Just a ?

Blitz3D Forums/Blitz3D Beginners Area/Just a ?

cr(Posted 2005) [#1]
.


Ice9(Posted 2005) [#2]
www.madmonkey.net
www.gametunnel.com
www.diygames.com
www.garagegames.com
games.realgames.com

WAV's are large files other than that there's nothing
wrong with wav's

.BSP ( I am Going to buy bsp factory )
If you use any of ids tools to make a bsp then
you need their liscense

.WMV ( It is a windows natural format)
Not sure about liscense issues

.AVI
AVI's depend on codecs. If you have to install a codec
like Divx then you pay a liscense. Make sure you use a
common free codec to make the AVI

.MPEG
You have to pay for a liscense to use the codec to play
these in sold product

.MP3 ( What is the cost )
Same as above

.OGG
is free but there is a cost in cpu time to decode like
the other formats.


Beaker(Posted 2005) [#3]
.BSP
There are no licensing issues with the BSP compile tools recommended by the BSP factory author.

.MPEG/.MPG
There are no licensing issues with standard MPEG video that I know of.

Avoid MP3 (use OGG) and DIVX (use XVID maybe).


cr(Posted 2005) [#4]
.


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2005) [#5]
I'd reccommend InnoSetup for the Installer. Add a GUI Tool that will guide you trough the creation of an installation script with a wizard or something (eg ISTOOL).

Bink is pretty expensive as far as I know. Also, stay away from MP3, the Owner of the patent, Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson Multimedia are aggressively forceing their rights, not only for encoders, but also for decoders (players).

Nothing's wrong with OGG, in fact it's the ultimative choice and even big companies think about to use OGG instead of MP3 in their hardware, simply because all licenses for MP3 for the upcoming hardware of the next years would cost the industry 500 Million dollars.

And OGG is about the same as MP3, maybe even a little bit better.

I guess there's no problem with Mpeg1 players, although I am not sure about Mpeg2, that is the format used by DVDs.

MP4 (and it's ripoff DivX) are very economic formats (concerning Filesize), tho the encoding is highly CPU intensive and even the decoding (playing) of these formats require fairly fast CPUs.

DivX takes License fees (tho it's a ripoff, as I said), but they also offer a socalled "indy-moviemaker license model" and AFAIR this is for free. Of course, only for indy projects. It could be an alternative for indy game makers.

MP4, the real MP4, invented and owned by Microsoft, some kind of secret uberweapon of billy boy since years is now conquering the hardware market. It comes inside the ASF or WMV format. I think there is no license problem for players since microsoft wants the format to spread all over, but one thing is for sure, MP4 Encoders are very expensive. I see them more and more, eg. in little PVRs that are recording Video right onto SD Ramcards, but usually they record in 320*240 Pixels only. It needs a fast processor to encode MP4 in realtime, especially in bigger resolutions. And I guess there are diffrent license Models for diffrent resolutions as well since you cannot copy DVDs in a decent quality in 320*240 Pixels, but you could with 640*480. It's hard to find a software MP4 Encoder, byside Micorsofts products (probably the free Media Encoder, but I doupt that it fully supports MP4). The problem with MP4, DivX etc. is that a lot of people have them not installed, so you would need to ship the codec with your product, and this requires a license.

Depending on the Media I use to release my Product (CD, DVD or Download) I would choose a format that fits best: for CDs and DVDs I wouldn't care about the file sizes and use a very common COdec like Cinepak with max. quality setting. In Downloadable Versions I'd think about to use placeholder short Videos instead, or no videos at all.


Mustang(Posted 2005) [#6]
I don't know how good the Pyro Particle stuff is but personally I bought ParticleCandy... and I think that MoleBox is very useful (and blitz compatible) if you need to pack your stuff so that it's one file and secure.

http://www.x-pressive.com/ParticleCandy/

http://www.molebox.com/


cr(Posted 2005) [#7]
.


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2005) [#8]
Quicktime is a nono. Apple has a very strange policy. Some Windows Machines simply refuse to install the Quicktime Player. Just like the one I use right now. I had to download a japanese Version of a quicktime player, and now I usesally click on some cryptic buttons, only guessing what they say.

The Apple MOV format is technically good, but you'll run into lots of troubles when you use it.

Did you know, you can even use GIF with the Blitz Movie Playing Commands :) Tho I am not sure how efficient this would be (well, cartoony stuff may be compressed nicely).

It's really hard to say what Movie Format is best for you. As I said before, it depends on the way you want to pubish your work. If you want to publish it as downloadable Files, and if it's gonna be an Indy-Project (and it WILL be unless you invest a dozen or so millions $), you may try to get your OK for the Ondy Movie Maker license for the DivX Codec, and then deliver your Game with a copy of the DivX Installer, for those people who still need to install it.

"
Indies

Independent filmmakers represent a special subcategory of our personal use terms. DivX® video is used by a lot of small filmmakers to promote their projects and we couldn't be happier about it. We love the lonely creative genius working hard on his magnum opus and want to support him.

That's why we created the DivX Indies Licensing Program for independent filmmakers. If you qualify, you can license DivX® software at no cost for certain types of limited commercial use associated with your film project.
"

Check this out:
http://www.divx.com/divx/licensing/

Yes, I am trying to make a big game too, and I also try to get a crew together, but there isn't a lot going on right now. It's really hard to find 3D-artists. Probably you should decide to

A) Do a little Project instead that is based on a addicting game concept and not on massive art content.

B) Get a couple of millions of total risk capital from an insane banker and hire some artists in fully paid jobs. Rent a castle and create the best game ever.


cr(Posted 2005) [#9]
.


AdrianT(Posted 2005) [#10]
Best level editor is 3dsmax combined with B3D pipeline. If you know how to use them in conjunction with one another, you can do things that a lot of commercial engines can't.

Allthough your not going to get anywhere without the talented aProgrammers and artists. As far as character stuff goes, you can use most thing, there are some benefits to using 3dsmax though, simply because the b3d pipeline is so good.

http://www.onigirl.com/pipeline/

You can also use it to create realtime cut scenes using the game engine, which can be cool, and save you a lot of media if your reusing game assets.


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2005) [#11]
But 3dsmax is pretty expensive if you buy it. BTW. there is also DeleD Lite for Level design, that is for free (see toolbox section).


cr(Posted 2005) [#12]
.


AdrianT(Posted 2005) [#13]
yeah, but a lot of experienced artists are likely to have 3dsmax, as well as students, colleges and what not. With over 250,000 legaly sold copies he may be ucky and find someone with one of them


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2005) [#14]
did you try to contact the author: metallicas_world ät hotmail.com


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2005) [#15]
BTW a sidenote: contrary to what I said about MP4 Players, it seems like Microsoft MAY act very nervous under certain circumstances when you fiddle too much with their format. Nothings wrong with playing MP4-ASF Movies using the OS's functions, but when you start to offer ASF-Import function that would allow to rip ASF Content, you'll soon get unfriendly mails from billys army of lawyers. One case study may be VirtualDub, they had to remove ASF Support after Version 1.3c.


cr(Posted 2005) [#16]
.