3D GAme Studio, Torque, and Amp II Game Systems

[gombarcik]

I purchased a copy of 3DGS for a 3dsmax class that I teach. I'm definitely not a programmer! Some of my students got into the programming of it and accomplished a lot. It was also possible to work without programming, but not able to tweak and/or accomplish what you want at all times.

I'm speaking as a teacher who wanted to show students an intro into how games were made and how to model in max and import it into a game engine. There are some good plugins for going from max to 3dgs.

The new A6 engine seems pretty full featured.

G

[dunkel3d]

Hi,
What are the features that are really important and what features would render (no pun intended) an engine full featured?

S

[rougue 13]

the amp engine looks very well featured..as far as features go i dont think anything is full featured..youll need a programmer to get everything you want in a game..3dgs looks to be for non programmers but is lacking in next gen technology..it has everything you need to make a half like or quake 3 clone..but if your serious about competing in the games industry..i would use the amp engine..cuz it has perpixel lightmapping..which give you that doom 3 look..however if your making a game..i reccomend you just do a mod or a total conversion of an exsisting game.. cuz those games usually have FREE level and character editors on the net..like" gtk radiant" or valves "hammer"..the plus side to doing that is they are FULL featured game engines..and they will get more attention cuz people can trust the technology and are more interested in playing a conversion of a popular game and there is very little programming involved if any at all..

[muniraj]

There are some good plugins for going from max to 3dgs.

I want to ask a ques from gombarcik about exporting max files to mdl format. Sir i am having many problems in doing the conversion . I am not able to export animated models created with max 6 to mdl format. Also there is problem with exporting normal models to mdl format. While exporting an error message is posted on screen that no "standard material" and someties it states that "no texture map". When one error occures none other files are exported. Only if we export a simple model without any error then it can export further models. If export is sucessful then animation properties are not exported . Please help me out how can i do this , to get animated models in mdl format.

[MRz]

Disadvantage of Amp2 engine is slow renderer, level editor with not very intuitive interface, hard to make outdoor enviroment, because Amp2 is portal renderer, and it seems Amp2 is dead, no updates have been released since 2003. Model exporting plugin works only with 3DS Max 5. Advantages are: almost everything is scriptable, quite impressive graphics and costs only 200$.
I don't know anything about Game studio and Torque, never used them before.

[voodoofactory]

From the mentioned engines I've only worked with 3DGS and I have to say it's a very nice engine. I actually does feature most of the 'next-gen' effects, like normal mapping, per-pixel lighting, bloom lighting etc. This month the octree render cernel will be released, so the level design is freed up as well. Beside the octree renderer, the unlimited terrain size system will also make it's debut this month. So all in all, they're in good shape graphically.
The other important feature of the engine is the ease of use. Simple walkthroughs, particle effects, simple AI etc. is all there without any real programming. If you want more complicated things, you'll have to script them, but that's pretty easy as well.
There's also a really nice physics engine available for A6(and it's free) called Newton Game Dynamics. A6 does have it's own physics engine, but it's very limited unless you buy the $900,- pro version of the engine.

Just a couple of other pro's and cons:

+ relatively cheap
+ great community
+ one of the most stable, bug-free programs in the world

- poor networking capabilities
- 50% of the community is German(might be a problem if you'r German is a little rusty)
- it has an 'amateur' image

[muniraj]

I have an question about exporting max files to mdl format. Sir i am having many problems in doing the conversion . I am not able to export animated models created with max 6 to mdl format. Also there is problem with exporting normal models to mdl format. While exporting an error message is posted on screen that no "standard material" and someties it states that "no texture map". When one error occures none other files are exported. Only if we export a simple model without any error then it can export further models. If export is sucessful then animation properties are not exported . Please help me out how can i do this , to get animated models in mdl format.

[pming]

I have an question about exporting max files to mdl format. Sir i am having many problems in doing the conversion . I am not able to export animated models created with max 6 to mdl format. Also there is problem with exporting normal models to mdl format. While exporting an error message is posted on screen that no "standard material" and someties it states that "no texture map". When one error occures none other files are exported. Only if we export a simple model without any error then it can export further models. If export is sucessful then animation properties are not exported . Please help me out how can i do this , to get animated models in mdl format.

Hiya.

Your best bet for this is to ask on the 3d Game Studio forums. Personally, I use "Game Level Builder" for exporting level stuff, and when I export models from MAX I would use .x format. In all likelyhood you will have to open your exported model in MED (3dGS model editor), make sure your skin/textures are applied, and then save as .mdl from there. If your model has animation, make sure you 'save/export' your animation as vertex based.

Again, I suggest hitting the 3d Game Studio forums: http://www.coniserver.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

[Montty_cg]

Although it is not part of your list, but as you seem to put a lot of emphasis on high quality rendering and easy access to non programmers, maybe and if you haven't already done so, you could give a little look at Quest3D (http://www.quest3d.com/).

Quest3D comes with a unique graphical interface (http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=175) and templates system to allow designers/developers to create advanced real-time 3D productions without the need for programming or scripting. :)

One great aspect of designing in Quest is that you do so in realtime. You create your logic, you modify a value, add a channel to the graph, set some properties, import a new object, set a light position or a texture/material color etc... and see the result immediately, no need for fastidious compile or running the project only to find out that it doesn't work etc...:rolleyes:


The best I think is to look at some of the latest user demos (http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=15), even if most of them are not games as such, some are or could well be though and I promise some wows :eek:

Also maybe download the Demo Edition (http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=13), you can’t save but you can use it to your hearts content. It also comes with a freshly made set of tutorials (http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=101) and many examples (http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=104) with “sources” - Duuh, what did I say!! There is not such a thing as "sources" in Quest, only Channels, all linked together in a graphical chart system to form logic groups and finally your project. This project can then be published as an exe or in a format viewable via a dedicated web pluggin.

Still if you think this is worth a try and you trip on something or you would like to know about this or that, just pop in at the forum (http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=30), you will not only find a very helpfull community there but also a wealth of knowledge. :thumbsup:

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