I've finished reinventing the map building system, auto-contouring adjacent and similar tiles based on type and texture.

While unlike the original which built its own models, U3d has a funky polygon system that prevents me from shaping the walls like before. So to solve this I simply made the 16 possible tiles. So far just the dented out tiles are done.

A map made for tile contour testing.

Smaller set backs included the lack of vertex shading and the inability for me to have the engine work below Z axis 0. I'm not sure why, perhaps I messed up my code…anyways its not too big a deal since I can just build the maps from the bottom up instead of centered on the Z.

A slightly bigger setback is that I can't quite figure out how to have transparent textures in U3d, which stalls me from fully finishing the map compiling process due to the option of layered tiles.

As show in older blogs about the layering process, its actually composed of three layers, the middle being a blacked out semi-translucent version of the covering layer.

Demos coming soon? Probably, I still have a few things to do with the editor and the new engine. Currently there is no collision detection implemented or gravity.

Changes of plans reguarding spritage, perhaps I may go to models now that I have an engine that can support them. I'm leaning towards cel-shading(a nice feature to have) NPCs and monsters if I do in fact drop the sprites.

Its a tough choice though, since I designed the sprite NPCs to have changable parts: Clothing, hair, face, ect.

Making them into models will be tricky, since I'll have to create animations for the individual parts so that they match up proper. That and I need some practice with making skins too, but with a cel-shading option it may not be too hard. I need to play around with it.