" This will then automate the punch/weld process allowing the user to go straight into GG and select the newly created entity without having to manually create any of the standard files. "
The camera tweak was needed ...

The Seg/Welder is evolving much further than expected .
Yes indeed

yes, loads of tweaks, updates and new features to come where possible.

The camera tweak seems to work on my Win7 but not on my Win10 OS so I will have to look at that (what a pain ha )

With the Demo version I think I may have been a bit mean with regards to the level/puncher feature restrictions and no-one who downloads it can try these out, so may update the demo code at some point so that these features can be tried out but disable the saving ability.

sorry another update- just fixed an issue where if the user brings in a single segment and then goes into the punch tool after, the object is still present in static form when the camera is zoomed in, these are now removed.

Once these little niggles are fixed I will send out another update release. I am glad I've started to go back and review existing code as I've found some of these by pure chance.

so this morning, I've finished the code for the puncher tool where the user can now take a snapshot of the object and creates a basic FPE and BMP file. Textures in the DBO file point to "textures\<texture filename>". As usual to take the snapshot use the 'C' key to create the BMP file. This means you no longer have to manually create these files, just run GameGuru and it will be there. I will soon be adding the much needed move/rotate buttons for both objects for this feature along with position/rotate X/Y/Z coord text boxes for exact positioning rotating. Also will probably end up (slow me) adding a camera button.

it's so much better now I can move the camera up and down but also got me thinking (again ). Maybe now we can walk through the level would anyone want to change meshes/textures e.g. a punched/welded mesh?? or is it just easier to go back to FPSC and edit the level and would anyone really want to? Just a thought

Great work !!

It wont be long before we will be able to create our own modules from blank cubes and rectangles at this rate

here is a my usual short(ish) vid showing what's in 3.5.6 so far.......

camera up/down code now updated to be compatible with Win10 (although the original code worked better but works), starting to add in the extra gadgets needed for the "change part textures" single segment feature.

hello,
the tool is looking great so far. I have been having issues with the segement editor. when I select say... 2 segements and click weld to view. then I return back to select a different set of segements from the same object / mesh I have to reload the segement again. with segements that have 18 or more parts that means I have to load it 18 or times to figure out which segements I want to capture. Not sure what could be done but it is a pain to do it this way. Again great work on this project and cannot wait to get my hands on the next release. Thanks in advance for all your help.

@ACKohollic-thanks for the feedback. Sorry your having trouble with the tool. Not sure what you mean fully, so please correct me if I'm misunderstanding. Do you mean you would like to see visually the actual parts that make up the segment? If this is what you meant, then I agree it's not easy to figure out what part is what. I will be adding a visual aid so that you can view each part graphically. This will definitely be in the next version as I also find this a pain. Somewhere down the line I will be revamping the GUI which will see a vast improvement on the current one. The next version will allow up to 27 parts that you can select for a single segment.
You shouldn't have to reload the segment back in as you can use the select all/deselect all and/or the individual check/tick boxes to select/deselect each part. Please clarify if I'm misunderstanding.
Thanks again for your feedback, I'll start looking into ways I can add a visual aid in for each part and get coding.
If anyone else has any other thoughts or niggles, please let me know as I want the tool to be easy to use.

Here is part II of v3.5.6 updates so far.... hope this will help everyone...

Being able to see the textures is a great help .

Can the texture viewer display .jpg , .dds , .png and .bmp ?

@Lance-Yes can view all the textures formats, just click on the drop down box on the right of the file dialog (see screenshot). If any other file types need to be added, that's no problem. There is also "all files *.*" to see all file types.

now fixed a minor FPSC X10 related issue, now checks to see if X10 is installed. in addition have added a camera button so that you can press the button or press the "C" key to take a snapshot. The button will appear in all display windows where needed. Over time, where necessary there will be toolbars and other useful gadgets added, most likely when the whole GUI system is overhauled.

some minor fixes this morning with the FPSC level up/down camera which now works a treat and the camera button with sound is now implemented for single segment/puncher/fpsc level features. I think I will shortly release this version as it seems stable. Walking around the levels and taking a snapshot anywhere is pretty cool.

links for version 3.5.6 now sent to all those that purchased. Had 2 postmaster undeliverable messages, one ending in laternatives.ca and the other ending in earthlink.net.
Please can you send me alternative email addresses as those don't seem to be successful. Many thanks

Thanks BOTR. Got it and will give it a try later.

Got it.

Hi. Ordered online through Paypal Jan 11 but have not received anything. I know this isnt the right place to post but I have no response from anywhere else. Just want to get started using the autowelder.

@DcZee: Hi , please can you verify (via PM) the email address you used via paypal and also send me via PM an alternative email address. Unfortunately, some work email addresses don't work (e.g. info@ or customerservice@ type email addresses) when I send emails with the links and get "postmaster undeliverable" messages.
thanks
Mike (BOTR)

[update-without an alternative email address and the email address you used via Paypal-I cannot send you email with the links to the software as the Paypal email address does not work, please PM me so that I can send you the links as soon as possible].

I've had one report so far that 3.5.6 doesn't work on Win10 , but works on my Win10 fine. Does anyone else have the same problem?
Also, when running the application, please run as admin only. If problem still exists, I'll have a look.

so this morning tested out some code formula that resolves the never ending "sinking door" issue and this now works with the "castledoor" models (typical).
If the code works for the rest of the other doors, this will appear in the next update.

Hello BOTR's
I too had an issue running in win10. Not only did I have to set compatablity to win8, and set Admin, my anti-virus program flagged it and I had to manually allow it to run. With that said the program seem to work great now. I love that you can view each segment before you weld it. There are many new features for me to use and explore. Keep up the great work.

@BOTR Thanks much. Have PM'd you.

@ACKohollic - glad you got it working ok, it looks like some virus checkers/firewalls are blocking/flagging the program up so anyone else having same problem will need to allow the program through. Glad you like the view segment feature, I think once I redesign the GUI, I will have all parts viewed in one go or allow the user to flick through each one on the same screen with arrow buttons or something. The new GUI will be much improved now that I have the tool functionality working so I will have fun with that as I want to have more buttons with images like the camera snapshot button and get rid of the dull grey. I also want to bring in multiple camera views on single screen, toolbars, drop down selection boxes etc

@DcZee: Thanks for your PM-I've sent one back as you sent me my email address and not your email address you used for Paypal. Once I get your email address you originally used I can then update my records with your new email address you provided and then send links.

Just some feedback on the latest release out of interest....

Good update here - really much better interface and use thereof - so easy to use....

I tried converting an old FPSC Map Multiplayer by changing it in FPSC to single player first as MP don't work any longer in FPSC...

I have attached a Screenshot. Not that I want the items inside GG, but just as the matter of interest the level in FPSC contained a Terrain (model), rocks, trees and alike as well as outside of building Floor tiles and Grass tiles....

All export and import to GG perfectly as existed in FPSC. It's just great to see such a brilliant tool in action. One minute FPSC - the next GG. Not many things around as easy as this....

Not that I want the FPSC terrain and such as I can use GG for them but just an interesting test to see what it could do. Even the trees have retained their transparencies to my surprise.....

As you can see in the attached screen shot.

For anyone not minding the FPSC somewhat rigid tiles structure and any other limitations FPSC would be a great editor for getting structures into GG far quicker than GG can get anywhere near and accurately too. One can always change FPSC textures of course to anything you want if you need individuality and at the moment if you need less rigid structures you can always import models to FPSC first as static models. The ability to use individual segments and punch windows and so on is also a great help.

The only thing missing of course is dynamic entities but that's no different to GG when you start a new level - though placing them in place in FPSC is far easier.

You can see the FPSC Terrain and so on in the GG screenshot. (Map and terrain covers the full extent of the FPSC world).

Great Product this.

@Uman-many thanks again for the feedback and the level pic which looks great with all the trees, terrain etc-it's great to see other users results from using the tool. As you say, you can change textures to suit and it would be great to bring in dynamic entities, I have the info on each dynamic entity, but I need someway of talking to GG to place the entities post level import, maybe some clever LUA scripting. I always have the motto that nothing is impossible just need the right tools/information/know how to do it. I haven't done too much lately on the tool as there have been lots of family/work things going on so not been able to fit much time into programming. Glad you like the product and GUI, of which will be much improved on (most likely a complete redesign).
When I first started the tool it was only going to be a segment rebuilder (as I was doing it painfully in Fragmotion) and I always had automation in mind so that I didn't have to do any manual creation of files and copying over to GameGuru and I'm hoping the same can be done with dynamic entities.
I will be adding more features to the Punch/Weld tool such as rotation/position buttons and XYZ edit boxes for accurate placement and then focus on other features, time allowing

ok so found a couple of minor things I have now fixed. 1st one was the "weld" texture was using the camera button picture and the 2nd was a debug message left in, but neither of these will affect functionality just annoying, apologies for that. So glad I am reviewing my code

Hi Mike,

The bringing in of dynamic entities from FPSC is not a breaker for me at least - though would be great if optional and they really need to remain dynamic when imported to GG too for a number of reasons, so I guess that would be hard to accomplish.

I won't be importing any trees and perhaps some other things from FPSC as I have better models now so will use new ones. That was just a test

I am still finding my way around a good/best method of using the tool as a pipeline again for various reasons....

Still having some problems with the lighting so need to find a fix/best option for that.

I can say that where in the last screen shot you can see all of the Floor segments placed inside FPSC (Concrete/Grass) that enemy Characters inside GG have no problem navigating the floors (it's on/just above the GG terrain) - however they do have a problem with the actual Terrain here as indeed they do in GG. Anything above a snails height and they have problems now in GG which amongst other things is another major pain.

Have a good weekend whats left of it.

@Uman-yes I agree, I think the dynamic side of things will be hard and challenging, but I will definitely give it a try and see what I can come up with.
I will be progging a little this morning then going to see new baby niece (2nd niece born this week, so it's all go at the moment).

Ugh, just had an error pop up in the tool, will squash that now
I started to record an official vid for the 3.5.6 update of the tool but messed it up. Oh well will try again after this fix or tomorrow.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend.

ok error fixed-when welding a window segment (which can be done by deselecting the punch part using updown gadget) an error relating to non existing audio paths comes up . This is because I should have put code in to detect non existing values for "soundset=" parameters. I will be applying same fix to other parameters. Video on the 3.5.6 version will come soon (ish).

[update-> meant to add that on the subject of windows, if anyone who wants to know how to make breaking glass similar to FPSC, I have the LUA scripts and vids. Feel free to email/PM me and I will dig the info out and send.]

great work.. bored of the Rings
and a really great tool.
and yes i am very interested in that lua script for the breaking glass

Harry

Hi Mike,

I am wanting to break (shoot) all glass and similar objects in game at some stage so I would be interested too in whatever you have.

Thanks.

@HarryWeaver,@Uman: no worries, I'll send info to you probably tomorrow

I would also like to Smash a few Windows Please

@ozziedave-no problem, I'll add you to my list-just got to dig the info out from my external drive

@HarryWever,Uman and Ozziedave: I have PM'd you with the glass breaking scripts and other files. Video is just being converted at the moment and will send the link also by PM after work. Hope you have fun with them

any chance you can post the glass script here and link to video would be much appreciated
from all

@devlin-just PM'd you with the links.

Hi Mike,

Some feedback on FPSC level use in GG and enemies/characters.

I have found that with an imported FPSC level model enemies have some collision problems. Specifically they have trouble in navigation, not on floors themselves but when it comes to the structure walls.

Enemies don't recognise the model walls/object/parts as they should in gameplay as they don't have sufficiently accurate correct obstacle avoidance ability and get stuck in their navigation around the walls/objects, usually ending up trying to go through them on route to player and their feet, weapon and so on penetrate through walls, which cause them to get stuck and confused - such things always cause AI to go a bit haywire. When dying too they don't fall away from the object as they should.....

This may be for various reasons. e.g. model too big and alike.....

I have found that building using just a smaller FPSC segment structure composed one of the same FPSC sement pieces (corridor) and making a fairly decently complex navigation test shape, that the enemies don't have a problem and can navigate well around or even inside the created object with room to spare so the don't get stuck at all.....

Seems like whole levels are likely to be a major problem for their navigation at the moment at least and I have no idea if this will improve if GG gains more updating.....

Not sure exactly what the problem is at the moment or the difference between the smaller segments and a larger level model other than size?

I have noticed however that larger levels converted don't import to GG at "Ground Level" terrain zero height and wonder if there is any way to get their positioning by default to sit on the GG terrain ground plane on import? That may help but probably not

It's probably just a scale thing where GG is not designed to manage such large single objects when it comes to the navigation/avoidance/collision system, I don't know.....

If GG gets the enemy and building system updated it may improve but that's just wild wishful thinking at the moment.

Would be nice to not have to re-construct existing whole levels in GG if possible but not sure how to work around it at the moment unless you have any suggestion or thought. Perhaps I am just doing something wrong. Settings or something possibly though have tried a lot of things, both for the object and characters.....

In the hands of the Gods perhaps.

Anyway I have attached a screen shot with 2 enemies of a converted level in GG as is to date they are OK on the floors but get stuck around any building part. You can see the corridor part (4 junction) to the left and right and no way the can navigate correctly around those just as an example - they just don't go around with avoidance but try and go through it or at least get stuck in it as said.

The only thing I can think of at the moment is to find a way to set up complex paths and get enemies to stick to them

Don't think I will bother even attempting that.

On a good note I have some lifts working to the higher parts of the level here for the player and they work OK with the model.

Just some feedback really. No worries. I will put GG on hold by and large anyway and wait and see what if anything gets updated this year that may help at all. Maybe navmesh will help if it gets included and the AI gets an overall too, but all that's a big undertaking and asking a lot.

thank you

@Uman- thanks again for testing and your feedback, this will be very useful to me. Did the FPE for the level contain option forcesimpleobstacle = 3 ? I'm hoping that future updates to GameGuru relating to AI will be improved, but I will still be breaking the level down in chunks. I will start to do some test code this morning and after work and see what happens when I break down in pieces and whether it can be snapped together back in GameGuru. I will also be playing around with scaling and see what affect this has, will certainly be interesting. I still have a lot to do to the tool, just reviewing my current code to make it more solid as there are still small minor issues.

@Devlin-no problem, actually after getting all my old scripts out for the glass breaking function, I would like to revisit the rigid body window breaking that worked ok in GameGuru but was not perfected in any way-will have to refresh my memory and do that in Blender again.

I've started this morning to do some testing on breaking up the levels into smaller chunks. so far so good and exported a scifi level into 5 pieces (not automated yet). Is a lot quicker in GameGuru to load in each piece and also snaps together ok as long as you know where all 5 pieces go
Also made a small adjustment to each static object that make up up each part of the level pieces in regard to shadows (no idea if this has any effect in GameGuru yet, but will experiment once I've got all 5 pieces in place after manually snapping them into place. Screenshots or vid to follow.
I also will be making sure that DNS textures are added by user option should that be a requirement.

[update-- would users want the option to break into pieces or just break into pieces by default?]

Hi Mike,

I have to set forcesimplobstacle = 3 in the model .fpe as if we don't currently then characters approaching the model wont even be able to walk over any floor pieces ( e.g. pavement) around the level outside building or even enter a building via a doorway - walking over any floor....

If you look at the screen shot attached again you can see what I mean - the enemies wont be able to walk over the floor pieces outside/around the building over the terrain you see near them - nor for example walk through the Corridor - outside the main building. With forcesimplobstacle = 3 they can at least do those things and say follow the player through the corridor if the enemy has a clear line of sight of the player at all times - e.g. you basically have to lead them through everything or where you want them to go by showing yourself to them constantly which is hopeless for gameplay. When they lose sight of the player they don't have the ability to as said navigate around things but try and go to the last know player point in a straight direction instead of going around objects. If the player then cant see them of course its difficult to know what they are doing - but if you go look to see invariably they are either stuck in geometry or trying to get around it while so. Effectively they don't keep far enough away from the geometry so are having problems by getting stuck in its geometry. Unlike the smaller single segments where they seem to understand that the object has a bounding box - far enough away from the segment so as not to clash with it. i.e they manouvre around small single segments with perhaps a meter to spare - with the large world object they don't. Seemingly they recognise the same clear boundary when it comes to the larger world whole level model. Perhaps GG is not handling the complex object avoidance boxes so well or however it works. Whatever as said the AI's also seem to try the last known direct line route to player position when player last visible and walk straight through the large object. Basically they are confused with the larger object navigation and once AI gets confused they do all manner of stupid things as we know from long experience. e.g. when they get stuck, they get confused and even when they player is near and in full view they don't react or take forever to do so - AI get confused and it also impacts on their fellow AI enemies - always been the case. They get stuck in a spiral until its exited and they catch up with what they are supposed to be doing

I have just tried again and see 3 more screen shots : AI think time and response is improved after a shutdown and reboot but....same issue exist.

1. FPO = 3 = off the enemy cant navigate over the pavement (floor) so is stuck outside the model completely and can only navigate around it.

2. FSO = 3 on the enemies can follow the player around the level outside the buildings but navigating around them or entering them causes stuck issues - you can see if I as here walk move out of their line of sight and go inside the corridor part they cant navigate around it but try and get through the walls directly to the player (2 Screen shots) - notice their weapons are sticking through the walls - 2 enemies - and that's where they will stay until I return outside and move to show myself to them and or draw them away from the object. They can as said follow me through the corridor if I keep them in direct line of view and draw them through the object. Trying to get them to follow me inside the main building itself is a too difficult for them of course under normal gameplay scenario as they are not intelligent enough and will get stuck contiuously in walls anyway.

Hope that makes some sense and helps.

I would not worry about it too much until Lee does whatever he will with the Building Editor, navigation system and Updates the AI - which granted could be a long way away yet. Who knows. All that could make your efforts and the results better or worse and you could be wasting your time.

If you will continue anyway then as to splitting into parts I guess you will know whats best that you can sensibly achieve.

Peter

Hi guy's, push up the debug visuals slider in test level to view the collision boundary lines to get a better idea of what is going on with AI pathfinding. Might be interesting to know if smaller 'chunks' are showing better boundaries and how small these need to be to work best. I suspect the walls and floor are one piece and preventing walls from creating proper boundary collision for AI making pathfinding inside non existent. Or maybe too many walls in one piece are the cause.
AI will find a path to the player if it exists or make a straight line to the player which would explain their erratic direction and getting stuck in walls if they don't have a 'path' created by boundaries.

Might also be of value to check out the poly count on any chunks so they lightmap properly.

I really should just buy this and check it all out instead of providing an 'educated' guess at the cause of issues, but seriously I don't have a need for it just yet with other things I have going on,I will get around to it eventually

@Uman-oh it's good you had the forcesimpleobstacle = 3, was just checking as I programmed that in as part of the FPE. I guess at the moment I'm experimenting with the breaking up of levels into smaller chunks not sure how practical it is as it could be pain snapping them all back together.

here is a very short vid showing the SciFi Level 1 FPSC level broken in 6 smaller chunks. Snaps together ok, but for really large levels could get confusing where they should be placed possibly? If anyone thinks this will be of benefit, I can implement as an option. I will have to figure out a way of transforming the XYZ coords so that all levels sit flat onto the GG terrain. Please feel free to comment, good or bad, I'm open to any thoughts anyone has.

Hi Mike,

A user should be able to group select all the parts in GG now and move them as 1 piece to the terrain floor or wherever without a problem.

In a very large FPSC level with many heights it may be difficult to easily match all the pieces and where they go though you seemed to be a wizard at joining parts in that one

I am just wondering if there is any reason apart from any GG ones for actually having to place the whole on top of a"Flat" terrain or not at the base default level height ---- relative to me wondering what happens if we take a converted level and place it say somewhere in a mountain scene well above a standard Flat terrain. From what I've seen/experienced it wont make any difference other of course than the fact that AI prefer a default Flat level terrain for navigation currently.

In the floating space station level I have its way above the base Flat level plane and everything seems the same in that instance e.g. no different collision issues and so on - leaving out AI enemies that is.

@Uman-many thanks for your response-oh yes I totally forgot about the grouping in GG, it's been so long since I actually did anything constructive in GG forgot about the rubber banding feature. Yes, I guess I was thinking about the AI issues and levels above terrain level that got me thinking that I had to bring the levels down flat onto the terrain, so I guess I won't have to worry about that which is great for me, less programming

Not sure what aspect of the tool I should be concentrating on at the moment, but seem to be working on various random things on my list ,still having fun testing new things out I think this week I will actually start making levels using the tool to help and see what I can come up with and toy around with LUA