The Tower Of Knowledge, a NGLE benchmark demo...

Piega · 05-04-09, 16:03

To keep things interesting for me as a builder I want to create a scenery that sucks the engine dry. To find a balance between detail and rendering as this old engine depends merely on the processor instead of your 3D card. I run two geforces 260 in SLI mode and still my big sceneries chuckles in framerate.

It will be a view in the kitchen of levelbuilding as I will release everything that has to do with this demo. From the Meta mesh files through textures, project and wad. It is supposed to be inspirational for new and existing builders on how to combine textures on objects with detail without going overboard in vertices or texture size. Especially in complex scenes it is important to keep objects as simple as possible to keep your framerate high.

It will also show how far you can get with textures in your wad using NGLE. This project will fail in the original tomb raider as it uses the bounderies of NGLE. Yes, this engine is old and antialiasing and mipmapping are things to dream of. Also important is the draw distance. The old engine and TREP suffer from heavy clipping on latest hardware but the draw distance will lift the clipping a lot when your levelfarview is set to 127 and thus it will create smoother scenery.

I have worked for several weeks now and will show only a peek into things that will come. It is not a level and will not be playable. It is just a high tech demo like NVIDIA or 3D future mark. The in game shots are beta but almost finished. The horizon itself is alread 24 texture pages.

When is it coming you may ask, well when it is ready. It wont take that long next to Sanctuary of Souls

When viewing the pictures get a good impression of the mood of the demo by listening to the title music: http://home.kpn.nl/~piega3/TofK.mp3

tomblover · 05-04-09, 16:08

The last pic is totally gorgeous.

laralives · 05-04-09, 16:09

It's very pretty! ^.^ I think it's great allthough one corner of the tower and two Meta shots aren't much to show

hehe Looks good though. I hope to see more somedayl. ^^

Compass · 05-04-09, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piega

When is it coming you may ask, well when it is ready. It wont take that long next to Sanctuary of Souls

So it still might take 3 years because the demo of SoS was released in 2005?
Sorry I really like to see screenshots of your projects Piega but after all it's a bit dissapoiting to see everything but never played by ourselfs

but the pictures you shown above look GREAT!

matrix54 · 05-04-09, 16:24

Do I have the Talent?: Somewhat, Yes
Do I have the Time?: Yes
Do I have the Tools?: Yes
Do I have the Knowledge? Yes
Do I have the Patience? NO!

At least theres someone sucking the engine dry and milking the cow for all its worth...maybe someday i'll have the patience and time/energy...

Piega · 05-04-09, 16:28

Projects come and go, mine comes and comes untill it is there. I also have a job. A lot of spare time go's into my hobby. What can I do to encourage patience.

Blockbuster games are made in years with a team of hundred people. I work alone. Where is "The Beginning", "Develish Habitat" and other projects that are years in the making. At least I'm here and telling there is progress and yet I get executed for this by you.

Piega · 05-04-09, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrix54

Do I have the Talent?: Somewhat, Yes
Do I have the Time?: Yes
Do I have the Tools?: Yes
Do I have the Knowledge? Yes
Do I have the Patience? NO!

At least theres someone sucking the engine dry and milking the cow for all its worth...maybe someday i'll have the patience and time/energy...

Patience, knowledge and time are the structural learning basics for everything

laralives · 05-04-09, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piega

Projects come and go, mine comes and comes untill it is there. I also have a job. A lot of spare time go's into my hobby. What can I do to encourage patience.

Blockbuster games are made in years with a team of hundred people. I work alone. Where is "The Beginning", "Develish Habitat" and other projects that are years in the making. At least I'm here and telling there is progress and yet I get executed for this by you.

The Beginning is in GeckoKid's hard drive and I imagine so is Devilish Habitat is in Harly Wuson's

But to tell you the truth Geckokid I believe switched over to a different NGLE and like it killed his textures I think, maybe if he sees this he himself can explain what's up with his project. And Harly is probably in hiding as always XD I can't really speak for him...

Piega · 05-04-09, 16:36

I know the problem with Jack. NGLE does not work well on his laptop. But I would like to keep the focus on this project or this topic is going to exist out of things besides the subject.

Titak · 05-04-09, 17:27

*drools*

I love what you have made so far.
It is looking rally good. Simply great!

Too bad it won't be playable. I love running around in beautifull scenery, like your gardens.

24 pages for the horizon alone!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piega

I will release everything that has to do with this demo. From the Meta mesh files through textures, project and wad.

Oohhh! I can already see where I could use those old wood beam textures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

Sorry I really like to see screenshots of your projects Piega but after all it's a bit dissapoiting to see everything but never played by ourselfs

Believe me. You will think it was well worth it to wait this long for Sanctuary of Souls once you've played it.

05-04-09, 16:03	#1
Piega Archaeologist Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,114	The Tower Of Knowledge, a NGLE benchmark demo... To keep things interesting for me as a builder I want to create a scenery that sucks the engine dry. To find a balance between detail and rendering as this old engine depends merely on the processor instead of your 3D card. I run two geforces 260 in SLI mode and still my big sceneries chuckles in framerate. It will be a view in the kitchen of levelbuilding as I will release everything that has to do with this demo. From the Meta mesh files through textures, project and wad. It is supposed to be inspirational for new and existing builders on how to combine textures on objects with detail without going overboard in vertices or texture size. Especially in complex scenes it is important to keep objects as simple as possible to keep your framerate high. It will also show how far you can get with textures in your wad using NGLE. This project will fail in the original tomb raider as it uses the bounderies of NGLE. Yes, this engine is old and antialiasing and mipmapping are things to dream of. Also important is the draw distance. The old engine and TREP suffer from heavy clipping on latest hardware but the draw distance will lift the clipping a lot when your levelfarview is set to 127 and thus it will create smoother scenery. I have worked for several weeks now and will show only a peek into things that will come. It is not a level and will not be playable. It is just a high tech demo like NVIDIA or 3D future mark. The in game shots are beta but almost finished. The horizon itself is alread 24 texture pages. When is it coming you may ask, well when it is ready. It wont take that long next to Sanctuary of Souls When viewing the pictures get a good impression of the mood of the demo by listening to the title music: http://home.kpn.nl/~piega3/TofK.mp3 Last edited by Piega; 24-11-09 at 17:03. Reason: update

05-04-09, 16:08	#2
tomblover Tomb Raider Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lyra's Café \| ♂ Posts: 15,155	The last pic is totally gorgeous. __________________ ~fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars.

05-04-09, 16:09	#3
laralives Professor Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,965	It's very pretty! ^.^ I think it's great allthough one corner of the tower and two Meta shots aren't much to show hehe Looks good though. I hope to see more somedayl. ^^ __________________ No one is meant to be happy.

05-04-09, 16:24	#5
matrix54 Relic Hunter Join Date: May 2007 Location: Planet earth, Milky Way Galexy Gender: Male Posts: 6,731	Do I have the Talent?: Somewhat, Yes Do I have the Time?: Yes Do I have the Tools?: Yes Do I have the Knowledge? Yes Do I have the Patience? NO! At least theres someone sucking the engine dry and milking the cow for all its worth...maybe someday i'll have the patience and time/energy... __________________ I've learned to carry a blade from thread to thread. just to be safe.

05-04-09, 16:28	#6
Piega Archaeologist Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,114	Projects come and go, mine comes and comes untill it is there. I also have a job. A lot of spare time go's into my hobby. What can I do to encourage patience. Blockbuster games are made in years with a team of hundred people. I work alone. Where is "The Beginning", "Develish Habitat" and other projects that are years in the making. At least I'm here and telling there is progress and yet I get executed for this by you. Last edited by Piega; 05-04-09 at 16:29.

05-04-09, 16:36	#9
Piega Archaeologist Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,114	I know the problem with Jack. NGLE does not work well on his laptop. But I would like to keep the focus on this project or this topic is going to exist out of things besides the subject.