The BG Cliff Construction Kit launches!
by Konrad Kiss · 11/09/2008 (6:37 am) · 12 comments
Finally, the Kit is done, and you can get it here:
http://www.bitgap.com/
There was some last minute issues with installation, so that caused a bit of a delay, but ... I have a feeling that nobody's gonna fall into their swords. I hope. In case you have not seen the demo video, let me link it in here once again. There are many lazy people here, I am their best example, so here it is:
Check out the collision demo here, somewhere in the middle of the thread: Showing off cliffs video
I'd like to thank the many people here who helped me get it this far. It was not an easy task - especially, because I'm the harshest critic of my own work. I hope that if you give it a try, you will be satisfied with the results.
There's an automated patching installer that takes care of changing the source files in a clean 1.7.1 for you. If you need to integrate it into your code, then that's also easy, since every change is marked with BG CLIFFS PACK comments.
I am very excited about accumulating snow, sand, grass, or any texture on top of cliffs, which is what I am working on right now.
There is a new forum thread for the Kit, where every comment, question, bug report and idea for future updates is welcome. You find this thread here:
BG Cliff Construction Kit discussion
Have fun with the Kit, and share some screenies at the forum thread!
-- Konrad
About the author
Lead Developer at Bitgap Games (www.bitgap.com) currently working on Xenocell (www.xenocell.com) a massively multiplayer action strategy game based on Torque 3D technology.
#2
11/09/2008 (10:26 am)
Sir! You rock! This is beautiful!
#4
This is a shader based approach, where you can specify the type of the material that's accumulated on top of a cliff, plus a number of other things. This is still under heavy development, but you won't have to wait for long!
Eventually it would be possible to ie. increase accumulated snow based on how long it's been falling in the scene. This would not be a part of the update, but the option to dynamically update the cliff shader's parameters that affect accumulated materials would let you do this pretty easily.
11/09/2008 (1:54 pm)
Ah, yes, before I forget, here is a teaser image for licensees of the Kit:This is a shader based approach, where you can specify the type of the material that's accumulated on top of a cliff, plus a number of other things. This is still under heavy development, but you won't have to wait for long!
Eventually it would be possible to ie. increase accumulated snow based on how long it's been falling in the scene. This would not be a part of the update, but the option to dynamically update the cliff shader's parameters that affect accumulated materials would let you do this pretty easily.
#5
11/09/2008 (10:08 pm)
Looks fantastic Konrad. Great work putting this together. Please get in touch with us about updating for TGEA 1.8 too. Derek's the guy for that.
#6
11/09/2008 (11:50 pm)
Will do, thank you Brett. 
#7
Does it come with a PortMyGame2TGEA button?
11/10/2008 (6:42 pm)
Gratz on this release! Movies look great. Does it come with a PortMyGame2TGEA button?
#8
No, it doesn't, but that's going to be an update coming out soon! ;)
11/11/2008 (12:37 am)
Thanks! No, it doesn't, but that's going to be an update coming out soon! ;)
#9
11/11/2008 (12:54 am)
Why not to release this also on TGE without shared support? There is a need for objects like this. Also this would fit to Legions quite well which is some sort of TGAE? Possible to make it work?
#10
11/11/2008 (2:00 am)
@Mikko: There are plans for a TGE version, but right now, I want to concentrate on the upgrades I have planned for the kit. When the TGE version comes out, it will definitely NOT be a port of the entire feature set, (ie. accumulated materials), and even that will only be sometime in January the soonest.
#11
The update is coming out this weekend, and will be free for all licensees. I think it really adds to the realism of a scene, while using a lot less resources than methods without the use of shaders would allow.
The pack will contain an updated guide and a new set of shaders. While the pack already has 40 materials, some of which are cover materials, a few more are included in the update.
11/11/2008 (11:39 am)
Here is another screenshot of the Kit's first update in the works, accumulated materials. Of course, this is not real accumulation, but it tries to achive a very similar effect in a way that's a lot faster than real accumulating snow shaders. And - best of all - this is not only meant for snow.The update is coming out this weekend, and will be free for all licensees. I think it really adds to the realism of a scene, while using a lot less resources than methods without the use of shaders would allow.
The pack will contain an updated guide and a new set of shaders. While the pack already has 40 materials, some of which are cover materials, a few more are included in the update.
#12
11/11/2008 (7:25 pm)
Looking forward to the update. Looks great.
Torque Owner Andrew Nare