Game Engines vs. Programming based tools
Interactive Playgrounds (Game Engines)
1 - Neverwinter 2 Toolset
2 - CryEngine Sandbox
3 - UnrealEd Runtime
4 - Source (Half-Life 2)
5 - Doom SD Kit
Advantages: powerful; embedded worlds, characters and behaviours
Limitations: difficult to change and expand beyond concepts of the game; portability, and uncertain future
Programming Based Tools
1 - Director Mx (Macromedia/Adobe)
- easy to learn
- strong limitations in 3d lighting
2 - Panda3d (Walt Disney Imagineering)
- medium to easy learning curve
- seems powerful
3 - Virtools (Dassault Système)
- awkward system
- very oriented into prototyping only
4 - XNA Studio (Microsoft)
- difficult to learn
- possibility to developp directly for Xbox
Advantages: Portability, limited only by the technology
Limitations: No materials available, everything (environments, objects or characters) must be developed from scratch, making it hard to start, manage and learn. By now, any of these solutions still have an uncertain future however they are in a better position than Game Engines.
Look fort Part I.
março 21, 2007
março 20, 2007
Software for Game Design development, part I
Programming languages
1 - Lingo - very easy to learn, with medium weaknesses
2 - Python - easy to learn, medium to high powerful when bind with C++
3 - Visual C++ - hard to learn but with unbeatable performance for games4 - Visual Basic - easy to learn, getting powerful5 - Engine Scripting - dependent of the engine, normally easy but limited
6 - LUA - as Python, less graphic oriented
7 – JAVA – as C++ it’s hard to learn and powerful but it’s not as used as C++ in the industry
3D tools
1 - 3d Studio Max - best architecture for plug-ins, powerful
2 - Blender - open-source with a medium performance
3 - Maya - the best available for animation but very expensive
4 - Cinema 4D - easy to learn, but not as widespread as Max
5 - Poser - very handy for quick character design but useless for animation
Look for Part II of this article.
1 - Lingo - very easy to learn, with medium weaknesses
2 - Python - easy to learn, medium to high powerful when bind with C++
3 - Visual C++ - hard to learn but with unbeatable performance for games4 - Visual Basic - easy to learn, getting powerful5 - Engine Scripting - dependent of the engine, normally easy but limited
6 - LUA - as Python, less graphic oriented
7 – JAVA – as C++ it’s hard to learn and powerful but it’s not as used as C++ in the industry
3D tools
1 - 3d Studio Max - best architecture for plug-ins, powerful
2 - Blender - open-source with a medium performance
3 - Maya - the best available for animation but very expensive
4 - Cinema 4D - easy to learn, but not as widespread as Max
5 - Poser - very handy for quick character design but useless for animation
Look for Part II of this article.
Automatização e agregação de media
Um sistema que permite agregar conteúdos: vídeo, imagens e texto e produzir notícias audiovisuais recorrendo a um sistema baseado no jogo Half-life 2.
"News at Seven is an automatic system that crafts daily news shows. It finds the news you are interested in; edits it; finds relevant images, videos, and external opinions; and then presents it all using a virtual news team working in a virtual studio. News at Seven is a uniquely compelling experience that can present traditional news--augmented with supplemental images, videos, and opinions from the blogosphere—all without human intervention."
Experimental Gameplay
«
. Innovative user interfaces that use natural language processing, image recognition, gestural control, new hardware devices, and the like.
. Generative games, where the gameplay or world is dynamically generated based on choices the player makes.
. Gameplay based on the emotions of (and interactions between) non-player-characters, where the player influences the characters to achieve some goal.
. Interactive storytelling, where the plot or dialog of the game changes in a fine-grained manner (in contrast with more typical discrete "branching points").
. Subtle emergent gameplay, where game systems interact to provide evolving situations. Physics-based gameplay would be an example of this. Another example would be a game with complex interpersonal interactions, like alliances and feuds between groups.
. Novel sorts of multiplayer interactions -- online, at the same machine, with wireless devices, using image recognition, or whatever.
»
from CFP of Experimental Gameplay
. Innovative user interfaces that use natural language processing, image recognition, gestural control, new hardware devices, and the like.
. Generative games, where the gameplay or world is dynamically generated based on choices the player makes.
. Gameplay based on the emotions of (and interactions between) non-player-characters, where the player influences the characters to achieve some goal.
. Interactive storytelling, where the plot or dialog of the game changes in a fine-grained manner (in contrast with more typical discrete "branching points").
. Subtle emergent gameplay, where game systems interact to provide evolving situations. Physics-based gameplay would be an example of this. Another example would be a game with complex interpersonal interactions, like alliances and feuds between groups.
. Novel sorts of multiplayer interactions -- online, at the same machine, with wireless devices, using image recognition, or whatever.
»
from CFP of Experimental Gameplay
Hunicke e os MySims
Robin Hunicke é a Lead Designer dos novos Sims da Wii, os MySims. Robin está a acabar o seu doutoramento em Computer Science na Northwestern University, mais especificamente na área de Artificial Intelligence e Video Games. Tem participado em inúmeras conferências e debates tais como a GDC, AAAI, DIGRA.Como se poderá ver no teaser do jogo a cuteness dos bonecos e acima de tudo a linguagem não verbal deles são fantásticas. Vamos ver se estes elementos se mantêm no gameplay.
março 19, 2007
Novos Rumos de Investigação
Como novo objectivo de investigação interessa-me agora explorar o desenvolvimento de personagens virtuais autónomas e emocionais. Ou seja continuando a trabalhar sobre os ambientes virtuais (VE) e os seus aspectos emocionais e cinemáticos mas dedicando mais atenção aos agentes virtuais. O que por sua vez continua não só a depender dos estudos da emoção cinemática e interactiva mas recorre também à Psicologia Cognitiva e de Entertainment assim como ao Game Design e aos Film Studies tudo na linha do que se tem vindo a fazer. Ou seja os três vértices FILM + VE + GAME ao qual agora se adiciona AI.
Desse modo temos três projectos actuais bastante interessantes para analisar ou re-analisar
FAÇADE
Tem aplicação finalizada e pode ser feito o download.
Do ponto de vista da AI apresenta um nivel excelente. Graficamente é muito fraco, ainda que representado num espaço tridimensional os elementos são todos 2d. A expressão facial é também muito bem conseguida e acompanha os story beats de forma bastante credível.
Apresenta o problema genérico de ser um história fechada e desse modo Mateas não se preocupou muito em produzir técnicas replicaveis, o que em ciência soa a pouco.
IMPROV
Possui apenas alguns pequenos jogos onde se podem ver os conceitos em uso.
Técnicas autonomização dos personagens/agentes importadas da caracterização/performance de actores reais, nomeadamente técnicas de improviso. Nos exemplos do site, que são poucos, podemos ver o efeito do Status numa relação interpessoal. No site podemos ainda encontrar uma apresentação da GDC com um titulo bastante sugestivo "Entertaining AI: Using Rules from Improvisational Acting to Create Unscripted Emotional Impact" mas que deixa algo a desejar, para já não tem qualquer paper e é parco em textos explicativos.
DRAMA PRINCESS
Demo terminada e online.
O conceito acerta na mouche do que procuramos - Research & development of a reusable autonomous character for realtime 3D focused on dramatical impact rather than simulation of natural behaviour. A demo parece ser um inicio bastante interessante apesar de Michael parecer estar um pouco desapontado com os resultados: "When all the decisions are being made about what to do, the Drama Princess actors currently quickly run out of inspiration. The problem is that they can end up in a position where nothing interests them anymore and they cannot get out of it because their filters are very strict about what they like to do and with whom. And since they’re not doing anything, their feelings about the objects don’t change (appart from the very slow decline due to absense)". Ou seja o problema da emergência e pervasividade. Como manter o flow of life, acima de tudo interessante numa lógica ligada à psicologia do entertainment.
projectos anteriores de relativo interesse
OZ, CMU
Virtual Theater, Stanford
...a seguir tools para produção playgrounds virtuais onde possamos desenvolver estas técnicas.
Desse modo temos três projectos actuais bastante interessantes para analisar ou re-analisar
FAÇADE
Tem aplicação finalizada e pode ser feito o download.
Do ponto de vista da AI apresenta um nivel excelente. Graficamente é muito fraco, ainda que representado num espaço tridimensional os elementos são todos 2d. A expressão facial é também muito bem conseguida e acompanha os story beats de forma bastante credível.
Apresenta o problema genérico de ser um história fechada e desse modo Mateas não se preocupou muito em produzir técnicas replicaveis, o que em ciência soa a pouco.
IMPROV
Possui apenas alguns pequenos jogos onde se podem ver os conceitos em uso.
Técnicas autonomização dos personagens/agentes importadas da caracterização/performance de actores reais, nomeadamente técnicas de improviso. Nos exemplos do site, que são poucos, podemos ver o efeito do Status numa relação interpessoal. No site podemos ainda encontrar uma apresentação da GDC com um titulo bastante sugestivo "Entertaining AI: Using Rules from Improvisational Acting to Create Unscripted Emotional Impact" mas que deixa algo a desejar, para já não tem qualquer paper e é parco em textos explicativos.
DRAMA PRINCESS
Demo terminada e online.
O conceito acerta na mouche do que procuramos - Research & development of a reusable autonomous character for realtime 3D focused on dramatical impact rather than simulation of natural behaviour. A demo parece ser um inicio bastante interessante apesar de Michael parecer estar um pouco desapontado com os resultados: "When all the decisions are being made about what to do, the Drama Princess actors currently quickly run out of inspiration. The problem is that they can end up in a position where nothing interests them anymore and they cannot get out of it because their filters are very strict about what they like to do and with whom. And since they’re not doing anything, their feelings about the objects don’t change (appart from the very slow decline due to absense)". Ou seja o problema da emergência e pervasividade. Como manter o flow of life, acima de tudo interessante numa lógica ligada à psicologia do entertainment.
projectos anteriores de relativo interesse
OZ, CMU
Virtual Theater, Stanford
...a seguir tools para produção playgrounds virtuais onde possamos desenvolver estas técnicas.
Genetic modified Pets
"Genpets are not toys or robots. They are living, breathing genetic animals...Genpets are color-coded to match one of several different genetically programmed personality profiles, so there's sure to be a Genpet perfect for you!" See the entire story here
março 18, 2007
ScriptEase for Neverwinter Nights
"Making a module for a game like BioWare's Neverwinter Nights is a new way of telling a story, and has its own set of challenges. Instead of readers, you have players who want to feel as though they actively participate in the story. One way to do this is to present your players with a world that they interact with, instead of one they just pass through. ScriptEase is a tool designed to complement Bioware's Aurora Toolset. With Aurora, you construct the world the players will adventure in, and with ScriptEase you bring it to life.""ScriptEase is being developed by researchers from two research groups in the Department of Computing Science at the University of Alberta, the Games group and the Software Systems group. The goal of the ScriptEase project is to support module builders (storytellers) and game designers in automatically generating scripts for computer role-playing stories, without programming."
Dennis Muren and the Art of Visual Effects
Dennis Muren interviewed by CG Society
"people think the aesthetic and art comes from the director... they think the art is brought to them when they get the storyboards... All of that is the beginning, not the end. Usually, the sets are not lit for the effect because the effect isn’t there. We have to relight it. To do that, you need to have a broader background than a technician. In every technical task, an aesthetic component can make it better"
Dennis Muren’s Oscars
1981 - Star Wars: Episode V
1982 - Technical Achievement Award
1983 - E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1984 - Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
1985 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1988 - Innerspace
1990 - The Abyss
1992 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day
1994 - Jurassic Park
Oscar Nominations:
1982 - Dragon Slayer
1986 - Young Sherlock Holmes
1989 - Willow
1998 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park
2000 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
2002 - Artificial Intelligence: AI
2006 - War of the Worlds
"people think the aesthetic and art comes from the director... they think the art is brought to them when they get the storyboards... All of that is the beginning, not the end. Usually, the sets are not lit for the effect because the effect isn’t there. We have to relight it. To do that, you need to have a broader background than a technician. In every technical task, an aesthetic component can make it better"
Dennis Muren’s Oscars
1981 - Star Wars: Episode V
1982 - Technical Achievement Award
1983 - E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1984 - Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
1985 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1988 - Innerspace
1990 - The Abyss
1992 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day
1994 - Jurassic Park
Oscar Nominations:
1982 - Dragon Slayer
1986 - Young Sherlock Holmes
1989 - Willow
1998 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park
2000 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
2002 - Artificial Intelligence: AI
2006 - War of the Worlds
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