Sticks & Twigs for T3D 1.0.1 Released...Finally!
by Alan James · 10/24/2009 (7:02 pm) · 47 comments
Hey Everyone! As mentioned The long anticipated wait is over...the Sticks & Twigs Environment Pack updated for T3D! Yeah!!!
This plan will be brief as I'm about to leave for work, but I wanted those who had been waiting patiently to get a chance to get started messing with this release.
Some quick notes:
* It's big. A lot of assents and textures here so be aware that it's a big download.
* There is a Demo version and an Assets Only verion. PLEASE read the install instructions. It's very basic, but if you are working on an existing build there are about five script changes that you may want to diff against your build to make sure it doesn't change anything you don't want it to.
* Only a portion of the models are animated. Most of the ones represented in the Demo Missions are, the rest will be addressed in a point update down the road. Again, wanted to get the basic, functioning pack out there so people could start working with it.
********IMPORTANT UPDATE****************************************************************************
* *IMPORTANT* THE PC SELF-EXTRACTING PC DEMO FILE IS DAMAGED. UNTIL IT IS RE-UPPED, JUST DOWNLOAD THE "MAC" ZIPPED VERSION...THEY'RE IDENTICAL, JUST ONE IS A ZIP AND THE OTHER IS A SELF-EXTRACTING EXE...
********IMPORTANT UPDATE****************************************************************************
I'm sure there are a ton of things I've missed and I'm sure you'll have a zillion questions, I'll be incommunicado for about eight hours, so bare with me and I'll be back...
I'll leave you with a video that you may or may not have seen in the forums:
Thanks again! Alan
This plan will be brief as I'm about to leave for work, but I wanted those who had been waiting patiently to get a chance to get started messing with this release.
Some quick notes:
* It's big. A lot of assents and textures here so be aware that it's a big download.
* There is a Demo version and an Assets Only verion. PLEASE read the install instructions. It's very basic, but if you are working on an existing build there are about five script changes that you may want to diff against your build to make sure it doesn't change anything you don't want it to.
* Only a portion of the models are animated. Most of the ones represented in the Demo Missions are, the rest will be addressed in a point update down the road. Again, wanted to get the basic, functioning pack out there so people could start working with it.
********IMPORTANT UPDATE****************************************************************************
* *IMPORTANT* THE PC SELF-EXTRACTING PC DEMO FILE IS DAMAGED. UNTIL IT IS RE-UPPED, JUST DOWNLOAD THE "MAC" ZIPPED VERSION...THEY'RE IDENTICAL, JUST ONE IS A ZIP AND THE OTHER IS A SELF-EXTRACTING EXE...
********IMPORTANT UPDATE****************************************************************************
I'm sure there are a ton of things I've missed and I'm sure you'll have a zillion questions, I'll be incommunicado for about eight hours, so bare with me and I'll be back...
I'll leave you with a video that you may or may not have seen in the forums:
Thanks again! Alan
About the author
#42
whereas the GG demos (burg) run with at least 110fps on the same machine
Removing all trees and objects would not help a lot.
A simple terrain without any object would run with about 30 fps.
My card(s): 9800M GT (single or SLI) on a Dell XPS M1730.
10/28/2009 (1:34 am)
I have the problem that all missions would run with approx. 25 fpswhereas the GG demos (burg) run with at least 110fps on the same machine
Removing all trees and objects would not help a lot.
A simple terrain without any object would run with about 30 fps.
My card(s): 9800M GT (single or SLI) on a Dell XPS M1730.
#43
Is it the Demo version that's giving the white billboards on those last two missions or is it the Asset Only version? And are the falling leaves working in the other missions?
The dust speck precipitation in the mission "st_templeValley" is perhaps new, but the heavysnow precipitation in "st_ticekaGorge" should be a default precipitation. Just curious.
I guess just make sure the "art\environment\precipitation" directory is there, and has "dust.png", "dust2.png" and "snow.png". in it. I'm not really sure why you'd be having that happen.
@Holger,
Hopefully some other folks will chime in on this with some of their experiences, since I get about the same across the board in T3D. I run low end about 25fps to top end in the 55ish range. The Burg demo for me runs at about 35-45 fps.
I'm running a P4 3.2 with 2GB DDR and a nice GeForce GTX 260 with 896mb. The CPU is oldschool, but the GPU is reasonably strong so that's kind of the performance I'd expect on mine.
I would have imagined you would be doing better also, (especially when you remove down to the terrain...although it does have a pretty decent poly count itself).
There will be some optimization with the next point release. How much it will affect overall performance I can't really say at this point, but it definitely should help some. Tom Spilman broke down for me the proper rigging setup for the ambient animation, and I need to go back through the ones I've done so far and with all the new ones and set them up in the right way.
10/28/2009 (4:18 am)
@NovoGeekIs it the Demo version that's giving the white billboards on those last two missions or is it the Asset Only version? And are the falling leaves working in the other missions?
The dust speck precipitation in the mission "st_templeValley" is perhaps new, but the heavysnow precipitation in "st_ticekaGorge" should be a default precipitation. Just curious.
I guess just make sure the "art\environment\precipitation" directory is there, and has "dust.png", "dust2.png" and "snow.png". in it. I'm not really sure why you'd be having that happen.
@Holger,
Hopefully some other folks will chime in on this with some of their experiences, since I get about the same across the board in T3D. I run low end about 25fps to top end in the 55ish range. The Burg demo for me runs at about 35-45 fps.
I'm running a P4 3.2 with 2GB DDR and a nice GeForce GTX 260 with 896mb. The CPU is oldschool, but the GPU is reasonably strong so that's kind of the performance I'd expect on mine.
I would have imagined you would be doing better also, (especially when you remove down to the terrain...although it does have a pretty decent poly count itself).
There will be some optimization with the next point release. How much it will affect overall performance I can't really say at this point, but it definitely should help some. Tom Spilman broke down for me the proper rigging setup for the ambient animation, and I need to go back through the ones I've done so far and with all the new ones and set them up in the right way.
#44
As I said ... no biggie on my part, it was more of a information post then a "bitch and moan" post. The stuff is relatively easy to fix ... so no worries there.
@Holger: You are running a M GFX card (that is a mobile card) and therefore by implication means it is using shared memory, but the fact that Burg runs so well is mind-boggling.
I can't really offer more assistance until my new machine arrives later this week, then I can do comparative tests on both machines and post my findings.
10/28/2009 (11:04 am)
@Alan: It is the Demo version. I will do the checks you indicated and will also download the asset version.As I said ... no biggie on my part, it was more of a information post then a "bitch and moan" post. The stuff is relatively easy to fix ... so no worries there.
@Holger: You are running a M GFX card (that is a mobile card) and therefore by implication means it is using shared memory, but the fact that Burg runs so well is mind-boggling.
I can't really offer more assistance until my new machine arrives later this week, then I can do comparative tests on both machines and post my findings.
#45
Nah, didn't consider it a "bitch and moan" comment. But I was thinking that maybe since you had gotten the original PC Demo exe to extract, it still might have been damaged and left you missing some assets.
At some point you might still want to get the zipped Mac version of the demo and compare the two.(Which now, as I think of it, I'm not really sure why it ended up there under the Mac section other than the fact that it's a zip...I'd mentioned to Derek B. that I wasn't sure that Macs could use the self-extracting exe...but it still has the standard FPS Example.exe in it!...it tells you how much I know about Macs...I don't even know if they execute exe files!)
Anyway, their is about a 3mb file size difference from the one that folks have reported issues with and the zip. Even with the self-extracting stuff they should be nearly identical (and the questionable self-extracting is actually the smaller one).
Just a heads up. Wouldn't want you missing out on some shrubbery goodness. =)
10/28/2009 (1:55 pm)
@NovoGeek,Nah, didn't consider it a "bitch and moan" comment. But I was thinking that maybe since you had gotten the original PC Demo exe to extract, it still might have been damaged and left you missing some assets.
At some point you might still want to get the zipped Mac version of the demo and compare the two.(Which now, as I think of it, I'm not really sure why it ended up there under the Mac section other than the fact that it's a zip...I'd mentioned to Derek B. that I wasn't sure that Macs could use the self-extracting exe...but it still has the standard FPS Example.exe in it!...it tells you how much I know about Macs...I don't even know if they execute exe files!)
Anyway, their is about a 3mb file size difference from the one that folks have reported issues with and the zip. Even with the self-extracting stuff they should be nearly identical (and the questionable self-extracting is actually the smaller one).
Just a heads up. Wouldn't want you missing out on some shrubbery goodness. =)
#46
Have now approx. 50 fps with populated terrains and more than 120 fps
with a blank terrain.
@NovoGeek: I would be interested to read your findings.
10/29/2009 (11:48 pm)
Had solved my fps-problem by a fresh install of S & T.Have now approx. 50 fps with populated terrains and more than 120 fps
with a blank terrain.
@NovoGeek: I would be interested to read your findings.
#47
I will then do some test ... I have do some Beta Testing for Jeff on AFX2 for T3D as well ... so this weekend I have an excuse to just mess around with my new PC.
Will drop my results out early next week.
10/30/2009 (10:53 am)
@Holger: Yeah ... I will post them up this weekend. I got confirmation that my new PC would be delivered today before 13:00 GMT. :)I will then do some test ... I have do some Beta Testing for Jeff on AFX2 for T3D as well ... so this weekend I have an excuse to just mess around with my new PC.
Will drop my results out early next week.
Torque 3D Owner QuintonD
These tests were performed in windowed mode at 1024x768 with all the GFX settings on default.
* AIO: All In Order. Sound works no visible errors.
Here are my findings:
-> st_archMesa: No sound.
-> st_arrastraIsland: AIO.
-> st_bataMountain: AIO.
-> st_bearMountain: No sound.
-> st_bennettPass: No sound.
-> st_blackwater: No sound.
-> st_bonitoRock: No sound.
-> st_boundaryCavern: No sound.
-> st_castlePeak: AIO.
-> st_cinderHill: AIO.
-> st_columbineFalls: No sound.
-> st_craterLake: No sound.
-> st_crimsonPeak: No sound.
-> st_devilsIsland: No sound.
-> st_fernCanyon: AIO.
-> st_fossilCanyon: No sound.
-> st_gravelyMountain: No sound.
-> st_howardBay: AIO.
-> st_kingsCanyon: No sound.
-> st_midnightMountain: AIO.
-> st_nortonCanyon: No sound.
-> st_sandCanyon: No sound.
-> st_skeletonCanyon: AIO.
-> st_templeValley: Falling precipitation/particle error.
-> st_ticekaGorge: Falling precipitation/particle error.
So although the "No sound" is not entirely a problem as I wasn't actually expecting sound anyway, the only two missions that seem to have issues are the last two.
Basic the precipitation/particle is a white billboard and not the actual particle effect ... should be simple enough to fix ... but I thought it might help Alan to know that.
Now when my new PC arrives ... woooweeeeeee. :)