Blog for Peter Kojesta at GarageGames.com

New 3d models

Peter Kojesta — 2008-04-08T14:40:26+00:00

Hey everyone, We launched the Exis Exchange 2.0 a few weeks ago and the response has been great. We've had lots of great artists sign up and present us with their work. This is shaping up to be a serious model library for indie developers. Check out the latest arrivals:

Graves By Mike Valesquez

Ninja '04 by PeterK

Expect several great new models very soon!

New Models / Exis Exchange 2.0 (cool Images)

Peter Kojesta — 2008-03-21T14:08:51+00:00

Back in 2003, I officially started Exis Inc. It started as a very small contract art shop and had the opportunity to work with Gargegames, Large animal and a few others. We've been lucky enough to acquire offices in Towson, MD and work on games like Fracture for Day 1 studios/ Lucasarts. I've been a part of this community for a very long time, as many of you have, and I feel it's important that I make announcements here about Exis from time to time.

In 2005, we started the "Exis Exchange" to sell 3d content to indie developers at a reasonable price. The site worked well, and was generally well received. As a result, we've developed the "Exis Exchange 2.0" www.exis-exchange.com , a social network for game artists and game developers, where you can not only buy 3d models/media but also sell it right from your profile.

We've created a very cool system to allow content developers to publish their media in an automated fashion. Please note that 3d models on the exchange are moderated through an approval process, so guests only get the best media .

The site also has a powerful theme system. This lets users customize their profile to their liking. In the coming months, we will release an SDK so user's can make their own themes and apply them to the site.

Feel free to connect and view the site through it's guest account: www.exis-exchange.com

And also check out some of the great products submitted by community members. Each model is reviewed and tested via virus protection for your safety.

The exchange also has an automated portfolio system for anyone who wants a portfolio n their profile page. Just upload the images and it automatically makes a portfolio for you. Feel free to check out my profile portfolio at www.exis-exchange.com/profile/main/28.

Here are a few of the new products you will find on the Exis Exchange 2.0. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Peter Kojesta
Exis Inc
7801 York Rd Suite 342
Towson, MD 21286

Exis Freedom vs. Microsoft Oppression

Peter Kojesta — 2006-10-04T13:01:47+00:00

My new blog: www.ExisInteractive.com/exiseffect

The new console generation is upon us. Come November, competition for the hearts and minds of this grand audience will begin in earnest. Three great powers will face off in a war of words and shadow tactics reminiscent of battles fought in the worlds of David Eddings. I write to shine light on one of these shadow battles. Here you will find the story of how Exis has tried to create something for the people, and how Microsoft has blocked us at every turn.

Exis is a small indie developer; we create our own games and contract our art/programming services to other companies. I started making games and game art when I was 14 years old (back in the Atarti & NES days), and started in the industry in 1998. 8 years later I'm very happy to still be working in this industry; which is something you don't hear too many people say anymore. In early 2005 I saw the new console generation and the coming transition year slowly creeping up on the industry. I had considered buying an Xbox 360, a PS3, and even a Wii if I could afford them all. The reason I probably won't buy any of them is because too many genres, the RTS and FPS genres to name a few, are made unplayable by an uninspired and outdated controller design. A mouse and keyboard are cumbersome at best and they remove the visual appeal of a well organized entertainment system. Since having a mouse and keyboard lying in front of the TV was not an option, I designed the Freedom controller.

The Freedom controller gives users wireless mouse functionality and normal game-pad control at the same time. It's meant to be a clean, modular gamepad that allows one to retain the "console culture". The controller has two main elements, the first is the wireless gamepad portion, and the second is the wireless optical mouse. Users can attach and detach the two distinct portions in order to get the functionality they want. You want action game controls, connect the two sections together. You want RTS controls, detach the optical mouse and command your troops properly. This is the core functionality of the Exis Freedom controller; it brings a useful and battle hardened control scheme to the game consoles. I've done enough industrial design in my time to be able to effectively show how this controller can be done. So the interesting thing is that I've had one of Microsoft's partners offer to fund development of this controller, but only if Microsoft gives the "okay".

I approached Microsoft with the controller concept, but I wasn't asking Microsoft for anything other than permission to make it. I spent quite a while trying to break through the first outer wall of bureaucracy. After finally getting in touch with some of the right people, I was not shocked to be met with apathy and hard-line MS doctrine. For a company that is attempting to show some good nature towards indies with their Xbox Live indie development program, I would really have appreciated some consideration.

From a business perspective, 30.1% of PC games sold are RTS's. 0% of console games sold are RTS's (some few have been sold). It plays out to roughly $300 million a year in RTS game sales for the PC market; which makes roughly 7 times less money than the console games market (USA domestic market). An insanely over simplified calculation one could make is to multiply that $300 million by the console game sales factor (7) and you're looking at a market potentially worth $2.1 billion (USA domestic market) . For my personal joy, how great would it be to have Warcraft on the 360, Starcraft on the 360, Supreme Commander on the 360, Age of Empires on the 360. Microsoft would have had great foresight to include this controller in its product catalog.

Having breached the outer wall, I was now set to face off with two guards of the grand citadel. Lets just call them Ed and John, to protect the innocent. I started with John who categorically denied having any decision making ability, even though he was head of design; This was the pre-game setup you see: John sent me to Ed, who told me I should speak to John - rinse and repeat. They were playing intra-office table tennis and I was the ball. Finally, after weeks of "don't tell us a thing, we can't be held accountable" They prompted me to send something to Microsoft's "opportunity management system".

The "opportunity management system" is essentially the black hole where they relegate anything they never want to hear about again. After spending a few months dealing with bureaucracy, I decided to get back in touch with the good folks at MS. I had the phone numbers of the people who made the decisions on this stuff now, and I planned to use it.

First I called Ed again, and flat out told him what the controller concept was this time before he could tell me his virgin ears could not handle proprietary information. The response was simple, "we don't allow 3rd parties to make wireless controllers". "But Ed" I said, "this controller is the RTS holy grail, it's the FPS Excalibur, it's what the people want for goodness sakes!". Again, he recited the party line: "We don't allow 3rd parties to make wireless controllers". What is this then?

Is it too late for Microsoft to put aside the juggernaught mentality and give the people what they want? No, not at all; I'm still only asking them for permission to make this controller. I don't want a dime from them; just permission to move forward. And until I get it, I'm going to make the Freedom controller anyway; maybe for the PS3 instead? I've already started drafting plans for a prototype, and this is where the community comes in. I want everyone who feels they can help to do so. Engineers, artists, web developers, gamers, and game developers unite. Lets all do something here that will shake the foundation of how games are played. Let's bring our talents together to blaze a new trail. Will freedom prevail over oppression?

Join our forums, comment on the blog, and let's see what this grand audience is made of. This is an opensource hardware development project. I am standing in a field gazing up at great walls and a vast enemy army, what will I see when I look behind me? Only you can decide.

- Peter Kojesta

More artwork you say? Content pack

Peter Kojesta — 2006-07-21T22:59:06+00:00

Yes, more artwork I say. We've released a bunch of new packs on the Exis Exchange. We're still working to get the site into great shape, and we hope to have some cool additions available for you soon. Make sure to check out www.ExisExchange.com. Here are some samples of the work:

Poacher update & New creature content packs

Peter Kojesta — 2006-06-12T04:11:19+00:00

We haven't talked about poacher for a while, mostly because we've had to make massive adjustments after losing a team member to health issues. I've mentioned this before, but we're finally back on track and we've made some improvements. Below is an image of the new main character model. It's a screen-cap right from the max view-port.

Normals, diffuse, dx shader to display it

Our next piece of info is on the new Grizzly Content pack. I really love this pack because it has a really great set of animations. The model not only includes all of the required torque files, but comes with source for all 16 animations. For more info on the content pack, check out the characters section of the www.ExisExchange.com . We update the site with new content regularly, so check back often!

Here is a quick look at the model

Undead Legion Characters - 3d Content Pack

Peter Kojesta — 2006-06-02T04:51:11+00:00

We've launched another set of packs for the community. This time it's a couple of serious undead baddies. There are three distinct chatacters in the line-up. Each can be purchased individually, or as a collection to save money and download annoyances.

The pack includes the undead shaman, the undead warrior, and the evil undead berserker. They're all animated, and include 512x512 diffuse, bump, and specular textures. All the exports are setup, and you can just plug them right into Torque.

Make sure to check them out, and all of our other content available on the Exis Exchange.com (click on characters or collections along the top)

Content Pack & The Exis Exchange

Peter Kojesta — 2006-05-29T14:43:51+00:00

6 of our 30+ content packs are now available on the Exis Exchange www.ExisExchange.com. These packs include the modern weapons pack, as well as a few vehicles.

The Exchange is going to be a place where Indies can go for high quality, low cost content. We plan to expand the products and perhaps even offer subscriptions. For now, you can expect new products to come online every week. Anyone serious about their content should have a look!

If you're looking to make the next badass game, or even need some files to learn from, our packs are the way to go. They include enough source art to have you busy for quite a while! Everything we've made works for the torque engine, and it includes exported files.

Soon you can expect characters, software (like our Torque Scripter tools), and even audio packs. Stay tuned, and make sure you check out the Exis Exchange.

Exis Content Packs (Image Intensive)

Peter Kojesta — 2006-04-06T01:29:36+00:00

Alright folks, you asked for it and now you're going to get it. Exis is planning to release a series of quality content packs for the torque community. Code packs, vehicles, models, weapons, characters, and software. Our content library is pretty huge, and we've taken care to make products that indie developers can really sink their teeth into. Our characters include animations and extra skins, and our code packs add serious functionality to the engine. TGE and TSE will benefit from our packs. I've included images of just a few of these upcoming packs. Regardless, this isn't all of it. I hope you enjoy.

removed the images - Look to my newer blog posts.

Thursday Oct 27 2:40

Peter Kojesta — 2005-10-27T02:40:45+00:00

Bless me father for I have sinned, It's been almost a year since my last .plan. There have been many changes for the Poacher team. There are lots of things I want to address with this .plan; Advancements, setbacks, health, and legal issues.

I should start with a word about legal issues and how they matter to business. The company is no longer trading/operating as Exileworks Inc due to a trademark dispute. As such, we purchased/filed the trademark on Exis, and this shall be our operating company name from now on. Exis Inc.

Now, regarding development; we've re-written the engine so much it hardly feels like torque anymore. The problem is that this was not necessarily a great idea. We've changed so much that some of the base functionality is lost to us. Many of you may recall that when we started poacher, it was TGE, we then moved on to TSE as an early adopter. This is the primary reason we invested so heavily in technology improvements (invested time & effort). TSE, in its current iteration, is much more robust than when we got it, so I say cheers to GG. Good work to everyone who's been breaking their back on it.

In other news, one of our key people, Justin Boswell, was forced to withdraw from the team due to health reasons. Justin is a valued friend to all of us, and we really hope he can recover in good fashion. As you may know, our team consists of only 4 people; so this is a big setback to the development of Poacher. The saving grace is that we are local to each other, and long time friends who refuse to call it quits.

That aside, we've decided to make certain changes in our development process in order to compensate for the current situation. These changes will become apparent in the coming months, but here is a taste:

Here is a new character model I've been working on, a warden. I decided to take advantage of TSE's shader system to really bring out the normals.

Next is a rig I've created for some facial animation work. It's made from bones, so it allows for more flexibility than a morph-target based system. I will have to simplify the rig if I want it to work in engine, unless someone happens to know how to make a multi-base node bone system work in torque. This is not really a problem though, as it simplifies my work plenty.

Lastly, a screenshot from Poacher as it is now, just a little fun.

- removed images

Monday Nov 22 23:53

Peter Kojesta — 2004-11-22T23:53:35+00:00

Poacher and Technology update, vehicles, weapons, animals, the works .

Some teams work together and notice that as time goes by, people slowly drift away from the project, or get tired of working on it. I'm quite happy to say the exact opposite is the case for the Exileworks team. As each week goes by, we are more and more excited to be working with each other and on the Poacher Project. This .plan is a basic update of what we've been doing these last few weeks.

First and foremost is the technology update. Our lead Programmer has created reflective water surfaces that display a host of properties found in more mainstream engines. The image below was taken in our Congo level, and as you can see, the water fully reflects the environment. The great thing about the method created to do the water is that it does not have a performance hit.

Justin Boswell has created some rather impressive code to handle our vehicle classes. The last few weeks have seen an amazing improvement in our helicopters. The heli's now have a very powerful control scheme that allows us to give each vehicle its own distinct personality. I've included some screenshots of a few of the vehicles we have been working on. I should note that the actual game has many more. More choppers, More trucks, underwater craft, ships, and an ATV. Many of these are player controllable and if you're able to steal from the wardens, you could get your hands on some powerful military tech.

An Mi-28 Havok in flight:

An Mi-28 Havok at rest:

An Mi-24 Hind at rest:

An Oh-6 LittleBird at rest:

here is a lightweight cargo truck, its excellent for quick traval in the African plains. The vehicle physics are greatly improved as well. We've been working to give them a sense of power and control. The vehicles play a vital role in Poacher, so its been a priority for us to develop them properly.

Below you will find a few of the weapons we have in Poacher. The game has too many weapons for me to post screenshots of, so I've included a few of my favorites. You will find that its important to master your weapons as you play Poacher, each weapon has its own use. Its also important to know what weapons can be useful in which situations.

lastly, I've included a few animal renders. As you may know, Poacher has underwater locations/environments as well. The Dolphin is just one of many underwater creatures you'll find in Poacher. The dogs are used by the wardens. Rather than explain how that works out I'll just say, see it in the game.

the greatest thing about this project is the people I get to work with. I love doing art , Nick loves doing levels, and our coders love to code. We all work together very well, and I am happy to be working on this project with them.