Saturday, December 22, 2012
Map Editor Beta!
RTS Creator MapEditor and Engine beta now available for download!
Go to the Downloads section of the website! http://www.rtscreator.net
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
SSAO
We've implemented SSAO into our graphics pipeline!
This subtle effect makes a big difference in the quality of the graphics. See for yourself!
This subtle effect makes a big difference in the quality of the graphics. See for yourself!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Shader Implementation and Obstacles
In the last 2 weeks we've been attempting to implement shader's into the engine and the process has been both challenging and rewarding.
If you don't know what shader's are, they allow you to write code directly to the graphics card to achieve certain effects such as anti-aliasing, and motion blur.
We've implemented per pixel lighting, alpha blending(for team colors), and fast approximate anti-aliasing and the graphics are looking much better!
Our next implementation is for Screen Space Ambient Occlusion(SSAO). SSAO estimates the lighting of objects based on the position of objects on the screen and is used to achieve a certain degree of realism.
The challenge has been that RTS Creator has been developed on a laptop with onboard Intel graphics. Intel doesn't support OpenGL code in a lot ways and we haven't been able to get any implementation of SSAO to work properly.
Because of this though, we're able to draw the line of compatibility and produce a fall back plan. If a persons computer doesn't support a specific shader, we'll have multiple fall back shaders to ensure they can play the game.
If you don't know what shader's are, they allow you to write code directly to the graphics card to achieve certain effects such as anti-aliasing, and motion blur.
We've implemented per pixel lighting, alpha blending(for team colors), and fast approximate anti-aliasing and the graphics are looking much better!
Our next implementation is for Screen Space Ambient Occlusion(SSAO). SSAO estimates the lighting of objects based on the position of objects on the screen and is used to achieve a certain degree of realism.
The challenge has been that RTS Creator has been developed on a laptop with onboard Intel graphics. Intel doesn't support OpenGL code in a lot ways and we haven't been able to get any implementation of SSAO to work properly.
Because of this though, we're able to draw the line of compatibility and produce a fall back plan. If a persons computer doesn't support a specific shader, we'll have multiple fall back shaders to ensure they can play the game.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Game GUI
We've added a new GUI system to the engine. It can easily be skinned and customized.
The GUI combined with scripting gives creators the ability to create in game menus that can do just about anything.
The GUI combined with scripting gives creators the ability to create in game menus that can do just about anything.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Path Finding Optimized
We're working the last of the bugs and implementing our final critiques when it comes to gameplay.
The path finding has been optimized and resembles that of the original Command and Conquer path finding verbatim. Now, a hundred ground unit objects can path find and navigate the map with a barely noticeable performance hit.
Prior to our enhancements, each unit would re-path every time it had to make a move. When you're path finding on a 300 x 300 grid with a number of obstacles this can take lots of time.
Now, the path finding occurs when the player gives the units the command to attack or move. If the unit can't move it waits, and will try to move along this path for 2 seconds before it re-paths.
This improves the gameplay and gives a much better player experience.
The path finding has been optimized and resembles that of the original Command and Conquer path finding verbatim. Now, a hundred ground unit objects can path find and navigate the map with a barely noticeable performance hit.
Prior to our enhancements, each unit would re-path every time it had to make a move. When you're path finding on a 300 x 300 grid with a number of obstacles this can take lots of time.
Now, the path finding occurs when the player gives the units the command to attack or move. If the unit can't move it waits, and will try to move along this path for 2 seconds before it re-paths.
This improves the gameplay and gives a much better player experience.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Delayed Deadline
I'm sorry to announce that we didn't meet our deadline of December 1st. Unfortunately with the Holiday season and our other jobs weighing heavily on our time, our progress has been delayed.
But that isn't to say RTS Creator won't be an available product within the next couple of months(or sooner). We've seen similar products and software's come and go with the promise of delivering and not pulling through. We know because we've had our own frustrations when we ourselves were looking forward to the release of a software only to find out that the project had been cancelled.
We can promise that RTS Creator will be released and soon because this has been a dream of ours to develop for the last 10 years; which is when we first started to look for an RTS Creator and were amazed to see that nothing existed.
We're not giving this dream up easily.
But that isn't to say RTS Creator won't be an available product within the next couple of months(or sooner). We've seen similar products and software's come and go with the promise of delivering and not pulling through. We know because we've had our own frustrations when we ourselves were looking forward to the release of a software only to find out that the project had been cancelled.
We can promise that RTS Creator will be released and soon because this has been a dream of ours to develop for the last 10 years; which is when we first started to look for an RTS Creator and were amazed to see that nothing existed.
We're not giving this dream up easily.
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