226

(16 replies, posted in Engine)

If you decided this is a task you want to take on, use OpenCV instead of LibTheora or FFMPEG. Because ...

1. OpenCV already uses those librarys for video playback
2. Getting OpenCV to play video on  texture is only a couple lines of code.
3. You get the added benefit of its builtin motion tracking, in a first person type game this feature could be used
to actualy look round a corner by slightly tilting and turning your head. Or controling a game in the sameway as Kinetic.

It would probable take 5min to get this feature implemented in the Maratis Engine and an hour for the Lua bindings. I could do it but everytime I even breath on those scon's build scripts they blow up in my face.

These are some screenshot showing they effect Normal and Specular mapping have on a mesh.

I am using a "Flat Plane" for the demonstration.

http://www.maratis3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/07.jpg

You can find the texture I used complete with "Diffuse", "Normal" and "Specular" maps here
http://wiki.maratis3d.org/index.php?title=Stone


1. Plane with only the "Diffuse" Texture
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C_0JhUdsCXE/UO_fQ2JVkDI/AAAAAAAAAlE/YSD_4q2TG28/s912/Diffuse.png


2. Plane with a "Diffuse" and "Normal" Map
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yohMVOkI6KU/UO_faRynExI/AAAAAAAAAlM/RFngBWgtfXc/s912/Normal.png


3. Plane with a "Diffuse", "Normal" and "Specular" Map
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KFDLoAF9nKg/UO_g3Nc1SaI/AAAAAAAAAlc/U5LfRffOCYA/s912/Specular.png


Note: A mesh that has only a "Diffuse" and "Specular" map will have a Dull Metalic type effect, probable used best for metal objects I didnt demonstrat that here because they effect can only really be seen on an object when the object or camera is in motion or a near by light is in motion.

Creating 2D Cutouts for Maratis using Blender and Gimp (Grass Edition)


This is a Prototype Tutorial, that I will be adding to the wiki, It's the first of many. I am posting it here first to get
feedback on its presentation and to test my image hosting. I dont personaly do well with video tutorials and much
more prefer them in this context.


Software Used
--------------------------
Blender v2.63
Gimp v2.8.2


There are 3 choice methods to creating 2D Cutouts:

    1. Custom (Slowest Most Desired Option) Involves Modeling, Painting & Rendering your Cutout(Grass, Tree, ...)
    2. Create a Cutout from an UnPrepared Image (Medium Most Likely Option)
    3. Create a Cutout from a Prepared Image (Fastest but Least Desired) Note: Gimp Not Needed, Start at Step 6


The following tutorial applys to Options #2 & #3


Step 1:
Choose any image with a solid background, here I have choosen an image with a white background.


Note: Here is the image I used to make this tutorial
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ogIFnnd0lQQ/UO_SByxnEHI/AAAAAAAAAk0/KaNKIdj7Has/s400/16121686-green-grass-cut-out-isolated-on-white-background.jpg


Step 2:
Open your chosen image in gimp.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-77Qpd2rlmkQ/UO--vqWlgxI/AAAAAAAAAjc/odhPjAS4HGU/s800/image1.png


Step 3: Use the "Color to Alpha" tool to remove the background color.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JDT7TVrkQJs/UO--vVPYxuI/AAAAAAAAAjU/745wYo7ysL0/s800/image2.png


Step 4: Click "Ok" or choose the background color by clicking on the "Color Dialog Button" and using the Eye Dropper Tool
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aQEMQg9Giwo/UO--wrP8tDI/AAAAAAAAAjs/UOHexo2Qnb0/s468/image3.png


Step 5: Export your image as a "PNG" to your projects "maps" folder Note: The JPEG format does not have an Alpha channel and cant have transparent backgrounds so dont use that.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-suAU6KXbzs0/UO--wikxU5I/AAAAAAAAAjk/XlQ0b_lVqxA/s800/image4.png


Step 6: Start up Blender and open the "User Preferances"
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2rf73aIY1jM/UO--w8CVx9I/AAAAAAAAAjo/yS341mvf4qk/s450/image5.png


Step 7: Click on the "Addons" tab and then "Import-Export"
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-q6PZYhK06n8/UO--xckxkuI/AAAAAAAAAjw/-pwlewnYGeI/s803/image6.png


Step 8: Scroll down the list untill you find "Import Images as Planes" and click on the checkbox to enable it then click on "Save as Default" at the bottom of the Dialog.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tWgpNtchtac/UO--xnzktJI/AAAAAAAAAj0/LwgbQvFJi34/s805/image7.png


Step 9: Import the Grass image we had exported from Gimp earlyer.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-79UKs5rZM1o/UO--yKvuNeI/AAAAAAAAAj8/038Vgthe8P4/s640/image8.png


Step 10: Admire your Grass wink Note: you will want to rotate your image, as of right now it is laying flat on its back.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ERb9k9FQYG8/UO--yqLW0xI/AAAAAAAAAkE/4gb8YyOcueQ/s912/image9.png


Step 11: Unless you want "Shiney Grass" turn "Speculary Intensity" in the "Materals Tab" all the way down.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7vqeSVlq5Rk/UO--vGWr1HI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/tKTbMTBqG2U/s294/image10.png


Step 12: Export your Mesh using the Maratis export plugin to your projects "meshs" folder and then Import it into the Maratis Editor, Rotate, Duplicate, Scale, Move them around and your Done.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2VWhrPa14-g/UPB1uQ-kGLI/AAAAAAAAAls/pde-AQevX9Y/s912/image11.png

229

(9 replies, posted in General)

Hmmm going to have to wait on anael for this one. I couldnt get the animation exported eather. But i will say I really like your robot and I learned something new about modeling characters that are going to be animated. Your character is broken up in differant parts I never though about doing it that way. My main characters body was alwys one solid peice and I would have problems with joint folding. Soooo Thanks wink for showing a differnt way to do that.

Scene: Raid a Cloverfield, Loose a Key!

Captan Sick Beard: PEE!!!! Mr PEE!!
First Mate Pee: Yeees Captan.
Captain Sick Beard: Tie down the Riggins and take her down, I smell mice and where there is mice there's.....
First Mate Pee: Treasure!
Captain Sick Beard: Thats right! TREASURE!!!

...
Narrator: As Captain Sick Beard and Mr Pee descend threw the clouds, the faint glow of lanterns and the slight sound of merry music can be heard from the Town of Clover.

Unfortantly for our mouse friends, who are emersed in the anual town festival they are completly unaware that the Rotten Paw Pirates are about to make a most unwelcome grand entrance.
...

Captain Sick Beard: Extinguish them Lanterns and Prepair the Harpoon Canons Mr Pee I am taking her in slow.
First Mate Pee: Yes Sir Captain

...
Narrator:
-----------------------


Description: The Town of Clover
The Town of Clover is a small farming community, and as you may already have guessed specializes in the farming of clover, But also raises a heard of Dung Beetles for there Delightful Taste and the Anual Dung Beetle Races.

The Town of Clover is inhabited primarly by Field Mice, and the occasional Hare(Rabbit).


-----------------------

In a previous scene our three main characters were attempting to retreave an object stolen from Mr Tobias by the Rotten Paw Pirates. This would be a good opertunity for our main characters to retreve that object and save the town. Then afterwards we could have the Dung Beetle races for an extra special prize and maybe aquire 3 new Dung Beetles for land transportation.

Note: Some extra mini games would be cool. Ring Toss, Archery Shoot, Dung Beetle Races, ...

SadWolf wrote:

That's amazing!!!
I really like this! big_smile

Thanks, once there cleaned up I will upload them to the wiki for you to use in your own project. If you need a custom paint job or model let me know. As long as you dont have any issues with whatever you request ending up on the wiki for others to use.

Mostly done ran into a small problem with mapping the texture to my rigging and ladder, not a big issue ill take care of it later.

Anyways this is the ship of "Captan Sick Beard and His First Mate Pee", there the leaders of the Rotten Paw Pirates.

http://i46.tinypic.com/346qo08.png
http://i50.tinypic.com/5lxkyf.png

233

(15 replies, posted in General)

SadWolf wrote:

@anael: the texture is in .jpg should I use .png?

Jpg is fine.

@zester: I'm not using the UV mapping system... maybe that's the problem?

That just might be the problem, also note that all objects need a material in-order to export them, atleast from my experance,
not sure what to do about "emptys" or if the same applyes for them also except you just make them invisible. Upload your model somewheres if you need any help ill look at it. I check the forums for new post often.

234

(15 replies, posted in General)

I noticed in my meshs if I didnt set the "Layer Option" then my textures wouldnt show up sometimes.

http://www.maratis3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/10.jpg

Note to Self:
   
    1. Look into how we can do rope physics.
    2. Look into using a fracture modifier on a mesh and physics to blow stuff up.
    3. Look into scripting Partical Effects using the physics engine.

I did some extra work on the airship, Added better Rudders, Portholes, Rigging, Cargo Net, Anchor, ... I need to fix the porthole alignment and finish the cargo netting and add some cargo, and the cannons need there mounts. Then I will be able to start painting it.

http://i50.tinypic.com/2i795q8.png
http://i50.tinypic.com/119v1n4.png

Almighty Laxz wrote:

Really good models zester, great work. smile

SadWolf wrote:

I really like your models, too! smile

Thanks guys I appreciate that wink

In one of the scenes I had mocked out there was a situaation where you needed to be guided threw a tunnel by
a rabbit named Mr Tobias. Anyways Mr Tobias cant help you untill you retreve something of his that was stolen by a
gang of theving flying squirrels. I wasnt sure then on what the squirrels story was. It obvious now that there "Sky Pirates"
and came up with this Airship.

http://i50.tinypic.com/opwhhx.png

I cant comprehend an Airship with out some kind of harpoon cannon, so I guess combustion tech is in. To some degree that is.
But Magic in a world with Combustion Tech feels odd to me. Maybe the extent of magic should be as it was in NIMH. An amulet that is used to focus energy.

239

(3 replies, posted in Tutorials/Examples)

Cool thanks for taking the time to post this wink

240

(36 replies, posted in Scripting)

I would like to be able to change a meshs texture from script, so insted of having one mesh for summer and one for winter I can just have summer and winter textures. For my use case snow on my buildings or terrain.

Here is a Lookout Tower, I noticed after I did it that the ladder is wrong (To wide and not enough steps) the tower its self is 4+ stories high and looks it in Maratis with the other buildings in comparison. But the ladder just looks plain wrong.

I also added a bell to the church, my kids think it looks more like  school so I migh be removing the cross call that a school and save the cross for graves or something.

http://i45.tinypic.com/4ua0w1.png

http://i48.tinypic.com/116rvpv.png

gamemaker wrote:
zester wrote:

Ummm no all I did was model and paint it lol no programming needed. I did bake Ambient Occlusion and then "color to alpha" those textures in gimp to remove the white background so all I was left with was the shadows and then applyed those to my diffuse textures.

You should be able to do that with any 3D Modeling Tool and Image Editing Program

Let me get a couple more house done then ill write a tutorial.

http://i45.tinypic.com/2v96rsk.png

All I meant was that I thought in order to get a mesh into maratis that has been painted with more than one texture, that you needed a shader, and it looks like your ground has at least 2.

thx
Gm

No its just one.

In both book series (Redwall & NIMH) there are some cross simularitys.

1. In both worlds the animals have human like intelligence.
2. Neather of the two worlds feature the concept of magic (In Redwall we have apparitions, and in NIMH
Mrs. Brisby is able to focus Telekinetic Powers via a Stone.)

3. Both worlds feature Rats in Redwall there roll is more evil than in NIMH.
4. In both worlds emotions play are large part in story development.
5. Primative weapons are used in both Redwall and NIMH (Sword, Dagger, Shield, ...)

Some Differances:

1. Redwall is based on Renaissance Times & NIMH is based on the present time line.
2. NIMH features Humans & Redwall has no concept of Humans that I can remember.
3. In NIMH the rats utilize modern technology(Wheels, Pullys & Electricity), Redwall tech is very primative (Wheels, Pullys and Wind Power (Ships later on))

4. In NIMH the animals are more to there actual scale, In redwall there more proportionate to each other (Moles are only slightly smaller than mice, Minks are almost twice as tall) In Reality Mice are twice to three times the size of a Mole and a Mink is up to 20 times a mouses size.

The Keepers Of Radvdyn Questions that need to be answered:

1. Do we have magic and if so what kind.
2. Primative weapons are obviously utilized but what about "Steam Punk Tech" like a Steam Powereed Harpoon type weapons? And primative electricity. "The Creativity seen in the cartoon (The Littles) seams like a fun concept to play with."

3. How would a post human world effect the concept of magic?
4. How would a humanless world effect the concept of modern tech like Steam power and Electricity.
5. What time line do we exist in and are the current buildings above to modern for Renaissance Times.

As far as transportation I ws thinking that larger animals could be used for that, such as riding on a bird or the back of a cat. Or a wheeled cart pulled by an old dog.

And here it is painted.

I couldnt get the roof shingles to paint on evenly across the whole roof, ill have to play with them but right now I am not worried about it.

http://i50.tinypic.com/nxw0uw.png

And a screenshot in Maratis

http://i46.tinypic.com/27zw2mo.png

This could be a Church a Outpost or School House (Just have to export with out the giant cross), I still need to make a bell. I didnt add windows this time because I want to try something differnt. I am going to model the inside separately place a camera with a window just in front and render that then use that image as the window texture.

Anyways Modeled and Ambient Occlusion is baked. Now its time to paint.

http://i48.tinypic.com/21oy4v8.png

Ummm no all I did was model and paint it lol no programming needed. I did bake Ambient Occlusion and then "color to alpha" those textures in gimp to remove the white background so all I was left with was the shadows and then applyed those to my diffuse textures.

You should be able to do that with any 3D Modeling Tool and Image Editing Program

Let me get a couple more house done then ill write a tutorial.

http://i45.tinypic.com/2v96rsk.png

Good Lord I thought I would (NEVER) get this posted, took forever to bake the AO!!! Anyways its not completely finished but close.
It should look exactly like this in Maratis.

If the rest of you like it then Ill make this the base line for the rest of the models/textures
meaning they will match/look good together and not look mismatched when combined in a scene.

http://i48.tinypic.com/34ep1yp.png

I figured I would do some work on houses, couldnt really come up with any insperation of my own. So I took to google to find something to model wink

Referance Image
http://preview.turbosquid.com/Preview/2011/04/27__10_16_38/Colonial_Log_House_2.jpg6bea5b66-a14e-493f-99bd-d7ad343fa534Large.jpg

This is what I ended up with. Close to the referance image but not identical.
http://i48.tinypic.com/2qkkxhz.png

When I find some more time ill do the textureing and add it to the pile of stuff that needs to be uploaded and put on the wiki.

Quick Tip: When using TextureAtlas or Baking Ambient Occlusion in general. If you notice that bakeing just stops mid process or your getting "Streaking" you need to scale your model to a larger size.

250

(9 replies, posted in General)

anael wrote:

3ds is not the best exchange format, is RealityFactoryPro exporting .obj files or some other format ?

3DS support in blender isn't all that great to begin with, generaly if I have to import something OBJ is your best bet.