TGE to develop a non-FPS
by Niall · in Torque Game Engine · 08/18/2005 (6:05 am) · 7 replies
Hi guys - I have TGE (and lighting pack) and Ken's book and I know most of the theory. Just haven't put it into practice yet.
But what I'm looking at developing is not a first person game, but rather a 3d side scroller/shooter/platform type game.
Single player will be a primary focus as I wish to develop a one level demo just to implement all ideas first.
Basically you'll see the main character from the side and the camera will move to track him. Kind of like in those Mario games. but when you move the mouse to the top of the screen it'll scroll to reveal more of what's above the main character. (Ragdoll Kung Ku would be a good example - so is Soldat)
1. Can anyone recommend camera resources that'd make this possible?
2. Also - I know there's a ragdoll pack available, but how would I go about producing realtime ragdolls. I plan to make the game a very special effects intensive game with a couple of unique ideas and realtime ragdolls would just look amazing.
If anyone can point me in the right direction to get started it'd be much appreciated.
Regards,
Niall.
But what I'm looking at developing is not a first person game, but rather a 3d side scroller/shooter/platform type game.
Single player will be a primary focus as I wish to develop a one level demo just to implement all ideas first.
Basically you'll see the main character from the side and the camera will move to track him. Kind of like in those Mario games. but when you move the mouse to the top of the screen it'll scroll to reveal more of what's above the main character. (Ragdoll Kung Ku would be a good example - so is Soldat)
1. Can anyone recommend camera resources that'd make this possible?
2. Also - I know there's a ragdoll pack available, but how would I go about producing realtime ragdolls. I plan to make the game a very special effects intensive game with a couple of unique ideas and realtime ragdolls would just look amazing.
If anyone can point me in the right direction to get started it'd be much appreciated.
Regards,
Niall.
#2
How difficult is the ragdoll pack to customize?
What can I expect and not expect from it?
Regards,
Niall.
08/18/2005 (7:24 am)
Thanks for the reply.How difficult is the ragdoll pack to customize?
What can I expect and not expect from it?
Regards,
Niall.
#3
It makes player objects fall and get blown away as if they were using realtime ragdoll, only instead of having to transfer that info over hte network it is all done client side. Also, with realtime ragdoll you can get zany results under certain circumstances. You won't get that with the ragdoll pack...
Basicalloy the ratgdoll pack amkes your characters react to forces with realistic ragdoll effects.
It is basically the same as real time ragdoll, only it's not real time...
The only restriction I know of, is that oyu have to use the default skeleton naming conventions. In other words, you can't use a custom rig for your characters.
08/18/2005 (8:03 am)
Chris Calef is hte man to talk ot.... But from my knowledge of it... You really can't customize it. It makes player objects fall and get blown away as if they were using realtime ragdoll, only instead of having to transfer that info over hte network it is all done client side. Also, with realtime ragdoll you can get zany results under certain circumstances. You won't get that with the ragdoll pack...
Basicalloy the ratgdoll pack amkes your characters react to forces with realistic ragdoll effects.
It is basically the same as real time ragdoll, only it's not real time...
The only restriction I know of, is that oyu have to use the default skeleton naming conventions. In other words, you can't use a custom rig for your characters.
#4
08/18/2005 (9:04 am)
So how do the ragdolls behave if they are say dropped from a height and collide with multiple objects on the way down...? 
#5
Well, the animations are just that: Animations.
They are animations that look and behave AS IF you had ragdoll physics incorporated into your engine.
Dropping the models from a height and having it collide with multible objects would probably not be impressive. Your character would probably fall around and off of the objects in a standing position.
From what I understand, there are animations for certian scenarios. Such as being pushed back at a 90
08/18/2005 (9:49 am)
In regards to the ragdoll pack?Well, the animations are just that: Animations.
They are animations that look and behave AS IF you had ragdoll physics incorporated into your engine.
Dropping the models from a height and having it collide with multible objects would probably not be impressive. Your character would probably fall around and off of the objects in a standing position.
From what I understand, there are animations for certian scenarios. Such as being pushed back at a 90
#7
What people said here re: the ragdoll pack is accurate. They won't look good falling from a height (although I actually was thinking recently about that issue, it might be worth another pack at some point...) As is, the ragdoll animation pack is only designed to deal with the situation of a standing character being subjected to a force which throws him in any of eight horizontal directions, multiplied by three pitch angles, multiplied by three different force magnitudes. (so 72 animations total). That's all it does, though. Tumbling down hills would be a good application for realtime ragdoll. But as pointed out above, that's a WHOLE different ball of wax, and you'd best be planning on it being a very important part of your game, because it's going to take a whole lot of work to make it look good and handle the network if you're going multiplayer.
If you're ready to put in the time, check out some of the resources (esp. the ODE script one by Gary Briggs, if he's supporting joints by now -- I haven't checked recently.)
www.garagegames.com/blogs/20342/8256
I actually have a realtime ODE project in the works, but it's going to be quite a while before it's usable. You didn't hear it from me. I said nothing. :-) At this point, if the ODE script method doesn't work, you're still on your own.
08/22/2005 (12:54 pm)
Hey y'all, I just caught this thread...What people said here re: the ragdoll pack is accurate. They won't look good falling from a height (although I actually was thinking recently about that issue, it might be worth another pack at some point...) As is, the ragdoll animation pack is only designed to deal with the situation of a standing character being subjected to a force which throws him in any of eight horizontal directions, multiplied by three pitch angles, multiplied by three different force magnitudes. (so 72 animations total). That's all it does, though. Tumbling down hills would be a good application for realtime ragdoll. But as pointed out above, that's a WHOLE different ball of wax, and you'd best be planning on it being a very important part of your game, because it's going to take a whole lot of work to make it look good and handle the network if you're going multiplayer.
If you're ready to put in the time, check out some of the resources (esp. the ODE script one by Gary Briggs, if he's supporting joints by now -- I haven't checked recently.)
www.garagegames.com/blogs/20342/8256
I actually have a realtime ODE project in the works, but it's going to be quite a while before it's usable. You didn't hear it from me. I said nothing. :-) At this point, if the ODE script method doesn't work, you're still on your own.
Torque Owner Chris Labombard
Premium Preferred
2. he ragdoll pack does look like real time ragdoll. It is possible to integrate ODE, but it might look even worse then hte pack, and take FOREVER to code.