The concept idea is for it to be a cardboard doll theater, so i am trying to make a basic scene to see how that could work. I want my level loading function to be the red cloth theaters use, but i can't seem to find a good way to do this in Unity. I hoped i could overlay a video with alpha masking, but it seems like it would have to be a 3D model or a combination of static 2D pictures.
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Indie Game Development Discussion Thread | Of Being Professionally Poor
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The concept idea is for it to be a cardboard doll theater, so i am trying to make a basic scene to see how that could work. I want my level loading function to be the red cloth theaters use, but i can't seem to find a good way to do this in Unity. I hoped i could overlay a video with alpha masking, but it seems like it would have to be a 3D model or a combination of static 2D pictures.
Wise words from the King of XNA!
The idea of using cardboard cutouts could be cute, and stuff like Kirby's Epic Yarn looks nice, but crafty graphics scare me a little since I'm always reminded of some game that's on Steam with really ugly graphics that clash and are made out of paper cutouts or something. I can never remember the name though.
Works better then expected so far:
Interesting idea but the textures could use some work to really sell the crafty feel. It doesn't look like they're painted on the cardboard; possibly stickers placed on the cardboard, but the clouds have a much too detailed outline to be stickers. Also it would be nice to see the sides of the cardboards rendered in 3D rather than flat billboards
edit: looking more closely maybe they are in 3D, but it's too subtle. It probably wouldn't hurt to exaggerate the depth a bit if it's supposed to be viewed from the side the whole time
I agree 100%, i am mostly testing out things right now and finding out how i can use the perspective in the best way possible in order to show the content i want to make. All the textures i have so far are just placeholder ones i found using google and cropped to use as placeholders to see how the cardboard outline thing could be done.
To fix my perspective issues i am thinking that i would have to model the actual front of the doll theater to better convey the feeling of it being in a box.
Here's a picture for all of you (well ok, mostly me).
Seriously I hate procrastination! ARGH!!!!
I like it.
I so need this up in my apartment.
And Yet It Moves??
But yeah art work is always a bitch. That's when I usually start losing steam on a project. But I've been learning. Over Christmas I did a lot of experimenting, my original vision for the look was like 2001 Space Odyssey or Love. Getting the textures and models aren't really the problem for me anymore, although still need practice. Getting the right shaders to do what you want on the platform you want (mobile) was a struggle. Then getting the lighting correct, with lightmaps and light probes. It's a undertaking that's for sure, plus the lightmap would increase the size of the download. Although, I was probably doing it wrong. I ended up still not happy with it. So I spent most of January trying to make something that looks somewhat interesting. Not sure if I succeeded but oh well, there's code to write!
YES, that's it (http://store.steampowered.com/app/18700/). :/ The art style is creative and unusual, but it really doesn't click with me.And Yet It Moves??
But yeah art work is always a bitch. That's when I usually start losing steam on a project. But I've been learning. Over Christmas I did a lot of experimenting, my original vision for the look was like 2001 Space Odyssey or Love. Getting the textures and models aren't really the problem for me anymore, although still need practice. Getting the right shaders to do what you want on the platform you want (mobile) was a struggle. Then getting the lighting correct, with lightmaps and light probes. It's a undertaking that's for sure, plus the lightmap would increase the size of the download. Although, I was probably doing it wrong. I ended up still not happy with it. So I spent most of January trying to make something that looks somewhat interesting. Not sure if I succeeded but oh well, there's code to write!
I would say this kind of perspective works a lot better:
I would need to decide if i want a "Stage" at the bottom, but i think the sides and some of the top would match greatly for red theater cloth.
I like the style.
About the red curtain: No cloth modeling in Unity?
About the perspective: To transmit the feeling of looking into a box, you
need another, a more general, perspective projection, one that allows you to
view onto the projecting plane from an oblique angle. Such a projection is
called an oblique perspective projection. You may already have heard about it.
However, not all graphics packages allow for setting up such a projection out
of the box. In OpenGL for example one can use glFrustrum, whereas OpenGL's
gluPerspective won't do the trick, by setting up a bounding rectangle within
the view plane who's center does not align with the center of the view plane
coordinate system from which the center of projection is computed - depending
on the given viewing rectangle. Hence, the frustrum gets sheared. Another
approach some packages uses is by keeping the viewing rectangle fixed and by
varying the center of projection. But even if neither of these options are
available, if one knows the bounds of the viewing rectangle or the center of
projection and the viewing rectangle, one can construct kind of a shear matrix
that transforms the camera's view volume to have the desired effect. But then
camera space might not be accessible within some packages. In such a case a
shear matrix must be constructed in object space such that the transformation
to camera space gives the same result. So much about the theory.
I guess you can set up such an oblique projection matrix in Unity. If Unity is
modeled after OpenGL's perspective setup, you may take OpenGL's perspective
matrix used by glFrustrum. Direct3D does also have such a matrix. However you
arrive at it, once in place just either vary the view rectangle or the
perspective center of projection slightly to the left/right/bottom/top (while
in oblique mode, i.e. keeping the plane of projection fixed). This will
generate the desired effect, which is way cool! But if you want to make it
real stunning, couple the oblique projection with a head-tracking device (each
mobile phone has a camera). Then map the head's position to the center of
projection or modify the position of the view rectangle while in oblique mode.
Without any doubt, watching the theater that way will blow you straight out of
the water!
Here's a picture for all of you (well ok, mostly me).
You got me there buddy.
It's been 2 weeks I am on a hiatus. Battling with new ideas, thinking about the next stuff I am supposed to code, etc.
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
Dynamite Shikoku
Congratulations, you really deserve it!
I'm not procrastinating. I'm resting my eyes...
Works better then expected so far:
Love it! As the scene is pretty fixed and controlled I'd say you could take advantage of photographic composition techniques, like 3rds and triangles to make the scene super inviting. It's not often you can do that with 3d games.
Here's a picture for all of you (well ok, mostly me).
Just remember your computer doesn't need to be on for you to be working on your game. Walking round the park thinking about it can solve a lot of things a lot quicker than typing shit in without thinking things through first!!
Teknopathetic
Member
"What's "procrastinating"?"
Delaying doing something out of laziness.
Delaying doing something out of laziness.
I'm semi-procrastinating: studying for exams and playing games when I have some free time. I should go back to coding soon.
(I want that Batman poster on my wall)
Here's a picture for all of you (well ok, mostly me).
I should make that into my wallpaper or screensaver, but I'm too deeply into Xenoblade to care about anything else (I'm about 25 hours into the game, so there's a long way to go until the game's done). I had never played an RPG with real-time combat, and it has been really refreshing.
During my vacation, I played Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and was amazed with the approach they came up with to make a game that played well on the Game Boy Advance's very limited controller (since I hadn't thought about it before despite having played Superstar Saga from start to end). It'd be interesting to use that approach to make some kind of multiplayer game (giving each player control over a single character). I also learned I like Advance Wars after playing Days of Ruin.
While I've learned some design-related stuff from playing these games, I guess I'd better go back to working on Quark Storm soon, but after two years of work I'm somewhat tired of working on it.
What do you think, should I force myself to go back to it or take some time until I get over project fatigue? I want it done, but also don't want to burn out completely.
Well, studies are important. Sounds like intelligent priorities.
Before anything else; finish your game, then play others.
I miss WipEout so much. It hurts....
barkers crest
Member
Feep, I really hope this next game shoots you into the stratosphere of awesomeness.
It's a game I've posted about a while ago, and so far I only have five levels done out of a planned 16 to 25, depending on whether I end up with four or five worlds and if I make worlds contain four or five levels each.
If you're interested in checking it out, I've got a web-based demo (it requires Unity Web Player, though). You can play it here.
The biggest problems I've had during development so far were working on everything myself (the current visuals, for example took me about four months to think up, implement and polish, despite having the textures themselves made by a friend of mine) and settling on a design vision. I've tried everything from making it into a platform/puzzle game to adding lots of power-ups to a competitive time attack game to the final concept, which is more like a platformer game with hazards and other interactive stuff to make it not-so-hardcore as it was originally.
It also took me a long while to finally come up with a solid philosophy for level design based on how I wanted the game to play and how playtesters actually behaved, and I'm still polishing some of the five levels I have for now (level 2-1 is the second level I built, well before I settled on adding hazards, so I'll probably have to scrap it and start it anew). Being my first game and having level design as a very important part of it, Quark Storm has been giving me quite a few headaches.
Now, I have three world themes done (world 1 merely introduces the base elements, world 2 has rotating gears and gizmos, and the final world will combine all the previous themes), with gravity as a fourth theme, perhaps for world 3 or 4, depending on whether I'm able to make the difficulty curve smooth enough to introduce it earlier.
The game's 90% done code-wise, 75% done graphics-wise and about 25% done level-wise, with no progress whatsoever in music and SFX yet (though Sadsic might end up giving me a hand). Without counting the audio aspects, I guess it'd be 60% done on average.
I don't know if it's dictionary correct, but my association with "procrastination" is not doing what you should be doing, and doing something less important instead.
In my case it would be playing League of Legends endless hours. Having time for relaxation is important, and absolutely finishing school or real job work is important. It's if I start doing things like "Well I could work on the game, but instead I'll just sit around and watch a TV show" that it really becomes procrastination to me.
In my case it would be playing League of Legends endless hours. Having time for relaxation is important, and absolutely finishing school or real job work is important. It's if I start doing things like "Well I could work on the game, but instead I'll just sit around and watch a TV show" that it really becomes procrastination to me.
I will reach the peak of an Avatar Golf swing.
Diablohead
Member
Had some new artwork done for my game today, used a piece for my avatar
I must be at the £3000 mark now, scary shit son.
I must be at the £3000 mark now, scary shit son.
Omg, so hard using a laptop trackpad. Looks really nice and polished though.
bumpkin
Member
Bah!Here's a picture for all of you (well ok, mostly me).
I finally finished the update to an iPhone App I put out (not a game), so maybe now I'll go back to tinkering with making a game. Admittedly I stepped away from the project out of frustration and lack of direction, but maybe a clear head and some time away will have reinvigorated my, well, vigor.
Diablohead
Member
Went to Game City Nights in Birmingham tonight. It's a sort of show with funny dudes who know stuff about games and like to think, plus an indie show and tell bit. Really good night.
Second time I've shown Chopper Mike to real people, and again it was amazing. People enjoying it and saying nice things. Great feeling.
Also met Paul Marrable, showing Pester to people for the first time. Him talking about the experience was *exactly* how I felt when I showed CM at the last indie meet up.. I can't recommend it enough, get out there and get people playing your game!!
Second time I've shown Chopper Mike to real people, and again it was amazing. People enjoying it and saying nice things. Great feeling.
Also met Paul Marrable, showing Pester to people for the first time. Him talking about the experience was *exactly* how I felt when I showed CM at the last indie meet up.. I can't recommend it enough, get out there and get people playing your game!!
Diablohead
Member
Oh shit it's jelly get in the car!
bumpkin
Member
Man, I am crazy jealous at your progress... Mostly because it's probably playable and has working collision detection. When I got side-tracked (or gave up) on my project a few months ago, I was in collision hell.Oh shit it's jelly get in the car!
Man, I am crazy jealous at your progress... Mostly because it's probably playable and has working collision detection. When I got side-tracked (or gave up) on my project a few months ago, I was in collision hell.
Currently where I am. :/
A new landmark for Cairn. We made good use of a glass shader to give that spiky glass vine it's clarity and shimmer
A new video showing our landmarks and the first small pieces of destructible terrain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNoEuIk9Y-k
A new video showing our landmarks and the first small pieces of destructible terrain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNoEuIk9Y-k
Oh shit it's jelly get in the car!
Daaaaamn, nice drawings!
I think there's a high chance there will be something.
I'll take a guess and say it probably is some sort of HTML5 implementation in order to keep unity with Windows Metro.
Dynamite Shikoku
Congratulations, you really deserve it!
Oh shit it's jelly get in the car!
Looking good. Got any videos?
I just tried the game and i love it! There are some clearly very good gameplay in here and a lot of fun to be had. Get some polish on that sucker and make some more levels, then you should have a pretty dang good game.
The game seemed touch heavy, its coming out on mobile?
I seem to have gotten an oblique perspective to work and i does help quite a bit, but i still feel like the pespective feels a bit ackward, so i need to put a lot of thought into how i want to approach such a design. I am thinking that the iPad (primary platform) could be physically used as the border into the play itself (The open square the audience looks through to see the show), but i would have to experiment on this.
I sadly cannot use the cloth physics in unity since they are not supported on the mobile platforms, so the best solution right now seems to be static 2D images that i overlay. Head tracking could be kinda cool, i am just worried that it could make flaws stand out too much and i would loose a ton of camera control. An optional head tracking mode could be pretty cool though.
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