Bulma

Ok guys , holidays are over... Lets get to work... We`ll now have to rename XCom2006 to XCom2007, and I don't want to do that one more time... 2007 is year for XCom! And this time I mean it...

Sorry for a delay. I have added you to the project...

Alan: You need to be assigned to the project by Coordinator, which are Vet and me at the moment. I have assigned you as Developer, so you can download source and start making contributions/updates Vet: "Right now everyone seems to be getting logged as a co-ordinator regardless" What? Really? You and me and some guy named jsanders are coordinators (I think it is the guy that created workspace, and we should probably remove him). Btw, you are coordinator, so you can also add people to project if I am not available (And you also have Bulma's password if you needed it, but I believe that as coordinator you can do everything on workspace). This is directory structure on XCom codeplex source control: Docs - put all documents there (word, txt files etc) FXProjects - NVidia FX Composer project files, used for shader development/debugging Models - Original models in .3DS format and textures in .PNG format Release - all resource files for game release Source - Source files So, when you do changes to models/textures, you first edit model in 'Models' folder, and then export to .X/.DDS and replace/add them to Release folder. OK? If you need some instructions on using Team explorer, ask... All resource and source files are under source control, if you make something bad (delete file, replace with some junk), it is easy to get it back... So, don`t worry... There is also a feature called Issue tracker (was called Bug tracker on GDN), and we are going to use it So, go ahead and report all bugs/feature request on it... We`ll also discuss features here before actual implementation but with Issue tracker we`ll have a better tracking... Edit: JSanders kicked from the project...

Some update... We have our new workspace on codeplex: http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=Xcom there you can find release v0.48I, try it out... There is also a Issue Tracker, feel free to use it to report bugs, feature requests, etc... Of course, you can, as always, post that here on this board...

I have also uploaded Release v0.48I, try it out. I have included latest mdx and unmanaged d3dx dll so you should be able to run it even with older versions od directx/mdx. You`ll still require: DirectX 9.0c Managed Directx 1.1 .NET framework 2.0 We also need someone to fill first page of project on codeplex. It`s a wiki base page, can have multiple pages, pictures, etc... We could put some stuff we had on our old web page... http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=Xcom I`ll remove discusion board on codeplex, but we need to put link to STC here...

Done....

We have a workspace.... yeeeeeeeeee.... http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=Xcom I`ll upload everything asap... I hope that you all have team explorer installed

So, we don`t need point lights? I wasn`t thinking of putting light in every room, but with current hardware, with every light fps goes like: FPStotal=FPSwithonelight/numberofLights So, less lights, much better frame rate. With current release, using more then 3-4 light, frame rate goes really crappy... Anyway, I`ll post detailed guide for objects/map creating in day or two. Vet could help me here as he made some modifications to map lately. I haven`t used BFC for years... Exported/imported features in game from models are: for each vertex: - position - normal - texture coordinates (one set only), binormal and tangent are calculated in code (used for normal/bump mapping). btw. normal maps use same texture coordinates as diffuse texture. for each subset/material: - ambient color - diffuse color - specular color - diffuse texture name (normal/bump texture has same name, but different extension: diffuse textures has .DDS extensions, and normal maps has .TGA extension) Probably some more, I have to check the code (I am writting this from memory). So, my question is, is that enough, too much maybe? Do we need ambient and diffuse color when we have diffuse texture? Our goal is to make map as good looking as possible and at the same time to make it faster by removing unnecessary data. Also, even that we have most of the objects done for the demo map, we still need damaged versions of all those objects. Multiplelevels are acceptable, but maybe not too many (2-3 per objects are ok) because it will increase both memory requirements and modelling time.

We are still waiting for codeplex workspace... Meanwhile... Vet, what happened to ftp/upload of game release on this site? Any news?

Lighting... I am planing to improve lighting system a bit, and need some info from guys that do map: Vet, anyone else? Current map supports only spotlights. Reason is that spotlights are natural types of light for shadow mapping method we use for shadows. However, problem is that there are lots of rooms and this will require large amount of lights to cover all sides of each room. So, as first step I am thinking of replacing spotlights with point lights. Rendering point light will be slower than single spotlight, but it will be faster than rendering 5-6 spotlights (for all 6 directions needed with spotlights to cover whole room). Question is, will only point lights be enough, or should I also make possible to use spotlights?

Then PNG it is... Thanks Jman... I`ll convert BMPs to PNG before uploading to codeplex... To everybody: We don`t have a workspace on codeplex yet, but it is a matter of days until we`ll get it... To access codeplex source control (online storage for source, textures and everything else), you`ll need Team Explorer. You can download it freely from Microsoft site: http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/a.../VSTFClient.img It will integrate into Visual Studio 2005 if you have it installed. If not, it will look like Visual Studio but wihtout any developer features. There are also some other clients if you don`t like Team Explorer, like Teamprise Explorer, but it is not free: http://www.teamprise.com/download/index.html Btw. Team Explorer is one big download so get on it

You have something against .NET or C#? ARE YOU? No, the real problem is a zillion of different versions/updates of MDX.. but I think I found a solution for that now...

It is done... GDN No More... Bua Ha HA Ha hA hA

Yes, looks cool. I am waiting until we get workspace on www.codeplex.com, then I`ll upload all source code, image, model we have. I am still deciding what formats should we use. Our game uses: DDS - (mostly DXT5) for textures, with full mipmaps BMP - pictures for HUD .X - models Problem is that DDS format is bad for editing (most software doesn`t support it, etc), so we need another format for original textures. I have converted all of the textures to BMP and that is what i`ll upload. However, problem in BMP is lack of compression -> large size. Any idea what should we use? TGA,PNG? For models, I assume .3DS format will be the best. .X format is almost imposible to import in anything. Ok, so here`s my proposal: Models: .3DS Textures: .PNG What do you think?

One day left... Should I make a backup of GDN message board or not.... that is the question....