the lightmap stage and sits there a few mins not responding, then wham it completes...
#10
See if this one runs faster:
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/v1release/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
Cheers!
03/12/2009 (8:41 pm)
@Andy W. That would be of course because I never updated the file on my host from the debug to the release. I'll have another link here shortly that should be a substantially smaller file size and run quicker.See if this one runs faster:
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/v1release/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
Cheers!
#11
That one above gives same results as the one in your first post, with the really dark shading on the avatar :/
03/12/2009 (8:51 pm)
Alan,That one above gives same results as the one in your first post, with the really dark shading on the avatar :/
#12
03/12/2009 (8:53 pm)
I knew rum was a bad choice...I've got way too many files on my system, I'll see if I can track down the *right* build...=) 
#13
Thanks Alan!
Will
03/12/2009 (9:03 pm)
Alan: Awesome work as always man. You did an amazing redo of the pack. And since it is a dedication to my dads memory, I think he would be proud of the quality of work, I know I am very proud to see how the final pack turned out. I'm sure this won't be the last pack we work on together, so watch down the road everyone for other packs from RRGTS and DLS as we get time to work on projects together. And everyone, Alan calls it Really Really Good Things for a reason! :-)Thanks Alan!
Will
#14
www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/v1release2/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
basically the original hack was using the 1.0.3 build of TGEA map2dif and changing lmapPacker.cpp code from magenta and green in the lightmap border section to a neutral grey color. I believe I also resized the lightmap border size in lightmapPacker.h on the one debug version that doesn't turn the avatar dark. If this isn't the right version I'll re-vist this tomorrow, I've sat in jury selection all day and I'm at this point not in a right state of mind.
03/12/2009 (9:31 pm)
Alright Andy W. see if this is the right one...(if not I think I might have over-written the right one and I'll have to do it again!LOL):www.monsterpacks.com/contentpacks/code/v1release2/map2dif_plus_tse.exe
basically the original hack was using the 1.0.3 build of TGEA map2dif and changing lmapPacker.cpp code from magenta and green in the lightmap border section to a neutral grey color. I believe I also resized the lightmap border size in lightmapPacker.h on the one debug version that doesn't turn the avatar dark. If this isn't the right version I'll re-vist this tomorrow, I've sat in jury selection all day and I'm at this point not in a right state of mind.
#15
I think you saved your original over the modified one, the v1release2 still gives a neon green effect to the avatar on a scaled dif :(
03/12/2009 (11:36 pm)
heya Al,I think you saved your original over the modified one, the v1release2 still gives a neon green effect to the avatar on a scaled dif :(
#16
03/13/2009 (12:32 am)
Ok, I re-wrote the hack and replaced the v1release2 version with it, try it again if you get a chance...I'm off to bed, I've got a long day of sitting in jury selection to look forward to...
#17
03/13/2009 (1:26 am)
Hey al, your a legend, that ones working, just needs the grey lighting tone a little higher, its still dark but not like the picture above 
#18
03/13/2009 (2:08 am)
Nice work on the graveyard. Those ancient civ packs will probably also be popular.
#19
Let me see if I can re-create the issue with one of our issues - haven't tried it out with an interior I can jump on the outside of.
As for the pack it looks really great :) we've just implemented a graveyard into our game of much the same style albeit my textures don't appear to be anywhere near the quality of these so might have to purchase the pack.
03/13/2009 (4:10 am)
Thanks for the mention Alan, seems like I need to take a further look into it - seems like Andy's example shows there's a few faces that have missing lightmap information.Let me see if I can re-create the issue with one of our issues - haven't tried it out with an interior I can jump on the outside of.
As for the pack it looks really great :) we've just implemented a graveyard into our game of much the same style albeit my textures don't appear to be anywhere near the quality of these so might have to purchase the pack.
#20
Great! I think I can speak for a lot of folks when I say we all really appreciate you taking a look at this, and I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out!
03/13/2009 (7:35 am)
@Andy R. Great! I think I can speak for a lot of folks when I say we all really appreciate you taking a look at this, and I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out!
Torque 3D Owner Andy Wright
BrokeAss Games