"The First King" - My next project, Concept phase

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:25 pm

After learning a lot on my first project. Here is the start of my concept for the next "DEMO". This one is more ambicious than the first project. I think I could do it.

EDIT (January 2008):
The project planning as documentation in PDF format, this was inspired by Halifax on his game project.
Here is the link http://first-king.sourceforge.net/TheFirstKing.pdf

Here is the first concept picture:

This will be in Egypt (Cairo). You will be searching a way to enter a hidden entrance to the tomb of the first king of Egypt (A fable about it that the first king of Egypt was named the "Visitor" that I've read somewhere on the net, and that he brought the knowlegde to build the piramids. The "fable" told that this king tomb is hidden somewhere an it has a library of knowledge there.)

This will located in Cairo, with the Great Piramid and the Sphynx:
Here a some reference Picture. The Idea is to model them and to reach a detail level similar to that:

Once you find the hidden entrance, there will be some sort of "STARGATE" that will teleport you to another location, another planet. This planet will be "NIBIRU"

(Fabled planet of the Sumerian).
There you will be in the Ziggurat (Sort of Sumerian Piramid) and will explore a "almost recent" city, Babylon style.
Here are some artwork reference:

Planned difficulties:
- 2 levels to do with a "PORTAL". Portal code is available, but I'd like to make it like in STARGATE. (Water effect going out, could be an animated mesh)

- Level of detail required to display. Will have to model with high level of detail (1 million poly or more. Much more time to complete a model). Then do a "BAKE" in a low level version using a NORMAL MAP. The low level version should keep a high framerate on the engine while displaying the most detail as possible.

This could probably evolve in a game (Could do ennemies, like the Egyptian Dogs, I saw in THE MOMIE 2). But this is too hard to me to do. I'm primilary a modeler that have fun with an engine. I will not be able to have some AI to make the ennemies move and react to the player.
Here found a screenshot of a commercial game with the ennemy character:

First objective for this DEMO:
- Getting better with normal maps and baking. Mostly modeling/surface tasks
- Improving my engine a little, I'd like to implement motion blur and use shaders.
- Playing with the new Irrlicht 1.4 engine and new particles
- Having a better demo to show

Optional objectives for this DEMO (This is optionnal and will require some help):
- If I could have some help in some part of it, could have a basic ennemy, and a weapon. So the demo will evolve to a game.
- Try to put the code functions in INCLUDES so that after that we'd publish the source so that it could be included in other projects. (Basic ennemy code, or any addon (like StarGate portal))

Right now, I'm praticing with Normal Maps creation and High detail modeling (Lightwave & 3DS Max). I'll need to learn and have a working ART pipeline. Once that completed. I will be able to start. Right now. I'm just creating the concept. And will surely do some artwork for some of the part of the level before event starting modeling.

How about it? Is it too crazy?http://first-king.sourceforge.net/TheFirstKing.pdf

BlindSide · Post by **BlindSide** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:10 am

Yes too crazy, but also bloody awesome!

Good luck

Code: Select all

- 2 levels to do with a "PORTAL". Portal code is available, but I'd like to make it like in STARGATE. (Water effect going out, could be an animated mesh)

This will be easy with the RTT (Render Target Texture) portals, NOT the stencil ones. Just apply the RTT texture to a water mesh and you will have the effect you desire.

Halifax · Post by **Halifax** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:47 am

I think it is just right. You have already proved yourself, and you aren't just someone making claims!

I say go for it! I want to see this for real. Judging from your last demo, I hope this is just as awesome.

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:27 pm

I'm in the process on figuring out the basic story. Writing a story will help me put the elements there so there is some logic in it. And help in the planning.

The player will have to find out the entrance to the tomb. The basic idea about this is that some russian scientists had located the "Traveller (Khensu)" tomb in the '70, but they have dissapeared, and that the player found some documents about this in 2011. So'll I think, there will need some basic intros when the game start (Fixed animations or a slideshow with some artwork). The player will have some maps to help it found the tomb.

On earth(Cairo) and in the tomb there will be no ennemy. This will be most an adventure level. Once the player as found a way to activate the portal. We'll see the animation of the warp tunnel (Stargate style).

Then from there the player will be on the planet "Nibiru". From there he will search for the Ancient Knowledge Artefact in the Sumerian city. (That will end this "game", or could ask the player to get back on earth with the artefact.)

If I have some codes for ennemies or/and help (optionnal but could be very good). I would have in that level a FPS twist. Some "Geneticaled created Gardians - Anubis "Jackal Warrior" (Picture in the previous post) that were created by the Ancients(Annunakis - Anun) to guard the place. So the player will have to fight for his life to get the artefact. And could have find some weapons (Ancient technology)

So when I start the project, and started on the first level, we could get a team to work on it to make it that way. The plan is to release the source after that to the community so that we could have the tools to make games similar to it from the source. Coding function will have to be made in includes and not in a single file.

I want this "demo/game" to look like a movie.
If some wonder where I got the "Sumerian" elements for this story: look there:
http://www.sitchin.com/

(I didnt know that he had written another book, and this time, he's directly in the subject of my game story!

)

BMF · Post by **BMF** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:27 pm

Looks like a nice challenge, I'll keep an eye on this.

JP · Post by JP » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:55 am

This looks very interesting Christian and i wish you all the luck in the world with doing it!

It's good that this one's got some planned interaction with it, that's something your previous demo lacked (although it was just meant to be a modelling project really so fair enough!)

For AI you can use IrrWizard as it basically comes with premade AI enemies that can run around and shoot you etc. That might be worth looking into. You might not even need to use the entire IrrWizard framework (though maybe it would help you), maybe you could just nick the AI enemy bits out of the code (if the creator of IrrWizard allows it

)

I did a small (very bad) Egyptian style demo over a year ago using an Egyptian Quake 3 map. Basically i just implemented a portal system and never got any further with my plans for it before landing a full-time job. Feel free to check it out and if you want to look at or use any of the source code then you're more than welcome to!

Link: http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/ ... ht=pharoah

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:17 pm

Thanks all!

JP:

For AI you can use IrrWizard as it basically comes with premade AI enemies...

Thanks, I'll look into it.

I did a small (very bad) Egyptian style demo over a year ago using an Egyptian Quake 3 map.

Yes, I saw it. I liked it very much! That's one of the elements that triggered my ideas about making my next project in Egypt!

JP · Post by JP » Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:39 pm

I'm an inspiration to someone!

Monochrome · Post by **Monochrome** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:06 pm

I once made an egyptian-styled statue model that was never textured. I could give it to you if you want to. Here's sum pics of it.

Head

Final Mesh (sry for the freaky colours

Anyways good luck with the project! Its ambitious and it has ocultist references! More than i could ask 4.

lostclimategames · Post by **lostclimategames** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:09 pm

I could texture it for you for real cheap.

Monochrome · Post by **Monochrome** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:32 pm

lostclimategames wrote:I could texture it for you for real cheap.

get lost. this is no advertising site.

Halifax · Post by **Halifax** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:56 pm

I just have a question. I am not dissing your modelling because I like it! But I just have a question.

Why are models sometimes only made to fit on the grid, but then some are made so only the two feet fit in the grid. O.O

http://www.unrealtechnology.com/screens ... ation1.jpg

deesine · Post by **deesine** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:34 am

Halifax wrote:Why are models sometimes only made to fit on the grid, but then some are made so only the two feet fit in the grid. O.O

That's completely customizable in your modeller, a tip is to set the grid to appropriate unit & spacing settings that will fit well in the engine, so that you have an as accurate scale as possible before exporting.

@christianclavet - Interesting project, best of luck. I saw something with a related theme, might be interesting to check out: http://www.realtimecg.com/template.php? ... s.php&n=41
Texturing environments has always been a mindpuzzle for me, but it seems the Unreal-approach with tiling textures is the best way to go

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:42 am

Hi.

deesine:

I saw something with a related theme, might be interesting to check out

Wow. That exactly the results I'm for. This is modeled in low details but with real nice detailed normal maps. Theses ruins are for the Aztek or Maya civilisation. Very inspirative. Thanks

Halifax:

Why are models sometimes only made to fit on the grid

I don't think it's an issue. That depend on the tools you are modeling with. The grid is only used for a reference value for scale.
Thanks for the reference picture. That's the kind of details, i'm targeting. I'f you see the picture your sent, the picture show a model with 2 millions polygons!!!

This will be impossible to use directly in any game engine, but there is a technique to "bake" these into a lowres model and a "normal map". That's 2 area i'm learning at the moment. Theses technique are used right now by the game industry for the next gen engines.

lostclimategames:

could texture it for you for real cheap.

You mean real cheap as free?

This project goal is to be released as open source.

Monochrome: Nice model. Not sure I could use it. The "Great pyramids" don't have statues and almost no writting inside it. (That made it totally different of the other pyramids and some kind of mystery)

JP: I've checked the IRRwizard. The last release seem to be dated june. And seem inactive right now. But there seem to be some basic AI in there. They are using "MicroPather" for path tracing. I could try to study the code and perhaps do something.

I was able to compile the full framework and try it. The ennemy seem to be invicible, by seeing us(the player) from everywhere (they see thru everything) and their bullets goes thru wall. So not sure they have implemented the AI for "seeing" and a basic collision for their bullet. I've also tried it in DirectX and the AI code seem disabled.

I was able to make one flee and that worked well.(So path tracing seem to work in there) So learning the framework code is a good idea. But it's sure I cannot use the framework as it is now (That was the author intend in the beginning). I need IRRScenes in there (They are using meshes directly) and would also need to use IRRKlang.

Perhaps with deep modifications. It's well structured. Could have some benefit of using it in the long term.

The AI, I would like for ennemy. Is that the ennemy character is seeing (about 45-50 degree wide) and when the chararter will be really visible (It will not see it if the player is behind a wall). The attack state will start. This is already there but the "see" code is not working. (see thru walls).

Also if the player is firing; the ennemy could heard the sound and will go and search the source of it (Then attack when it see the player). So it's basicaly a path trace from the ennemy to the source of the sound.

Halifax · Post by **Halifax** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:59 am

This will be impossible to use directly in any game engine, but there is a technique to "bake" these into a lowres model and a "normal map". That's 2 area i'm learning at the moment. Theses technique are used right now by the game industry for the next gen engines.

Yeah I know. The 5,000 polygon mesh is used with the normal map.

By the way that is Gears of War content right there. Epic Games also used this method for levels.

500,000 polygon level meshes with 100 million polygon detail mesh normal maps applied to it.(no exaggeration)