Class Notes Experiment

As I have been told to update my blog lately, I suppose I will be updating my blog lately.
I haven't had much time to do anything developery lately, so this will have to do.

http://www.exartech.comxa.com/class/2011/MAC1140/

Character Design

Trying today to get some character design done with blender, possibly for a game, if I can manage to texture this guy. It's very low-poly work, as the engine I'm using runs interpreted code, which is slow. Hopefully it doesn't overload it too badly, this is 254 polys, and it will be the only one of its complexity in the game. Anyhow, if all goes well (which it most likely will not), I can try to implement a game that utilizes 3D gravity, maybe a shooter.


Assuming that I'm too bad at math to get it to work, this model may just grow a layer of dust for the next few years.

3D Planet Gravity

This morning, I woke up with an unexplained thought in my head.
I knew exactly how to implement 3D gravity such as that in Super Mario Galaxy.
I'm still not quite sure why I was thinking about that, or why I pushed all of my sheets onto the floor in my sleep, but I think I was right.

A basic concept of 2D rotational gravity is to send out 2 rays from the
bottom of the character, one closer to the front, and one closer to the back.
From this, you calculate the angle between them, and use it to properly
rotate your character, and set the gravity of the character.
Optionally, for a more complex, but smoother situation, you find
the potential collision point, and gradually move towards the spot right above it.

In order to do 3D gravity, it's a little different, but the concept should be the same.
Send out 3 rays in a triangular arrangement from the character, and calculate a triangle from the points.
Take the resulting triangle, and use it as a reference for gravity.

Easier said than done, but the idea is there.