Solving an issues and basics of gaming

Newbie & Debugging Questions
#1

Hi, i’m new here and i have couple of questions…At first - i’m sorry for my bad (simple) english and i hope you’ll understand.

Now i’m working on my own project. It should be some kind of isometric RPG, i’m not naive (i hope) and i don’t expect too much (of course i also expect a lot of frustration with issues and etc…), but i have few ideas and good motivation and now i’m trying get it together. I’m doing it because i want to get some experiences with java gaming and also good feeling about “done” thing. There is my progress:

I’m using the LWJGL, so i have basic engine for map (endless flat textured world), next step will be “framework” for creating maps.
Basic inputs like moving with camera (8 directions) and zooming, all in isometric view.
Yesterday i finished 3d character and animation - now comes the funny part and questions…
I decide make isometric game with 3D objects (i found it easier than doing it via sprites).
Now i can get model into map, maybe i could handle animation (it should be just positions of verticies in every frame).

BUT
[b]I was thinking about how synchronize other object as weapon (sword in hand) or shoes with animated character…

Next thing, i wrote “maybe i could handle animation”, yes maybe i’m able to import animated character to java, but what if i have more animations as attack, defense, etc and i want “play” animation dependent on the input (for instance left mouse - attack, right - defense)… Should i spilt animation to different (abstract) classes or make files with animations, and then load it… [/b]

I really have deficiency in details how to implement my solutions to code… This is the reason why i decide to write here :slight_smile: i hope you guys will (understand) help me with my issues or you’ll show me some good websites that are solving similar issues…

I have no problems with java, i have necessary knowledge, problem is solving issues throught the code (i think i have not enough practice - exp - this is what i hope i’ll get in this project). And please avoid comments like, you can’t do it (i know that on the professional games works couple of teams and they are developing it long time, but my game isn’t proffesional), or use the google (google sent me here), or read the books, etc…Thank you.

So my main questions are bold :slight_smile: other is open for discussion and critique.

#2

You clearly have some ideas for how to do this. If I were you I would just pick one idea and try and implement it. It may turn out that you spend a few days on it only to find some flaw that makes the whole lot unusable. Some would say that those few days were wasted, but if it’s experience your after then I think they were worth more than a few days where something does work. Failing and understanding why you failed is such a huge part of experience.

I think the phrase is: “To err is human”

#3

Hmmmm, in your case…

You might want to make a different model for each outfit because the amount of clipping issues for having a custom character will probably not be worth it in the end. It’ll be a bit easier to just to swap out different models. In order to make the system you speak of, you’ll also need something that is fairly close to Spine but in a 3D environment.

Since you are doing this for experience, then you would want to make sure are spending as much time coding as possible, and less time on making custom outfits. I would definitely draw out each model combination and load them each separately. Just doing that will teach you a lot about LWJGL in itself. Best of luck…

#4

Of course i’m doing a lot for functionality of game, not for design (graphic + aestetics), i also have a lot of ideas for game mechanism like leveling, quests, crafting, etc… Mostly I’m focused at the gameplay of the game, design i’ll do (maybe) in future, but graphic is necessary bese. With this project i want find out what is personally better for me to the future, if i should focus on graphic or programming, because i’m interested in both of them, but i can’t do both at the same time.

[quote]You might want to make a different model for each outfit because the amount of clipping issues for having a custom character will probably not be worth it in the end. It’ll be a bit easier to just to swap out different models. In order to make the system you speak of, you’ll also need something that is fairly close to Spine but in a 3D environment.
[/quote]
Actually it is easier to swap out different models, but i think it isn’t clear way to do it. If i would have few outfits it isn’t problem, but if i want separated armors, like cuirass, shoes, helmets, etc…there would be a lots of combinations. With the cuirass and helmet it would be easy, i’ll just keep the same positions like character has. But with shoes and weapons…How to do it when character is attacking, weapon should follow the hand, and also shoes should follow feet.

#5

Well, currently, how much different costumes do you have planned?

The more details that you have, the easier it is to see what is feasible within your project. Obviously, if you have 30 or so items, you will have to mess around with coding the different movement of each item in terms of the character. Character skins usually all follow the same framework, so technically you should only have to use one model and make small adjustments in terms of the positioning and movement of each respective item.

#6

Initially i want just one model of armor, one model for chest, one for feet, etc and then make other models. As you said, usually they follow the same framework - i have planned make “pattern” and then swap out between them. Maybe I can’t clearly explain it, and maybe you are saing exactly what I want, and maybe i don’t clearly understand. :slight_smile: And as i said, now i’m trying to do functional base of game like moving with character, attacking on enemy and of course collisions (at least for walking on the ground)… Other words - make basic frameworks for everything (make game the most “abstract/general”), then i will be extending game.

#7

It’s not a bad idea to generalize, because your own code becomes more usable in the future, just be careful not to implement too much stuff that you don’t immediately need.

#8

So, because Blender have some issues with exporting script (for animation) and he is going not to tell me where the problem is, I decided to make a testing scene with some low-poly models. But i have no idea, how much polys should or shouldn’t be on scene… For example: now I have a pillar that have 1,3k polys (almost 3k triangles), and i have planned to get 6 - 9 pillars to scene, then some small building, or just entrance to undergroung (about 6k polys)… Together it will have 14-17k polys (about 28-34k tris). Isn’t it too much? Or, are there any limits for polys per frame/scene? (I know it depend on performance of PC but still…)