[F8] Orthographic engine with node based pathfinding

[renderhjs]

@ Captain_404: thanks for your kind words,- keeps me motivated

my browsers told me something about security

dunno about safari its propably the java script (the only one I used) from adobe that prevents the 'click to activate plugin' issue that came in lately with Opera and IE. Ever had the same issue on other sides aswell?

i dont have any money....)

then having a mac is the worst thing to do,- besides ever heard of open Source? Blender, PovRay, Wings3d, OpenFX, k3d are all freeware and opensource wich means they should be available for mac aswell.
I myself here have a very good university wich has most of the software I need (adobe,maya,max,zbrush,rhino,alias,...) in the pools I have access to.

...a game that complex

well I found a way myself avoiding the complexity. Use groups or objects for all the variables and have strict policies on how to name anything (e.g movieClips instance names always start with 'mc_'). Also I stored all the categories into seperate *.as files so that I dont need any code within flash. That way I only have a few MovieClips & fonts in flash (character, elevator menu, GUI,...) and the rest as code into splitted code files.

If you are interested I could show the very beginning on how I even came up with all 3d thingy- becaues at the beginning I was just daydreaming, never thought I could accomplish something like this.

[renderhjs]

little news ^^:
soon I´ll have to finish a project for my game & learn psychology subject wich will be a sub- part of my website. I already discussed it roughly with the professor and he really likes the idea.
I dont want to tell to much right now but here are some ideas/ concepts:

been working on an inventory sheme (will look like a bag once final) that works with the rest of my site. Right now I am designing a database for objects and characters that contain all kind of information and actions triggered by those objects/ characters.
All objects will have unique properties that will act on other properties or actions- pretty much like the good old point & click adventures.


so besides the new interactive elements and fixing lots of bugs I´ve been fixing several levels and I just wanted to post some screens of my development environment:

image shows path/-editor, SciTE level edit, engine and level textures

so propably there will be some more updates within the next few weeks

[Captain_404]

I'm so glad this engine is becoming it's own game, it's just so amazing and cool!

I'm sure it's been done before, but this is still great for a flash game.

I'm really really hoping it's some kind of puzzlish make-your-brain-explode (kind of like those old text based games, but 3D instead..."you are in a room. there is a door. what wouldst thou do?") game, but I'm sure anything is going to work great!

[pentru]

@renderhjs:

sent you a PM.....please check your inbox

[luxregina]

Looks very nice, as usual ! - personnaly, I'm not sure if the objects in the bag should be treated in a photorealistic manner ?!? - or is it just a mockup ?

[renderhjs]

it´s a very fast solution,- (they are acutally grabbed google images resized)
will make them prettier or redo them complete as soon as the more important stuff is done.
not online yet,- but fixed:
- Included multiple entry points for the levels (leaving/ entering from different doors within the same room)
- preloader: I hated those fade effects in the preloader- runs now way faster & optimized again
- added news board: displaying the newest drawing
- reduced engine filesize

[renderhjs]

3 screenshots for now (the main hall):

update board reads automaticly from my images DB


there will be a functional vending machine serving coffee, coke or chips. It´s just that you´ll have to find, borrow or steal some money :P


sliding doors in the hall are working now as well


other:
- almost all levels I have so far a logical connected with each other (e.g leaving door B will get you to room x) and you´ll be placed after each loading right after the door you so have passed- it already has some adventure feeling

right now I am about creating the GUI for the context- sensitive actions. Because most objects will be interactive.
I already have a raw XML sheme that can script logical actions with chain effects- what follows is trying to write a parser that understands my syntax- hopefully that will work out in time

[EvilKris]

So, does the game have a story yet?

[renderhjs]

well lets not forget that it´s main purpose is to show/off my work but I try to sweet those sometimes boring things with some entertaining factor and some flash technology.

As for entertaining I won´t have a main quest or a big epic story- just some little puzzles & jokes letting you explore more and more artworks, scenes & jokes. I had though in mind a female character (the opposite of the controllable one) that would react on your actions (like stealing her underwear from the locker room will give you a pissed of person, while serving her coffee will make her a nice person. But I dont know if I´ll make that into the psychologic subject deadline.

From the technology point it is very important for me to easy add/ change or update art that I created maybe even daily. Also I try to create something new (at least for me) that will be hopefully way more easy to navigate for the majority and mooore fun. I want a website I really can show important people & friends so that they can see what I do and how I evolve.

[hooligan2001]

Its beautiful

[renderhjs]

new preview


objects are now available through the engine, though clicking on their actions wont do anything yet. The objects that have pink squares around them are listed in the object-DB und thus have actions already but like I said clicking on them wont do anything yet.

here is a floormap to know what you can access in this demo:

I added this floor map as there are missing some GUI elements that better visualize exit spots of a map,
- in the hall just click on that WC door to enter the toilet room
- in the elevator menu (big board in the elevator) the first item should be labeld "Top floor"- the font is somewhat bad there.

online demo

[Cimmerian]

have strict policies on how to name anything (e.g movieClips instance names always start with 'mc_')

Inst that what strict data type is suposed to tell you?
Anyway, wonderfull work, renderthis!

[renderhjs]

@ Cimmerian:
it´s a way mainly to tell my brain what what was/ is intended to, like a rule to myself. The example with the 'mc_' for example tells me imediently whenever I access a movieclip from the stage- so I dont get confused with a variable that has literaly the same label or name. This and other patterns help me getting around with this more and more becomming complex piece.

btw. my 500th post, yay

[Kianis]

It looks fantastic, it's truly an amazing flash.

I'm just curious. are you going to keep the pink squares? IMHO they really
destroy the suspension of disbelief. I don't think it will be a problem for players
to find what they can and what they can't interact with.

Another thing, I know you have solved the pathfinding by using predefined
"vector"-paths, how will this work when you have moving objects (such as
the statues (and in the future - npcs?), or are you supposed to be able
to walk through them?)

Also, you couldn't zoom in on the "2 dirty girls"-poster, you must have
forgotten to enable that

[691175002]

You are my god.

[Cimmerian]

The example with the 'mc_' for example tells me imediently whenever I access a movieclip from the stage- so I dont get confused with a variable that has literaly the same label or name. T

Thats ok, but strict data typing is the oop standart way to do this same thing, you can go
myFunction(car:MovieClip, wheels:MovieClip, bullets:Array);
and so on, its just a matter of put a : and the kind of object your object is after the :
Its a good practice because it will also gives more speed in as3,for the day in the future when you move to as3

[renderhjs]

@ Kianis:
the pink sqaure are just temporarly because I didn´t maneged yet in time the square bound box effect on them (just like the 2 dirty girls poster does right now). I just need to know now what objects are already registered in the DB- that´s why the color.

about the changeable pathfinding:
for the pathfinding I have pathfinding nodes and areas that define walkable and not walkable zones. If the nodes are setup smart enough i´d only have to change the restricted area part (propably a square). I haven´t thought to much yet about it because if it would be an issue it would be one that ´ll comue later for me- but thanks for the thought I can use that.

the 2 dirty girls poster will be fixed as soon as possible


@ 691175002:

@ Cimmerian:
yes I need to do that more often, though only some objects are done that way right now.
but even with that my pattern I guess won´t change that much in the future- I really think it helped me getting it this far as now. Maybe it only gets better for me with AS3

[Evaman]

Did you create all the skins and textures your self?

[willyf1]

i can't agree with that.



===========================
Card games is my nature,
Can you tell me the game for me?
Reveal your future, tarot reading

[renderhjs]

Did you create all the skins and textures your self?

from the design sketches to the meshes to the textures to the code: everything myself

i´ll try to finish as soon as possible the inventory system so that one can pick up the itmes, manage them,...