Raymond Jacobs (EDI) [cool][grin][smile] There are many people working on RPGs and Isometric engines here on gamedev but few get them to a respectable state. For whatever reasons, usually to do with constraints (life, time, medium) this simply rarely happens. Two engines, however, have risen above the rest and attained that lofty plane. And another has transcended all bounds and can actually be called an Isometric RPG with story. These engines are the ones by VertexNormal and of course, EDI, respectively. VertexNormal's engine was based on OpenGL and was quite technically impressive. The screens are long gone from his site it seems, however I will make guess on its features based on screens I can recall. The game featured lighting, random level generation, items and inventory, animation, fighting and could actually be called an RPG. He nonetheless quit for reasons I am sure are quite similar to mine, which i will expound on in a bit. EDIs project is based on Directdraw and has lighting, animations, fighting, inventory/items, comprehensive interface... actually I would not be in the wrong to state that listing all its features would prove to be too time consuming. It is basically a game now. I look at EDIs project and say to myself, "Wow, this project might well see the end of the tunnel!" That you, EDI, stuck to the original engine and are entering a state that the story can begin to be fleshedout is quite impressive. You have my respect man, your willpower is most impressive. It is unfortunate that all I can do is rate you higher and buy the game when it is released. Nonetheless keep up up the good work and make sure you finish, there are those like me who are counting on you to do what they could not. [smile]. Also, impressive job on creating an 8 page thread in the Isometric Forum ----------

I don't know if this belongs here Raymond, but if it is cluttering your space say so and I will remove it to its own thread but these thoughts are what made me admire your dedication. I just jumped from technology to technology never getting very far with regards to the game itself.

In other Events: Why the Chaos Engine [mine] failed

That my game would fail is obvious in hindsight. My only prior programming experience were little demos in QBASIC (text rpg, 2d engine quite impressive actually [had GUI, mouse, used EMS, anyone remember XMS and EMS?]) and a ModeX software renderer (cant really call it that though, got only to .bmp textured cube, no shading) in Borland C++ 3.0 DOS. I had never actually made a game.

I started the game as a 2D Topdown Sprite Engine RPG using the GDI and Visual Basic. I got it to a state where I could walk around a town and talk before I decided I wanted to use directdraw and also make the game Isometric. So I switched over to C++ and kept the same Visual Basic way of programming. Not good. Nonetheless I was able to get a basic Map drawn with NPCs walking about. I then decided to switch to Direct3D so I could take advantage of stuff and by then I was a much better (This is over years mind you, and I often took many coding breaks of many months in length.) . I was actually able to develop the engine to a state comparable with the two mentioned above but lost motivation due to the annoyance generated by the hacks required to make the Graphics Engine anywhere near modern standards.

These include the ability to change armour, dynamic shadows, heightmapping and recognizing what side of the slope you are on, proper cliffs, walls, Flexible Collision Detection,occlusion of light and sight, limits in comprehensive animations and others I am unable to recall at the moment. The hacks required to get those up were depressing. I also wished to add reflections but was unsure as to how to approach that. I also wanted a method that would blend tiles without extra graphics. No dice. Support for male/female and any race was also unattainable. There was however, a much greater hurdle for my motivation to cross.

The engine had reached a sprawling state reminiscent of palaces that have existed for generations and have had additions that have been placed with little thought for structure or continuity and look quite ugly and near collapse. For me I simply stuck the Diret3D based renderer next to the directdraw based graphics engine. Bascially the directdraw was left there to rot. That fact and the fact that many concepts were there which were based on an concepts dating all the way to my qbasic day was another. The code was ugly. I was working on an editor which I can honestly say approached the aurora toolset in thoroughness. With it, if it finished you could make an entire game. It never finished and the game stagnated. The features listed below including the hacks above are what I was able to implement.

• Perlin Noise Based Heightmapping


• Random 2D Sinusoids and minute Heightmaps for Water


• Dynamic Lights and Shadows


• Support for Fairly Comprehensive n frame Animations


• Comprehensive Particle Engine Could do any effect (from lightning to
  tornadoes to wormholes and scintillating globes)


• Basic Random Town and Outdoor Generation (never got to indoors)


• NPCs who could walk and Talk


• Editor in which you could design levels (move, delete, insert) and add
  NPCs and give them text with responses that could launch events and scripts,
  place lights, set collision rects, triggers and more.


• Particle effects editor


• Scripting Language based on Small (similar to C) with a mini IDE.


• A* based Pathfinding


• Unique Method for Collision Setting


• Mouse Hovering and selecting. Fast


• MultiTexturing and bumpmapping


• No Mousemaps [smile]


• object stacking

I have some screens below, which unfortunately are not up to date (months out of date), relatively speaking (haven't worked on it since August of 2004). The game and editor were in a broken state when I left them. I still do not fill up to fixing them. Maybe someday...

Directdraw - Ill point out that all my Directdraw engine could do was draw
stuff, no shadows, lights,blending or any of that fancy stuff




Direct3D

I nonetheless plan on describing how I did what I did, though I doubt interest will exist in anything that is not 3D. And have already extracted a fair amount of the graphics engine into an easy to use library...

Perhaps I am overstepping my bounds in this but if you could describe and espouse your reasons for terminating your project VertexNormal, when , if, you ever find the time of course, twould be nice. And that is even if you ever happen upon this thread.
--------------

[Edited by - Daerax on March 3, 2005 11:03:31 AM]

Oh good [smile].

For me all that is left is a hope that someday I will magically finish. But at this time I have too much on my plate to return to the project. Hmm... People do say that I eat too much.

EDIT: I like how I am able to travel to the past and edit my posts before I post them. [grin]. I will probably end up giving the the code away.

From the Collision Rects Modelling Tool.



Crazy. Allowed you to Make rects as small as a pixel or as large as whatever for all the .bmps and thus was shared by all sprites in load time.



[Edited by - Daerax on March 3, 2005 2:48:41 AM]

Quote:
Jenna Hoffstein - 3D Character Artist

I whole heartedly agree! In the small amount of time I worked on the game, Raymond proved to be a capable leader with passion and talent, much deserving of praise. Not only that, but he has established a dedicated team who are willing to put in their all for a unified vision. That alone is a miracle.

This game has made great progress, and promises to be fantastic. Also, its an adventure game! That alone is awesome!

Edit: Some spelling clean up ;)

[Edited by - visage on March 3, 2005 6:33:26 PM]

@EDI :

I understand the difficulties involved in creating and sustaining an indie game, especially when one has a job. Just wanted you to know that others notice and care. I have followed your progress for years and as you said the growth of recent times is greatly accelerated, deserving praise. So also do all those who catered for this sudden growth. I must admit that your new 3D artist has allowed your game to achieve a new level of visual quality. She also deserves praise. Artists often go un recognized.

I whole heartedly agree with the award. I think that EDI and his team have done a great job. To be honest, I haven't done too terribly much, so I wouldn't include myself in that list. Good work, Raymond. We'lre all looking forward to this game.

Great job, guys!

w00t I made the list. ;)