Polymaniacs progress

Community Forums/Graphic Chat/Polymaniacs progress

Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#1]
Done alot of work on this recently, now have 15 team games done , menu's complete and tournament play added.

Some screenies :






















_Skully(Posted 2009) [#2]
Looks cool. Is this all 2D poly rendering?


Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#3]
nice job! I love how this is coming along, very original! will we see another demo soon?


Ked(Posted 2009) [#4]
Is this all 2D poly rendering?

?!?!


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#5]
Im with Nate, when do we get to see another demo ?

Looks like a alot of fun


Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#6]
Looks cool. Is this all 2D poly rendering?



im gunna answer for him since he doesnt seem to be watching this and say no, its b3d...


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#7]
I hope to be finished in a couple of months. Got a fair bit left to do but everything is piecing together nicely.

Once it's done I have some much smaller projects in mind.

Stevie


Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#8]
I hope to be finished in a couple of months


cool.. so do you know for sure if its gunna be free or commercial?


SabataRH(Posted 2009) [#9]
Love the flat-shaded look. Well done.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#10]

cool.. so do you know for sure if its gunna be free or commercial?



I'll try and sell it, if not it'll be freeware.


Grisu(Posted 2009) [#11]
Looking foward to an updated demo.

Demo Demo Demo! ;)


Sauer(Posted 2009) [#12]
I'll try and sell it, if not it'll be freeware.


Well don't tell people that!


Pete Carter(Posted 2009) [#13]
If people dont buy this ive got no hope of selling a game, i think the eary versions were great.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#14]
I had my first 4 player tournament last night. Playing all 16 completed games against 4 AI teams. It was absolute mahem, great fun. Unfortunately, I got pipped to the post on the final game :(

We spent an ages in sandbox mode trying silly things like trying to jump from the skijump and hit a mine suspended from a chopper :)

I'm hopeful but we'll see if any publishers think the same.


Ross C(Posted 2009) [#15]
I think this will def sell man. Don't give this away for free. It looks like gold to me. I love it!


Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#16]
hmm so looking at the first pic, is there a mode where you can be the ailien space ship or is that only in 'the light' mode


Foppy(Posted 2009) [#17]
Hey is that black car inspired by KITT with his red light?

The game looks great.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#18]
Hey is that black car inspired by KITT with his red light?


Yes, I call it the Firebird :



hmm so looking at the first pic, is there a mode where you can be the ailien space ship or is that only in 'the light' mode


Wait and see.


Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#19]
Wait and see.



oh you must love building suspense :)

I cant wait till it comes out.


_Skully(Posted 2009) [#20]
You know what... you should try to sell this to Lego.. I don't know why, but it has a real "Lego" like look to it... I almost expect I should be able to build my vehicle from little pieces

That aside.. this looks like it would be fun. Would love to try a demo!

My 6 year old daughter is looking at this over my shoulder with big eyes too... :)


_Skully(Posted 2009) [#21]

Is this all 2D poly rendering?

?!?!
Ked



LOL... I know it seems like an obvious question/answer but I've seen so many 3D made to look like 2D tricks done to make me wonder.


Ginger Tea(Posted 2009) [#22]
i played a lego racing game once, it kinda sucked ...


Chroma(Posted 2009) [#23]
LOL... I know it seems like an obvious question/answer but I've seen so many 3D made to look like 2D tricks done to make me wonder.

Lol skully, pay Ked no mind. No one else does. XD


Ruz(Posted 2009) [#24]
looks cool. reminds me of the style of that old jaguar game where you have to pick up stuff.


_Skully(Posted 2009) [#25]
I cant seem to find the demo link 8)


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#26]
Really old demo from Oct 08 here :

http://steviegoodwin.lineof7s.com/Polymaniacs_Alpha2.zip


looks cool. reminds me of the style of that old jaguar game where you have to pick up stuff.



Please tell me you're not talking about Club Drive, it looks and plays awful?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1FGK0FW2SQ&feature=related


Ruz(Posted 2009) [#27]
naahh , nothing that bad:) it was called cybermorph and was an ace game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vVtTZ0LlvE&feature=related


Chroma(Posted 2009) [#28]
If people dont buy this ive got no hope of selling a game

I'm tellin' ya Pete, let's me and you do a FPS CTF type game based on robots that transform. It's be a hit! Imagine running towards the enemy base, hitting a button, transforming into a jet. Then flying into the base and transforming back into a robot...killing a few enemies..grab the flag...run and jump in the air and turn into a jet and fly back. Check six because now you have 2 enemies jetbots on your tail etc etc. Yeah, that would work.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#29]
@ Chroma, pehaps you want to be starting your own thread to discuss this.


Chroma(Posted 2009) [#30]
Nah, I'm good. ;)

Oh yeah...game looks good man.


Pete Carter(Posted 2009) [#31]
Stevie G: are you going to include the level editor with the release?

Chroma: Its a idea, i spent so long modeling low poly versions of transformers i did get quite good at it. ;O)


Blitzplotter(Posted 2009) [#32]
@Stevie G, this looks really exciting. Have you thought about your marketing strategy? There are some indies around these forums that have a wealth of experience in that regard, I'll try and email you soon.

Your game certainly appears to be one of the excellent examples of what can be acheived in Blitz3D as an indie coder.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#33]
@ Blitzplotter, I haven't really thought about the marketing - more concerned on getting it finished atm. I've been contacted by a couple of people offering help on that side of things but nothing has really come of it so e-mail away.

@ Pete, it would be nice to include but I simply don't have the time or incling to make it user friendly enough.


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#34]
How are things progressing Stevie ?


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#35]
Things are going well, I've been working on the AI for the last couple of weeks. The AI vehicles are now pretty lethal at aiming / shooting and roam about the landscapes quite intelligently avoiding obstacles. Working on a pathfinding variant atm, all the heuristics and data I need have always been there so just needs some tweeking.

Finished off some of the graphics in mini games:


Added in TimeTrail races on the landscape tracks:


Added a gun tower which will be used in the 'Turkey Shoot' mini game:


Added new desert themed landscape type:


Racing is next on the agenda. Lots still to do!!

Stevie


Warpy(Posted 2009) [#36]
I wish I was you, Stevie G.


_PJ_(Posted 2009) [#37]

I wish I was you, Stevie G.



I don't right now, I Might when he's done with the pathfinding and racing code ;)


Seriously This has come on leaps and bounds and seems like you've got the gritty bits nailed down! The determination alone is enough to stand as a good example!


Blitzplotter(Posted 2009) [#38]
Wow, you've updated the images since the last time I dipped my toe into this thread. It is looking fantastic, I'd buy it!

Can you say whether you will support multiple USB gamepads or not? I've done one game pad in Blitz3D before but have not ventured into the murky depths of USB controllers+1 if you catch my drift.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#39]
@ BP, thanks. I have 2 x Ps2 analog pads plugged into a USB adapter and configuration works fine. You can configure the pads in 4 ports if you have them. Adding digital pad support is on the to-do list.


Defoc8(Posted 2009) [#40]
hurry up n finish this damned game :p - looking very cool... but its been
looking cool for ages - HURRY UP! ;)


Blitzplotter(Posted 2009) [#41]
@Stevie, cool - gives me a reason to pick up a couple of more USB pads as well.


dogzer(Posted 2009) [#42]
I love this!!!!!!!! nice style! very retro


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#43]
Quick update ...

As development is taking far too long, I've decided to leave out the challenge mode.

AI is almost complete, needs a few tweeks here and there but it can already beat me on most games.

Added friction maps so that friction is different on grass, tarmac, sand, snow & ice etc.. within each level.

I now have 5 x Landscape themes: Grasslands, Desert, Arctic , Moon, Coliseum.

In Moon levels the gravity is about 1/4 - quite challenging.

The Arctic levels have frozen lakes which are excellent for powersliding, especially when it's raining.

Lots still to do :(










Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#44]
wow nice job, I love how you have kept the graphics consistent. Are they still all made in game? good job


elcoo(Posted 2009) [#45]
I love it!
Just a minor suggestion: Maybe draw light shadows on Ice also, or the cars seem to be floating in the air.


Blitzplotter(Posted 2009) [#46]
Stevie, the Ski Jump looks great! Vert seasonal as well - if you don't mind me asking what modeller do you use for your vehicles? I've been playing with UU3D and extruding the squares on a cube for a 'basic' car model.


Stevie G(Posted 2009) [#47]
@ Bp, I don't actually use a modeller. All models in game are created using Blitz using primitives and saved in my own format.

@ Elcoo, I know what you mean - I will add the shadows to the ice too.


Blitzplotter(Posted 2009) [#48]
@Stevie, thats pretty ingenious, I suppose you maximise your frame rate by using primitives for the vehicles. I'm not that swish so I'll be sticking to modelling in UU3D.


Chroma(Posted 2010) [#49]
Don't suffer from "feature creep". It's the #1 reason either games are shipped late or they're never finished.

Just release it and patch it as needed!


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#50]
There's no feature creep going on here - I've had a static to-do list for a over a year. The main reason for the delay is that I've had far less coding time than I'd hoped for.


_Skully(Posted 2010) [#51]
Don't ya hate that.. it seems every time I think I have a bunch of coding time coming it vaporizes, and when I think I'm going to be off the keyboard for a while something comes up and frees up some time... go figger


Chroma(Posted 2010) [#52]
Stevie, is this totally verlet physics? And would you post a little on how you've done your physics/collisions for the vehicles to roll please?


hockings(Posted 2010) [#53]
Hey Steveie,
Been keeping an eye on this project for years, can't wait to see it done.

I'd love to know how you've implemented some of the game if you ever have time to discuss the workings eg. how are you handling AI - multiple waypoints for cars to follow, how do you know when a car has passed through a checkpoint etc).


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#54]
@Chroma, it is entirely verlet physics. I use 9 pointmasses per vehicle, 4 for the roof, 4 for the wheels and 1 for the CM. Each pointmass is represented in the world as a pivot with blitz collisions applied. Using the verlet integration technique any world / vehicle collisions are handled automatically during the relaxation phase. Obviously I've got a few extra things going on to make things more stable and easier to control but the technique is much the same as it's described all over the web.

@ hockings, once I'm done I'd be happy to discuss how I did any aspect of the game in more detail. I spent alot of time tinkering with the AI so that it gave you a decent game. To give you a quick insight into the AI:

For this level:



The level editor generates this grid,



I then calculate 6 layers from this grid, 4 for different vehicle types ( LAND / AIR / SEAS / HOVER ) , 1 for friction map and 1 for height map.

This is what the land based vehicle layer looks like:



Using a simple technique I shade the areas according to how close a hazard is to that cell.

For each of these 64x64 grid points I precalculate, in 24 directions, the number of free spaces and the cost to go in that direction. I can then have the AI's use this data to navigate the landscape avoiding hazards with next to no overheads.

For games that require pathfinding I do not use A* or any similar techniques as they are far too slow. For this I use the above grid + an added influence bias surrounding the goal position. This works very well but not so well that the AI is unbeatable.


RifRaf(Posted 2010) [#55]
interesting methods, thanks for the info.


Gladclef - Ben B(Posted 2010) [#56]
Wow, you've actually got what looks like will be a working game. I'm very much so looking forward to the release date.


Steve Elliott(Posted 2010) [#57]
Keep at it Stevie. This game is looking like a lot of fun.


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#58]
Cheers.

Just finished the 'Turkey Shoot' game, here some screenshot of the 2nd variation:








ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2010) [#59]
Hey, have you tried seeing how your game looks with `smooth shading`/gauraud shading/vertex color interpolation switched on? If this is a blitzmax game you can just go glShadeModel(GL_SMOOTH) in OpenGL to see what happens.


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#60]
@ IH, I use Blitz3d and I have tried this. It looks exactly the same as all the verts are unwelded with normals and colours calculated and on a per triangle basis.

If I use the native updatenormals command (to average normals) and leave out the flatshaded flag it looks ok but the lighting isn't so great due to the low poly count of the models.


ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2010) [#61]
Ahh. Since you have separate triangles, each with their own set of 3 colors, then you *could* set up different vertex colors for each corner of each triangle, ... it wouldn't necessarily need to blend colors across multiple triangles, just within each triangle you'd have a simple gradient. The triangles would still have well defined boundaries visually.


hockings(Posted 2010) [#62]
Thanks for taking the time to share the bit of info about the AI Stevie! Can't wait to hear a lot more about it!!! - oh, and play the game of course! :D


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#63]

then you *could* set up different vertex colors for each corner of each triangle



I could but I won't ;) It would look naff and require every model to be re-done. The flatshaded look with bold colours was always the plan.


ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2010) [#64]
Fair enough. :-) It does look nice.


Steve Elliott(Posted 2010) [#65]

Hey, have you tried seeing how your game looks with `smooth shading`/gauraud shading/vertex color interpolation switched on?



I have always liked the distinctive look of simply modelled, hi-res, flat-shaded games. :-)


Mr. Write Errors Man(Posted 2010) [#66]
I love the flat-shaded look.


Vorderman(Posted 2010) [#67]
I think the flat-shaded look is best too, much more retro, much more stylish.

Hey Stevie, I see from your profile you're in Scotland - I'm working for Realtime in Dundee, you anywhere nearby?


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#68]
@Vorderman, I'm in Glasgow. You still working on SRX btw?


Vorderman(Posted 2010) [#69]
Ah, not been over to Glasgow yet, got as far as Perth so far!

re. SRX - yep, still working on it, just adding lightmapping to my editor so I can build, texture and lightmap the tracks and scenery all within my own program - it's so much easier to keep it all in the one editor rather than trying to import and export from various programs for various stages of construction.


Ruz(Posted 2010) [#70]
hows it going at realtime Vorderman?


Vorderman(Posted 2010) [#71]
Excellent so far thanks, working on APB at the moment to help out with stuff in the run up to release, so it's fairly hectic.


Ruz(Posted 2010) [#72]
cool,pleased its working out. Dundee is a bit grim though.
To many 'neddies' about:)


Vorderman(Posted 2010) [#73]
It seems OK so far, although I've not been into town at night time.

Also, I've lived near Newcastle and Banbury in the past, so most places are a step up!!


TaskMaster(Posted 2010) [#74]

It seems OK so far, although I've not been into town at night time.



Place is probably crawling with Vampires at night, don't go...


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#75]
I for one can't wait until this is available, one of the games I have been anxiously awaiting for LONG time......


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#76]
A short video with the new music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTspDTCDRUk


RifRaf(Posted 2010) [#77]
who created that tune ??


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#78]
All the music was created by Vince Webb, why do you ask?


RifRaf(Posted 2010) [#79]
Ive been searching music sites to buy some tracks, but havent found an artist that creates good game music , in the style i need.


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#80]
http://www.vincewebb.co.uk


Kryzon(Posted 2010) [#81]
Ive been searching music sites to buy some tracks, but havent found an artist that creates good game music , in the style i need.

Do you have a brief ready for what you want?


RifRaf(Posted 2010) [#82]
I was able to get in touch with Vince Webb, hes currently working with me on them. Thanks though


Steve Elliott(Posted 2010) [#83]
Finish this already. ;-)


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#84]
Any updates for us Stevie ?


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#85]
Ive been so busy with work and re-decorating in the last month or two I've had little chance to work on it.

Added

* All games are complete now. There are 15 each with a second variation making a total of 30 games. All 2nd game variations and some of the main games will be unlockable by completing single player challenges.
* Tidied up the control setup menu's to allow for both digital and analog joypad configurations.
* Added proper flashing sirens to the police vehicles and ambulance.
* Added a search light to the policy chopper
* Added a new Ford Escort rally vehicle.
* Improved some of the other vehicles.
* Added a racing mode - similar to timetrail in that it's checkpoint based. For now you can only race against other humans - I may add AI support but not for release

To do

* Create 21 challenges
* 2-3 more vehicles
* Create a few more objects
* Create some level specific models
* Create 20+ levels spead across the 5 level themes

Maybe's

* Add water based vehicles
* Add customisation to sandbox

These will likely be left out for the initial release and I'll possibly add in a future version.












OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#86]
Looks great to me !!! Any release window in mind ? Do you have a webpage setup for this yet ?


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#87]
I want to get it completed this quarter. No webpage set up as yet but I'll be looking into that at some point.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#88]
Sweet, I've been looking forward to this one a LONG time, probably longer than any sane person would :^P


dogzer(Posted 2010) [#89]
this is by far the best b3d game


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#90]
Any updates on this Stevie ?


*(Posted 2010) [#91]
that youtube video looks cool :)


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#92]
Found out I'm gonna be a Daddy in January so for the last 2 months I've been doing non-programming stuff - de-decorating etc...

Just started getting back into programming again so looking at end of Q3 now for completion.

I'm looking to set up a website for this so anyone who is interested please e-mail me to discuss.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#93]
Well, congratulations are in order then. I have 2 boys myself, 9 & 3.

Good luck with everything. Hopefully you'll have time to finish before the birth, because afterwards time will be sparse for awhile, but it's worth every moment. Again, CONGRATULATIONS !!!


RifRaf(Posted 2010) [#94]
Gratz Stevie! We just had our third child this Feb.

Game looks great, as always.

I'll be buying a copy when its ready.


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#95]
Thanks folks - can't wait :))


Grisu(Posted 2010) [#96]
Congrats! Enjoy your left freetime while it lasts... ;)

Do you have a vehicle editor?

I'd like to add an A-Team van. :)


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#97]
Sorry no vehicle editor. I might considere adding it though - not sure what it's special feature would be?


Grisu(Posted 2010) [#98]
Apart from looking great? ;)



Perhaps it can open the back doors and a machine gun will fire on enemies for some seconds.

P.S.: Is there an updated demo available?


Chroma(Posted 2010) [#99]
This is going to be a free game right?


Stevie G(Posted 2010) [#100]
I'm not sure whether 3 years of work should be given away for free - we'll see though.


elcoo(Posted 2010) [#101]
Definitly try to sell it first. Making it free later isn't a big act.


Ross C(Posted 2010) [#102]
Yeah, give it a shot at being sold first man :) Very unique!


Difference(Posted 2010) [#103]
Please don't make it free.

It really deserves a shot at being sold commercially, It certainly looks ready for it.

Consider this a preorder. Just tell me how to pay.


LineOf7s(Posted 2010) [#104]
Charge whatever you think you can get for it. This is preorder #2. :o)


TaskMaster(Posted 2010) [#105]
I'll buy a copy in 2015 when you are done.

;) :O


ervin(Posted 2010) [#106]
Sign me up for a preorder as well!


Nate the Great(Posted 2010) [#107]
Nice, I like the progress. we are almost 2/3 of the way through q3!!! cant wait for a release!


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#108]
Preorder for me as well, been waiting on this a LONG time.


hockings(Posted 2010) [#109]
Stevie G - Been watching this game for a few years now. Can't wait to see it done (and congrats on becoming a dad!!!)


*(Posted 2010) [#110]
Stevie G: I would try selling it via portals first, its a great looking game and would be worth every penny :D.

I would buy it off steam in an instant when and if it was available on there for £9.99 or something like that.


Chroma(Posted 2010) [#111]
At any rate you should sell the engine. I'd buy it right now.


Axel Wheeler(Posted 2010) [#112]
As far as a website is concerned; I chose one would preinstall drupal and gallery. This made configuration easier since drupal (and joomla) sometimes just don't install right on some hosts. Go with a preinstallation option where they've worked out the mySQL bugs, etc.

As to the game, most of the comments have been uniformly positive but keep in mind that they are mostly based on the look and feel of the game, which is indeed awesome. Gameplay, however, is a different matter. When I played a demo of this awhile ago I had a lot of fun for awhile (the general zanyness is the primary appeal) but I'm not sure it would have had staying power for me. Are you designing the levels with specific goals other than killing all the other bots? Again, I haven't played it in awhile and I'm just trying to offer some helpful advice; while it is good looking (and fun to play in terms of the physics); it's the long-term "story arc" that will keep people playing. And of course you have to test each level to be sure these goals are attainable but not too easy.

So far, so good Stevie!


Wiebo(Posted 2010) [#113]
Good advice, Axel. I definitely like the look and feel, but the game play and goals should have some lasting appeal.


matt!(Posted 2010) [#114]
I'm a pre-order, too.

This has taken so long I now have an Intel capable Mac that will run Windows/PC/B3D stuff.

Worth the wait, looks great.

Looks way more fun than the Pop Island games on DSiWare, which are a lot of fun anyway:
http://dsiware.nintendolife.com/games/dsiware/pop_island_paperfield

Last edited 2010


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2010) [#115]
X-mas release.......................pretty please ??


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2011) [#116]
Well, I guess no X-Mas release, well at least not LAST year anyways :^) Any word on this Stevie G ??

I assume you're busy with the little one or preparation for the little one.


Stevie G(Posted 2011) [#117]
Aye sorry .. been v busy. Pup isn't here yet but only 9 days to go :-)

Managed to get alot of my to-do list completed since the turn of the year though and I'm very pleased with the results.

I've just started creating the single player challenges which you need to complete to unlock new vehicles, levels and team games. Everything else is completed, including a more in depth Sandbox mode where there is no scoring but you can set up your own scenarios, specifying the vehicles and AI basis of each group.

One of the main stumbling blocks in getting this out is that I currently have no website and no time to set something up. If anyone can assist in this respect, I'd really appreciate it. I'm not looking for any freebies here so please e-mail me if you can help or have a proposal.

Cheers
Stevie


Stevie G(Posted 2011) [#118]
Been finishing off some of the level models at long last. A couple of screenies if anyone's interested :











Not much left on the original to-do list :)

Cheers
Stevie

Last edited 2011

Last edited 2011


skidracer(Posted 2011) [#119]
Stevie, those new screen shots are superb.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2011) [#120]
Yes, the new screen do look good, I don't know how much longer I can wait 8^P


ervin(Posted 2011) [#121]
Love it.
REALLY looking forward to this one!

Stevie G - this could make a great iOS (or Android) game in the future.


Grisu(Posted 2011) [#122]
I love the ships! Can we have an aircraft carrier to land on too please? :)


Vorderman(Posted 2011) [#123]
This is looking really nice Stevie, I'm very envious that you have a working front-end, something I've been putting off doing for about 6 years now.

Last edited 2011


Chroma(Posted 2011) [#124]
I've always wondered how you did this game. I've been writing/compiling a 2d verlet thing over the past week or so and the light bulb came on.

That's why your cars are so low poly. You're using each vertice in the vehicle 3d model as a verlet point. That's why the collision is so good. and that's why you build the cars with primitives by hand in code. Very clever man.

You could even make a function that audits all vertices in a 3d model and creates a verlet point at each vertice and adds the appropriate constraint. This would automate everything and you could build the cars in a 3d modeler. Or you could have a function that sizes up a complex 3d model and builds a verlet "cage" around it . That would make it so you could use higher poly models.

The ground is probably broken up into sectors and all collision is done by what is in what sector (AABB?). That would keep collision costs way down. You could even have used a tmap/scenegraph for that.

Again, very clever man. I like it.


Stevie G(Posted 2011) [#125]
@ Chroma, I'm afraid your barking up the wrong tree - it's much more clever than that ;)

The models are low poly cos I like that retro art style - they have no bearing at all on the collisions. The low poly nature probably gives me a bit of a boost in terms of render speed though.

I guess you could do it the way you describe but I don't think it would take much to break the pointmass / constraints structure. It would probably also be too slow, requiring many more constraint iterations. I only need 3 for complete stability.

Cheers
Stevie

Last edited 2011


Chroma(Posted 2011) [#126]
Well verlet's are pretty simple. Just points and constraints. The only other way is to do cages. But anyhow, I understand how it's done now and it's a awesome alternative to rigid body physics. I have no interest doing 3d verlet right now but maybe in the far future.

I'm running 5 iterations for the constraints right now.

By unbreakable I'm assuming you mean that the objects won't turn inside out. That's about the only thing that could break as far as I can see.

I have a stiffness/k variable in the constraint but I noticed that the rigidness of the constraint has a LOT to do with how many constraint iterations. What I'd like is a k var that going from 0 to 1. With 1 being like a piece of wood. It seems right now that the only stable value is about .5. Anything higher explodes or takes awhile to settle down..ie. unstable.

Last edited 2011


Chroma(Posted 2011) [#127]
Oh, and you've been working on this game for 6 years so yeah I would charge for it of course. Any plans for multiplayer? I know my son would really like this.

Also, have a link to the latest demo?

EDIT: Ahh...you put a minLength and maxLength on the constraints. That keeps them from turning inside out. I saw that somewhere on a site about verlet but I just saw it again in your verlet ragdoll code. Nice implementation.

Last edited 2011


Stevie G(Posted 2011) [#128]
I know 6 years is a long time!!

I discovered early on that no matter what stiffness of constraint or number of iterations, rigid cages would still invert on hard contact. The only way to ensure stablility was to detect any inversions and correct them.

The test is very simple, for example if you had a cube built with 9 pointmasses, one being in the center, you store the local starting position of the pointmasses relative to the center. Each frame check that the local position is always on the correct side for all axis'. For example, if you expect a pointmass to be on the right and above the center, if it moves to the left or below the center it will be broken and it will then be forced back to it's original position. Simple but solid.

No plans for online multiplayer but up to 4 players can play splitscreen.


Chroma(Posted 2011) [#129]
Right, good call there. I'll have to do something similar. Just think when you get PolyM done, you can port it to Monkey and release on pretty much all platforms. Could be quite a good ROI imo.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2011) [#130]
Just trying to check in to see where you at Stevie I assume your new baby is keeping you rather busy though ;^)


Stevie G(Posted 2011) [#131]
Aye, I'm lucky if I manage to code a couple of hours a week. I'm very close to finishing though. I just have the unlocking mechanism to finish and a few tweeks here and there.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2011) [#132]
Glad to hear it. It's been a LONG road huh ? Well, keep us posted when it's released.


RifRaf(Posted 2011) [#133]
Dude hurry up, I mean Duke Nukem Forever beat you to release. :)


Oddball(Posted 2011) [#134]
Dude hurry up, I mean Duke Nukem Forever beat you to release. :)
Ouch!


Pete Carter(Posted 2011) [#135]
Well most of us have played an early version of Polymaniacs and it was already much better and more complete than Duke nukem forever , which plays like a series of test levels.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2011) [#136]
You still with us Stevie ? Any updates on the progress ? I'm sure it's slow now that you have a new little one....


Blitzplotter(Posted 2011) [#137]
Hows it hanging Stevie?


Stevie G(Posted 2011) [#138]
I'm ok bp, thanks for asking! Just got a few personal ithings to sort out and dev will continue! Blitz will probably be obsolete at that point right enough!


Blitzplotter(Posted 2011) [#139]
Cool, those personal things can't half get in the way - Happy New Year when it comes


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2012) [#140]
Stevie,

Just checking to see if you're still working on this one....awaiting a release....hahahaha


Pete Carter(Posted 2012) [#141]
It was really good 2 years ago I doubt its gone backwards ;OP


Stevie G(Posted 2012) [#142]
Definately still in the works, been doing alot of testing in recent weeks but it's the usual lack of time which is holding me back. I promise it will be released.

All 28 mini-games fully completed.
17 of 18 levels complete.
30 of 40 challenges completed.

All I've really got left to do is 1 more level model, 10 more challenges and then build a demo version.

Here's a few low res, recent, random screenies for anyone interested:
















ervin(Posted 2012) [#143]
Freaky! I was thinking about this game just last night.
Still REALLY looking forward to it - it looks absolutely wonderful.


Blitzplotter(Posted 2012) [#144]
Looking good,those last couple of screenies look a little like the start of 'The Hunger Games' for cars.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2013) [#145]
StevieG,

Any updates on this? Been awhile now, figured I would ask.


Steve Elliott(Posted 2013) [#146]
I know he has said he doesn't have much time to develop the game, but I just wonder how much is feature creep. The playable demo issued years ago was solid.


Stevie G(Posted 2013) [#147]
Hello. I'm starting to feel guilty about false promises to certain people. I guess you all know I'm not to be trusted on release timescales :) It's probably about time I changed the name to Polymaniacs Forever!

There honestly hasn't been any feature creep .. I've been sticking to the original plan I had all those years back.

The original plan was to have challenges which unlock levels / games and vehicles but I'm tempted to forget all about that and just have everything available from the start. I'd keep the challenges as a separate game mode with the only achievement being to unlock the next challenge.

Any thought on this?


RifRaf(Posted 2013) [#148]
Whatever allows you to get it out the door faster so I can play it. :)


Chalky(Posted 2013) [#149]
What RifRaf said... :)


Oddball(Posted 2013) [#150]
Stevie do you have a website and trailer for this? I'd like to show it to people, but this massive thread isn't easy to follow.


Stevie G(Posted 2013) [#151]
@ Oddball, no website or official trailer I'm afraid. Yet another couple of things to do. The latest video showing the music is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTspDTCDRUk


RemiD(Posted 2013) [#152]
Stevie G>>
I am curious : are all your meshes colored with EntityColor or BrushColor or VertexColor or do you use some textures ?

I like the render.


Stevie G(Posted 2013) [#153]
They are all vertex colour. Some areas have vertex uv coords set to .5,.5 to receive a very small (2x2) multiply blended texture which allows me to change the colour of the vehicles.


RemiD(Posted 2013) [#154]
Ok.

I am also trying to create a game without using textures.
I will probably use some textures for the particles, for the cubemap, for the glow effect, but that's all.


Oddball(Posted 2013) [#155]
That's a shame Stevie. It was for TIGTumblr.com, but without a website to direct people to I can't make a post for it.


Steve Elliott(Posted 2013) [#156]
Oops missed this update. Now I'm feeling guilty for making you feel guilty. I'm worse than anybody for uncompleted projects - half a hard drive full lol. I just like the look and feel of this game.

Unlocking would be better, to give a sense of achievement and get you some more sales.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2013) [#157]
Stevie,

Any updates on this game ??


Grisu(Posted 2013) [#158]
From You Tube: "Release date should be Q2 2010."

So please give us some candy. :)


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2013) [#159]
Polymaniacs.................Forever. LOL Hopefully Stevie is OK, no updates for awhile now....


big10p(Posted 2013) [#160]
He's still posting in the programming forums, so he's still about the place.


Stevie G(Posted 2013) [#161]
I'm loathe to menton it as I do not want sympathy but ....

[Excuse]
I've been at court 12 times in the last 2 years - desparately trying to be involved in my daughters life. Unfortunately, it has been all consuming for me and it's been difficult to concentrate on anything else. By the end of October it should be over.
[/Excuse]

I looked at the code last week with fresh eyes and there are a couple of things menu things I'm not happy with which I should be able to resolve over the weekend. I am determined to finish and in fairness it's only really been in development for about 3.0 years :)

I think this is the first time I've showed anyone this vehicle (although I did created it over 2 years ago) - it's the most lethal & most difficult to control in the game:









Some Sandbox action ...






GfK(Posted 2013) [#162]
I've been at court 12 times in the last 2 years - desparately trying to be involved in my daughters life. Unfortunately, it has been all consuming for me and it's been difficult to concentrate on anything else.
I feel your pain. Been there, done that.

Just deleted about three paragraphs of stuff that I typed, because this really isn't the place for it. Hope it works out for you, though.


GaryV(Posted 2013) [#163]
I've been at court 12 times in the last 2 years - desparately trying to be involved in my daughters life. Unfortunately, it has been all consuming for me and it's been difficult to concentrate on anything else. By the end of October it should be over.


It is sad that good dads who want to be involved in the lives of their children are the ones most often punished by the system. Sadly, deadbeat dads seem to get away with damn near anything. The system is screwed up.


Steve Elliott(Posted 2013) [#164]
Aww that's sad to hear, you seem like a good bloke...won't hassle you again. But hang in there buddy, in life and in your programming endeavours.


RifRaf(Posted 2013) [#165]
I have a son that does not live with us here , its hard especially if the other parent is not "cooperative" in the joint parenting aspect. Sounds like you are putting in the A++ effort to stay in the game. Best wishes to you.


Love the UFO vehicle too!


computercoder(Posted 2013) [#166]
I hear ya Stevie. Like others here posted, I went through a horrible divorce several years ago. I was not allowed to see my children for a year because of her lies. I understand how it is. My ex was out for my money and used the kids as her vehicle to doing it. My view was to keep them out of the picture and not have them feel anymore of it than neccessary. It didn't happen. First card she played was a lie on a 50b court order folowed by another lie about me trespassing on my own land after the 50B was issued (like two days later). So I got a trip to jail for a day (would have been longer had I not posted bail). I disproved everything in court. Used facts against fiction and things all worked out in the end. It just took 2+ years to clean that mess up.

Hang in there. It gets better. :)

As for your game, I think it looks great! I wish I was capable of 3D modeling. I can't draw objects like that. I love 2D game dev though. Take a laugh at my site... I mean stop by on my site and have a look at some of my work.

http:\\www.computercoder.org

Nothing great there, but its my stuff... at least what I posted :)


Imperium(Posted 2013) [#167]
How much will the full version of Polymaniacs cost? The minimalistic but stylish look of this game reminds me of Big Red Racing by Domark. A game I absolutely loved for its originality and excellent gameplay.




Great looking project I can't wait to play it.


Grisu(Posted 2013) [#168]
@Stevie:
Sad story, I hope everything is going to turn out well for you.
Make sure to get a good legal counsil to guide you through the legal issues involved.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2014) [#169]
Stevie,

Been awhile since I've seen online anywhere, hope everything is OK.


KronosUK(Posted 2014) [#170]
slightly offtopic but this game is kinda cool in a polymaniacs sort of a way

http://terratechgame.com/


Stevie G(Posted 2014) [#171]
@ ONJ , Things are grim but I'm doing everything in my power. I'm sure every father can appreciate that ma wee piglet is more important to me than anything in this world and I'll never give up!

Spent a long time on PM so if anyone has space I'd happily upload what I have for a test run?!

SG


Yue(Posted 2014) [#172]
@Stevie T

Here, test :)


AdamStrange(Posted 2014) [#173]
I can mac test here


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2015) [#174]
@Stevie G

Hope things are better for you now than they were this time last year. Any news for us Polymaniacs fans?


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2016) [#175]
Any more updates yet Stevie? Would love to have a complete and purchasable version of Polymaniacs. ;^)


Grisu(Posted 2016) [#176]
Yeah, we need an update. :)


skidracer(Posted 2016) [#177]
At least the images are still working in this Polymaniacs [Forever] Update.