Comp #16)))---Environmental Pedestal---(((Comp #16

[Mr. Bluesummers-3DT]

Quick Reply
Yah; BSP stands for Binary Space Partitioning. It's a method of compiling and handling a map that allows you to remove massive chunks of the map and avoid rendering it. In brief, it allows the engine to say "If the camera cannot see section "A" and section "C", then we may safely ignore drawing section "B" and all it's children."

It's the beautiful method that makes modern video games possible! However, for it to work, BSPs have to be very simple (boxes, 99% of the time), and be constructed in a particular way. Read more at Wikipedia.org.

[HollowReaper]

Cool, i'll definitly read up about it on how exactly to do that. For now though, I do have an update of what i've been working on. Hope you guys like it

[Mr. Bluesummers-3DT]

Quick update
I'm all modeled out for today. Here's a shot of the crane arm.
[1,700 Triangles] I need to be more careful.

P.S. I've split up my texmaps based on needs rather than objects:
--1 for Decals and dirtmaps
--1 for the room
--2 for props, and
--1 for pickups

[Sebiomegas]

Hello
Concerning Bsp, I understand it has something to do with the way you build your geometry, but is it a specific export format and can it convert a geometry to Bsp for you whatever the number of subdivisions you have.
Thanx

[Bogimps]

bsp levels are basically made up of blocks, the less complicated the structure the quicker it can be compiled. if you wish to have a concave element in your building process it must be made of two blocks facing each other instead of a single block. alot of engines use octree now which is capable of concave elements, so it isnt as necessary as before.

the majority of bsp engines use the .map format, such as 3d gamestudio and hammer (halflife 2 editor, halflife 2 is mostly bsp!) =]

[ChaosDragonDZ]

well here's what I have so far. It's a crumbling church surrounded by buildings. a small and cluttered level, good for deathmatches maybe.

I've got to start reducing the polycount.... also texturing this is gonna be annoying for me. I also need to start thinking about the pick ups. i'll probably have a sniper, and some body armor.

[Tank[NL]]

cool looking work so far guys. some really inspiring stuff already. i got a lot of work done today. made 2 scenes. the first was way too big and more fit for an rts and i wanted something for a shooter. the scale of it was also more of a battlefield than a small pedestal...

made a new scene later today and it turned out way better. still cyberpunk theme, or trying to get it there. its a chinese market in an alley of some mega-city in the future. got a small mech in plce as a security-bot. need too add something like a news display and camera's. more clutter and junk and stuff.

but so far its going pretty good.

have a look:



later all, and good luck

[D-Chap]

Wow, you guys have been making some good progress already- yours is already looking pretty solid ChaosDragon!

[defaultalias]

wasn't the brief "environment pedestal"? as in a base for a character or prop showcase?

[HollowReaper]

Defaultalias - I think the brief meant environment/pedestal as in for saying that your environment doesn't need to be a huge scene, it can be also something small, because not everyone as time to put into making something huge.
"instead of creating an entire level for a game, create a section"
quoted from what BiG ToE said

Omni - I really like your idea, keep it up man, looks really good!

[Bogimps]

well ive decided on my piece, its going to be a dragons den, ive got it sketched out on paper, the idea looks pretty good. im just hoping im gonna have enough polys to model the mounds of loot hes collected!!

[funkdelic]

ok, as I am modeling a sk8er for another contest, this is my chance to model a complete sk8 park

heres some ideas..




next post, some model updates...

[Mr. Bluesummers-3DT]

Originally Posted by ToxicAvenger

Hello
Concerning Bsp, I understand it has something to do with the way you build your geometry, but is it a specific export format and can it convert a geometry to Bsp for you whatever the number of subdivisions you have.
Thanx

Close; a BSP is a compiled format- kind of like a program! You usually start off with a specialized editor like Hammer (for Valve:Source) or UnrealEd (for Epic:Unreal). From there, you use the program to build geometry- kind of like working with primitives in 3dsMax or Maya! Once the BSPs are laid down, you add in geometry, particles, etc. You then "compile" the map using that software, and it will create a map file (BSP is the compiled format) that the engine can handle (like .ut2 for the Unreal2 engine). The engine takes this in, and executes the video-game while considering the map in real time.

Why is this such a big distinction? Because for really processor/GPU intensive tasks like shadows, lighting, and special effects, you don't want to be rendering junk behind the player, right? Well this is a great way of separating what's important and what's not! Make the author use BSPs to indicate where the engine should use real-time shadows or pre-compiled radiosity. Then the engine knows "Ah, I need to use advanced culling to make sure I don't draw any more of this 'special stuff' than is absolutely necessary!".

I promise; it's such a beautiful thing when it comes together!

P.S. Hah; I sound like a dork! This is something that gets me really excited!

[defaultalias]

techno stuff is fun isn't it. while we're off topic, i know BSP sections off the level for rendering, but is it the same way or at least related to octree culling? just curious...

Back on topic, i'm going to let the level itself sit for a while and work on the props. i really can't stay focused on one thing. i seriously think i have ADD guys

[omnicypher]

my scene is a bit cluttered for now, but i havent even made a solid plan for a layout. right now im just making stuff little by little until it fills the scene. eventually ill decide what stays and goes in the final edit.

if we use 3dsmax textures like noise and cloud instead of bitmaps, do they count towards the texture space? basically the only things in my scene with bitmapped textures are the floor and the pallets so far.