TGEA 1.7.0 Beta 2 Bug - Weapon/player disappear (Bounds?)
by Fyodor -bank- Osokin · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 04/01/2008 (5:25 pm) · 10 replies
While playing around with stock (un-modified/no fixes/fresh install) TGEA 1.7.0 B2 I found a rendering bug of weapon mounted to the player and the player itself.
This can be seen while playing by one of the following: BoomBot, SpaceOrc and ForgeSoldier. If you look at the sky at some angle - the weapon AND player stops from rendering (and no shadow rendered). And while playing by BoomBot (only) the weapon/player rendering stops while looking a bit down and moving left/right and sometimes (some condition?) forward. Can it be bound box settings in datablock (haven't played with it)?
I've recorded a short video (XviD) and the the journal - 800x600 windowed mode, please select "ForgeSoldier" in game settings before launching journal.
P.S. Video recorded with BoomBot.
This can be seen while playing by one of the following: BoomBot, SpaceOrc and ForgeSoldier. If you look at the sky at some angle - the weapon AND player stops from rendering (and no shadow rendered). And while playing by BoomBot (only) the weapon/player rendering stops while looking a bit down and moving left/right and sometimes (some condition?) forward. Can it be bound box settings in datablock (haven't played with it)?
I've recorded a short video (XviD) and the the journal - 800x600 windowed mode, please select "ForgeSoldier" in game settings before launching journal.
P.S. Video recorded with BoomBot.
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#2
03/02/2009 (12:15 am)
I can confirm this is a bug in both 1.7.1 and 1.8.1 too - our testers logged it during our last testing session, so it would be great to see a resolution. 
#3
So it's not a bug. Make the bounds box bigger, or better yet, force ShapeImages to ignore their own culling routines and only cull when the object they are mounted to culls.
03/02/2009 (1:39 am)
This 'bug' has existed since TGE was named V12. It's caused by the bounds box being too small and the mounted shape gets culled when it's no longer inside the box.So it's not a bug. Make the bounds box bigger, or better yet, force ShapeImages to ignore their own culling routines and only cull when the object they are mounted to culls.
#4
My definition sides with "if I have to fix it, it must be a bug."
I am glad that it's apparently well known, though - and I really appreciate the response. I don't know why the devs didn't do what you suggest long ago. I'll do exactly that - have the ShapeImages ignore culling unless the mounted object is culled.
Thanks again!
Rich
03/02/2009 (4:25 am)
Ok, so I suppose it depends on what you call a bug....My definition sides with "if I have to fix it, it must be a bug."
I am glad that it's apparently well known, though - and I really appreciate the response. I don't know why the devs didn't do what you suggest long ago. I'll do exactly that - have the ShapeImages ignore culling unless the mounted object is culled.
Thanks again!
Rich
#5
But yes, I suppose editing ShapeBase or whatever would be the best way to go.
03/02/2009 (8:12 am)
I suppose it depends on what models you are using, mine are all custom, but if you don't want to edit the source code play with the bounding box values in player.cs. I found that the mounted weapon can disappear at higher/lower look angles and ended up with boundingBox = "1.2 1.2 2.0";. As I remember 1.0 is halfway, like when targeting an AI and you aim for 1.0 that's the centre of the bounding box in height.But yes, I suppose editing ShapeBase or whatever would be the best way to go.
#6
There's nothing to fix, you just have to make sure the bounding box is big enough. Just like you have to ensure the correct nodes exist in the shape, and that the correct filename is supplied in the datablock. :)
Sure, it could be more simple. But that goes for the whole art pipeline.
03/02/2009 (11:16 am)
Quote:
My definition sides with "if I have to fix it, it must be a bug."
There's nothing to fix, you just have to make sure the bounding box is big enough. Just like you have to ensure the correct nodes exist in the shape, and that the correct filename is supplied in the datablock. :)
Sure, it could be more simple. But that goes for the whole art pipeline.
#7
03/02/2009 (8:20 pm)
I just altered the BoomBot.cs file to increase the boundingBox to "1.3 1.3 2.3" and it seems to work perfectly. I still intend to track down and modify culling to stop this behavior - it's disturbing that game mechanics should interfere with my art assets. Additionally, increasing the bounding box makes the player a larger target... I hate being a large target!
#8
03/03/2009 (7:10 am)
Bounding box doesn't affects projectiles or targeting raycasts (by default raycasts aim for the centre of the box), but it does affect object collision, so it's most noticeable on going through doorways and up/down steps.
#9
No offence, but this is incorrect. Bounds setup the ConvexBox collision structure in all cases where there's not a collision mesh in the scene, ie rigid type vehicles.
The Player is a special case, and the bounds is set from a value that is exposed to script. This is indeed the mesh that raycasts collide against, and projectiles cast rays to collide.
This is also incorrect. :) Not sure why you got the impression that this is the case. You can google raycasting and it'll turn up some articles on this.
03/03/2009 (8:34 am)
Quote:
Bounding box doesn't affects projectiles or targeting raycasts
No offence, but this is incorrect. Bounds setup the ConvexBox collision structure in all cases where there's not a collision mesh in the scene, ie rigid type vehicles.
The Player is a special case, and the bounds is set from a value that is exposed to script. This is indeed the mesh that raycasts collide against, and projectiles cast rays to collide.
Quote:
(by default raycasts aim for the centre of the box)
This is also incorrect. :) Not sure why you got the impression that this is the case. You can google raycasting and it'll turn up some articles on this.
#10
(by default raycasts aim for the centre of the box) - I was refering to one/some of the scripted AI resources on the site (Killer Kork?), but I didn't explain that.
03/03/2009 (1:43 pm)
@Stefan - I stand corrected, my only bounds experience without a collision mesh is with the Player. I haven't tampered with vehicles or the sort.(by default raycasts aim for the centre of the box) - I was refering to one/some of the scripted AI resources on the site (Killer Kork?), but I didn't explain that.
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