New Mapping Technique with Lightwave
by Cinder Games · 04/09/2006 (1:37 am) · 14 comments
So i decided to try a few new ways of generating lots of geometry with the least amount of effort to quickly create large or plentiful areas. So i played around more with lightwaves Rail Extrude and Clone Rail tools.
How it works is you create some 2d lines and it extrudes them along a path for you. Complete with UV maps if you choose so. Clone rail simply places clones of geometry along a path.
Here's three curves i setup
After doing some selection and applying tools.. it looks like this.
To recreate this level in different ways, i figure it'd take roughly 5 minutes.
I can make this level as long and twisting, or as strait as i like. I'm limited with the fact i can't have the geometry branch off in multiple directions, so i would simply have to create some custom geometry at those points and just make some more curves. :)
EDIT
I forgot to include a "roof" i made using the same clone rail technique. Here's a pic with it on
How it works is you create some 2d lines and it extrudes them along a path for you. Complete with UV maps if you choose so. Clone rail simply places clones of geometry along a path.
Here's three curves i setup
After doing some selection and applying tools.. it looks like this.
To recreate this level in different ways, i figure it'd take roughly 5 minutes.
I can make this level as long and twisting, or as strait as i like. I'm limited with the fact i can't have the geometry branch off in multiple directions, so i would simply have to create some custom geometry at those points and just make some more curves. :)
EDIT
I forgot to include a "roof" i made using the same clone rail technique. Here's a pic with it on
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#2
04/09/2006 (2:38 am)
That looks like a great way of building race tracks doesn't it? Especially stunt car racer type swooping things...
#3
How do you handle the collision with your dts based level ?
Is the frame rate affected ?
04/09/2006 (4:13 am)
Looks very promising Ramen... Good job !How do you handle the collision with your dts based level ?
Is the frame rate affected ?
#4
I'm a Max user, wish I could export to DIF sometimes with some simple objects :)
04/09/2006 (9:09 am)
So do you export these out as DTS or DIF objects?I'm a Max user, wish I could export to DIF sometimes with some simple objects :)
#5
04/09/2006 (9:42 am)
Thank you alot for sharing such idea! I and alot of people really appreciate it! Keep it up, man! 
#6
04/09/2006 (9:54 am)
Interesting stuff Ramen, could be very useful.
#7
@ Matt H It's imposible for me to export this as a DIF. DIF is fundamentally different. And you can export Max files to DIF. There's even a little plugin for it.
04/09/2006 (11:12 am)
@ Akiraa well collision meshes are tricky. I'll need to find a way to produce some convex collision meshes. I haven't exported this yet, but all my other DTS based levels have very high frame rates.@ Matt H It's imposible for me to export this as a DIF. DIF is fundamentally different. And you can export Max files to DIF. There's even a little plugin for it.
#8
04/09/2006 (11:21 am)
Very amazing work Ramen, keep it up. Good way to cut down on time for modelling.
#9
Again using the same techniques. This one is high on polys due to them tires.
04/09/2006 (12:37 pm)
Here's a "Race Track" i threw together.Again using the same techniques. This one is high on polys due to them tires.
#10
I would be interested if you are planning to put your MIS Exporter as a pack. It would be an excellent alternative for mapping, once you have solved the collision issue.
04/09/2006 (12:46 pm)
Very nice...I would be interested if you are planning to put your MIS Exporter as a pack. It would be an excellent alternative for mapping, once you have solved the collision issue.
#11
04/09/2006 (1:02 pm)
hmm well with my MIS exporter, i'm having issues with rotation when i have it rotating on 3 axis's. And when i'm done with it, i'll be releasing the script for free.
#12
04/09/2006 (1:38 pm)
thats how I built stuff in max for years, It's really nice especialy with the UV's following paths :)
#13
having the tires made it unable to export properly due to some limitation with torque or my exporter.
Without a terrain block the FPS is about 200. With the terrain block, it's 150 FPS. The only collision mesh is the ground. which is 280 Polys, non convex.
04/09/2006 (1:49 pm)
Here's the exported area Minus the tires.having the tires made it unable to export properly due to some limitation with torque or my exporter.
Without a terrain block the FPS is about 200. With the terrain block, it's 150 FPS. The only collision mesh is the ground. which is 280 Polys, non convex.
Associate David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
I can't think of anything more coherent to say.