Here is the YouTube Video for the first-ever GameGuru MAX Live Broadcast. Hope you enjoy it.

Very interesting Lee , sounds like good news all round

Dave

did I understand it correct, you will use the "wicked engine" for rendering?
nice engine... @all there are some vids on youtube about the engine.

Looking forward to all the new shiny stuff! But the same sort of thing was said when GameGuru first came out.

good broadcast Lee, thanks. Yes, compiled the Wicked Engine , very nice indeed.

if game guru max graphics is going to look like the Wicked Engine count me in. this is what I been waiting for and the only reason I would buy it. but I really hope third person will be integrated in game guru max. as for the Wicked Engine shortcut I think it's good you are using a source
to help with the development for the rendering. you have time manage this so any help to get this done on time is good for product.

Wow. Maybe I'm a little more optimistic about the success of Max now that finally GG is going to use an open-source engine leaving more time for other things. Now Max have my attention. It is not like I did not follow, but I am considering to purchase again.
The Wicked Engine also looks like a nice engine, I may give it a try.

I only hope, the extra "free time" the Wicked Engine may provide is not going to be spent on maintaining and fixing bugs in Classic and leave Max to be an other pile of unfinished pretty mess. I really do. I settle for nothing less than a polished and complete game dev tool when officially released but I also don't want it to be a 5+ year plan either. With an open-source engine, things going to move faster and better I hope.

Thanks.

As I could not get to all the questions in the live chat, here they are:

​Will we get a dynamic night and day cycle?
A: Yes we are adding an internal game clock, and linking that with a day and night cycle with moving sun and moon. All done in script so you can change the aspects to suit the game you are making.

What kind of new scripts will be added if any?
A: Nothing too grand. We want to focus on the architecture, graphics engine integration and terrain/world stuff. Adding new functionality chunks will be a secondary priority, but we will be using scripting as much as possible to keep things customizable.

​When will the new Lua thing be available?
A: The Dynamic LUA System is pretty much done, but we might add a few extra touches to it before release. Check out the alpha build to see how it works.

How many enemies can you have on-screen at once and how many can you have in a level before the ai glitches?
A: We recommend spawning enemies in small batches to keep your performance up, but there is no fixed upper limit for enemies. There are no plans to add glitching of enemies in MAX, at any enemy count

​What is the estimate "distance" in Kilometer/meters for the world diameter?
A: There is no fixed world size, you will expand the terrain as your game needs it. We may add some limits if there is a memory or GPU bottleneck to millions of miles of terrain for example, but we will only know that when the system is nearing completion.

Does all this extra GPU power and gloss mean there will be a higher minimum requirement on end-user/players machines?
A: Yes indeed. We are looking at the GTX 960 as the new minimum requirement, but this may change as we start building up large worlds with the new graphics engine. For lower-end systems, stick with Classic.

​Will we be able to publish as standalone sooner than release?
A: No plans to activate save standalone until release, but it might happen to the end of beta testing, just to make sure everything works.

Will we be able to change the shape of the terrain manipulation tool?
A: No plans to have anything other than the radial tool, but we have other shapes on our roadmap, time permitting.

Will be able to cut holes in terrain
A: No plans to cut holes for release, but it's on the roadmap for cases that cannot avoid this requirement.

​Does each terrain type have its own hard-coded sounds or can you change the sound profiles? (i.e. Grass that sounds like metal)?
A: Not planned for release, but its a great idea, including metadata in the terrain to trigger the right footfall sounds. We have this for Structures and Entities, but it would be great to have it for terrain.

In the new terrain will there be any water at different heights, such as rivers, waterfall etc, big ask i know?
A: There will definitely be a water plane as we have now, but we are looking at the difficulties of adding water volumes to have water at different heights. Assume no for release, but we have added it to our wishlist as there are many applications for such a feature.

How do I put standalone game on another computer without game guru?
A: Without GameGuru, you would need to another game creation tool or Visual Studio to make your standalone game.

​The new LUA system available yet?
A: The Dynamic LUA system is now available in the alpha build, check it out!

Will we have multiple grasses, and will the banding of terrain painting be gone in the new terrain system?
A: Yes, multiple grass types you can spray down and texture banding will not be an issue with the new terrain painting system.

Update the TPP controller please
A: No plans to substantially expand the Third Person Control system for MAX.

Did you insert the option to set the MAP Parameter manually? To make Open World Games a little bit.
A: You will be able to expand the terrain manually, yes.

​It would be nice to have shape stamps for the terrain like in some of your other products. Any plans?
A: No plans for release to have terrain sculpt brushes and stamps, but I agree it is a great idea!

​How does the terrain system handle "no go areas"; such as steep hills/mountains, which won't allow the player to traverse up the sides of mountains, etc? Is it automatic, or does it need some tweaks?
A: We will extend the climb angle limit to ensure you cannot jump to defeat the system.

Underground caves using terrain editor?
A: No plans to add a cave editing system for MAX, just clever use of terrain sculpting to achieve a similar effect.

Also, just to answer the questions from this forum thread:

@MooKai : We will be using the Wicked Engine for our graphics pipeline, watch out for more sneak peek videos and live broadcasts for more news!

@MadLad Designs & @Zigi : If in ANY doubt, please do not pre-order GameGuru MAX at this time. Keep watching the videos for info, and then try out the free demo when we release in September. The last thing I want is to be the source of any disappointment!

@Lee, is there any time frame when we could expect the next
update release, and hint the features added to that one?
I'll gladly get the Alpha or Beta then... just wondering if it could
be around the corner or several weeks, months...?

BTW, I haven't got a dedicated GrCard so I'll have to be looking at
an upgrade before that time I suppose... but there won't be a limiting
gate built into the engine if we don't have a minimum or better GC?!

ok, I need new glasses, I cannot for the life of me find the dynamic lua tool. Looked in sneak peek vids quicvkly etc , still can't find.

I think I'm reading this incorrectly. Won't I be able to create an EXE version of a game created in GameGuru MAX that can be run by anyone using Windows 10? (I mean, in the final edition of GameGuru MAX released this September.)

I, unfortunately, I miss the stream but have been meaning to ask. I hope we can get improvements to swimming. Something more modern or even similar to how it was achieved in FPSCx9 and FPSCx10.

It would also be nice to have the watercolor we have chosen in the editor be reflected in-game for underwater:



For example here is a script I've written for this but it would be nice to have it coded directly into the engine. In FPSCx10 we were able to control the underwater color:

Wicked has its own built in TPP and FPS controllers, might be easier to refine TPP by using Wickeds ones.

Also, Wicked has LUA API's, which is awesome news, so much easier to integrate our scripting

@Lee do u gonna put some suggested enhancements from github into GG max?

From what i gather it's not really a tool as such, it's part of the properties panel for entities, as far as i know all it does is allow you to expose variables in your script and they show up as options in the properties panel.



He explains that a few posts higher. He means if you don't want to/can't use GameGuru. GameGuru Max will have standalone export, but it's disabled in alpha at the moment and won't be enabled until closer to release, probably because so much is going to change enabling it now might break stuff.

@Belidos - Thanks! I admit I skimmed most of the above to see what the subject was about, but didn't catch what you're referenced. Thanks for pointing it. Frankly, I wouldn't want to export a stand-alone with MAX while it's in alpha. I'll gladly wait for September.

"Update the TPP controller please
A: No plans to substantially expand the Third Person Control system for MAX."

So we are still not able to create 2.5D sidescrolling shooters... hmmm .... sad

excellent, with wicked engine implementation visual quality will leap forward light years!

Ok, i actually do have a question, is the wicked engine (32 bit) going to be used for classic?

i missed the live due to work but watched the vidoe now and i saw some great news about engine but (rant mode on)hope this will not end like good old reloaded when greats first videos looked gorgeous and after final builds sadly not (rant mode off)

since YOu talked about terrain generation system hope it will be reworked at all and will be more similar to the first Gg iterations when i remember i got some great landascapes automatically generated differently the current GG version ...Perlin noise and too many others algorithm generations are needed


and another question

since Max will use Wicked engine it wll have all great wicked engine features like cloth simulation, gpu particles, shadow mamps , decal rendering and so on?

For 99% NO

Two minor questions; will the Wicked Engine functionalities be visible and editable in the editor, or will users have to be in test game in order to start editing lights, GI etc.? And secondly, will the implementation of Wicked feature the exact same UI as Wicked's own videos currently show, or will it be "GameGuru-ified" to look more like the GGMax UI already previewed, or the Tab-Tab visuals menu in Classic?

AE

OK, so I missed the initial live stream but I just watched it on you tube.

Color me impressed by what you and the team are doing at the game creators Lee.
I just put down 27 dollars for a Pre-Order.

I love the idea of the node based terrain system that we can expand as needed.

Cannot wait to start making stuff for the Oculus Quest.

GGmax can improve underwater system, anyway underwater in GG, is far better than before.



Maybe Wicked Engine might help to improve things on that area.
When GGMax be linked to Wicked Engine it can use their libs to do all sort of nice things, the goal here is to let Wicked Engine do the job, at least in certain areas. Question here is if Lee is willing to code GGMax engine, around the Wicked Engine and/or make GGMax always take the lead, and only use the Wicked Engine libraries to perform certain tasks; and meanwhile and very wisely create their own libraries as a backup for later use, who knows? maybe they come in handy on the future. ihmo

so now we have what we were talking about years ago. a 3rd party engine under the hood.
not unreal or unity, but looks like the wicked engine is good too, hope the performance will increase, more shiny effects... more time for TGC to add new features...
better results for the game devs

I think, that would be impossible/too expencive, TGC would have to get special copyrights from them to use for game guru.

I have some questions:
1) Is this only the rendering pipeline of wicked engine or will we see other features too? Some guys here think you will build GG on top of wicked, instead of only using the rendering pipeline.

2) Will we see a new shader system? Wicked engine uses hlsl and not fx files.

3) Will the GG models get updates(at least the theme packs and not the classics) or have GGMax his own models? I liked the enhanced weapon dlc and it would be a shame if I could not use it anymore.

Yeah, but no license worries down the line (or I imagine so without looking into it)

I missed most the live stream and am about to watch the vid

Oh exposing lua variables to the main interface may not seem like much. For non-lua coders who want to change those values though a definite bonus! For us people who can and do code, still useful for speeding up the testing process

ok I see now, I found the lua scripts in objects folder. this will be fun.

If we get used to the fact that GGMax can be a totally new product, and not an improved version of GG; I think this would be a good way to take advantage of the potential of wiked engine.

I was amused by wiked engine calling "Create impostor" instead of creating LOD, for the meshes.

what we need in game-guru max it's an NEW import function,
when you have 100 or 200 fbx files converted in 3ds max, and then you have to reimport & reassign the texture for every asset i say NO STOP THIS HORROR !
We need to add an import function for FOLDERS who contains the fbx files+textures
Also it' another problem i hate with GG, it's this:

1- You create your 3D model with your 3d software
2- You convert your 3D model to FBX
3- You import your fbx into GG
4- you need to RECONVERT THE FBX TO DBO...
5- REPEAT THIS FOR EVERY PROPS YOU HAVE !

WHY GG CAN'T USE THE FBX FILE DIRECTLY ?
It's GG MAX going to accept FBX FILES WITHOUT reconverting them ?
It' gives A HUGE AMOUNT OF WASTED TIME converting fbx files again, again & again....
Look at other 3D games engines, they just use FBX file formats & they accept folders importing of fbx objects+textures !

Just save your model as direct x file and open it in gg, no FBX import/export needet

If you are using 3DSMAX why are you not using Panda Exporter or X Exporter?

I personally don't use Game Guru's importer. I just export my models as .X in 3DSMAX and write my own FPE files for them. No issues at all.

If your textures are named right and in the same folder then gameguru will automatically add them and asign them to the material for you when you choose the base texture, which is something most other engines don't do.

In most mainstream engines you import the model, then create a material, then add the textures to that material, gameguru is a much quicker and more efficient system if you name the textures properly.

my question was, for GG MAX
i HOPE its going to be possible to IMPORT folders with fbx or x objects + textures by drag & drop !
Like in other games engines where you can load tons of models on the fly by DRAG & DROP !
i'm going to try with x objects, but oit nevers gives me the right result !
I have buy assets +- 200 fbx objects... i can't upload them to the actual GG one by one...takes too much time !

I seriously hope GameGuru MAX isn't going to rely on .x as an import format. I suppose it may need to keep it for backwards compatibility. But the Wicked Engine currently supports OBJ and GLTF 2.0. OBJ is not very good as it is limited (only one UV map, no animations, etc.). But GLTF 2.0 is excellent. You can not only import your models with PBR materials, animations, lights, etc., but you can import entire scenes, if you want/need to. This means you could develop an entire level in your app of choice, save out as GLTF 2.0, and import the entire thing into Wicked Engine. Hopefully, GameGuru MAX will keep this as GLTF 2.0 will make model import very easy.

well i think i dont explain well my self
lol thats because im french
i HOPE it's going to be possible to IMPORT FOLDERS with 3D objects+ textures at ONCE
& not like actual GG importing objects 1 by 1 converting & saving them.

@imothep85
Let´s say I have a folder converter for a lot of models types to .x files. ( I actually have)
How you want to create the fpe? Is it enough if it creates a standard fpe for static entities?
And how you want to create the preview image?

Look at godot engine, it does this work !
i imported all my object by just doing drag & drop

Ok, I imported a fbx model and it was broken( I used an assimp test model, and it looks like they use a old deprecated version). But that is ok, lets say it was correct.
No preview image and it was completely static. I answer my question myself:
It would be ok.

If you add a request for a batch import for static entites on github, I would say you will have a high chance to get this on GGMax.
GGMax use the assimp library like godot, so it is possible

i just took my fbx files did drag&drop and got everything inside, if you want to preview an object just click on the desired object & it appears in the screen !

TGC don't should keep X file format if they want to take profit of all the wiked engine goodies.
GLTF 2.0 would be a better bet.

I still believe that we will not see more than the rendering pipeline of wiked engine in GGMax.

"I still believe that we will not see more than the rendering pipeline of wiked engine in GGMax. "

Piggy- back a complex open source game engine only for graphics?
What is the premise for GGMAX? -- because this extra work with outdated file types
does not fit the model of "easy" gaming making for everyone-- like the marketing
tag that GG Classic has.

If you decide that adopting the Wicked engine is the best development choice, then
why aren't you also consciously hoping to take advantage of all the features?
If we don't utilize all the options that are already there in Wicked, and only want a
graphics port, then what's with Vulcan? Where does that tie in?
Vulcan might be great for the long run if GGMAX would max out as a cross-platform
game engine.... in 2022...or 3... or 4?!

Not very optimistic considering all I was asking is to finish this one, but fine. I won't pre-order.
I'm going to need a new PC once again to run GameGuru Max anyway because I did some tests with the wicked engine and did get some horrible results with my current rig, it was running at 20 FPS with nothing on the screen but a few entities and dynamic lights, with static baked lights was getting 60 FPS though. So with an actual game engine running underneath with AI, physics, terrain, a bunch of dynamic and static entities and staff, the best I can hope for something like 5 FPS once again just like it was with GG Classic v1.0

To be honest I'm not too sure why is this need to be so god dam heavy on resources and shiny. I mean, personally, as a gamer I am totally fine with graphics like Fallout 4 and GTA 5 for open world and Subnautica for an under water example, or even Doom for a more linear FPS example or Elder Scrolls Online for an MMO example, those games runs at High and Ultra setting at stable 30-40 FPS on my PC and I am totally happy with both the speed and graphics I'm getting. So why GG and the Wicked Engine can not deliver anything close out of the box? Is PBR and shiny helmet really that important in a game engine targeting kids and hobbyist in the first place?

Anyway, I don't plan to get a new PC for an other 1 or 2 years at least so Max do have plenty of time to polish, for now that's all I'm asking to be polished and finished and I'll upgrade my rig to deal with the performance.

Thanks.


Because Lee was talking about rendering staff only, I'm also hoping it is not going to be only the rendering. Wicked Engine got really decent Lua integration that allow us to dig deep and access and tweak engine level staff, just like what many of us was waiting for since day 1, it is right there, ready to use. If anything, that would totally worth it to sacrifice support for older hardware.


Nowhere? I think Lee told it is going to be using the DX11 renderer because this is what he is familiar with and this is what most shaders he is planning to salvage from Classic is compatible with I guess.
When Lee mentioned he is going to reveal what graphics engine Max going to be using, I was also secretly hoping it is going to be Vulkan which would open the door to cross-platform I was even hoping it is going to be the Vulkan engine they currently working on for AGK Studio so then the two tool would benefit from using a common engine. But it is remain DX11.

@zigi just out of interest, what are your specs on your machine?

A game engine will always need higher specs than a game to run, think if it this way, when running a game engine you are using all the resources of a game PLUS the resources needed to run the editor etc. So specs for an engine will always be higher than a game and you can't compare a game to an engine.

Plus wicked is actually quite resource light in comparison to must engines, even at minimum required spec you should be getting better cos than that with simple scenes