3D Isomatric Land

Try some researtch on orthographic projection. Isometric merely implies that you are looking ad the tiles from a certain, fixed angle (so that all edges are the same length) and are performing orthographic projection.

If you want to use other (often better-looking) false perspectives, simply use orthographic projection with the appropriate angles.

In our project, we do this, and it looks much like 3D, but still is 'isometric' (actually orthographic) - units and features in the distance won't get smaller, but you will still see a parallax when rotating the map.

Interesting Web Link on orthographic projection methods, covering iso-, di-, and trimetric perspective. There is more on perspectives in the document, just browse back and forth a bit.


Moritz Voss
spirit.link.studios
www.optionoverkill.com

[edited by - Thygrrr on May 25, 2004 5:06:35 AM]

Yes, it is perfectly possible.
My game, Eternal Lands is isometric 3D.
You can look on the screenshots page, or even look at the sourcecode.

Thanks guys I take a look to it.

Red Alert 2 is isometric, and sort of 3d.

IIRC Red Alert 2 is a 2D Isometric game that uses voxel sprites for the units.

Exactly what do you mean 3D isometric land, do you mean exactly like Transport Tycoon (2D Iso engine with height) or 3D isometric (using a proper 3D engine but forced to show in Isometric way)

If it''s the first one, check the articles section of this site for my Iso Mouse maps with height article, in which I explain how to add height to TANSTAAFL''s mouse maps code.

If it''s 3D engine then again look in the articles section as there is an article on dooing iso projections in D3D..

When I find my code in tons of trouble,
Friends and colleages come to me,
Speaking words of wisdom:
"Write in C."

I mean a whole 3D world wich looks like the 2D isomatric view. So when you are possible to change the angle of the camara to a "normal" human view, but you still see the tiles.

Well, perhaps I should leave it for a while and just use a normal 2D isomatric view with 3D graphics.

You CANNOT switch into a first person perspective in Isometric Graphics - stuff that is distant will look exactly the same size as stuff that is close by. It''d totally suck.

Warcraft 3 and Armies of Exigo both use tile-based 3D graphics, though.

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Original post by Thygrrr
You CANNOT switch into a first person perspective in Isometric Graphics - stuff that is distant will look exactly the same size as stuff that is close by. It''d totally suck.

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If you even have the ability to switch into first person all your geometry is probably in 3D. So just change your projection from orthogonal to perspective as part of the switch and you''re fine. There''s no problem here.

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Original post by Anonymous Poster
Did ''Populus: The Beginning'' suck? I admit it didnt have a first person view but you could change the view angle to one that was almost parallel to the ground. And yes, stuff in the distance was the same size as stuff up close.

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I''d hardly call it isometric or tile based. That would really stretch those definitions. I didn''t like The Beginning as much as the earlier Populouses.


The following statement is true. The previous statement is false.
Shameless promotion:
FreePop: The GPL Populous II clone.

quote:

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Original post by Anonymous Poster

quote:

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Original post by Thygrrr
You CANNOT switch into a first person perspective in Isometric Graphics - stuff that is distant will look exactly the same size as stuff that is close by. It'd totally suck.

Warcraft 3 and Armies of Exigo both use tile-based 3D graphics, though.

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Did 'Populus: The Beginning' suck? I admit it didnt have a first person view but you could change the view angle to one that was almost parallel to the ground. And yes, stuff in the distance was the same size as stuff up close.

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In a word, err yes.

It could have been soo much more better than it was, but then I loved the original games...

In response to your query mispunt, it would be posible, as long as you set up your rendering process correctly, i.e. for the ISO view set the renderer to othographic projection, and when you switch to first person switch to normal projection.

Do a quick test, to make sure you've got it right, but it is posible, just remember that as long as you define your 3D world correctly and not just cheat, then you can have both 3D first person and ISO psudo 2D..

Oh by cheat I mean not design the full engine as a 3D engine, you will have to make the game 100% 3D and not a 3D representation of a 2D rendering engine...

If I got anything wrong there it's cos I'm not a 3D programmer yet, I'm still learning it...

*edit*
I've just relised he's trying to do something like Dungeon Keeper, where you can build stuff on a grid, and take over a creature and control him in a first person view.

When I find my code in tons of trouble,
Friends and colleages come to me,
Speaking words of wisdom:
"Write in C."

[edited by - Steven on June 8, 2004 3:37:29 AM]

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Original post by Steven
*edit*
I''ve just relised he''s trying to do something like Dungeon Keeper, where you can build stuff on a grid, and take over a creature and control him in a first person view.

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You are almost right. I am making a Transport Tycoon alike game and my idea was that you could follow trains by sitting in the locomotive or passengers wagon. This should be (IMO) a first person view.

if that''s what your doing, then you will need to write a full 3D engine that does the first person that at a switch changes to the iso view you want, with a fixed view, so I sugest you write the 3D first person engine view first and then add the code to fix the camera to the iso view at a later stage, that way you have everything you want.

When I find my code in tons of trouble,
Friends and colleages come to me,
Speaking words of wisdom:
"Write in C."