Frozen ragdolls
January 13th, 2011
Before I could make the ragdolls match animations, I had to make them match poses. To test this out, I just made them hold their current pose when I press the 'ragdoll' button. Here's a video I took while testing this out: Be sure to watch it in HD! To create the 'frozen' effect I just add an extra ...
Overgrowth graphics overview
December 16th, 2010
I haven't had time to write any new tech posts during the rush to get the gameplay structure in, but for now I decided to consolidate some previous tech posts into an overview of core rendering in Overgrowth. If you're new to the Wolfire blog, this should be a good intro to the Overgrowth graphics technology! Since the ...
GDebugger is free!
December 11th, 2010
When I looked for tools to track and analyze OpenGL calls in Overgrowth, the best I could find was a commercial program called GDebugger by a company called Graphics Remedy. The trial version worked well for me on all platforms I tried, including Mac, Windows and iOS. However, it was too expensive for us to afford the full version. That ...
More Foley sounds
November 7th, 2010
It's been almost a month since my last post about Foley sounds in Overgrowth, so I thought I would give an update! If you're not familiar with the term, Foley sounds are simple but precise sound effects which bring life to physical interactions like footsteps, rubbing cloth, and falling bodies. In that first test there were only sounds ...
Super Meat Bunny
October 31st, 2010
I was testing out some blood effects when I discovered Super Meat Bunny. He let me record this video as he showed off some slick moves. Be sure to watch it in HD! Have a happy Halloween!
Ragdoll knockouts
October 25th, 2010
Part of what made Lugaru unique was the way that every hit knocked the enemy head over heels using ragdoll physics. In Overgrowth, I'm planning to add more variety by using a combination of blended animations, active ragdolls, and passive ragdolls. However, there's something very satisfying about just blasting enemies away! Here is a test of Lugaru-style knockout ...
First foley sound effects test
October 9th, 2010
In modern film, almost every sound is recorded in post production. This includes even the most subtle sounds, such as clothing shifting as a character checks his wristwatch, or leather creaking as he tightens his bootstraps. These sounds are recorded behind the scenes by a "Foley" artist, who uses all sorts of materials to reproduce the on-screen movement as closely ...