That Hydrocity... Oh my freaking goodness. Also the source sounds like a huge overhaul; great job! Too bad I can't test it because my power blew out :| freaking hurricane... But in any case, the engine enhancements and such make this game a very capable engine, especially for a fangame engine... ESPECIALLY for a SONIC fangame engine. Unreal Engine 3 was a great choice; it makes the levels look fantastic, and the physics you implimented just tops it off with all the graphical feats Unreal provides. Almost looks like the Hedgehog Engine :P Not only does it have accurate classic physics, but it also has Sonic's new moveset (save for grinding and drifting). The combination of both in great 2.5D support and excellent (though refinable I'm sure) 3D handeling is just as excellent. It's how a Classic Sonic game should be in 3D, IMO. This engine can have the potential to make quite the Sonic game!
Just something I noticed about Sonic's animations: he seems to have a timer set for his idle animations that goes off through the entirety of the game, not just for when he's standing still. To further explain this, I would have Sonic walk around a bit, then stop, and his head would turn (one of his idle animations activated). If I were to immediately walk and then stop shortly after, his head would continue rotating as if the animation is still trying to be positioned over his standing animation. That, or, if his idle poses are in his standing animation, his standing animation is just playing through without getting restarded. If someone is making a pretty unique standing animation (where Sonic would dust his shoe briefly, look around, or tap his foot), this could get quite awkward. It already is awkward to have Sonic stop and then have his head turn for a centisecond to a half second immediately, and with fuller animations this'll look just odd to have Sonic getting impatient the second he stops (though probably funny). Just a suggestion that you restart Sonic's standing animation every time it's called up, that way this doesn't happen. Also, off topicish, but I think it'd be nice if a random number generator or whatever was used to select a few different idle animations to play at a time like in the main games. Just a thought :v: Keep up the good work.
It definitely has some very interesting ideas (like some of the camera angles and its art direction) but it definitely needs a lot of work. Not only does Sonic moves awkwardly and look kind of weird, but the level design is extremely linear.
The only thing I don't like about this is how the camera is constantly shifting whenever you move left or right. Aside from that it's mighty impressive.
That and, aside from this being a WIP, the 2.5D sections' layout looks a little blocky (I assume it's a draft though, in which case that's acceptable) and the level design itself is kinda awkward at parts, thought with fine tuning and making it look more finished it could actually turn out nice. That part with the actual castle town is fantastic, though! Just look at how UT3's assets and the Unreal Engine 3 can make levels, even if made by a beginner, look beautiful. Imagine someone who's skilled at UE3 mapping making something. That would be love in a box (or something). Saw that video a few days ago actually; it got me thinking that this engine has a whole lot of potential. Love that waterfall effect and the like; Those leaf effects are pretty boss as well. Makes me think of putting that one Mushroom Hill video on this engine |P
I've been toying around with lots of UDK tutorials, and I'm starting to feel comfortable with the program. The only thing is that I have for the love of all things have no idea how to re-create certain things from the Sonic GDK pack. For example, I have started making a new map/level and got to the point where I wanted to switch the camera's from the 3d to the 2.5d. Looking at the GDK test map, I tried to re-do what was done there but I have not a clue why it isn't working right. I put in the player sensors, but I am not getting the purple path lines that the test level generates, nor is the camera switching at all. Sonic just passes right through the sensor. I guess what I'm asking is that if someone would be willing to explain how this camera switch situation works. Thanks.
Yeah, a tutorial on how to do the new stuff included in SonicGDK would be nice; if one was made, it being put on the first post would be useful :P Also: So are you planning to make support for other characters, like Knuckles? Or is that just leftover HUD for people to use if they please?
Most of the animations are managed by the Animation Tree; there are types of nodes with the functionality you described, I just didn't use them. I'll update the wiki with instructions on how to use certain things. Most of the HUD graphics aren't used; no plans for Knuckles.
This might be more of an unreal question than anything, but seeing as the guys who make this engine seem to be knowing exactly what they're doing, maybe you can help. I'm trying to replicate the shine effect on Sonic's spinball (not Sonic Spinball) that he has in Sonic Generations. Basically, it's a reflection texture that makes his spindash look shiny. I like that effect, so I tried adding the texture into UDK. My goal was to make the shine effect encompass the whole sphere and at all angles, so I used a reflection vector on the texture. Well.. It didn't turn out the way I hoped. As you can see, it apparently made a "cross" effect instead, which is kind of odd. Then I heard about cube maps, which made me think I needed to make one of those. After doing that, I set up a cube map, removed my mask, and I still didn't get the effect! Actually, I guess I kind of did, but as you can see it looks off, what with the ENV spheres on the top, bottom, and sides, instead of just the center. Here's what it looks like if you zoom out (used C to enhance my viewport): Anyway, I'm just wondering if an effect like I described is possible to the knowledge of you guys, and if so how would I accomplish this effect? Thanks a bunch if you can help, as a lot of Generations' texture effects (and modern Sonic game texture effects at that) have this env map of some sorts, which I find cool but can't seem to replicate >>; I think I'm missing something...
I haven't visually dissected the spin ball effect in generations, but looking at the texture, my guess is that they used a flat plane as a billboard which faces the camera at all times. than they used a mask which is the blue part of the texture to be transparent. none of the textures layouts for that texture suggests anything more. I have a partial billboard shader available, however I've had trouble finishing it.
Hm, well apparently that billboard is also set to be in front of Sonic at all times, but... Whatever works I guess, as long as the shine effect happens. If yoy ever get your billboard shader working, I'd love to see it! It might very well prove useful for something like this. Edit: and btw when I say in front of Sonic at all times, I mean in relation to the camera, not Sonic. If you were to spindash in 3D, you could see the reflection effect on him as well, as seen inthe Classic in Modern videos and that part of Green Hill where yoy get a sub-over-the-shoulder view of Sonic. I'm really curious as to how this works now
I assumed so, and yeah, that's what made me question the whole billboard thing in the first place (though I didn't say it ), but still, it seems the ENVmapping system I'm trying to cook up is deciding to not work; however I'm sure there's a way to do it. I have a few experametal ideas in mind, but unfortunately I can't use them right now. If I manage to make the ENVmap work, I'll keep you guys posted (assuming you care). I'm half expecting someone showing a working ENV map on a sphere :P
Yeah, your right, I just fired up Generations demo to take a look. I was just assuming it was billboard before, as was stated I've seen it done like that on various other games for effects such as this. I don't think its so stupid, and it would work. However, In the future when you speak to me ,Please, Take your balls out of your ass, and hold your tongue. I do not enjoy being called stupid indirectly. This is not Sonic Cult. I'll see what I can do for you, however my time is very limited since im leaving for China to take vacation on the 8th, Lots of little odds and ends to finish up.
calling someone's idea stupid. Just isn't necessary. ( the idea does work functionally) especially when its uncalled for. as I'm just trying to help someone. A less childish way of handling it, would have just been by correcting me, and leaving such comments out. Although I'm being a hypocrite with that said. I'll suck it in and apologies for what I've said above. However, Jim jumped on my back before in my Generations recourse sharing thread, about releasing resources to you guys, He was correct in stopping me, but the manor at which it was done, was just rude and inconsiderate. That reminds me, an update on the Generations Model ripping scripts that we have will be released in the end, as we have permission, I've also put quite a bit of work into them myself fixing compatibility with Max 2011 and 2012, also added a Batch model converter function. There is also a Level chunk converter available. ( no longer just Level objects and characters)
Here is what you are going to do, lady. Add an Fresnel, VectorParameter, an Multiply and an Add expressions. Connect the Fresnel and the VectorParameter into this Multiply. Open the options for the VectorParameter and chose the color of the "glow". (I do believe that you can just plug an ReflectionVector in the Fresnel and make a constant to control the Fresnel Power, but that with you) Now pick up the output from the Multiply, plug it into the Add and plug your Sonic's texture into the other output. Plug the output from the Add into the Diffuse channel. Here is our final result: PS:. Also I do believe that you can, instead of using an VectorParameter, use a texture. Test it out.
