Hi, I'm using the OGRE game engine and I would like to make an effect like, a device activating, something like a beacon being broadcast, but in a very small area. I've been working with the examples that are packaged w/ OGRE. Anyone have ideas how I would go about doing something like this?

Well, that's sort of the problem. I don't know what to try or where to begin. I think I will start w/ whatever I can handle, which is something easy.

I understand it can be a signal, or a light, etc... and though I'll take something easy, I'm not sure where to begin in trying. I think if I new what the process was called, I could then go read up on it and find tutorials to try and make it work.

I'm just playing w/ things, not really a game, but am trying to learn how to make them. So I have this device on the ground that I want my player to take notice of. I'm experimenting w/ effects and have an idea I'm planning.

The effect I'm trying to make is that I want the device to look like it's been activated. Just some way to show it off. I found this link, it's a WoW image showing something on the ground (red arrow pointing to it) and it looks like the circle around the thing on the ground sort of flashes outwards.

http://i.thottbot.com/ss/o/24218.jpg

I just want some way to visually show that something has activated "my" device on the ground, on a wall, in a tree, or wherever I put it, an alert or advisory of some sort. Something like a beacon broadcasting radio waves or flashing showing it's been triggered or activated.

I don't really have a specific effect in mind because I'm not really capable of making anything too complex and I don't know what is simple or complex in making one.

Hope that helps clarify things. I am open to suggestions on what would work.

Why dont you draw a billboard around your object, and each frame, make it bigger, ounce it gets a certain size, make it the default(smaller size)?

But wouldn't that look weird if the device were on a wall. Seems like if it were "radiating" in some way, then part of it would be "cut off into the wall" depending upon where the camera is located and the boards facing the camera (from the side of the wall).

Quote:Original post by Wizumwalt
But wouldn't that look weird if the device were on a wall. Seems like if it were "radiating" in some way, then part of it would be "cut off into the wall" depending upon where the camera is located and the boards facing the camera (from the side of the wall).

That's more of a conceptual problem than an implementation problem. Where is the object likely to be? Could it end up on a wall or in a corner? Is the 'beacon' basically a UI element, or is it something that's actually supposed to be 'in the world'? What would you want to have happen visually if the object were in a corner? Should the 'beacon' effect wrap around the corner? Just disappear into the wall? Something else?

The first step here is probably to get a better idea of what you want. From the image you posted, it looks like a decal of some sort would be most appropriate. There's plenty of info on decals available online and elsewhere, so you might do some research on the topic and see if decals might suit your needs.

How about highlighting an object (like a signal box or somthing) and having a beam of light shine off it up into the sky?

Quote:Original post by Wizumwalt

The effect I'm trying to make is that I want the device to look like it's been activated. Just some way to show it off. I found this link, it's a WoW image showing something on the ground (red arrow pointing to it) and it looks like the circle around the thing on the ground sort of flashes outwards.

http://i.thottbot.com/ss/o/24218.jpg

The effect happens to all object that are targeted by the player. It does not appear normally.

Since you mention WoW, objects of interest to player have two distinguishing features: sparkles float out of them when coming close, and when mouse moves over, they appear highlighted, and the cursor changes.

The highlighting approach is by far the most common way to point out objects that can be interacted with.

Quote:I just want some way to visually show that something has activated "my" device on the ground, on a wall, in a tree, or wherever I put it, an alert or advisory of some sort. Something like a beacon broadcasting radio waves or flashing showing it's been triggered or activated.

Usually this is done through a texture that's radially expanded. It can be implemented as sphere, or some particle effect.

Quote:I don't really have a specific effect in mind because I'm not really capable of making anything too complex and I don't know what is simple or complex in making one.

This is just an artistic question. Draw what you want, and someone will find a trivial way to do it. Or perhaps try asking in arts forum, where people may be able to suggest actual visual design.

But coding something like this tends to be trivial, since this type of effects are generally better as light-weight as possible, since they're really just eye candy.