New Server/Game being created for simplclient

[bristle]

well i hope to get grid going soon. then i will look at simpleclient stuff. i am particular interest in how the client and server communicate with each other. in theory, everything that the server and client can do, another client can do.

in reality, i have no idea of how it will go.

[GeorgeS]

I am the creator of the static models for simple client, and you can DL my models (.zip) for use in your project. If you use these, put WC and my name in the credit list, but you can of course modify them as necessary.

I sent you am pm with the links to these


http://wizardportal.dyndns.org/eqemu...k_to_date.html
http://wizardportal.dyndns.org/eqemu..._to_date2.html

GeorgeS

[bristle]

ok i can see them now -- well i will when i use an X or LWO format.

[OrisonSeven]

So i figured id add a few character model designs we just started. Was gonna use the ones built in, but decided once again to see what the program can handle. These will be textured and also fine tuned alot before even being considered close to what we are intending.

1 question about the animations of the models. Can the animation length for combat be complex and more like a set of animations. And can could a few seperate animations be linked together with a code for randomization to allow for a more "entertaining" combat.

I remember the original eq, and the models standing still and either swinging 1 arm and parying with a shield; alternating left then right arm swing, though it was just basic 1 chop 2 chop; and the two handed center chop.

We want to make combat more like actual swordplay, and are intending to use our motion capture system along with actual people (martial artists, and sword fighting specialists) to get acurate combat flow and animations.

Ideally we want to make it so while in combat, you never see your character do the traditional "arm-up-chop-down-repeat". For the monk/hand-to-hand combat, we want there to be more intense reactions and so on. if the client however cant be set to randomize the choice of animations to link together, then we may just set a 15 second "clip" of combat that would loop but would at least act more realistic and less mechanical and artificial.

Character Model
Pre-Smoothing




Smoothed

[Windcatcher]

The live client can't handle that type of dynamic animation scheme. It looks up animations by name, where the name means something specific. If you look at the models that come with OpenZone you can see what they are, since my models have to adhere to the same scheme to be able to work with the live client. So for instance, if the client is looking for the "kicking" combat animation, it would always look for the animation named "C01". I believe that it will fall back to a default animation if one can't be found (I think the default combat animation is C05, for instance). You can add more animations (for instance I've added a T10 to some player models), but the live client would never use them. Anything beyond the normal scheme would have to be for use by another client. For a few weeks I've been trying to design in my head a way for cloaks to be visible when worn, for instance, and have the player animations support them, but if I implement it only SimpleClient would be able to use it (and to not put too fine a point on it, I would have to make sure to not export the cloak meshes when exporting for the live client).

[OrisonSeven]

I see. Ok, thanks. My intentions are to work with simpleclient. I am also curious about animated objects, for instance flags, or movient terrain, along with an idea that we have for using the elevator system to make platforms that move up and down as well as across say... a huge chasm, and it moves horizontally.

As for capes, if you need some rendered capes in any polycount, let me know. Ive been working with an idea for having them be integrated with the walking animation, therefore, if say you have armor on, the armor mesh would hae the cape integrated (i.e. even if you dont have a cape, the armor would have one) though this would mean if i understand correctly, that all say plate armor for human males would have the cape as the mesh file is chosen by race gender and type, and is not a seperate mesh overlaid. Seeing as this is true, one could infrance that there could be two different "plate" meshes by negating the chain or leather. Though this would remove the mesh for those classes who wear that armor, it would make the idea for haveing a mesh for plate with cape, and one without plausable.

As for the animations, couldnt We just replace the file with say a 15 second combat animation, and still modify the ones that are there. Also, can animations be attached to weapons, not interms of particles though this would a very nice idea (other posts say this isnt possible as of now), but as far as say, having a sword with a blade that was animated to rotate, or maybe 3 small fireballs orbit the weapon (attached to it such that if the character swings, the objects would follow the rules just like being attached and stationary).

Thanks

[Richardo]

If you want a cape, just add the cape and rig it to your modified skeleton. After you're done, make the default cape texture 100% transparent (0 Opacity) and when you want it to appear with the proper texture, change the texture to a non-transparent material.

Voila!