TANK@WAR

[aaammmsterdddam]

SFML supports 3D audio. and lots of different file formats ^^

[serengeor]

SFML supports 3D audio. and lots of different file formats ^^

so as cAudio and 3D audio isn't a format..

[RdR]

Just looked at cAudio and seems to be a better choice for our game, easier to integrate in the current system.
Anyone knows if there is a custom scene node for cAudio?


For anyone who is interested here some status updates:

DONE:
- Using Irrlicht from trunk, which resulted in small FPS increase somehow
- Decal system (available here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=44968)
- Level of detail system (mesh simplification), which generates LOD meshes from high detail meshes (my precious )
- More particle effects
- Improved tank hangar
- Spectator cam
- Ingame sound / control options (graphical options only available in main menu)
- Some other graphical improvements
- Several bug fixes (including working fullscreen ALT + TAB)
- Small features to list

TODO / WIP:
- Authentication server (no more account per server)
- Switching to Boost ASIO
- Switching to cAudio
- Use of OcclusionQuery
- Better light / shadow
- More bug fixes and small features
- Last but not least, creating new bugs


Some screens of WIP:
http://tankatwar.com/uncategorized/upco ... h-release/

IndieDB:
http://www.indiedb.com/games/tankwar

[polylux]

WIP screens look amazing! Cool too you are gonna head for cAudio. Make sure to compile TaW for x86_64 as well!

[GameDude]

Looks nice, is the game open source?

[RdR]

WIP screens look amazing! Cool too you are gonna head for cAudio. Make sure to compile TaW for x86_64 as well!

Thanks, will try to create a 64 bit version when 1.2 is released.
Hope to support Mac OSX also sometime.

Looks nice, is the game open source?

Nope, its closed source. But some stuff we created for TANK@WAR is available on the forum (like Decal System)

[hendu]

Hm, would you like to elaborate on the LOD system?

[RdR]

Hm, would you like to elaborate on the LOD system?

I created a Progressive Mesh Buffer class, which can contract edges (collapse edge) with lowest cost from a given MeshBuffer.
And implemented multiple algorithims to calculate the edge cost:
- Shortest edge
- Random (not really usefull for LOD)
- "Stan Melax" method.
- "Garland & Heckbert Quadrics" method ( still WiP )
Which is explained in papers.
Can use only 1 at the time, but certain algorithms give better results for certain meshes.

So when I create a LODSceneNode, I specify the amount of levels of LOD I want with the distances for it.
It creates a new Mesh (by using the Progressive mesh buffer class) for each LOD distance,
and put it in the MeshCache to avoid creating the same LOD when creating another LODSceneNode with the same mesh.

When drawing the LOD Scene node, it calculate which mesh need to be drawed by using the distance from the active camera.

Might forget something,just ask

[hendu]

I've been thinking of something similar, but with added normal map creation. Do you do that, or some other magic?

Combining the simplified mesh with a normal map created from the full mesh is a common technique to look good with low polys. I haven't found yet a free tool/lib which would do both, only simplifiers or tools to gen a normal map from two meshes.

One for-sale tool does this, and in addition computes AO too.

[RdR]

I've been thinking of something similar, but with added normal map creation. Do you do that, or some other magic?

Combining the simplified mesh with a normal map created from the full mesh is a common technique to look good with low polys. I haven't found yet a free tool/lib which would do both, only simplifiers or tools to gen a normal map from two meshes.

One for-sale tool does this, and in addition computes AO too.

I use the textures and normal maps from the given mesh, I dont generate or create new ones.
Haven't thought about that either, will take a look in that technique.

[hendu]

It's more of a pre-setup thing than runtime lod though.

[RdR]

It's more of a pre-setup thing than runtime lod though.

Ah oke, than its not really usefull for the current system.

[devsh]

if you have some budget I can offer professional help in areas of Linux compatiblity/High End Graphics and video/audio playback from a multitude of different formats as well as gameplay capture into video and encoding it on the fly.

[ACE247]

Advertising again? Aren't you...

[RdR]

if you have some budget I can offer professional help in areas of Linux compatiblity/High End Graphics and video/audio playback from a multitude of different formats as well as gameplay capture into video and encoding it on the fly.

Thanks for the offer but we don't really have a budget. We're students developing this game in our spare time.