I suppose not

<!– e –><a href="mailto:blorch3@yahoo.com">blorch3@yahoo.com</a><!– e –> if you would. It’s no problem. Work comes before me so don’t worry about it.

I’m new to 3D cavnas and I had always wondered if you would be able to create games with it. From what I’ve read you can’t. Is that true? I know you can create models for games, but I can’t script games yet so that kind of leaves me out of the game creating scene. I am, however, working on learning how to script games.

I’ve got another question: Can you make levels for games?

You can’t create games with 3DC but you need a 3D modeller to create all the levels, objects, figures etc.
These are then loaded into something like Blitz 3D or Dark Basic were you do all the coding for the game/demo.
Here’s a shot from an adventure game I’ve been working on for some time.

All the levels,models figures were built with 3DC, Lightmaped with Gile and loaded into Blitz for the coding.

Bazza

Is this blitz program free? I have the trial of DarkBasic Proffesional.

Also, I’d like to try out your game! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –> I’m curious to see the kinds of things 3DC can do! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –> IF it’s ok to try out your game please tell me I really want to see this.

You can get the demo of Blitz 3D here…under Products
[img:3u1thjve]http&#58;//blitzbasic&#46;com/[/img:3u1thjve]
<!– m –><a class="postlink" href="http://blitzbasic.com/">http://blitzbasic.com/</a>&lt;!– m –>

I don’t think the demo has the save disabled but you are restricted to writing files of up to about 16k and the demo version doesn’t have all the features of the full version.
My Port Daniel railway sim file is only 11k at the moment so you can do quite a lot with 16k.

Also download the DX8 to B3D app, it’s free, there is a link in the Games development forum of 3DC. It converts the .x files I export from 3DC to the .b3d file format, including skeletal animation. You can if you wish just load the .x file into Blitz but you need to convert skeletal animation to .b3d first. The .b3d file format is much better than .x.

The advantage with Blitz is you are not restricted to games, take a look at Tattoo and Gile both of these were written with Blitz3D as are many other top class tools/apps. Take a look in the Tools section on the Blitz site, all are written with Blitz.
ATM I’m writing a .b3d file converter with Blitz and it’s working very well so far. <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

Anyway here’s a screenshot of my first ever game written with Blitz, all models/levels with 3DC, textures with PaintShop Pro. Gile wasn’t available then so I had to make do with DX lighting, but for a first attempt I did quite well. IMO
It’s a Quake type FPS covering just one level with about five rooms plus corridors but into this I crammed everything I would need to write a full game. Different monsters, weapons, health and amo pickups, puzzles,gaurdians, sliding doors, lifts, the list is endless, and worst of all the ‘Save game Options’. This should be done from the very beginning, not as I tried to do it, last. <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –> <!– s:oops: –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_redface.gif" alt=":oops:" title="Embarrassed" /><!– s:oops: –> <!– s:o –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_surprised.gif" alt=":o" title="Surprised" /><!– s:o –>
Even so it took about 3 months to complete, by which time I didn’t want to see another monster, grenade launcher or gaurdian ever again. <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

Bazza

Thank you for all of the information! Whether it means anything to you or not I am very fortuanate because I have all of what is needed to create a game! 3DC, DarkBasic, Photoshop 7, the works. Now all I need is the programming knowlodge (which I am working on at the moment)!

Yet again, I have more questions. This time regarding FPS’s. My guess is that it is in the programming and you don’t have to explain it to me if you don’t wish to, but how would you go about getting the gun on the screen, the characters to move around the level, etc. When I say characters to move around the level I mean actually getting the character models to move not, just display. Along with that how do you get the players character model to move? Programming I suppose. (I am not used to 3D game programming. I have programmed in VB, Javascript, and used HTML. VB I made some simple 2D games such as hangman, craps, and one other)

I have just edited the post thinking of another question so here it goes:
How would someone go about putting crosshairs on the screen to aim a gun with? Shot path? That I suppose yet again is programming and how about sounds and cut screens? Programming?

Thanks once again for all of the information. You’ve no idea how much I appreciate this! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

(p.s. is there anyway for you to upload you game online somewhere so I can download it? I guess you would have if there was a place, correct? Also, all the time is not a problem. I understand that commericial games take a long time and that making games in general takes a long time. I plan to-once I have learned the BASIC programming language- to have my first game completed in 6 months to a year.)

GAME TIPS.

First make list of all the features you want in your game. To do this you need a storyline, so write one….

1) Introduction
Give the player the story so far and what he has to achieve.

2) Level One
Player needs to search for the silver key to exit level one
Player must exterminate all aliens on this level which then activates the Gaurdian of the Silver Key
Player needs to find the yellow key to enter the ammo dump complex
Etc…Etc…Etc

From this you can make a list of what you need to create with 3DC for this level…..
The level one scene….rooms, corridors, lifts, doors, switches etc…..
Player (if not an FPS game) with animation.
Weapons, Ammo Pickups, power ups etc….everything the player will need to complete the level.
Silver Key
Gaurdian (animated)
Yellow Key
Etc….Etc…

Now for some of your questions…..I can only explain how to do these things in Blitz..sorry, but if you ever decide to purchase Blitz3D I can send you the code.
If you have a knowledge of VB you shouldn’t have to much trouble writing a game, after setting up the scene it’s really just a set of IF…THEN commands….ie…

If Keydown(205)
MoveEntity Camera, 1,0,0
End If

In Blitz, this would move the camera one unit in the x direction when you press the right arrow key.
Or….

If MouseHit(1)
FireWeapon()
End If

This would jump to your FireWeapon function every time you pressed the left mouse button.

Frames Per Second need to be controlled in some way, so that the game will run on PC’s with different specs. If you tried to play the game on a PC that is faster than yours it would run much quicker making it probably unplayable.
So you need some kind of timing routine to limit the frame rate, this would be your main game loop. From within this loop you would call a function/routine called say…. UPDATE_GAME. In your UPDATE_GAME function would be all your IF….THEN commands for things like keypresses etc.
Your main loop then controls the FPS and you jump out every cycle to check your UPDATE_GAME function.
Again I only have the Blitz3D code for this.

TIP…If you want your game to run on older, slower PC’s try and keep the framerate to around 30-40 FPS.

Getting things like weapons and crosshairs on to the screen is easy, ( in Blitz) . This is how….
First build your level and weapon in 3DC, then export the models individually as .x file format.
Then in Blitz it would go something like this……

Graphics3D 1024,768………………Set the screen size and if you wish the color depth
SetBuffer BackBuffer………………..Set the buffer

Camera=CreateCamera( )…………Create a camera entity called ‘Camera’
PositionEntity Camera,0,10,0……Position the camera..in this case x=0 units, y=10 units, z=0 units

Scene=LoadMesh(‘LevelOne.x’)…..Load your level one mesh into a variable ‘Scene’
PositionEntity Scene,0,0,0………….Position the scene

Gun=LoadMesh(‘ShotGun.x’),Camera…….Load your weapon mesh into a variable ‘Gun’
and make it a child of the camera
PositionEntity Gun,0,0,5………….Position the Gun 5 units in front of the camera.
When the camera moves so will the weapon.

You would continue like this, loading in all your models,including crosshairs sounds etc, but remember not all weapons fire in a striaght line. Grenade launchers need to bounce their grenades round corners etc.

One final tip try and write a First person game first, then when you’ve got the hang of things try with an animated player.

Bazza

Wow bazza you are helping me more than you could ever imagine! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

For your suggestion about making a FPS and then a RPG type game thats what I was planning on doing. Right now I’ve got two friends helping me with the game. (They are new comers, too. They are also learning BASIC right now)

As for Blitz 3D I will more than likely be buying it. From what you’ve told me and what I’ve experianced I see no reason not to.

Once I get Blitz I will tell you and I will then ask for the code assuming you are willing ot give it to me.

~Rabinous

No problem with the code just let me know when you need it. Send me a PM, and I would recomend downloading the demo of Blitz3D.

Bazza

I’ll keep posting a few tricks and tips as they come to mind, maybe they will help.
Here’s a few to be going on with…..

Don’t start out trying to write Doom 4 with 10 levels, if you’ll excuse the pun, ‘you’d be Doomed to failure’!!!! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>
Remember the people producing commercial games/sims are experts at what they are doing so don’t be to disappointed if you can’t reproduce this quality to start with….it will come with practice.

Try and bring something a bit different to your game, I always think FPS games, especially the modern ones have just a bit to much shooting and not enough puzzle solving, plus a bit of humour wouldn’t go amiss.

At the end of the day it’s the ‘game play’ that counts, so you have to think of ways to make the game interesting rather than just blasting everything in sight. This is were a bit more time spent on the storyline pays dividends later on.

Build your models to scale if you can, luckily, 3DC and Blitz both use the same scale, a one metre cube in 3DC measures one metre when loaded into Blitz. You will find this helpful when making doorways etc. A standard doorway is about 2 metres high and one metre wide, a standard figure about 1.8 metres high.

Learn how to build simple textured models with 3DC, and how to load these into Blitz and manipulate them. Then move on to something more complex.
A sliding door would be a good start, you could build this with from a basic cube, and apply your textures. You could then either (1) do the animation in 3DC and load it into Blitz with the ‘LoadAnimMesh’ command, or (2) just load the basic door into Blitz and then just move the door sideways with the ‘MoveEntity’ command.
Plus you would need the ‘whoosh’ sound as the door moves, or maybe a ‘creak’ sound if it where a haunted house.
With something like this, although simple, you have included, building and texturing, loading into Blitz, movement and sound.

Thats it for now, if you do decide to download the Blitz demo I should be able to dig out a few models and some code to get you started, let me know.

Bazza

I have done some 3D modeling and animation. I just recently completed a school project using it. I am partially used to 3D modeling and animation. If it would help you make suggestions I can upload some animations I have just recently made so you can see some of the work I can do. I had to make them in less than a day so they aren’t very good, but they do have some of the things you mentioned such as the opening door. <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

All of what you have been typing has helped a lot thus far so keep it up! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –> <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –> <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –> I can’t get enough of it.

When you talk about making commercial value you games I know exactly what you mean. I understand that I won’t be able to make games of that quality until I get experiances and I also realize that there is more to a shooter than just shooting. I ralize that there needs to be a good story line or else the game doesn’t mean much. I am infact working on a story line now. (Or trying to think of one that is!)

About your measurements. This helps a lot and if you have anymore knowledge on it I would like to know as much about hte measurements as possible. Scaling the game was one of my worries and you are starting to clear it up and push it off to the side. Please inform me further of the measurements. They are really helpful.

Continuing on, thanks for trying your best to help me. These randomly occuring installments you are going to put up are really going to help me. I can feel it. As many as possible would be the best, but I do realize you have a life of your own and cannot stop what you are doing to help a stranger online.

Thanks again. You have no idea how much I appreciate this and I plan to put you into the credits of my game once it is finished. I don’t know if that means anything to you, but you as of right now are contributing the most to the development process!

~Ranbinous

I have another question:

How long is the Blitz Trial for? Or does it not have a set amount of days I can use it for?

I don’t think there is any time restriction with the demo version, just a restriction on the size of the file you can write, 16k ( I think ).
Don’t forget to take a look at the Blitz forum for beginners, you will find answers to all your question here.

There’s no need for credits, I’m just trying to get you started.

I’ll keep posting bits and pieces when I can, if you have any questions that are just Blitz related use the Off Topic section of the forums.

You can post images/screenshots of your work and ask for feedback in the Model Feedback section of the forums.
Use the ‘Attachment’ feature to attach an image to your post, with a file size of not more than 80k.

Bazza

OK. Thanks once again for the information. (Kind of a reacurring line, eh?) I’ll remember what you’ve said.

OK.. I know have the Blitz3D trial. I am ready for the codes whenever you are ready to give them! <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>