Hi, I am administrator and owner of a site called the Guild of Age Crafters. The site creates MYST-based fan art in programs such as 3DS Max, Terragen, Bryce and Blender.
Recently, we have started to plan a MYST fan game to be modelled and made on the Blender game engine. We are planning to push the engine to its limits, matching at least the graphical quality of realMYST or URU. When someone looks at this, we don’t want them to immediatly single it out as a Blender game.
But anyway, although I have not started modelling my assigned Ages yet, I would like to begin programming. I do not know where to start programming with the game engine. I can’t find any tutorials about where to start with the game engine, and I just want to know where I can start with this. We don’t need a simple system, only 1st person movement with proper collision, no jumping, and the ability to push buttons that play animations.
Interesting. I made a few myst style presentations a few years back with director.
Standard rendered scenes with video links ran from hotspots. Used them mostly for guided tours etc.
To be honest to meet up to teh quality of images a fan site will be rendering out it might be better to use something like Macromedia Director for the game. If I remember rightly the original myst was tied in some way to director. Perhaps even authored in it.
The game engine might fall short in creating a rich enough environment due to the constraints that real time rendering would impose.
This is about as direct as I can think of as to learning how to use the Game Engine. If you make a stop at each you will come across everything that goes into [1] creating content [2] setting it up [3] letting it rip! Of course you’ll need information on more game theory specific topics like level design, UI implementation, and the like. The GE (Game Engine) in blender is really a fabulous piece of technology, specifically software. To create what it does from scratch is a difficult task with using low level APIs such as OpenGL, complex 3 dimensional math, low level languages such as C/C++, data resource management, complex algorithms, and the list goes on. …just my three cheers for the game engine.
not sure if you’ve come across my “myst translations” project (ive posted my progress a couple of times here at elysiun as well as mystcommunity and mystobsession).
although ive been plodding along with the project by myself - i’ve always intended to hand it over to interested members of the communities once id got the infrastructure set up and a couple of template Ages written (including a “copy” of myst ).
ive been keeping an eye on the guild of age crafters and was really just waiting for a good time to say hi - guess i’ll wander over sooner rather than later now…
anyway the main point is im currently doing most of the extra bits youre asking about (coding for movement, puzzles, buttons, linking, reading text etc) so would be happy to come and share what ive got when i get some spare time.
A myst game, eh? Sounds feasable. You just need some good textures and animations. Good luck to you, you’ll have your hands full on this one. It will get done as long as you keep at it, so keep at it!
Hey BJ, I’m tempted with your offer, but I would like to learn to do this myself, sorry. Keep up the good work on your own project, though.
I have a small question though, can you use different files for Ages and have a Book take you there? That would seem hard yet logical, is that what you’re doing? Also, I thought I saw moving water in your video. How does that work?
Wow, that’s pretty cool, BJ. Looks like Myst. And Katori, if you want some realtime water, I just made one today (strangely, to make a myst-like game ) It uses a script made by someone (I forget who) to make the water go up and down and to make the UV texture move. Here’s the file so you can see for yourself: http://www.freewebs.com/blender_files/Water.sit
And as for your question about using different files for ages, then yes, that is what you do (at least what I would do.) Within blender GE, there is an option to upload a file. This allows for much more detail in the ages, and faster movement. I think I just may join your project (that is, if you accept me) because I truly enjoy Myst, and want to be a part of making a Myst-like game (for myself, it would be a joy, and it would be a tribute to the Myst series).
) It uses a script made by someone (I forget who) to make the water go up and down and to make the UV texture move. Here’s the file so you can see for yourself: