I've begun experimenting on a sci-fi rpg. Right now its a pretty open project, like a porch on a windy day.
With me obtaining Sketchup, I've begun to play around to see what it can do and what it can't do.So far its not much for two things:1) UV mapping2) Normal mapping.I found out that when you make a model, theres a chance that the faces could be reversed. Exporting a ship model I made to a form Anim8tor could read, revealed that some faces, but not all, were reversed and had to be flipped.But then again I don't have internet at home, so no access to the online documents to figure out how to avert this. Its just a minor problem because if you export, fix the faces and import, then all is good for future exporting.First thing I started to do was create a city piece by piece just for fun. Heres a pic and links to more of what I managed to get done.
View AView BView CView DI haven't done much more to it for about a week, but it was good practice.As for the sci-fi experiment, I've started out making a sample ship. I'm debating making a 'texture' free game. One that will rely on model based detail. However I will use texture 'effects' like enviroment mapping.Top and bottom view captured in Sketchup
Captured in GM 6.1 using U3d
Now the model itself has 5 seperate 'textures', of course in this case they are only color based. On the customizing side, this would allow players to custom paint different parts of a ship, or different looks for different armor types for ships.In the bottom screenshot each texture is assigned to a different image map to create differing glossy looks. The bottom of the ship has the smallest and least glossy map up to the shiny metal top portion. The largest map is 8x8 pixels, a 2x2 image is used for the window of the ship.The conceptual project is planned to be a sci-fi that ranges between free-movement overworlds and free-movement space. Possibly all in 3rd person, but I'm still establishing a style so who knows.
That city looks nice, but in the image the left building looks slightly "wrong", that might be me, I don't know, it just isn't right, looks as if it's leaning.
Kyou: I think it's just the perspective. It does look kinda odd but when you consider it's relative position and height it seems fine. Spaceship looks pretty cool too.
I think it looks odd even with its perspective.
I really don't think GM's 3D is worth it for full games, but I use it all the time for menus and effects.
Never use Anim8or, I used to. It's really difficult (let alone hard) and I could never go back to it. Try out Cinema 4D, unless you're one of those anti-piracy snobs.I agree with Obel
Actually, Kyou, there is some kind of perspective distortion in Sketchup. Its noticable depending on certain angles.
Right now I'm just using Anim8tor to correct and texture map the models, thats all I'm using it for. I do have an old 3d SMax laying around that would do a better job at texture mapping, but wouldn't make fixing the facing issue as easy. Without internet I can't really "aquire" Cinema 4d, but I'll look into it.In some early stress tests I was able to have a few hundred instances with the model on screen with frame rates of 170/300 on a AMD 2ghz with a 256mb ati card. Without using textures I can free up alot of video and system memory for polygons and post-effects.