Maritime World of Blender Part 3

Game Engine Works in Progress and Game Demos
#1

Part 2 has become too cluttered so maritime world of Blender part 3.

I will leave the two maritime routes on the ‘completed games’ forum, Annan and Port Carlisle and Silloth, both with scenarios. These will be for a trial run for a few months up to April or May then I decide whether to renew my domain name contract, also will see how this thread fares.

Regarding crtitique definitely not required as I am aware of how the commercial ship simulators work and their functions. Blender is a different kettle of fish with the removed game engine. I make routes available for download so they have to be fairly basic to keep the frame rates reasonable.

Of course relevant discussion is most welcome which in turn helps me to decide what to do as regards the available downloads. Discussion can be a simple as say downloads OK, or texture missing, or whatever. Also if you make any of your relevant mariime content open source and free I might be able to include the ideas in some of the routes. The only restriction I make is my items or textures are not for commercial use. Also other factors might come into play as regards continuing to make routes available for download such as health etc.

At present only the two routes mentioned are currently available for download. I will continue around the coastline starting after Silloth ‘again’ but impossible to set a fixed era, so ships, boats, barges might be a mix of sail, paddle-wheel, screw drive…if I can manage to make any at all (smile).

Also trying to find out from the Internet what some of the harbours were like up to 2 centuries back might be impossble…with derelict harbours almost buried in the mud and silt, also many are now marinas. I will base the routes on osm as can work over a base map to position the quays. Scaling the etracted map section size up to match Blender size. Any obvious recent deep water docks for container ships or gaint size cruise liners I will try and omit.

Simulation unlike games can never be completed as there will always be something to add or remove, or to alter or change…to try and add to the relevant limited realism. The only way I will be able to make the routes available will be to rotate them after say about seven downloadable route, including Annan and Silloth in the total which I will leave online. Routes will start as basic with one drivable vessel. Routes can the be added to slowly and updated versions online…up to about varying seven or so. A few of the routes might have scenarios but I am more interested in pre-set ship traffic operated fom keyboard eventually.

Barry

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#2

I’m glad that you have multiple parts.
Loading tons of long thread (no paging) is like browsing Facebook.

#3

Thanks for reply. Becoming too tedious and difficult to easily find replies on these mile long thread. I prefer short threads then open another, and the first thread can then be locked as in uktrainsimulator but… Barry

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#4

Lnk to my site with download, screenshots and details at top of thread.
At the time of posting I have remade the Isle of Man as basic version 1 maritime route . About 44 km route but by replacing seabed and 1 click of decimate function reduced from almost 400,000 vertices down to 70,000 verices, Dowload ubder 9 meg I think. One drivable sailing flat. Harbours will be much later.
So back to 3 routes online to download.
The next will be Maryport to Whitehaven on Solway Firth as basic version 1. This will need 4 harbours making so again version 1 basic and harbours much later. B

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#5

Online basic route, version 1 - harbours to be made later.
Maryport, Workington, Harrington, Whitehaven. as one route following along the Solway Firth.
Also details in screenshot.
Low vertices as over half seabed replaced.
Frame rate still at default vert. sync 59.9 or 60
29 kilometers length and 15 km width.
Drivable sailing flat. tfgh.
Textures grass, grass with rock, sand on seabed. About 7 megs.
See link to site at top of this thread.
When I reach 7 routes in this batch I might start updating some of the 7, before moving to next batch which will be add one remove one to keep total count of 7 or 8 downoadable.

B

#6

Link to site at top of thread

Except for the Annan and Silloth routes all or most of the routes will be version 01, harbours, etc will be later as/if I update them. I deleted a lot of content a little while back so would need a lot remaking.

B

#7

My site link at top of page

If I keep the website after next Spring I need to do things differently.
My site is read worldwide not just by this forum and the method used for the downloads need to be simple.

What I want to know is what will be the size of my zip file for download if I change to UPBGE. Will each route need Blender enclosed 360 or so meg as I use embedded with 2.79b. This just needs the person to downlooad the 2.79b version of Blender and then download the maritime routes they require from my site. The zip file of these is currently up to about 20 meg.

Will the person downloading oeed to download upbgeblend only as it carries Blender with it. I will only need to zip file the route to the 15 to 20 meg or so. This will need an exe zip file fron the upbge website of upbge to open my upbge file…if I change to upbge?.

Is UPBGE goIng to be updated on a continuous basis as info seems sparse on their site?.
I can open my routes made in 2,79b perfectly with UPBGE straight into the Game Engine and not edit mode.

Until I can find out I will continue with 2.79b embedded version and would need similar for UPBGE.?

If unable to help please do not post.
Same applies to my routes if I make more I will give just brief details. No screenshots as they are on my site… for those interested in maritime, if not there is no problem and no need/reason to post.
Discussion welcome as always but no critque required.

Finally still undecided about continuing my domain site after Spring with one thing and another which in turn will end my downloads and association with Bender Artists. Barry.

#8

I have removed the post as similar details to above which I will try and make clearer.

#9

On these forums I am no longer posting screenshots of the past ages and bygone times. See my site if interested in maritime coastal bygone times, basic routes, mini-screenshots, photographs of old docks, basic routes to download with updates, etc, blog-type details

I can reply to queries on this thread and discussion.

Barry

#10

I have made the Solway/Annan routes into a new version 2 as it will be an example of how I will update all the basic routes when I make them.

I am not useing preset routes for vessels between ports as could take an hour for sailing ships. Instead I wiill use the preset tracks for short trips along rivers or in the docks.

I have removed the scenarios to collect cargoes as no realism.
Instead there is another way, as you can create te your own scenarios with the vessels in the route.

I have made 3 of the sailing flats drivable, each with its renamed texture. Two at the stone quays and one at the wood jetties. From the wood jetties is a preset sailing flat set to travel to the stone Annan quays. Press key 1

Eaxmple of making your own scenarios. Manoeuver them away from the quays around the barges and take the two down to the wood pier and bring the one up from the wood pier upriver. At the same tme start the preset vessel with key 1.

Explore the route as will add a few wood jetties. One at Port Carisle opposite bank and one at Rockcliffe.
The vessels can push object and other vessels. Might need two together to push the moored barges though (smile).
I will try and upload the route later today.

First I have to make about 50 basic routes (maybe) then start to update them. I will leave it up to you if you want to discuss or query. If so I will reply to your posts.

B
P.S. solway - updated ver 2 online 19/01/2019

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#11

Rather than numerous routes which can be made in half an hour for one as basic routes. Different tactics now I will update the Isle of Man (32 miles approx) with grass and rock textures (done) and might upload it then start on the harbours. I will forget Solway Firth. So starting at the Ribble or River Mersey (again) and slowly edge along the coastline. So it will probably be numerous updates now instead of numeous routes.

Or better still put route making on hold might be the best option…regarding Blender, upbge, and other factors.

P.S Uploaded Isle of Man version 2 with Douglas harbour. I will call this one complete as 32 miles terrain and 43 km route. mainly sea at 4 vertices plane. Too large to work on easily.
If I make more they will be approx. 20 to 30 km.
You might need to speed up roaming camera.

B

#12

Re-uploaded Isle of Man about 20 megs. Altered foward camera speed in logic bricks from 5 to 8. Remade Silloth and probably upload it today with animated dock gates. If UPBGE beocmes usable for people to download easily with it I will change to it. But it would need to be embedded within Blender somehow?

#13

Uploaded updated Silloth on the Solway Firth. Emphasis is just on the dock layout.
3 drivable sailing flats. keys…wasd, tfgh, ijkjl
Open dock gates key 1 - close dock gates key 2.
Remade with flat seabed base to dock and flat surrounding sheet of grass, rather han trying to level out terrain.
Tested download and seems to OK.
So currently online Isle of Man - Annan harbour - Silloth.

I think for ‘reasons’, it might be better just to leave the download page online and the index page, and not include screenshots or descriptive pages. Same applies to the link the side of each post which is visible to all ‘worlwide’. I will include the link to the index page in the ccasional posts as I have been doing. I will put all the details in the enclosed readme with each route in future and a brief description of the routes. Might be the ‘safest’ method. 26/01/2019.

Barry

#14

Regarding the routes themselves I think for the very few on these forums who are interested in making simulations using Blender, I think 2.8 scuppered the works for several people due to the complexity. I have made routes and content over more than a a dozen years, some with gmax, which I found difficult to use and Blender Game Engine was a lot easier.

At present 3 routes with content available for download and will leave these on-line for now. Future routes, until I get around to Barmouth or the Thames Estuary will be basic, terrain, animated water sheet, drivable vessel, roaming camera, basic merged colour texture. Once completed I will probably start on the updates of some photo texture, open up rivers, docks, ports, harbours, vessels, trees, buildings, etc. I can probably make 1 or 2 a day of the basic routes so even if I don’t renew the domain name in a few months I will have them ready to update if I wish or not wish for myself. Some of these I might put on-line and vary them until I decide.

Regarding 2.8 had a few looks at it and a definite no go for me, so it will be the embedded 2.79b which should be available in the archives for a good few years. Regarding upbge this would need to be an embedded version type, in Blender, easy to download for others, to enable people to download and run my routes. So for now I can only watch ‘events’.

Any relevant details will now be in the readme contained in the download. So for the few that might be interested, I will check this thread from time to time for any relevant discussion or queries. Crtique is not wanted as I am aware of the methods and functions used in commercial ship simulators, Shipsim and Virtual Sailor, etc.

Barry

#15

upbge should have the game publishing addon.

if i have time ill make you a little launcher that will auto find all blends in the exe folder, generate a list of buttons which you can click on to launch a route. i could even add pictures.

then people wouldnt have download blender, just your exe.

#16

Hi Daedalus.
Bit of a maze everything at present time as I am just a one man band on these forums.

I only have the one blend file that contains the routes. People download 2.79b and then open the exe file in the route folder. About up to 15 to 20 meg, So I only need to upload to the server, the zip route folder containg single blend file, texture file, and the readme, at present up to about 20 meg total.

I tried to see what difference upbge would make and had blender and the upbge that contains the Blender exe on the computer. After experimenting with it all my blend files wouldn’t open (made in Blender) they had changed to Blend1. I should have removed upbge but uninstalled Blender so total log jamb of all the blend files now blend1 files. Luckily Windows restore to a week back brought them back to life.

I can change Blender Files to UPBGE but I don’t think UPBGE can save back to Blender.

I appreciate any help but I can’t see myself ever learning the new Blender 2.8 in my life span (smile). Never used nodes, no strm2 script in it so far. Never learnt how to render, etc, etc.
What are the advantages of UPBGE?

I am OK if Blender retains 2.79b in the archives but a bit more messy for people to install it and depends on the powers that be.

Pity the orriginal game engine wasn’t updated over the years as eventually found ways round it.
Boats used to fly off into space with dynamic but rigid body solved that and was then able to make working locks and tidal. Found out to make boats float I put a collision box around the sea flat plane, and around the boat up to waterline. I used to run them on their keel. Vertices used to fly back if outside 10 km from centre and so on.

The seafarers are not a happy bunch at present, next their grog allowance might be cut (smile).

Thanks

Barry

#17

upbge is not backwards compatible with normal bge, as you found.

the big advantages to upbge are realtime reflections, better sun shadows, and other features that benefit niche or advanced setups.

i personally use 2.74 and dont plan on upgrading soon.

if you package routes as an exe, then the user wouldnt even need blender.

#18

The user would need blender in the package and maybe package 5 different routes exes? I need to read up or experiment further with plain blender and/or upbge as probably most people would not bother to download Blender if it is seperate as now.

What you mentioned sounds interesting but do I work in Blender 2.79b then convert to upbge and how to package into exe to include Blender without large file size? First though I need to remake anout 50 ‘basic routes’ at about 20 to 30 km using the srtm script. Make 1 or 2 a day.

Thanks B

#19

launcher.blend (450.2 KB)

it looks for any blend file in the same folder as itself. preferably it should look in a specific folder.

heres a basic idea of what i was thinking. pack this into a EXE in any of the blender versions, and it will be like opening the blend in that version and pressing “Play”

theres a place for a preview picture and a description if you want i can add those.

#20

Eventually I tried the launcher by putting the exe files from 7 routes into one folder and the launcher exe. plus the folder of textures.

Tried it on the stand alone player/ start. It listed the 7 routes and then click on any to open. The embedded doesn’t seem to work. With having seperate folder for textures in each routes it would need the various textures in one folder.

However can’t see how the user could make use of it as regards downloads. Quite interesting though to see it list the 7 routes and click on any to open any one. But for now I will plod on making the routes in 2.79b and it’s up to the user to download 2.79b blender to open and run them. With updating and the quantity of routes and changes I need to keep it simple to work on with differing textures in each texture folder. I tried the function of making a single blend file of exe and texure folders but that got complicated I think its easier just to keep things simple to work on.

I can’t understand this forum as considering the number of completed games and simulations where are they? I put a few in the completed games forum a while back. I might start putting them in there for download as I update each one which could take a good while for each although 50 routes could be tricky for others to download as regards my bandwidth. Maybe up to 10 a about 25 meg each. Other forums such as Trainz etc have their own route download area but they are a commercial firm . I had several on the Tranz forum but back to 2004 and including ships on invisible track, with miles of Liverpool docks, Overhead railway, etc. The only connection with it as a menber of Trainz adapted my sailing flat to run on imvisible track in Trainz. However Trainz became very complex (for me). Thanks Barry