IPS Pro development update 1
by Lukas Joergensen · 08/09/2012 (5:30 pm) · 7 comments
Looks good doesn't it?
The above image is an example of what you can do with IPS Lite. I didn't spend much time tweaking the values, thats why it is kindda redish and doesn't look so dangerous. But it still looks pretty good, a fine start for putting things on fire! Remember this kit is free. So the paid version better give you some reasons to buy that instead of using the free version.Well I sure hope that some of these teasers will drag you in that direction.
Ready?... Now presenting... The Ground Emitter!
Wait what? An emitter that emits along the terrain? Well basically yes! So simple but so effective. This emitter is brilliant for setting the ground on fire.
But... My ground is composed of mostly stones? They shouldn't be on fire!
Well lucky you because this emitter can be limited to only emit on certain terrain materials!
I hope you can see the value in this simple emitter!
Actually, this emitter is just the base for something much more interesting! Very game specific but a very fun tool to play with!
"I wanna know what that is!"
Nah, I can't tease you if I tell you what it is! You'll have to wait untill I find the time is right.
However we can play a little game!
You can try and guess what these debug images are and what relation they have to the IPS Pro:
Now for some small info about the release of the IPS Pro, whether it will be launched in the GG store or in a private store has not yet been decided, I will spend some time in this weekend reading all the papers GG sent me about licensing etc and hopefully have come to a decision within a week.
I will release a small demo game featuring all the emitters of the IPS Pro so you can try before you buy.
And as for the price it still haven't been decided. It depends on a lot of factors and I will come with an estimate in a later blog!
Thanks for reading this blog! I hope it was entertaining and informative!
If you are interested in the IPS Pro I suggest you like my facebook page. As the facebook page will recieve updates and screenshots before I write a blog about it, and some information is facebook only!
Lukas Joergensen
Fuzzy Void Studio
About the author
IPS Bundle available at: https://www.winterleafentertainment.com/Products/IPS.aspx
#2
Have thought about callbacks aswell, but chose to delay it untill everything else is finished and optimised.
I'm very critical of the thought of running a callback 100+ times a second under optimized circumstances :P
But callbacks would be optional on a per-emitter basis and also maybe running the callback max X times per second.
08/09/2012 (8:42 pm)
@Jeff, as for the vector / angle limit, it is on my list. And I might actually break my promise of no more features for the IPS Lite version and throw the vector limit into there. There is many uses for that very simple feature.Have thought about callbacks aswell, but chose to delay it untill everything else is finished and optimised.
I'm very critical of the thought of running a callback 100+ times a second under optimized circumstances :P
But callbacks would be optional on a per-emitter basis and also maybe running the callback max X times per second.
#3
For callbacks, I'm thinking a sort of queue system. In my example about an acid rain effect.
The particle detects a collision, and passes what it hit to the emitter it's from.
The emitter could have a queue listing of callbacks it's made recently, and in the case of the collision callback, you could check if we've made a callback in the queue about that object in particular.
That way you can have a certain number of callbacks per second or whatnot(which could be tweakable in the emitter settings), but still have every acceptable callback come through(several players walking into our acid rain).
08/09/2012 (8:53 pm)
Cool.For callbacks, I'm thinking a sort of queue system. In my example about an acid rain effect.
The particle detects a collision, and passes what it hit to the emitter it's from.
The emitter could have a queue listing of callbacks it's made recently, and in the case of the collision callback, you could check if we've made a callback in the queue about that object in particular.
That way you can have a certain number of callbacks per second or whatnot(which could be tweakable in the emitter settings), but still have every acceptable callback come through(several players walking into our acid rain).
#4
08/10/2012 (12:09 am)
Sweetness and awesomeness. I'm going to have a guess at the tease and say I bet it's burnable grass. Amiright?
#5
If we're going whole-hog on the suggestion box, have you put any thought into shaders on the particles? :)
08/10/2012 (6:34 pm)
Hey Lukas,If we're going whole-hog on the suggestion box, have you put any thought into shaders on the particles? :)
#6
I haven't worked with particles themselves yet only the emitters. But when i begin to work the particles that is definetly something i can look into!
Lukas Joergensen
- Fuzzy Void Studio
08/11/2012 (3:39 am)
@Jeff I would love to hear as many suggestions as you can come up with! 20% of the work is coming up with the ideas! :)I haven't worked with particles themselves yet only the emitters. But when i begin to work the particles that is definetly something i can look into!
Lukas Joergensen
- Fuzzy Void Studio
#7
Particles is only spawned serverside, so the callback would possibly not be consistent from client to client. It would work on a singleplayer game tho!
08/20/2012 (2:22 pm)
@Jeff just found the culprit with scriptable particles!Particles is only spawned serverside, so the callback would possibly not be consistent from client to client. It would work on a singleplayer game tho!
Torque Owner Jeff Raab
[ghc]games
As for the image, initially I just figured it was a polygon clipper, but given that it has to do with the IPS, I'm thinking you can selectively exclude a space on the model for mesh emitting? And/or improved/isolated particle collisions?
Also, I haven't gotten to play with Lite too much yet, but is there any option for setting a vector and angle range so you could, say, only emit from verts or faces with a normal pointed down(so if it's raining, water droplets running off your character would only appear on downward surfaces), or up, to simulate rain splashes hitting your character, etc, etc.
Another suggestion, if you feel it wouldn't impact performance all that much(it would need some testing, I'd imagine), what about having actual scriptability to things via callbacks?
So you could have a callback from when a particle registers a hit, and the emitter fires a callback. Then in gameplay/script, you could decide what to do about it, such as damaging them if it's acid rain hitting the player, or triggering a coughing animation if they walk into a smoke grenade's particles, etc, etc.
I think if handled right, it would allow a lot of flexibility, especially in the gameplay-impacting side of things.
(I want pro so baaaddddd :P )