Caanoo / WIZ Wiz Game Engine

[crow_riot]

Okie dokie, time for another update:

- allow "lock" renderers meaning that if the data will never change or will only change infrequently it caches the previous batching results
- allow compilation of locked renderers to VBO's

these 2 small changes have resulted in a fairly big speed boost, meaning that the framerate in the game never drops below 30fps. Yay. Now if only South Korea would put an end to their insane ratings antics :/

Good to read that you figured it out! I wouldn't take care too much about the korean rating stuff as this is something that IMO should be figured out by GPH. Another way to sell your game could be asking ED - he sells downloadable copies of Payback in his shop and also Craigix was selling Vektar online. So there are ways to get around that...

 

[kurtkz]

@crow_riot: Thanks, I've been putting off implementing VBO's because of the things I read about the iPhone not seeing much of a performance improvement when using VBO's. I figured the same would hold for the Wiz...clearly I was wrong

Also, thanks for the info regarding ED and Craigix, I'll definitely look into it if things with GPH fall through (keeping my fingers crossed that they don't).

 

[traylorpark]

@crow_riot: Thanks, I've been putting off implementing VBO's because of the things I read about the iPhone not seeing much of a performance improvement when using VBO's. I figured the same would hold for the Wiz...clearly I was wrong

Also, thanks for the info regarding ED and Craigix, I'll definitely look into it if things with GPH fall through (keeping my fingers crossed that they don't).

I can't see the GPH store falling through ... I just imagine there will be plenty of hoops to jump through, and maybe a couple will be flaming. The more options we have to distribute this, the better ... heck, we could even do it ourselves through Paypal (to a point).

What I'm not expecting is the GPH store to lead to great riches and early retirements.

 

[kurtkz]

True, although great riches and early retirement would be nice

 

[kurtkz]

Minor updates:

- fixed font rendering
- wrote font exporter utility (works much better than font builder)
- added spring joints to rigid body physics

Cheers
Kurt

 

[kurtkz]

More updates:

- added slider and hinge joints for rigid body physics (all the joints are just fast approximations to the real thing)

Cheers
Kurt

 

[kurtkz]

Minor update:

- add support for angular velocity & rigid body rotation

Cheers
Kurt

 

[kurtkz]

Aaaand another:

- fixed radial menu
- added slider menu (think WipeOut style level selection)

Cheers
Kurt

 

[traylorpark]

Interesting, which Wipeout?

 

[kurtkz]

Uhm, really not sure - it's the horizontal sliding menu with rotating 3D models...

 

[traylorpark]

Ahh! Wipeout XL!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Xkikk6IRI

 

[kurtkz]

Something like that - the option slides into place on the screen though. Kind of like a scrolling marquee.

 

[kurtkz]

This morning I:

- complained to online store I ordered my Caanoo from for not telling me they're out of stock
- optimized sprite and 2D primitive rendering

 

[kurtkz]

Some more updates today:

- created a tool to generate terrain meshes:

* optimizes mesh based on quadtrees
* creates procedural terrain texture with soft shadows & lighting

 

[kurtkz]

Okie dokie - figured I'd post some figures regarding the terrain stuff:

Screenshots
-----------





Heightmap
---------



Texture/Lightmap
----------------



LOD
---



Figures
-------

512x512 heightmap
9290 triangles
5772 vertices
155 meshes (physics)

>60 FPS

I'm pretty happy with these stats. Just goes to show how powerful the Wiz really is I'm thinking of doing an offroad racer using my terrain creator...

Cheers
Kurt

PS I have had a stupid amount of fun watching a ball roll around the terrain realistically at >60 FPS. Aaah, it's the little things in life...

PPS Just realised that I didn't convert the texture into a .ktx - that's why the textures look a little washed out.

PPS Also forgot to mention that the terrain creator is very configurable - I just created a terrain mesh from a 1024x1024 heightmap and it ended up being 9720 triangles...

 

[LittleDeveloper]

Looks so great! Can't wait to try it.

 

[kurtkz]

Looks so great! Can't wait to try it.

Thanks LittleDeveloper,

I'll see if I can put together a Wiz package for the terrain. I haven't received my Caanoo yet but hopefully I'll get it soon.

Cheers
Kurt

 

[Orion4874]

I agree, this game is looking really really nice. I'm anxiously awaiting the release. Keep up the great work!!!

 

[kurtkz]

I agree, this game is looking really really nice. I'm anxiously awaiting the release. Keep up the great work!!!

Hey guys,

thanks for the vote of confidence Those screenshots aren't actually being used in a game yet, but we are working on a game using the engine over here: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/56235-minigolf-game-devlog/

I'll be releasing a terrain demo later today (Wiz only - I don't have a Caanoo yet), so check back periodically

Cheers
Kurt

 

[kurtkz]

Hey everyone,

the terrain demo can be downloaded here: demo

Keys

Left-Right-Up-Down -> rotate camera
Y -> move forward
X -> move back
SELECT -> start physics simulation
L + R -> quit

Cheers
Kurt

PS give it a while to start up - I forgot to compile the terrain meshes