IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Discuss anything in general about the IceBlink Engine + Toolset project (or anything else) here.
youngneil1
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Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

I have (tried to, must verify on large screen) fixed particle/sprite speeds, mostly relevant for weather effects, so that speed is adjusted to the size of a single square on the player's monitor.

Furthermore, I figured out a way to display light/blend out overgrowth very smoothly. This uses a delayed transparency/fade approach. This way, eg a sight blocked square that wasnt sight blocked last turn does not turn instantly black, but smoothly fades into darkness. Same for the edges of the lit area around the party.

Finally I normalized the speed of blending out fog of war, so that it takes the same time, regardless of frame rate.
youngneil1
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Right now, I am just putting down a crazy idea here (you know the ordeal :lol: ):

What if we would draw squares with more than 1 height level difference to current party height level (1 level difference or same height are exempt for clearly readbale ramps/stairs/connections) larger (if higher, ideally gradually changing based on height difference) or smaller (if lower, ideally gradually changing based on height difference)? This would include anything on such squares (all layers, props, fog of war, height shadows, edit: for height shadows we might actually only scale how broad a shadow is, but not how long). In my head I see a top down look on a minecrafty world with 2d flat sprites/objects/props. Imagine a camera with always the same distance to the party, hovering above the party. If the party climbs up, so does the camerea, etc. The current height shadow system emulates that already, adding dimensional scaling to it might enhance this effect big time.. or look plain ugly/broken :roll: :lol: .

As our camera perspective for topography is strict, straight down, we may not need any occlusion system. This should make it much more simple (still crazy) than any other kind of perspective.

One technical hurdle will be the way we use x/y offset for determining in which boundaries to render/scroll/draw fog of war/etc... with large parts of ground below the party (eg party on top of mountain, valley below) a dynamic component will need to be added. Basically, with such a setup you would actually be able to get a view from a mountain, showing much more of the surrounding lands (albeit very small) as when standing down in the valley. Ah, and I fear this is just the tip of of the issues iceberg... still, I am intruiged.
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slowdive
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by slowdive »

Sounds interesting, but I’m not sure how it would work out in the end. I guess I would need to see a mock up drawing of what it would look like, but the possibilities could be interesting in the end.
youngneil1
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Yeah, I am still figuring out myself if this is viable at all. We might need to treat our tiles as cuboids (layer 1 as base texture for all sides) for it to make sense, have a perspectuve flight point right underneath the party, top down camera above party that climbs/descents with the party and draw cuboids size based on height difference to current party height.

Just an interesting bookmark:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/272 ... harpdx-api
youngneil1
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Dear IBlers, I am so sorry for vanishing from the forum for such a long time. RL was a stressful, especially due to moving into a new appartement. After the longer break I was a bit ashamed which in turn made my disappearance last even longer. Whimsical me :roll: .

I am very happy to be back. Please give me some time to catch up with you fine guys :) .

P.S .: I did continue to code for IB in the background though (a bit, new lighting engine for dark areas).
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Dorateen
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by Dorateen »

Hi youngneil1, good to see you back! I hope everything is going well with the move.

Look forward to any new developments to the IceBlink engine.
zach_holbrook
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Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 5:00 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by zach_holbrook »

Hey Karl. Yay! Glad to see you back too! The move sounds tough, and I'm hoping you're happily settled or getting happily settled. As the veteran of countless moves, I know how long it can take to get to that point. :)
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slowdive
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by slowdive »

A well deserved break (moving isn't really a break :lol: ) and glad to have you back coding IB (although you have been posting commits to GitHub this whole time). Looking forward to what is coming up in the next years (IB additions, with Malkin and Hearkenwold). I hope to be back on IB Basic in a month or two :D
youngneil1
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Thank you very much for the kind words, guys :) .

Feels like this forum stays a home unaffected by moving home in RL which is a very comforting thought :) .

I will post a new IB Beta version soon with a few bug fixes (and many new bugs, too, I guess :lol: ).

This will also contain the new lighting system for dark areas (optional as always). Maybe I can get a video on this done as I think it would be nice to see it in action. Features include:

1. much better support for scrolling and smooth movement (changed system to illumination of full tiles instead of the hexagonal shapes used beforehand; these will still be used for normal night time though),
2. works cross seamlessly connected areas without restrictions,
3. calculates illumination based on topography (walls/height levels block the light),
4. flexible light radius (max. 4 squares),
5. six light colors for halo on light source square and color tint of illuminated squares,
6. colors can mix if a tile is hit by different light sources,
7. pulsating shadows to simulate flickering light,
8. moving light sources possible (eg patrolling creatures with torches),
9. party light via torch on/off (via "t" key or mouse click on torch icon, has a nice fade in/fade out effect),
10. diiffculty of trait checks and encounter modifiers can be affected by darkness
11. dynamic recalculation of all illumination, no pre-baking of light maps (therefore light scripts can turn on/off all lights at any time).

Please note that there is no fog of war in areas using the new light system. Instead, only illuminated squares are visible (but they are visible regardless of having been uncovered beforehand).
youngneil1
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am

Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

IB Beta v197 released - no warranties, no liabilities, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rzfjsnin7qyql ... 7.zip?dl=0

- new light engine for dark areas (see post above, video and explanation on usage will follow)
- smoother blending in/out of overgrowth (layer4, think eg tree canopy)
- bug fixes (ia animation of player characters on main map, normalized particle speeds regardless of computer's performance/resolution)
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