Basic3D 2 Demo

[SmartBoy16]

Basic3D 2 Demo version 1.9 is here! go to my website and get it.

http://smartboy16swebsite.freeservers.com/home.html

note that this also includes an SGDK2 project. this has no maps, includes 3 sprites(without rules), and cannot compile correctly


                                                           
(i just had to do that!)

[bluemonkmn]

You should be able to do this with only 2 layers in SGDK2 because tile graphics are not confined to the area occupied by the tile, and you can define (using Priority) whether a layer's tiles draw in front of or behind particular sprites (which also have a priority).

[SmartBoy16]

i never knew that. probably because the map editor does not work on my computer (blaming my OUTDATED graphics card). I'll try that in 1.9.1 as soon as i get a new computer/graphics card.

[bluemonkmn]

Actually this demo is pointing out to me that I missed something because you should actually be able to do this on 1 layer.  If the 3D were arranged like an isometric view (sprites appear in front of tiles when the tile is above and to the left instead of below and to the left like your sample) then you can do this 3D effect in a single layer by making the priority of the layer and the sprites the same.  But I think I could not think of a reason why you would really need to do the 3D in a different order, so I didn't support it.  Now I see I probably should support the pseudo-3D effect in multiple directions (on a single layer).

[SmartBoy16]

i think i can see that now.

i also would like to know how to change the default "shapes" for solidity. i've been trying to create a way to use the 3D tiles to be used in a "flat" map style (see Flat map in SGDK1 project and picture). would this be possible?

[bluemonkmn]

I can't figure out the question.  What are you trying to do?  What shapes are you trying to create and what do you mean by flat?

[SmartBoy16]

when i say flat is when you are on a map where you are looking down from a top view, usually there is no gravity involved, a lot like your Wizard example for SGDK1.

as for the Solidity, does this explain it any better?

[bluemonkmn]

I see a picture, but I haven't a clue what you're trying to demonstrate with it.  Need more words.  Are you trying to say that you want two similar looking tiles to be able to be solid or empty?  Are you saying that you want  a tile to be solid or empty regardless of what it looks like?  The picture just doesn't say anything to me with just one word "solid" on it.

[SmartBoy16]

what im trying to say is whatever's filled in is what would be solid on the game.

right now it is set to solid. i want to know if there is a way to make a tile partialy solid, not just different slopes

[bluemonkmn]

Oh, I still don't see that in the picture.  But yes, you can define solidity in terms of 4 functions, which describe the surface of the tile from 4 directions.  Normally these 4 functions are consistent with each other, but sometimes you can get an interesting effect by making them different.  For example, if GetTopSolidPixel returns 0 (the equivalent of "solid immediately at the edge") for all values and the other 3 functions return the equivalent of "empty" for all the other sides, you get a tile that the player can land on from the top, but can also walk through sideways in both directions and through which the player can jump upward.

These functions are defined in the file TileShapes.cs in the project's source code.  By default there are only 11 shapes:
Empty
Solid
Uphill
Downhill
UpCeiling
DownCeiling
Half-Uphill Right half
Half-Uphill Left half
Half-Downhill left half
Half-Downhill right half
Top-solid

But you can add as many shapes as you like to this file and then (after re-compiling the project) it will be possible to map the custom shapes in a solidity definition.

[SmartBoy16]

im trying a new look for the default Basic3D, how's this?

the bottom right tiles are the new look. the one just above that is made after sgdk1's smoothing tool.
the darker tiles are used as a fadeout for entering doors or falling off a cliff.

eventually i will add a set so you can have an "extended" top of the block. this puts the dark tiles as really handy. ill tell more later.

[SmartBoy16]

Oh, I still don't see that in the picture.  But yes, you can define solidity in terms of 4 functions, which describe the surface of the tile from 4 directions.  Normally these 4 functions are consistent with each other, but sometimes you can get an interesting effect by making them different.  For example, if GetTopSolidPixel returns 0 (the equivalent of "solid immediately at the edge") for all values and the other 3 functions return the equivalent of "empty" for all the other sides, you get a tile that the player can land on from the top, but can also walk through sideways in both directions and through which the player can jump upward.

These functions are defined in the file TileShapes.cs in the project's source code.  By default there are only 11 shapes:
Empty
Solid
Uphill
Downhill
UpCeiling
DownCeiling
Half-Uphill Right half
Half-Uphill Left half
Half-Downhill left half
Half-Downhill right half
Top-solid

But you can add as many shapes as you like to this file and then (after re-compiling the project) it will be possible to map the custom shapes in a solidity definition.

so if i wanted a shape like this (see picture) what would i need to type in. My computer still doesn't have SGDK2 working , but ill keep this handy when i do.

_____________________
|                                   |
|                                   |
|                                   |
|                                   |
|                                   |
|                                  /
|                                 /
|                                /
|                 ________/
|                 |
|                 |
|__________|

its 32x32

[bluemonkmn]

Creating the perfect formulas for tile shapes is not simple because they have to work at different sizes and handle the rounding consistently from all directions.  So I don't have the time necessary to work out all the details of that tile -- it would probably take a couple hours to make sure I got it right.  But why do you need such complicated tile shapes?  If your shapes are that complicated, you should probably split your tiles into smaller sizes, or just approximate the shape of the tile with a simpler shape.  The player probably wouldn't notice much difference if you approximated that shape with one that simply has a diagonal all the way through the bottom right corner instead of a diagonal and a notch.

[SmartBoy16]

ok, i guess ill try something simpler then. it may be a while before i even can get a working computer.

ive been able to get my old computer working, only i had to reinstalll win98se and use only the programs that i use for game developing (sgdk, anvil, psp7, truespace, ect.)

[Tanja]

how old is your computer?