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by Ron Kapaun · 07/17/2013 (11:32 am) · 35 comments
THIS BLOG IS REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR. THANK YOU FOR VIEWING, SHARING AND DEBATING GAMES AND GAME DEVELOPMENT FOR NEARLY A DECADE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT OVER THE YEARS. I SEND YOU ALL A MESSAGE OF HOPE THAT EVERYTHING YOU WISH TO ACCOMPLISH WILL COME TO PASS. I TRULY DO. GOOD LUCK, GOD SPEED AND MAY THE BUGS BE EASY TO HUNT, TRACK AND ELIMINATE. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK. MAY ALL OF YOU ENJOY SUCCESS AND TRULY ENJOY GAME DEVELOPMENT FOR AS LONG AND AS FAR AS YOUR DREAMS, HOPES AND SKILLS CAN CARRY YOU.
RON
RON
About the author
Guy that has been with Torque Game Engines since... well, since here was a Torque Game Engine. (V12 and beyond).
#2
07/17/2013 (12:23 pm)
Just bought the pack. Great job Ron.
#3
I'm keen to see what this sci-fi pack looks like, as we really could use some more sci-fi content. Medieval has been done to death (honestly folks, we really don't need more medieval content!).
The WLE store makes sense, as does selling your stuff to Unity users (why haven't you been doing that before now?!). This way, it's up there now and ready to buy.
All up, this was a great blog for me to wake up to. Thanks again Ron, and best of luck.
Edit: @Andy - you should know how the parallax is done. ;)
07/17/2013 (12:32 pm)
About bloody time! I'm kidding of course. I knew this was going to take a little longer, and I can see why in the video. Also, I had a feeling that David Levy was the composer... he has a very identifiable sound, and that piece was gorgeous!I'm keen to see what this sci-fi pack looks like, as we really could use some more sci-fi content. Medieval has been done to death (honestly folks, we really don't need more medieval content!).
The WLE store makes sense, as does selling your stuff to Unity users (why haven't you been doing that before now?!). This way, it's up there now and ready to buy.
All up, this was a great blog for me to wake up to. Thanks again Ron, and best of luck.
Edit: @Andy - you should know how the parallax is done. ;)
#4
07/17/2013 (12:39 pm)
@ Dan, I know i should, but something in that video's bugged me, i think i know whats wrong, and curiosity has made me buy the pack to see lol...
#5
Aside from that, I'm still waiting for a download link. I guess there's a chink in the PayPal > WLE pipeline, but I have no idea. I got an email confirming me as a registered user, and another one to say I've ordered the pack, but nothing saying "here's your newly purchased pack".
Have you got yours yet Andy?
07/17/2013 (12:51 pm)
haha... You have too much time on your hands, my friend. :DAside from that, I'm still waiting for a download link. I guess there's a chink in the PayPal > WLE pipeline, but I have no idea. I got an email confirming me as a registered user, and another one to say I've ordered the pack, but nothing saying "here's your newly purchased pack".
Have you got yours yet Andy?
#6
and yeah, already got it and merged it in with my spanky new git eck repo *hide*
[Edit] I just want to apologise Ron, ive done my usual hijacking, Just got the level open in my repo, and just my own personal taste but the parallax setting on the terrain materials is a bit high for the detail size youve set, personally it looks a little melted. the higher the detail setting the lower the parallax or it gets a bit weird, looks melted and the texture slides around underneath you when the camera circles around. I think dfefault detail setting was 10, with the scale of the rocks in the detail image personally something around detail size 4 or 6 looked better to me for scaling with a lower parallax setting. tho im playing around with it totally now, changing wall textures too, feels very flexible sofar :)
[Edit 2]
Played around with textures on the pieces, seems very flexible sofar as to the appearance of the caves, and really customizable with the rocks and stalagmites etc included.
07/17/2013 (12:57 pm)
go back onto the product page, there is a download tab in the info bit under the pretty picturesand yeah, already got it and merged it in with my spanky new git eck repo *hide*
[Edit] I just want to apologise Ron, ive done my usual hijacking, Just got the level open in my repo, and just my own personal taste but the parallax setting on the terrain materials is a bit high for the detail size youve set, personally it looks a little melted. the higher the detail setting the lower the parallax or it gets a bit weird, looks melted and the texture slides around underneath you when the camera circles around. I think dfefault detail setting was 10, with the scale of the rocks in the detail image personally something around detail size 4 or 6 looked better to me for scaling with a lower parallax setting. tho im playing around with it totally now, changing wall textures too, feels very flexible sofar :)
[Edit 2]
Played around with textures on the pieces, seems very flexible sofar as to the appearance of the caves, and really customizable with the rocks and stalagmites etc included.
#7
I agree with Andy on the parallax though - but only because the parallax doesn't mix well where it meets smoother surfaces, if you know what I mean.
07/17/2013 (2:31 pm)
This looks terrific - as we've come to expect from you!I agree with Andy on the parallax though - but only because the parallax doesn't mix well where it meets smoother surfaces, if you know what I mean.
#8
So this maybe answers already my questions, if the parallax comes from terrain...
07/17/2013 (2:52 pm)
Had that issue also with the parallax, a solution would be to switch to a non parallax terrain material shortly before it intersects with another surface or object.So this maybe answers already my questions, if the parallax comes from terrain...
#9
07/17/2013 (2:57 pm)
Yeah the intersection points between the shape and the terrain, thats what bugged me slightly about the video, it was also something that bugged the hell out of me with the eck kit, trying to find ways of getting the terrain to blend in with shapes better where they cross through each other, getting the textures closely aligned was at times a complete ballache that pushed me to the point of shelving it out of frustration... but after a long hiatus away from it all, i feel fresher, ready to tackle it all again and possibly put and end to the 3 year saga lol :|
#10
Cheers !!
07/17/2013 (3:12 pm)
Very nice work, it makes me want to go bouldering in a spelunking cave, which is saying much : I don't like spelunking at all ;)Cheers !!
#11
07/17/2013 (4:10 pm)
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#12
Getting it now and I'm going to see about making an ice cave. Screenshots will hopefully follow...
@Ron - I'd started playing with making my own cave pack (for my own use) and gave up using terrain at all. I made a couple of simple ground meshes instead, which I'll probably use with your pack if the opportunity presents itself.
Edit: With regards to the parallax issue on meshes, I believe (testing to follow) that because mesh based parallax is actually done opposite to the way terrain handles it (meshes lower the detail, while terrain raises it), the usual method of using a heightmap on the alpha channel of the normal map needs simply to have the heightmap inverted first. I'll try that out in a bit and post the results.
07/17/2013 (4:22 pm)
@Andy - thanks mate. I was looking on my account page for a "my downloads" area, and missed the massive tab under the product's info that says "DOWNLOADS". lolGetting it now and I'm going to see about making an ice cave. Screenshots will hopefully follow...
@Ron - I'd started playing with making my own cave pack (for my own use) and gave up using terrain at all. I made a couple of simple ground meshes instead, which I'll probably use with your pack if the opportunity presents itself.
Edit: With regards to the parallax issue on meshes, I believe (testing to follow) that because mesh based parallax is actually done opposite to the way terrain handles it (meshes lower the detail, while terrain raises it), the usual method of using a heightmap on the alpha channel of the normal map needs simply to have the heightmap inverted first. I'll try that out in a bit and post the results.
#13
07/17/2013 (4:27 pm)
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#14
I understand your support of Unity (bad business not to!), I just hope you continue to make your demos in T3D :-).
Looking forward to giving this a go and finding uses for it. Along with seeing what else you've got in the works.
07/17/2013 (4:29 pm)
Great work Ron! I will get this when I get home tonight :-).I understand your support of Unity (bad business not to!), I just hope you continue to make your demos in T3D :-).
Looking forward to giving this a go and finding uses for it. Along with seeing what else you've got in the works.
#15
07/17/2013 (4:30 pm)
Ron, I mean that I've done away with using any terrain at all. My bad, that probably wasn't clear enough. I'm making cave meshes in Blender and using them (together with your good ol' BeachRock01) to build my caves.
#16
07/17/2013 (4:32 pm)
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#17
I'm already loving this pack, by the way. The bloody waterfall is gorgeous! I also see that you've anticipated people using watercourses in these cavern sections. Bonus points for that, mate.
As for making my own meshes, I did find out (the hard way) about recalculating normals to the inside of the mesh. lol
So far, all I've made are some basic sections, but the end result is ok by my standards. Um, I'd better not post a pic in your blog though.
Edit: I posted it in the Showoff thread instead. It landed on page 33, which doesn't exist in this dimension, but it is there.
07/17/2013 (5:10 pm)
Ron, it's because I specialise in terrains that I've moved away to learn other things. And I have found a workaround to the multiple terrains issues, to some degree. :DI'm already loving this pack, by the way. The bloody waterfall is gorgeous! I also see that you've anticipated people using watercourses in these cavern sections. Bonus points for that, mate.
As for making my own meshes, I did find out (the hard way) about recalculating normals to the inside of the mesh. lol
So far, all I've made are some basic sections, but the end result is ok by my standards. Um, I'd better not post a pic in your blog though.
Edit: I posted it in the Showoff thread instead. It landed on page 33, which doesn't exist in this dimension, but it is there.
#18
07/17/2013 (5:22 pm)
Great looking pack. Also good move expanding the brand to other engines.
#19
07/17/2013 (6:27 pm)
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#20
Just so there's no confusion, this is NOT Ron's excellent pack, but my first attempt at making my own (which I no longer need to bother with!).
07/17/2013 (6:38 pm)
Okie dokie... thanks Ron. :) Just so there's no confusion, this is NOT Ron's excellent pack, but my first attempt at making my own (which I no longer need to bother with!).

Torque 3D Owner Andy Wright
BrokeAss Games
also to see how you're doing your parallax maps ;)