It's all in your head, Part 14

[Varsity]

So when I’m firing my ar15 carbine at the zombies in left4dead, the half-life engine is (almost certainly) doing a ray-hit-versus-triangle test, testing the line out of the barrel of my gun against the triangle mesh that is the zombie in front of me. When it detects a hit (and it will, because I’m an awesome shot), it can also calculate exactly where I’ve hit the zombie (the head), it can spawn blood particles, calculate damage, and do all that stuff you expect to happen.

More or less. Source applies one further optimisation: hits and collisions are detected with invisible low-detail versions of each model. For bullets, the polygons are literally arranged into boxes surrounding each moveable bone.

[cheesemoo0]

Nice, I really like reading your dev diaries. Keep it up!

[maninalift]

Another collision detection optimization which i am interested whether you make in collision detection is assuming an object is most likely to be intersecting the same object as it was the last time you "looked".

So: go though the hierachy in the same way, but test first any object which had a hit the last time around (and next test the nearest objects???).

Of course this can be a little more tricky and I am not sure that it will lead to big savings but I think it could.

[Artman40]

Hmmm...one step brings closer to another. Bet it's only a step from a full-scale testing of the sensor system!
And a few steps to the deformable buildings.

[recover]

Very cool. Thanks for explaining how it all works.

[Xarlaxas]

Unless of course you're suggesting he's been spending his time playing L4D instead of working (more) on Subversion



PS: I think the IV folk are allowing Chris too much time out of the basement.

I have said it once, and I shall say it again: Air/light holes, essential nutrients through an IV, and wireless access 2 hours a week (for blog-writing!) then we will have Subversion in no time!

[dudecon]

Man oh man! You're wrong, that doesnt need to be "my game" to be amazing and exciting!

I'm wondering, will objects large enough to interact with whole buildings (if there are objects this large) collide with the building bounding box?

Crazy idea: since we have heard about air conditioning systems, could there be light-as-air objects (such as baloons or dandelion tufts) which float through the environment, affected by 3d airflow? Not sure what the gameplay utility of such simulation would be, but it would be awesome! A coarse fluid engine would also allow fire sprinkler and fire hydrant failure simulation, as well as water flow in the ubiquitous rivers we see all over the place.

Say, by the way, when will we see utility tunnels, storm drains, sewers, and basements go in?

[skull13]

Unless of course you're suggesting he's been spending his time playing L4D instead of working (more) on Subversion



PS: I think the IV folk are allowing Chris too much time out of the basement.

I have said it once, and I shall say it again: Air/light holes, essential nutrients through an IV, and wireless access 2 hours a week (for blog-writing!) then we will have Subversion in no time!

Funny.

/me calls human rights people.

Just kidding. Hand me that... Something that makes the game come out sooner...

[Wasgood]

Man oh man! You're wrong, that doesnt need to be "my game" to be amazing and exciting!

I'm wondering, will objects large enough to interact with whole buildings (if there are objects this large) collide with the building bounding box?

Crazy idea: since we have heard about air conditioning systems, could there be light-as-air objects (such as baloons or dandelion tufts) which float through the environment, affected by 3d airflow? Not sure what the gameplay utility of such simulation would be, but it would be awesome! A coarse fluid engine would also allow fire sprinkler and fire hydrant failure simulation, as well as water flow in the ubiquitous rivers we see all over the place.

Say, by the way, when will we see utility tunnels, storm drains, sewers, and basements go in?

I saw sometihng strange in the video at exactly 1:30. Its definitely something underground.

[Kuth]

hmm...

*give all players 2D darwinian sprites
*equip all players with the ball launcher
*Make all projectiles do damage against player hit points
*Release them into the virtual world

[NinjaN]

I think it's interesting what (german) Wikipedia has to say about Subversion:

Methods of subversion can be:

• Terror: The defamation, threats, extortion, robbery, abduction, injury or killing of Representatives, members, volunteer helpers or helpers of this order.
• Sabotage: The removal, damage or destruction of goods and components of the infrastructure, the maintenance of this order to serve.
• Diversion: The spread of rumors or false reports, the distortion or suppression of news and documents, open or covert propaganda against this order, or for groups or individuals who violate these regulations are fighting, their recruitment, or a rejection and financing, as well as the corruption or poaching from supporters of the order.
• Subculture: the official culture, which officially enters the desired values, is contrary to its own culture, which promoted contradictory content, such as in the pop and rock music (punk), in the electronic music (Freetekno) in the Arts (Art in the GDR) or the literature (dissident).

Sorry, this is an automated translation...

I definitely see very interesting gameplay ideas there...
Especially points 2 and 3 should be quite fun!


Just my 0.02 €

[maninalift]

I saw sometihng strange in the video at exactly 1:30. Its definitely something underground.

Dammit your're right, it looks like a crowd of "people" milling about, except that they are all roughly person-shaped boxes.

[maninalift]

I think it is a crowd of "people" milling around on the ground floor by the doors setting off the proximity sensor.

[Phelanpt]

Well spotted Wasgood and maninalift!

[Wasgood]

Just a hunch, maybe a server room?