How to - 3d plattformer - GameCreators Forum

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Anlino

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Joined: 28th Jun 2005

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Posted: 2nd Jul 2005 03:13

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Hi.

I have been running around in the forums a bit, looking for answers. Unfortunatly, i havent found any. What i am looking for, is a "How to" On 3d plattformers. If anyone could post a link to either a site that has that kind of tutorials, or if you could post a little text on how to begin and what commands to use. I am not asking for a complete engine read to go. Just something so i know where to begin.

I am using Darkbasic Classic.

I am in my beginning of Darkbasic, havent learned that much but i am doing my best to improve my skills.

Little specs on what i am thinking of:

3d Plattformer

Comical graphics in the kind of Super Mario 64.

If you have any questions, post them. I will do my best to answer them.

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gpex

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Posted: 2nd Jul 2005 15:11

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First you should go through everything in the DB help file. That will get you a long way. Then, i recomend getting the "beginner's guide to DarkBASIC game programmin" It's a great book, and it goes over just about every command that you will need as a beginner. If you do all of that then you will know what commands to use and starting a project will become second nature. I'm not sure that helped, but it's what i recomend.

-gpex-

http://gpex.12.forumer.com/

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RUCCUS

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Posted: 5th Jul 2005 04:41 Edited at: 5th Jul 2005 04:42

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Gpex did you really read every command in the help file, come on now, every command. Lets be realistic, I bet there's only a few people out there that actually read every command before they started programming.

Yes eventually people read every command, but thats over a long time span from trying to solve problems for their programs.

As for teh keschin.

Im pretty sure I know what platofrmers are o.O, (Like Baggers Jazz Jack Rabbit game), so here's my two cents on what you'd have to accomplish for a basic platformer:

- Basic Movement (Forward, Backward, Mouse turn Left, Mouse Turn Right, Side Stepping
- A gravity system
- Jumping capabilities (gotta get to those platforms)
- Polygonal Collision Handling (Tough subject, but many answeres are out there)
- Basic Menu layout (Main Menu, Pause, Options, Story Line possibly)
- Very Basic A.I (Maybe an object moving back and forth and when you collide with it you die and are respawned to the last savepoint)
- A way to vanquish the A.I, could be as simple as jumping on its head, or maybe shooting it. Can't really say until you have your storyline done.
- A goal, anything could do, maybe getting all 100 floating tomatoes, or just reaching the end of the level.

That should get you to a beta version of the game. Once you have that down you'll have a pretty good engine to work with, and can start working on the more complex things:

- Nice graphics (Skins, Models, Skyboxes, etc)
- Neat effects (Explosions, Gun shots, etc)
- Sound Effects
- Extended Movement (Running, Double Jumping maybe, Dashing...etc)
- Special Moves (Smashing, Kicking, Punching, Shooting, whatever you can think of)
- Extended A.I(The A.I looks for you, when they see you they attack you instead of instantly killing you, and then have the A.I respawn in increments of x seconds.
- A boss possibly at the end of the level
- Better menu's (configuration of the game settings, controls, etc.)
- A HUD (Display your health, current score, level, a target reticle for attacks, and some other random info
- Lots more I cant think of right now

Before you do any of that, come up with a good story line, draw all your thoughts out on paper keeping notes of all your good ideas, then to a good copy of it and you'll be ready to start on the above. Include details on everything from weapon stats to the speed your player will run at when theyre damaged. The more info you get the easier it is later on.

I hope that helped, pretty sure thats what you asked for o.O

Current Projects: SHADE - Game Maker | Mecho - TGC Puzzle Entry | Halo Physics Engine | COLD - Polygonal Collision Detection

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Drew Cameron

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Joined: 30th Jan 2004

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Posted: 5th Jul 2005 06:31 Edited at: 5th Jul 2005 06:37

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Hello.

Here is a piece of sh*t program I threw together, just now! It sucks, but it teachs some good principles

Pay close attention to how it checks if you are above a platform, and what this does to the 'ground#' variable, 'jump' variable and 'gravity#' variable.

Good luck! Sorry it sucks, but it's to show the theory only...

ARROWKEYS: Move / rotate sphere

SPACEKEY: Jump

rem Basic code
backdrop on : sync rate 60

rem Create player object, a sphere
make object sphere 1,50

rem Create a single platform, to show the theory
make object plain 2,100,100
xrotate object 2,90
position object 2,0,60,150

rem Begin the main loop
sync on
do

rem Printouts
set cursor 10,10
print "jump= ",jump
print "gravity= ",gravity#

rem Default ground height of 0. If nothing else is beneath the player, they will fall to this height ground.
ground#=0

rem VERY basic movement
if upkey()=1 then move object 1,3
if leftkey()=1 then yrotate object 1,wrapvalue(object angle y(1)-6)
if rightkey()=1 then yrotate object 1,wrapvalue(object angle y(1)+6)

rem Camera - insert your own code here
point camera object position x(1),object position y(1),object position z(1)
position camera object position x(1),object position y(1)+100,object position z(1)-150

rem Are they near the platform?
rem Above it?
rem Then make ground# platform height, not 0 as is taken for default

if object position x(1)=>object position x(2)-50
      if object position x(1)=<object position x(2)+50
         if object position z(1)=>object position z(2)-50
            if object position z(1)=<object position z(2)+50

if object position y(1)=>object position y(2)-5
               ground#=object position y(2)
               endif

endif
         endif
      endif
   endif

rem Jumping and gravity -------------------------------------

rem Moving around, on the ground
if jump=0

gravity#=0

if ground#=<object position y(1)-1 then jump=1 ` Is ground underneath their feet? If below, fall!

endif

rem Falling or jumping - not on the ground in other words
if jump=1

position object 1,object position x(1),object position y(1)-gravity#,object position z(1) ` Apply gravity here ^
inc gravity#,0.1 ` Increase fall speed (gravity)
if object position y(1)=<ground# then jump=0 ` Hit the ground yet?

endif

rem Jumping (you can only jump when you are not falling)
rem THIS LETS THE PLAYER JUMP ONTO THE PLATFORM, GRAVITY-5 mean you rise instead of fall

if jump=0

if spacekey()=1 then gravity#=-5 : jump=1

endif

sync
loop

+ Code Snippet

rem Basic code
backdrop on : sync rate 60

rem Create player object, a sphere
make object sphere 1,50

rem Create a single platform, to show the theory
make object plain 2,100,100
xrotate object 2,90
position object 2,0,60,150


















rem Begin the main loop
sync on
do

rem Printouts
set cursor 10,10
print "jump= ",jump
print "gravity= ",gravity#





rem Default ground height of 0. If nothing else is beneath the player, they will fall to this height ground.
ground#=0






rem VERY basic movement
if upkey()=1 then move object 1,3
if leftkey()=1 then yrotate object 1,wrapvalue(object angle y(1)-6)
if rightkey()=1 then yrotate object 1,wrapvalue(object angle y(1)+6)

rem Camera - insert your own code here
point camera object position x(1),object position y(1),object position z(1)
position camera object position x(1),object position y(1)+100,object position z(1)-150







rem Are they near the platform?
rem Above it?
rem Then make ground# platform height, not 0 as is taken for default


   if object position x(1)=>object position x(2)-50
      if object position x(1)=<object position x(2)+50
         if object position z(1)=>object position z(2)-50
            if object position z(1)=<object position z(2)+50

               if object position y(1)=>object position y(2)-5
               ground#=object position y(2)
               endif

            endif
         endif
      endif
   endif








rem Jumping and gravity -------------------------------------

rem Moving around, on the ground
if jump=0

gravity#=0

if ground#=<object position y(1)-1 then jump=1 ` Is ground underneath their feet? If below, fall!

endif







rem Falling or jumping - not on the ground in other words
if jump=1

position object 1,object position x(1),object position y(1)-gravity#,object position z(1) ` Apply gravity here ^
inc gravity#,0.1 ` Increase fall speed (gravity)
if object position y(1)=<ground# then jump=0 ` Hit the ground yet?

endif

rem Jumping (you can only jump when you are not falling)
rem THIS LETS THE PLAYER JUMP ONTO THE PLATFORM, GRAVITY-5 mean you rise instead of fall

if jump=0

   if spacekey()=1 then gravity#=-5 : jump=1

endif









sync
loop

Hope that helps, I've got this on mailback so reply if it does or does not help.

Dumbo and Cool