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FPSC Classic Work In Progress / Cut Scenes

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DarkFact
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Posted: 4th Sep 2006 08:50 Edited at: 4th Sep 2006 19:36
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I've gotten as many emails about cutscenes as I have about my game so I will offer a service. I made a dbo2x converter in DBPro and can import small universe.dbo files into 3dsMax now. All of the geometry in this example comes from the game. Here's a sample from DarkFaction II:



Video (780K - WMV) 2 Seconds
http://www.darkfaction.net/video/deck-cut.wmv



Video (1MB - WMV) 4 Seconds
http://www.darkfaction.net/video/hospital-cut.wmv

If you loop the video (non-stop play) then it's much easier to see everything.

I've been asked "what would you charge for...". The short answer is: Too much for indy game makers. But, If you want me to make cutscenes for your game, I will. You will need to tell me exactly what you want, supply the files (if I don't have them, and I have everything except Pack 3) and tell me what you will pay for each segment. I will only do this as a service to this community. Please be reasonable when making an offer, that's all I ask.

~Dave
http://www.darkfaction.net
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Johny English
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Posted: 4th Sep 2006 12:10
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Please post in .wmv for 2 sec. (4MB)

SIXOFT - This is not just a game, this is a SIXOFT game.
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DarkFact
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Posted: 4th Sep 2006 19:37
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Quote: "Please post in .wmv for 2 sec. (4MB)"


Done. Sorry 'bout that.

~Dave
http://www.darkfaction.net
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Butter fingers
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Posted: 4th Sep 2006 20:13
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wait, lemme get this straight. you can import your FPSC map file into 3D studio?

It sounds like a really original proposition. I personally think you should try selling the converter. I think you would be fair to charge £10/£20 per cut scene. Considering the animation work, video editing, and general faffing about, £20 is really cheap (barely covers labour), but alot of people on this forum are kids, and don't have muc cash.

so.. lets say you charge £15 for 1 min.

If I need 11 cut scenes in my level (one at the begining and end of each level, plus an intro), that's gonna be about 4 mins of footage, so I'd pay about £60.

That's a bit steep, and I'm guessing the kind of people who can't find a way to make a cut scene for themselves (even just using fraps), are the same kind of people who can't afford to pay £60.

So wouldn't it be better to sell your converter for like £50? That's still a tidy profit for you, and it provides your customers with a continuous way to create cut scenes.

Obviously, only users with 3dsmax (or a 3dsconverter and another piece of modelling software), would buy your software, but you could still create cut scenes for £15 too.

All I'm saying is, I don't think I'd ever pay someone to make a cutscene, cus it would never look how I inagined, but I'd bust out the credit card for software that could get my map file into 3D studio!

Sorry that this went on a bit!

butters

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DarkFact
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Posted: 4th Sep 2006 22:00
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Hi Butterfingers,

I could sell the converter directly to you guys who already know how to work with 3dsMax and other programs. The service is out there for the people who have no experience at all. The sample scene above with Decker walking in the hospital room took me around an hour to complete. A person just starting 3dsMax for the first time would probably take 3-4 months to figure it out. That scene is simple, but the steps involve importing the models, making a biped, using physique, animating the models with BIPs and keyframing, animating the camera, setting the lighting, and the imported mesh made from the dbo is not uvw mapped, so that has to be done as well.

The dbo2x converter is simple and effective, but maybe not ready for sale yet. I get a 3d Memory error when trying to export large dbo files (over 3MB). Now, that's not too big an issue as you don't need your entire universe.dbo just to make a cutscene in a room of a building. I make small scale versions of the scene, save as a game, extract the smaller dbo and convert.

After converting the dbo to x, you have to import the file into Fragmotion and resave as .x, then export to Milkshape as a MS3d file, then re-export to .3ds. Then import to 3dsMax, remove all smoothing groups, uvw map the mesh and re-texture.

If you or anyone else wants to buy the converter, I'll sell it. About $10 (don't know how many pounds that is, but I'm guessing around 7?) should do for now. Of course, you'd get free updates.

Thanks for the input. I'll have to see if there's any demand since you need more programs between the converter and 3dsMax. I'm looking into a way to convert from dbo straight to 3ds as an ascii file, but it'll be a while before I get that far.

~Dave
http://www.darkfaction.net
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BULLSHOCK 2
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 02:34
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if your converter kept uv's, id definatly buy it, but because i could make one myself (in about 3 lines in db pro) that could do the same thing, i wont bother...

dont you think thats too much work for cutscenes? i mean, i hate uvmapping, so i definatly wouldent go thru all that. as a matter of fact, wouldnt it be faster to just remake the level in max?
and use planar ir cub mapping and just slap the texture on?

anyway, the levels do look MUCH better in a render, especially with the lighting. good job


http://www.seqoiagames.com/seqoiacorp/
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DarkFact
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 02:42
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Quote: "dont you think thats too much work for cutscenes? i mean, i hate uvmapping, so i definatly wouldent go thru all that"


I hate it, too. But I like cutscenes to be as real as it can get. I used to make a box model in Max that approximated a scene in-game and slapped on some textures using face mapping.

But I always hated that the detail implied by the texture was missing. So I came up with this way for my own work.

I've been looking at the FPSC-Game code and a "true" converter can be made using the same setup that loads and textures a game map. The only difference is the game won't start, and the universe.dbo would be converted to a mesh and saved. This is provided either the dbo file is small enough not to give a 3d Memory error, or I figure out how to allocate enough memory so the error doesn't happen. As it stands right now, I don't even know IF that can be done. This is my first "program" using DBpro, so it's all pretty much trial/error for me right now.

Like I said before, this service or even the converter are for those people either without the skills and knowledge and for those without DBPro.

~Dave
http://www.darkfaction.net
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BULLSHOCK 2
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 02:52
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Quote: "This is my first "program" using DBpro, so it's all pretty much trial/error for me right now."


oh, wasnt aware of that. if you need help, you could always email me

im trying to figure a way to get models out of dbo right now with UV's and possibly animation (because i forgot to backup some of my models when i re-installed xp) so, if i find anything out, i will let you know.


http://www.seqoiagames.com/seqoiacorp/
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Butter fingers
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 05:49
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Dang! I hadn't really considered it would be so much work. I think I'll stick to just making my scenes in Maya. As most of my segments/entities were made in maya, it's probably easier to make the cutscenes in my own twisted manner, as opposed to yours!

Good going though. If youfind a way to get them out with the UV's in tact, I'm definately a customer!

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Connor Higgins
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 13:01
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hey butters what is maya and do i have to pay for it or is it free???

super cool timmy turner has fairy godparents and i am not a mad science teacher i am a real boy so FAIRIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Walking Dead Productions
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 20:20
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Maya is a 3D modelling/animation program. It is not free -- it's like $2000 to $7000 depending on the version you buy.

When there's
no more room in HELL
the dead will walk the EARTH
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Connor Higgins
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 21:59 Edited at: 5th Sep 2006 23:12
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ohhh ok i think that is out of the range of a xx going on xx year old boy

EDIT- I dont think they would be able to find me lol

super cool timmy turner has fairy godparents and i am not a mad science teacher i am a real boy so FAIRIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Screwed Over
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Posted: 5th Sep 2006 23:10
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yehp, also you shouldnt state your age on forums due to pedofiles etc...


The Day will come when humanity ends.
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Jon Fletcher
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Posted: 6th Sep 2006 01:22
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the first sequence heavily reminds me of FarCry, excellent work

i would sure love that converter, i'd certainly pay for it, and about the UV problems, couldnt you just save the UV maps seperately, and when you go to map it again, just load the UV files?


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