Babcity

[getzel]

Hello my friends !

 

I want to see if it's possible to create a big and complete game with Babylon.js.

It will be an open world with 3rd person view.

It is open source and collaborative.

We will release a list of features and for each see if it's possible.

 

I did the beginning (better with chrome) :

 

(free server so you have to wait for the loading of the model)

Let's work here :

https://github.com/getzelus/babcity

 

Thank you for your attention and hope you will be part of it.

[gryff]

@getzel : Hi . I took a look at your demo - the guy in the street. I looked at the man model : - total verts = 24,226 and active indices = 112,662. Do you plan on all your figures having this number of verts ? Do you need to have textures as big as 2048x2048 for skin and 1024x1024 for shoes - as you say the server is slow? And if you plan on having figures fully clothed - maybe the it is possible to reorganize the textures and uv mapping?

Just some thoughts while I see where the project might go and if I should participate.

cheers, gryff

[getzel]

@gryff Thx for your participation !

I used Makehuman for the male model and its textures and let it as it was (just did animations).

But sure you're true, his textures are too big. I have to reduce it.

Yea we can reorganize the uv mapping (takes less time to load ?)

The male model didn't seem too highpoly to me but the project is open to all changes for optimization etc...

 

 

 

[aWeirdo]

the model is way too big  

I would reduce the textures to 512 * 512, smaller objects like shoes as @gryff mentioned, i'd try and go for 256*256 or even 128*128.
and also use (loseless*) JPG, they are much smaller in size, yet the quality loss is pretty much invisible to the human eye.

as for the mesh itself, 5-8k poly's are more than enough for a realistic human base model, when made properly.

Just my two cents

* Most image editors today can save jpg files at 100% quality, so the only time it is changed in quality, is when it's converted from another file type, an example of a free program would be http://www.getpaint.net/index.html (Windows)
 

[gryff]

@getzel : as @aWeirdo mentioned the model is very large (and not just polys). Tthe image below shows you "man" (no textures) and  two Babylon unit cubes  - and they are 23 units apart. If you are exporting from MakeHuman v1.1 set the scale (right side of window) to "meters".

Also, if you want people to participate,  maybe a little more explanation of what this means:

8 hours ago, getzel said:

create a big and complete game with Babylon.js

What are those "list of features" you mention?

I don't think aWeirdo and I are trying to be negative or discouraging - but it just seems so vague at the moment.

cheers, gryff

[Pryme8]

You can pull off realistic humans easily with 2k-3k verts

[getzel]

Yes, the model has to be smaller.

I just resized the textures of manbab and added the blend file to the repo.

 

So the project at the beginning is like a sandbox to see how far we can go in adding basic and complex features.

And once it's done, we can customize it to create one or several games with different goals and scenarios in solo (and a multiplayer mode).

 

In every 3rd person game like GTA, Hitman, Mafia etc. there are a lot of features.

These games are different because of the scenario and the design but the technical features are often the same.

I didn't put all at the beginning to not scare you. If we don't do everything, it's ok.

 

Here is a list :

 

- animations (i can mix it by animating the bones required)

- camera doesn't go through wall

- good collision system (now I use moveWithCollision)

- jumping (i will implement that but I'll show you an issue with the moveWithCollision)

- shooting (i can do it simple but graphically there are different ways)

- hitting (with a knife or hands)

- crouching

- rendering lot of models (performance issue)

- realistic environment (trees and vegetation that move with wind and water)

- multi-textures on the floor

- climbing walls (parkour stuff)

- AI for bots (i can do it simple)

- cars

- facial emotions (for cinematics etc)

- customizing avatar

 

 

[Pryme8]

I have a physics controller that already has jumping crouching running walking and normal speed programmed in with options for third or first person I can provide for you.

[getzel]

@Pryme8 It would be great

[Pryme8]

Pm Me. Ill swing you the prototype version which is not as clean but will give you all the tools to set up a clean controller.

[getzel]

Gentlemen,

I did some work and with the help of Pryme8, here is the jump feature :

http://yobrowser.hol.es/babcity/alpha02-jump.html

https://github.com/getzelus/babcity/blob/master/alpha02-jump.html

He proposed to use a physic engine (CannonJS).

But for the moment, I prefer to keep moveWithCollision if its enough, because of performance and easy coding.

Other ways to deal with collisions : intersectsMesh or raycast and move in the opposite direction of walk (dirty ?)

I'm ok with this new jump feature but maybe you know a better way.

(need to create the jumping animation but this is only graphic stuff).

 

-------------------

In fact I have some questions relative to moveWithCollision (native collision system) :

 

- Can we implement an isGrounded parameter ?

 

To check if our character can jump (like in Unity)

I coded a working trick : compare the y position of the man in time (dirty ? and not accurate with heightfield)

The comparison has a little delta of 0.2 because when the man is a little upside when he walks.

 

To check if the character collides something and get the obstacle, the onCollide function seems to work fine.

 

- Is it possible to implement a debug function to draw the ellipsoid ?

 

I configured the ellipsoid of the man at line 180 and 181. The man doesn't go through the floating platform.

But he can't walk below if the platform is high.

 

 

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Thank you guys !