Progress Update 10/26/2011

This week update concentrates a little bit on what I want to accomplish with the test scenario that is beign created. Each one of the testers should be able to understand the mechanics and the goal of the level through the animation, sound and level scripting inlcuded. I'm alredy thinking on the questions for the survey in order to be sure that each one of them will be undestandable and applicable on the test level, according to each one of the mechanics included.

I have also done some research on how these methods are used in today games, in order to start gathering background information for the actual paper. There are tons of games that actually use this kind of hudless approach but each one of them has their own way of implementing it. Some first person shooters for example, choose to show all the gun information directly on the gun model, adding little indicators to it. Old Resident Evil Games used the animation on the character to show the health of the player.

As far as the technical aspect, the .X files can now be included in the level and the sound is alredy in the project, but I'm still looking to include sounds according to events in  the game.

This week I'll start the actual implementation of the scenario and also will look around for some 3d models or props for the level online.

Here is the update schedule for this week:

Donwload Thesis Schedule Update 10/26/2011

Progress Update 10/17/2011

The work on the lighting framework has been finished. I managed to separate the lighting system from the framework, since it was inside the main function, in order to be able to include as much point or directional lights as required by the final scenario.

I have attached my code to load .X files, and it is working; but it is giving some problems with loading the textures. I won't mark the activity finished until it is completed, which will be on Wednesday at the latest. Also the work to integrate the sound library that I used on the previous project will start this week.

As I mentioned last week, I already have an idea for a scenario that will utilize animation and level scripting to guide the player through it. The main idea is a character (the player) trying to rescue an NPC in an environment that is divided in different tiles or areas, which can cause damage or heal the player. Also certain zones in the level will cause instant death, previously warning the player about the danger.

The animation will be used in the following way:

• The walking and standing animations will reflect the health of the player.
• Animation of the NPC will reflect its need for help.

Level Scripting:

• The tiles in the ground will reflect in some way that they are bad or good for the player (For example fire effect or Health kits).
• NPC's sound cues will vary depending on how close is the player to him.
• Location of the player will trigger events reflecting danger in the instant death areas (falling rocks for example).

At the moment this is the very simple scenario idea that I have. I'm pretty sure that more ideas will come out as I'm working on it but as for now, I think is better to keep it simple and doable. I'll see how the time constrains work at the end.

Here is the update schedule for this week:

Download Thesis Schedule Update 10/17/2011

Progress Update 10/12/2011

The update for this week was done a little bit later than usual, due Thanksgiving weekend. My apologies for the delay!


The two activities for this pass week, according to the schedule, were character and camera movement and placement. Character movement is done, allowing the default rigged character to move around the plane while playing the walking animation.


Also after several attempts to actually use the camera class that came with the source code to create a 3rd person perspective, I decided to switch back to my camera code that I created for my previous project, which will follow the character for a 3/4 perspective. My camera code is now integrated with the project.


The activities for this week, inclusion of static meshes and level creation are under way. The integration of my code to include .X files has begun. As for the creation of basic level, I decided to start working at the same time on the definition of the scenarios, so I can design the final one, instead of wasting time of creating a test one (the basic plane that I have right now, will do).


As for the scenarios, I'm planning on including location based level scripting, in which certain events will trigger according the location of the player. I already have a good idea in which I will be able to integrate animation and level scripting as way to transmit infromation to the player. I'll finish defining it this weekend and post it in the next upgrade so we can discuss having a big scenario instead of two small ones.


I'm uploading the schedule with the status of the activities as today, including changes to the conception of the scenarios. Their actual implementation of them will be changed in accordance to what we decide next week.


Download Thesis Schedule Update 10/12/2011

Progress Update 10/03/2011

Each Monday an update will be made, reporting in the actual progress of the project based on the final draft of the schedule at that time. Since this is the first one done, I will address the advance done until the date specified in the title from the beginning of the project.


The research on animation methods on DirectX lead me to Keith Ditchburn's website (Toymaker.info) and the two options explained on it to run animations on DirectX. For more detail on this, please check older posts. The source code for the "animation player" was selected as the best option, since it would allow to actually read the code and learn about its implementation. Several modifications has been made to it that would make the additions of extra elements to it easier.


Character movement is being implemented right now. The default model that came with the source code has now moves forward or back in accordance to the inputs of the keyboard, while displaying the corresponding animation for walking and standing still. The camera has been set to a position that actually allows the player to see the character movement. The goal at the end is to allow the camera to move along with the player and allow turning / free-roaming movement around the default base plane placed in the scene right now. By the next post, these two features should be finish.


The schedule has been update with colours over the names of the tasks, reflecting its progress:


Blue = "Finished"
Green = "On Time"
Yellow = "Possible Delay"
Red = " Behind Schedule"


The updated schedule for this week can be downloaded form the link below.


Schedule Update 03/10/2011

Thesis Schedule (Ver. 1.0)

The first draft for the thesis schedule is done and can be downloaded from the link provided below. New versions of it will be created and uploaded as needed in accordance to the project progression.

Each one of the task has been assigned a priority in accordance to their importance of the final result in the research.

The schedule has been created in a way that would allow the application to be done by the first days of November, allowing the remaining time until December to run some test and write the actual results in the paper.

Download Thesis Schedule Ver. 1.0