Detailed physics effects
May 26th, 2009
Physics libraries like ODE help simulate large-scale rigid body interactions, but they are only a small part of a complete game physics system. For detailed physics effects, it is usually more efficient to write unique subsystems. This is because all physics engines are necessarily based on vastly simplified model of reality, using assumptions known to be false. By writing new ...
Overgrowth alpha 28
May 25th, 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 ...
Ranged weapons in Overgrowth
May 25th, 2009
We've already given you a sampling of the kinds of melee weapons that will be included in Overgrowth but a lot of people have been asking me about ranged weapons. This is a tough design problem -- we would like to include ranged attacks, but we also want to maintain the focus on close-quarters combat. Many fighting games that include ...
New object palette window
May 23rd, 2009
Happy memorial day weekend! Per Wolfire tradition, we try not to observe weekends, holidays, or combinations of the two until Overgrowth is finished, so here's another update! I was talking with Phillip and we decided that it was kind of lame having three separate browsers for hotspots, objects, and decals (plus we have two more planned in the future ...
Hotspot graphics
May 23rd, 2009
After my last hotspots post, a few people suggested ways to improve visual feedback for the editor. In particular, commenters wanted icons to differentiate between each type of hotspot, and you guys wanted an indication of the triggering area. In response, I've added two new features to the Overgrowth hotspots. First, each hotspot now has an identifying icon hovering ...
2D Art Tutorial
May 21st, 2009
A lot of people are interested in the process I go through when I make a concept drawing for Overgrowth so I decided to make a short tutorial. Above is an animated gif demonstrating each step (click it to download). Here is an explanation of each one: 1. I usually start out with a simple line drawing. Often it is ...
Creating the Overgrowth physics engine
May 20th, 2009
Lugaru physics Ragdoll physics played an integral role in the gameplay of Lugaru -- much of the strategy consisted of arranging fights so that Turner falls on soft surfaces and his opponents crash into hard ones. The ragdoll physics in Lugaru were based on Newtonian particles connected by rigid stick constraints, as described in this paper. This method worked to simulate ...