Linear algebra for game developers ~ part 1
July 1st, 2009
When I posted about decals last week, a number of readers commented that they would be interested in posts about linear algebra as it applies to game development. I decided if I'm going to write about that, I might as well start at the beginning! This will be review to many of you who have written games before or ...
Overgrowth alpha 33
June 29th, 2009
Here is what is new in Overgrowth in this weekly alpha. If you are confused what a weekly alpha is, or even what Overgrowth is, please read our fancy FAQ. Basically, we are developing a massive video game from the ground up -- we are able to do this completely independently by accepting preorders for the game before it's done ...
Cat House Concept Timelapse
June 29th, 2009
Here is a new concept I am working on for the cats in Overgrowth. It is really hard to get something that seems both realistic and original. One reason to keep the design grounded is to provide contrast so that the more amazing aspects of the game seem that much more over-the-top. Be sure to watch it in HD! I ...
Physics Editor ~ Part I
June 27th, 2009
The latest toolset I've been working on for Overgrowth is the physics editor. There are three big pieces to this, and each is now well underway. First, users need to be able to make and manipulate simple physics primitives (such as boxes, capsules, and spheres) that can be inserted into the Overgrowth physics world. Second, we need tools to ...
How to make a seamless tiling texture
June 25th, 2009
What are seams? Tiling textures are much more efficient than unique textures, which is especially important for large objects. The main cost of this efficiency is that tiling textures can look unrealistic when used incorrectly -- real rocks are not made of repeating tiles. The tiling is most obvious when there are distinct details that repeat, and the worst kind of ...
How to project decals
June 24th, 2009
We've been talking a lot about decals recently, showing off our editor and explaining how the shading works. However, we haven't explained how the decals are actually projected geometrically onto complicated objects. We've been getting some questions about that, and I remember how hard it was to find information about decals when I was getting started, so ...
Overgrowth alpha 32
June 23rd, 2009
Here is what is new in Overgrowth in this weekly alpha. If you are confused what a weekly alpha is, or even what Overgrowth is, please read our fancy FAQ. Basically, we are developing a massive video game from the ground up -- we are able to do this completely independently by accepting preorders for the game before it's done ...