First 3D-Game with Irrlicht?

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:54 am

Hi there,
I am new here and i have some questions (would be great if u answer):

Well my friend and i want to make our first 3d Game. Nothing big, just
hm... a lil 3d model in third person which can be moved my w,a,s,d
through a simple map.

Okaaaay... first of all: Is irrlicht the right engine 4 games?

What programmes do we need? (4 mapping a map, the charakter model)
What would be the 1. step? Can u make me a picture of a plan?

(I m learning c++ about 3 years and my friend has the know-how 4 many
modeling/3d programmes)

greetz, MM

sfncook · Post by **sfncook** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:55 am

Let me be the first to say, "Welcome to Irrlicht! Now go read the documentation."

Irrlicht really has some terrific documentation (compared to a couple other graphics engines I have used). Here's Irrlicht's tutorials: http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/tutorials.html But also, you'll eventually find the API useful: http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/docu/index.html

I have found Irrlicht very friendly compared to the few graphics engines I have tried (OpenSceneGraph and VRJuggler, for instance - both of which are a total pain). I also have a few years of C++ experience and find the API very complete and the people fairly friendly on this forum. If it's a game yer' after, be warned that Irrlicht really is just a *graphics* engine - that is, it's really good at making it easy to render stuff. If you want some cool physics, AI or networking you'll have to do it yourself or go somewhere else. I have not tried any *game* engines yet apart from Delta3D which was a waste of time (http://www.delta3d.org/) It happens to be based on the aforementioned OpenSceneGraph (I think) and is a total piece of garbage. A couple game engines I am interested in trying include Torque Game Engine and C4. Both of which I heard about on Wikipedia and DevMaster.net (http://www.devmaster.net/engines/index.php and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_engine) Game engines typically differ from graphics engines in that they offer more of the tools needed to make a game - they usually include a graphics engine, physics engine, AI, sound, networking engine, blah blah blah. And they usually cost money. From $150 (Torque and C4) up to millions (all the *real* engines us schlubs can't afford to tinker with). I am currently making my first game with Irrlicht and find it to be a pretty good way to get my feet wet without any financial cost (which is good because I don't have any extra money. I have a girlfriend, instead).

As for 3D modelling tools, Irrlicht provides some sort of world builder. But I haven't tried it yet (haven't got that far in my game making) so I dont' know anything about it. However, if it's as well built as the graphics engine, then it probably rocks. I've read some pretty positive reviews here and there. Otherwise, Blender is totally righteous. It's free and unbelievably well endowed with features. Again, I have no idea how to use it except for converting it between various file formats - for which it is EXCELLENT.

My fingers hurt from all this typing.

-S

FuzzYspo0N · Post by **FuzzYspo0N** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:27 am

Okaaaay... first of all: Is irrlicht the right engine 4 games?

Very much so, it is a well built engine because a beginner to the engine doesnt feel completely lost, and an advanced programmer doesnt feel completely limited.

What programmes do we need? (4 mapping a map, the charakter model)
What would be the 1. step? Can u make me a picture of a plan?

Well, my first step would be to get irrlicht sdk, which is obvious, and get a c++ IDE/compiler.

If you dont know any or dont have a free one here is one worth using
http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html

For 3d modelling and such i would suggest something like blender,

www.blender.org

Its free, and heavily featured. There are also plenty of tools to export from blender into a format irrlicht can use.

The next step is to grab your irrlicht documentation, start at tutorial one and start programming the examples, that will give you a grasp on how irrlicht handles things... And after a few of the tutorials im almost certain you will be able to load and move a character around a map...

useless/helpful (who knows)

Hope i cud help

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:34 am

Thank u guys. Thats what i wanted to read =)

greetz

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 1:54 pm

Hey dudes... i didnt want to make an extra thread 4 my noob questions so i decided to post it into this thread and make it my mainthread 4 my shootergame...

well how can i bind a jump-function? i m using fps camera modus and already initialised gravity and collision. i know how to bind keys but dont have the algo /idea how to make me jump... set gravity on -xx for a certain time? dunno... pls help me ;D

greetz,
thaxxx =)

Wyszo · Post by **Wyszo** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:44 pm

@MetaMapper:
Think of your body as a physics object. When it jumps - it is affected by a force produced during a jump - and it's acceleration (direction: Y) increases. But when it's in the air, it's only affected by the gravity. So acceleration.Y decreases and the body falls down. And that's it. You just have to tweak the values

Good luck.

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:41 pm

well i began yesterday with irrlicht... dunno (x ,y)... lol... i know what u mean... and i understand ur algorythm but dunno how to code it in irrlicht xD... are there snippets 4 jumping? i didnt find one =(

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:48 pm

my body is the camera, am i right? i think i got it! bit i have another question...

this i am using 4 running forward: KEY_KEY_W

and 4 jumping i want to use space... should i write KEY_KEY_SPACE?

greetz

BAnd · Post by **BAnd** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:17 pm

The FPS camera already has a jump function you just have to make key map like this:

Code: Select all

SKeyMap keyMap[9];
                 keyMap[0].Action = EKA_MOVE_FORWARD;
                 keyMap[0].KeyCode = KEY_UP;
                 keyMap[1].Action = EKA_MOVE_FORWARD;
                 keyMap[1].KeyCode = KEY_KEY_W;

                 keyMap[2].Action = EKA_MOVE_BACKWARD;
                 keyMap[2].KeyCode = KEY_DOWN;
                 keyMap[3].Action = EKA_MOVE_BACKWARD;
                 keyMap[3].KeyCode = KEY_KEY_S;

                 keyMap[4].Action = EKA_STRAFE_LEFT;
                 keyMap[4].KeyCode = KEY_LEFT;
                 keyMap[5].Action = EKA_STRAFE_LEFT;
                 keyMap[5].KeyCode = KEY_KEY_A;

                 keyMap[6].Action = EKA_STRAFE_RIGHT;
                 keyMap[6].KeyCode = KEY_RIGHT;
                 keyMap[7].Action = EKA_STRAFE_RIGHT;
                 keyMap[7].KeyCode = KEY_KEY_D;
                 // the jump key
                 keyMap[8].Action = EKA_JUMP_UP ;
                 keyMap[8].KeyCode = KEY_SPACE ;

and then the camera

Code: Select all

camera = sceneManager->addCameraSceneNodeFPS(0, 100, 500, -1, keyMap, 9, false, 5);

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:55 pm

Thank You dude!! Its really working... um... is there a site which contains all commands? i didnt know for eka_jump_up! ...

and is there also one 4 crouching? (duck)

Acki · Post by **Acki** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:07 pm

MetaMapper wrote:is there a site which contains all commands?

there is a "magical file" called API reference (the Irrlicht help file)...

Wyszo · Post by **Wyszo** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:29 pm

BAnd wrote:The FPS camera already has a jump function you just have to make key map like this: (...)

I didn't know that.

FlyingIsFun1217 · Post by **FlyingIsFun1217** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:50 pm

Wyszo wrote:
BAnd wrote:The FPS camera already has a jump function you just have to make key map like this: (...)

I didn't know that.

Me either.
Guess I'll have to finally scour around the API doc's, since I'm finally starting to use the engine

FlyingIsFun1217

MetaMapper · Post by **MetaMapper** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:13 am

Thx guys... really... now i am able to run, to jump, not to walk into walls... its working quite good for my first game (thanx to u)...

Well... i searched the forum 4 hud ideas, code snippets... but found nothing really usefull...

do u know how to i can fix icons on screen (4 a HUD and 4 WEAPONS),
or have any other ideas how i can make a hud and put a wep?
(i m using a fps-camera)

would be great again if u can help me xD

greetz, MM

BAnd · Post by **BAnd** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 4:12 pm

try this tutorial http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/tut006.html