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DarkBASIC Discussion / Do you BLOB, and why do you BLOB?

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BatVink
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23
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Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 16th Apr 2003 20:10
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I read in another post the concept of BLOBs - objects that always face the camera. I've already thought of some uses, I'd be interested in what people use them for.

1. Distant trees - if you will never pass a tree up close, you could create a BLOB tree on one plain.

2. Roadside objects, such as advertising boards, so that camera cuts to different angles are always able to read the sign.

Give me more ideas, this could open up a whole new aspect to my programs!
Thanks in advance.
All the Best,
StevieVee
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kevil
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Joined: 24th Nov 2002
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 16th Apr 2003 21:04
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I think that they are often used for particle effects, to simulate glow effects or bubbles or something like that.
I use them very often, most of my effects are made with what you call BLOBs.

Kevil

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Hell IVIonkey
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Joined: 1st Apr 2003
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 21:09
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Sprites in general (of course made by plains) should be BLOBs.
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The Darthster
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Joined: 25th Sep 2002
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 17th Apr 2003 00:54
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I always thought the technique was called billboarding. Maybe BLOB is some acronym of that. Basically, anything that should be 3D but is easier to do in 2D, like explosions. Actual fireball explosions are very hard to model, but texture a billboard with an explosion animation and you're laughing. Admittedly, this does lead to identical explosions, but still, most professional games do this and get away with it.

Trees you can do by only rotating the plain around the y axis, since they will never rotate around the x or z axes (plus it looks better).

Collectable powerups could be billboards as well if you can't model them, or need some flashy effect that you can't do in 3D.

Once I was but the learner,
now, I am the Master.
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