[High Treason]

Yeah, I do read posts before I reply, I just felt that it was relevant. I do realise that it will not be a simple transition if it ever happens, hardware today is built for Polygons and struggles to render a similar environment with Voxels alone, hardware needs to evolve first, but the GPU manafacturers don't want to change the hardware because they don't know which way the software is going to go yet.

[Mblackwell]

Silly argument. Voxels are good when used at high resolutions for anything curved and with large amounts of deformation. They're more necessary when you attempt to model objects in a way completely accurate to reality. That's part of why medical scanners render things using them.

It really isn't a very topical discussion though.

I do note though that the voxel models tend to look better than some of the HRP models just due to the format being pal limited. It therefore matches the overall look of Duke3D. I've noticed that HRP models sometimes look better when converted to voxel models in the Duke palette. Since it's the same in the end it suggests maybe people need to think more about color choice.

Also voxel models can be smartly used to replace one sided sprites in software mode with nice effect.

[Mark]

I'm setting aside my Ancient Rome map due to frame rate issues. I'm starting a smaller map to hopefully avoid that problem. A dark graveyard theme.

[CruX]

That first shot almost looks like something out of Oblivion. VERY nice.

[Awesomebob]

DAMN that looks nice.

[Danukem]

Marked, on Oct 9 2010, 06:08 PM, said:

I'm setting aside my Ancient Rome map due to frame rate issues. I'm starting a smaller map to hopefully avoid that problem. A dark graveyard theme.

A graveyard is essentially a large open area with a lot of trees, tombstones and other models, so it seems to me you could wind up with the same problem. Polymer works best when you can't see lots of terrain at any given time. It's great for most indoor areas.

[bullerbullerseven]

been having a break from modding this week. but i was wondering if there is some kind of command that gets the music volume and sets it into a gamevar? im pretty sure there isnt unless i missed something. it would be nice if i could make some fake level music changing when i wAlk into different sectors in the same level. but that is already made now. had to make it a soundonce command cause else it couldnt play the files with the music command... but then i have this little problem wih changing the volume of hose sound. it is possible to define a sound like ifvare musicvolume 5 definesound blablabla right? in the defindsouns command i am able to set a sound volume. but i cant make that work when i have to do it after a certan ifvare coincidence...

[Mark]

DeeperThought, on Oct 9 2010, 09:40 PM, said:

A graveyard is essentially a large open area with a lot of trees, tombstones and other models, so it seems to me you could wind up with the same problem. Polymer works best when you can't see lots of terrain at any given time. It's great for most indoor areas.

The main outdoor area of the map is going to be a whole lot smaller this time with tunnels leading to underground areas which will not require rendering of the outside at the same time.

Thanks for the reminder.

[CruX]

Jhect, on Oct 9 2010, 08:58 PM, said:

been having a break from modding this week. but i was wondering if there is some kind of command that gets the music volume and sets it into a gamevar? im pretty sure there isnt unless i missed something. it would be nice if i could make some fake level music changing when i wAlk into different sectors in the same level. but that is already made now. had to make it a soundonce command cause else it couldnt play the files with the music command... but then i have this little problem wih changing the volume of hose sound. it is possible to define a sound like ifvare musicvolume 5 definesound blablabla right? in the defindsouns command i am able to set a sound volume. but i cant make that work when i have to do it after a certan ifvare coincidence...

I don't know that there's any access to music volume, though using the starttrack and starttrackvar commands, you can switch the level's music when the player does certain things like entering a sector (etc.), though it still has some limitations (the only I can remember is that the track that it changes to isn't stored when you save a game, so loading a saved game will reset the track to whatever the defined to in the user.con).

[bullerbullerseven]

EmericaSkater, on Oct 10 2010, 03:29 PM, said:

I don't know that there's any access to music volume, though using the starttrack and starttrackvar commands, you can switch the level's music when the player does certain things like entering a sector (etc.), though it still has some limitations (the only I can remember is that the track that it changes to isn't stored when you save a game, so loading a saved game will reset the track to whatever the defined to in the user.con).

thanks for the reply! but the problem is that i cant define the level musics as level music... o.O hehe its probably because the sound files are too big. right now every music file is about 3 mega bytes large. and thats probably the reason why i cant play those files as level music. so i made these commands:

ifvare musicvolume 1 { ifvare lotagvar 1001 { soundonce 1001 } else ifvarn lotagvar 1001 { stopsound 1001 } } else ifvare musicvolume 2 { ifvare lotagvar 1001 { soundonce 1002 } else ifvarn lotagvar 1001 { stopsound 1002 } } else ifvare musicvolume 3 { ifvare lotagvar 1001 { soundonce 1003 } else ifvarn lotagvar 1001 { stopsound 1003 } } else ifvare musicvolume 0 nullop

this gives all my level music sounds an opportunity to have volume of 0-3 0 being zero level music. 3 the maximum volume of the level music... it actually works :S

this is what i defined in my defs.con:

define MAHABARA1 1001
definesound MAHABARA1 D2N/sounds/MAHABARA.ogg 0 0 200 0 15000
define MAHABARA2 1002
definesound MAHABARA2 D2N/sounds/MAHABARA.ogg 0 0 200 0 12500
define MAHABARA3 1003
definesound MAHABARA3 D2N/sounds/MAHABARA.ogg 0 0 200 0 0

so i had to define every level music sounds 3 times. this may give me a problem right?

because:

// MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SOUNDS: 450 ( 0-449 )

that only gives me about 50 sounds to make myself. then i have to cut down on the other ones played in the real duke 3d game :S

[Jeager1999]

At first attempt, I sucked trying to make a map. Problem I kept having was Height of the rooms and Crashes when I tried to make a swinging door. I was wanting to do something of a Remake of Duke Nukem Time to kill in Duke3D. I know you can't recreate the game to its exact details but there could be ways around it. Nice Project you all can do.

[CruX]

Jhect, on Oct 10 2010, 09:02 AM, said:

thanks for the reply! but the problem is that i cant define the level musics as level music... o.O hehe its probably because the sound files are too big. right now every music file is about 3 mega bytes large. and thats probably the reason why i cant play those files as level music. so i made these commands:

ifvare musicvolume 1 { ifvare lotagvar 1001 { soundonce 1001 } else ifvarn lotagvar 1001 { stopsound 1001 } } else ifvare musicvolume 2 { ifvare lotagvar 1001 { soundonce 1002 } else ifvarn lotagvar 1001 { stopsound 1002 } } else ifvare musicvolume 3 { ifvare lotagvar 1001 { soundonce 1003 } else ifvarn lotagvar 1001 { stopsound 1003 } } else ifvare musicvolume 0 nullop

this gives all my level music sounds an opportunity to have volume of 0-3 0 being zero level music. 3 the maximum volume of the level music... it actually works :S

this is what i defined in my defs.con:

define MAHABARA1 1001
definesound MAHABARA1 D2N/sounds/MAHABARA.ogg 0 0 200 0 15000
define MAHABARA2 1002
definesound MAHABARA2 D2N/sounds/MAHABARA.ogg 0 0 200 0 12500
define MAHABARA3 1003
definesound MAHABARA3 D2N/sounds/MAHABARA.ogg 0 0 200 0 0

so i had to define every level music sounds 3 times. this may give me a problem right?

because:

// MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SOUNDS: 450 ( 0-449 )

that only gives me about 50 sounds to make myself. then i have to cut down on the other ones played in the real duke 3d game :S

I don't want to derail this thread, so if you've got another question after this post, put it here. First of all, I've over-run the maximum number of sounds plenty of times, and never had any problems, so that's not it. The bigger problem is that I'm not quite understanding what you're trying to accomplish, other than that it has something to do with music, and at that going rate, you shouldn't be using sound effects unless you plan on there not being any music defined for the level at all (which really isn't a good idea). The code you posted doesn't quite help either, because I don't know what any of it means. What's musicvolume, and what value has it been set to? What are those values themselves depending on? If I understood you correctly in your earlier post, you want the background music to change when the player enters a sector. Here's some code defining an actor that will do that.

define TRACKSWITCH 3575 // should be an empty art tile towards the end of art file # 13
gamevar hitagsaved 0 2 // gamevar to store the hitag value of the actor
gamevar TEMP1 0 0 // just a temp global var
gamevar peractor1 0 2 // per-actor vars
gamevar peractor2 0 2//

eventloadactor TRACKSWITCH 
getactor[THISACTOR].hitag hitagsaved
setactor[THISACTOR].hitag 0
enda // get the actor's hitag value, then set it to zero

useractor notenemy TRACKSWITCH 0 fall
cstat 32768
getactorvar[THISACTOR].hitagsaved peractor1
getactor[THISACTOR].sectnum peractor2 
getplayer[THISACTOR].cursectnum TEMP1 // get the actor's sector number, and the player's sector number
ifvarvare TEMP1 peractor2 { starttrackvar peractor1 killit } enda // if the sector numbers are equal start the track in volume #0 that's equal to the actor's hitag, then delete the actor from the map.

You have to set the actor's hitag equal to a valid, defined track in volume #0.

[bullerbullerseven]

EmericaSkater, on Oct 10 2010, 06:39 PM, said:

I don't want to derail this thread, so if you've got another question after this post, put it here. First of all, I've over-run the maximum number of sounds plenty of times, and never had any problems, so that's not it. The bigger problem is that I'm not quite understanding what you're trying to accomplish, other than that it has something to do with music, and at that going rate, you shouldn't be using sound effects unless you plan on there not being any music defined for the level at all (which really isn't a good idea). The code you posted doesn't quite help either, because I don't know what any of it means. What's musicvolume, and what value has it been set to? What are those values themselves depending on? If I understood you correctly in your earlier post, you want the background music to change when the player enters a sector. Here's some code defining an actor that will do that.

define TRACKSWITCH 3575 // should be an empty art tile towards the end of art file # 13
gamevar hitagsaved 0 2 // gamevar to store the hitag value of the actor
gamevar TEMP1 0 0 // just a temp global var
gamevar peractor1 0 2 // per-actor vars
gamevar peractor2 0 2//

eventloadactor TRACKSWITCH 
getactor[THISACTOR].hitag hitagsaved
setactor[THISACTOR].hitag 0
enda // get the actor's hitag value, then set it to zero

useractor notenemy TRACKSWITCH 0 fall
cstat 32768
getactorvar[THISACTOR].hitagsaved peractor1
getactor[THISACTOR].sectnum peractor2 
getplayer[THISACTOR].cursectnum TEMP1 // get the actor's sector number, and the player's sector number
ifvarvare TEMP1 peractor2 { starttrackvar peractor1 killit } enda // if the sector numbers are equal start the track in volume #0 that's equal to the actor's hitag, then delete the actor from the map.

You have to set the actor's hitag equal to a valid, defined track in volume #0.

ok this is nice. but my code works too the problem was that the game cant play level music that are too large. so i just tried to play the music with a soundonce command because that doesnt seem to have a limit. then a new problem accurs but i fixed that too with some gamevar commands. the musicvolume that i wrote in my post before is a simple gamevar that i set to define the volume of those sound files that i made to act like a real background music file. but i fixed it so no problem with that. so now im just a bit scared of the max sound number limit. but that seems to be good to after reading your post

[Danukem]

Jhect, on Oct 10 2010, 11:50 AM, said:

the problem was that the game cant play level music that are too large

Are you sure? I have never come across a .midi or .ogg that was too large to play.

[Helixhorned]

Marked, on Oct 10 2010, 03:08 AM, said:

I'm setting aside my Ancient Rome map due to frame rate issues. I'm starting a smaller map to hopefully avoid that problem. A dark graveyard theme.

That's a pity, I liked the concept and look of it. But when you can see most of the map from a given point, then you'll probably bring any renderer to its knees. Maybe you could try bring in a few white walls blocking the view to a large portion of the map, like a temple for example?

[Mark]

I did put up a wall between the 2 main outdoor areas. No difference. The problem is so bad that even if you are inside a building and just catch a small peek outdoors through a window or door the frame rate drops like a rock. Even if what you see is just a tiny,tiny portion of the outside area.

[bullerbullerseven]

DeeperThought, on Oct 10 2010, 10:04 PM, said:

Are you sure? I have never come across a .midi or .ogg that was too large to play.

not 100% whats the largest file you have ever played with the music command? the ogg can play. just not with the music command... the reason i think my files are too large to be played with the music command is because i just couldnt get it playing. then i saw this line in the user.CON:

Music will not play if the .MID file excedes 72000 bytes.

though my file is .ogg and like 4000000 big. ( thats 4 MB right? )

[Danukem]

Jhect, on Oct 10 2010, 01:53 PM, said:

not 100% whats the largest file you have ever played with the music command? the ogg can play. just not with the music command... the reason i think my files are too large to be played with the music command is because i just couldnt get it playing. then i saw this line in the user.CON:

Music will not play if the .MID file excedes 72000 bytes.

though my file is .ogg and like 4000000 big. ( thats 4 MB right? )

That line is in a CON file made in 1996 and applies to the original DOS Duke, not EDuke32. There is currently no such limit. If your music file did not play, it is for some other reason, like a wrong path or the file was in an unexpected format.

[bullerbullerseven]

hmm yea i gotta admit that i must have done something wrong... i will check that iut tommorow. but are you saying that if the limit so many years ago is not the same now. then is there a limit now? and do you know what tht limit is? and why arent more people using downloaded music for their maps instead of making their own small files?

[Danukem]

 Jhect, on Oct 10 2010, 07:54 PM, said:

hmm yea i gotta admit that i must have done something wrong... i will check that iut tommorow. but are you saying that if the limit so many years ago is not the same now. then is there a limit now? and do you know what tht limit is? and why arent more people using downloaded music for their maps instead of making their own small files?

I don't know what the current limit is, but a 4MB .ogg file poses no problem. Some people still include .midi music with their maps, some include .ogg music, some include none at all. Midis are good for keeping file size down, and also if you want to enhance the retro feel of a map that is made for 8-bit art.

[ReaperMan]

I made a crate

[Awesomebob]

And it's a very nice crate! Very... um... CRATY!

[bullerbullerseven]

ok ive just tested my music command. this is what i tried:
music 0 streets.mid fatcmdr.mid
music 0 fatcmdr.mid streets.mid

both played the first track at the title screen just as it should. remember both files are .mid

then i try with the stalker track.

music 0 stalker.ogg streets.mid

this doesnt work. tried with caps and everything...
the music that i use is .ogg too. so why arent ogg working? cant be the size.

[CruX]

...Do you have a DEF file included?

[bullerbullerseven]

EmericaSkater, on Oct 12 2010, 01:36 AM, said:

...Do you have a DEF file included?

for what? i havent even included my own files in those lines... but yea all of my music is define as it should. the weird thing ud that mid files are working amd ogg files doesnt work. i would appreciate if you please try and see if the ogg file works in your computer game. that would be the music 0 code with the ogg file being first. it will play that ogg file on the title screen when you start the game. if that makes it play nothing on the title screen then the music probably isnt compatible with .ogg files,

[Jeager1999]

Not good with Map editing but I am making a few sigs with the Nuke Symbol Could really use texture colors similar to the newer Symbol. http://forums.duke4.net/index.php?s=&s...ost&p=58373 Posted my work in here so far if you want to look.

[CruX]

Jhect, on Oct 11 2010, 07:44 PM, said:

for what? i havent even included my own files in those lines... but yea all of my music is define as it should. the weird thing ud that mid files are working amd ogg files doesnt work. i would appreciate if you please try and see if the ogg file works in your computer game. that would be the music 0 code with the ogg file being first. it will play that ogg file on the title screen when you start the game. if that makes it play nothing on the title screen then the music probably isnt compatible with .ogg files,

Are absolutely none of the .ogg files working, or is it just the track you're trying to play on the title screen? I tried to use an ogg track for the title screen once and didn't have any luck, but if absolutely none of the .ogg music/sounds you're trying to use are working, then it must be because something isn't defined properly, and if you aren't using a def file, that'd be the reason. Check this page out, and look under "music" and "sound".

[bullerbullerseven]

EmericaSkater, on Oct 12 2010, 12:57 PM, said:

Are absolutely none of the .ogg files working, or is it just the track you're trying to play on the title screen? I tried to use an ogg track for the title screen once and didn't have any luck, but if absolutely none of the .ogg music/sounds you're trying to use are working, then it must be because something isn't defined properly, and if you aren't using a def file, that'd be the reason. Check this page out, and look under "music" and "sound".

now that i think about it. the only music files that are in use are the stalker track and the bonus and intro menu tracks right? arent those the tracks that cant play when you are playing a level. if you do try and press shift-F5 then it will change the current musictrack playing. when i tried to do this:

music 0 fatcmdr.mid streets.mid

the game crashes when i try to change music ingame...

edit:

this thing about my game crashing when i try to change soundtrack... it didnt crash now. i must have forgotten what i did to make it crash hehe it could be that i included the fatcmdr.mid track in my music 1 blablabla command. but then it shouldnt crash there right? anyway that doesnt really matter

[Jimmy]

Jhect, on Oct 10 2010, 12:02 PM, said:

// MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SOUNDS: 450 ( 0-449 )

that only gives me about 50 sounds to make myself. then i have to cut down on the other ones played in the real duke 3d game :S

Actually, the limit has been changed to 2560 (0-2559).

[Cipher]

2560 is kind of a strange number... any particular reason for that? Just Wondering.