OpenZone 8.4 in the works

[Windcatcher]

I've been away for a couple of months working on a different project (and I'm nowhere near done with it), but I've been getting the itch to work on EQEmu stuff again. I've picked up OpenZone again, and I'm working on something pretty cool for it. I've added items in the creature library to the mesh objects list, and you'll be able to do some new things:

- add placed mesh objects to the "object" table instead of the "doors" table
- add placed creature objects to the "object" table

The SQL was a little tricky because the object table uses zone ID's rather than zone names, but I think I have that nailed down. The first feature, when tested, will let you add things like forges, brew barrels, etc. to your zone, and the second feature will let you place animated objects like hanging flags.

Now, with this in place, if I wanted to try something REALLY cool, I'd let you also place NPC creatures, including pathing. I think it's possible, though dealing with all the tables that you have to muck with when creating spawns could be a real pain. But, you never know. Anyhow, I have the idea in the back of my mind, though I don't plan to try that for version 8.4.

The first two features weren't all that hard to add and you should expect a release sometime this week. There are simply a lot of little details to nail down and some testing to do.

Wind

[Windcatcher]

Here's a little taste of what I've got going so far. It's pretty easy to add animated objects like flags now, though I haven't yet tested exporting and trying them ingame. As a rule, this will only work with XWF zones and as such is for use by SimpleClient. I'm pretty certain that the live client can't handle referencing creature models as spawned zone objects.

http://i35.tinypic.com/e6d1tu.png

[Windcatcher]

Well, adding flags with OpenZone 8.4 works ingame :)

http://i36.tinypic.com/2j0gzlu.png

[GeorgeS]

Hey WC good to hear from you again. Thanks for continuing the work on OZ.
NPC and pathing would be nice if it would work on custom zones and for the 0.7.x client!

GeorgeS

[Windcatcher]

Nah, you're not asking for much ;)

I'm hoping to release OpenZone 8.4 tonight, though I can't guarantee it. I've just been doing some cleanup on how to handle mesh objects that you choose to put into SQL rather than in the exported zone itself. When you load existing zones, any DoorRef references will be changed to SQLRef. The SQLRef parameter will have a drop-down that lets you choose between "None", "Doors", or "Objects". In this way there's some expandability built into the program and a single solution for everything.

I've also added an object_parms script that will show up in the SQL tab. It works like the door_parms script, where it sets the database parameters for all objects at its level and below where SQLParm is set to "Objects". In the practical sense, you need to group it with objects to be useful. You can use it to set parameters for things like forge objects, brew barrel objects, etc. I still need to do a little more work with it to make it a bit more user-friendly (mostly around the hints that go with its parameters). A really easy way to use it, just as a single example, would be to place all your forges in your zone (assuming there is more than one), place an object_parms object that sets the parameters for forges in general, and group the lot together. I intend to do this with my Lelembeth zone, for instance.

When you export your zone, instead of creating a single <zonename>.sql file, it will create a <zonename>_doors.sql and a <zonename>_objects.sql. The idea here is that you can choose to load only the doors or objects SQL in case you don't want to use OpenZone to build both. A lot of people have already built zones using other DB tools and I don't want to force people to have to redo their work in OpenZone.

Looking forward, I'd like to have OpenZone be able to load information from the database. Door and object references would be the obvious starting points, though I eventually want to get to NPC and pathing information. Right now there is no connection between OpenZone and the database, as has always been the case. It's not hard to add that, but there are some questions I have to answer first: how to handle differing database versions, how to handle cases where OpenZone doesn't have the necessary creature model (e.g. your server is using the live client)? I have no intention of adding code to OpenZone to read live client content because that's just a huge Pandora's box, but that's not the only potential solution anyway. I can put anything in as a placeholder, even one of the creature models that come with OpenZone.

WC

[Windcatcher]

Just a little update...I ran into a showstopper bug that was partially in OpenZone and partially in the 3D engine itself. I think I've got it sorted, but I need at least another day to do some testing. It's looking good, though, and a release should be very soon.

As a side note, I've also added a couple of settings to the Edit...Preferences screen: they let you change the amount that the move/rotate buttons tweak objects (I know that some people have been asking for this for a while). There are also some other bugfixes, so the program as a whole will be better overall.

[Windcatcher]

Small update...the human female model is complete, and next up is spiders. I also uncovered a bug in exporting creature models that will be fixed in OpenZone 8.5.

[Windcatcher]

Okay, time for some eye candy:

Normal
http://i38.tinypic.com/15yeoig.png

Leather
http://i35.tinypic.com/1ijuxi.png

Chain
http://i33.tinypic.com/wksq6v.png

Plate
http://i36.tinypic.com/1z6h1xf.png

[Windcatcher]

Monk
http://i38.tinypic.com/jingx3.png

(the robed textures are the same as for all other models)

So now there will be three complete player races that come with OpenZone/SimpleClient:

Human male/female
Wood elf male/female
Dark elf male/female

One step at a time...

Wind

[Richardo]

Any chance I can have these models exported in 3ds format? I'd like to play around with them.

[Windcatcher]

Sure, let me put something together this weekend (maybe tonight).

[Richardo]

Thank you very much WC. I got your PM. :)

[Windcatcher]

For player models, I need to point this out:

For the body from the neck down, there are two groups, robed and non-robed. Each group must be identical in terms of the geometry and the texture coordinates. This is how the live client and SimpleClient work; it understands only six meshes:

- Head (normal)
- Head (leather)
- Head (chain)
- Head (plate)

- Body (non-robed)
- Body (robed)

For the body meshes, the non-robed can have five texture variants, where the ONLY difference is the textures used (the texcoords are identical):

- Normal
- Leather
- Chain
- Plate
- Monk

The robed textures are similar where there are seven variants, where the ONLY difference is in the texture files.

If you want to make another player model (e.g. half-elf, barbarian, etc.) it's important to bear this in mind.

On the other hand, if you're making an NPC model, it is either more or less restrictive, depending on the client:

- For the live client, all variants must be absolutely identical except for the texture files used.

- For SimpleClient, each variant can have a different mesh (yes, SimpleClient is more flexible).

Wind

[Richardo]

I understand.

I hate the way they designed all of this but it's understandable. :P

[Windcatcher]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you create. In the meantime, I'm making animations for GeorgeS' lizardman model.

[Richardo]

WindCatcher, I get an error with those models that you've sent me. It has a format issue, did you export them correctly?

[Windcatcher]

They exported fine for me, I tested them with Ultimate Unwrap 3D and they load fine for me. That said, the texture filenames are longer than the 8.3 format that is standard for .3DS files so your program might be squawking about it. Do you want me to just post the original .AN8 file instead? Another thing could try would be to download the evaluation version of UU3D and maybe use that to export them to another format...

[Richardo]

3ds max will load past textures if there were an issue. There is some sort of format incompatibility. Yes, if it isn't too much of a pain.. I'll take the AN8 files. :)

[Windcatcher]

Did that work out for you? I'm itching to see what you make ;)

I've finished my lizardman and I've started on wolves (6 variants of each). They're actually models from GeorgeS that I've tweaked here and there:

http://i36.tinypic.com/2qnw6px.png
http://i38.tinypic.com/rjgzme.png

I've also uncovered a bug in SimpleClient and I'll probably release a bugfix for that tomorrow. When I finish the wolf animations I'll put together a release of OpenZone with the new models and a full-up release of SimpleClient (rather than an incremental one). I wanted to get these models done so I can populate some more zones with stuff to fight.

[Windcatcher]

One by one I'm adding the wolf animations (I think I'm getting better at making animations in general, but I'm dreading the walking and running ones for this model).

Sitting
http://i33.tinypic.com/2h7ngxw.png

Standing/howling
http://i33.tinypic.com/1zw0ns.png

I haven't created the wolf form druid spell yet, but when I do, when you sit to med I plan to have the wolf model sit, too...and occasionally wag its tail :)

[Windcatcher]

The wolf is almost done...I just need to make a running animation. Hey GeorgeS, would you be willing to make a puma model, too?

[Windcatcher]

Wolves are done :D

http://i35.tinypic.com/2eyl14z.png

The next version of the Admin Tool will have some features that will make adding mob pathing a lot easier, as well as Z coordinate correction. Before I release the next full-up-release of SimpleClient I plan to add more spawns to the DB and lots of pathing.

[GeorgeS]

Wow WC, those wolves look good in the zone!
Lizardman looks excellent. I think there was another lizardman model if I recall correctly. I think I also gave you some snakes - those should be easy to animate.

A puma should be no problem. I'll start this week.


My models for OZ/SimpleClient
http://wizardportal.dyndns.org/eqemu/oz/work_to_date.html


GeorgeS

[GeorgeS]

I spend a few hours modeling these puma/lion body type.

Newest models for OZ/SimpleClient

http://wizardportal.dyndns.org/eqemu/oz/work_to_date2.html

I'll export these to .x later. Textures must be smooth and not faceted to diplay right, as are the normals.

GeorgeS
http://wizardportal.dyndns.org/eqemu/oz/puma_02.jpg

[Windcatcher]

Very nice! Sort of prehistoric-looking. Let us know when the download link is up. I had the hardest time finding something that could convert your .x files to another format so I added a .x importer to OpenZone 8.5. I can't guarantee it can load any .x file, but it loads yours and I added a way for OpenZone to convert them to an Anim8or files.

In the meantime I'm adding spawns, pathing, and loot to my existing zones, but those cats will be perfect roamers for the Peshara Highlands, which aside from some goblin camps is largely empty.

[Windcatcher]

GeorgeS, your wolf textures are also great for making bears:

http://i33.tinypic.com/mjahl1.png

I started this model a long time ago and it looks like I can finally finish it.

[GeorgeS]

Very nice.

I have the puma/lion models ready for dl. They are in .X, and textures in BMP.

http://wizardportal.dyndns.org/eqemu/pumas.zip

GeorgeS

[Windcatcher]

Bears, finally...

http://i38.tinypic.com/3502jp0.png

Hunting bears by moonlight?

http://i34.tinypic.com/2utjeap.png

[Windcatcher]

A new lair, somewhere...

http://i38.tinypic.com/xpzz40.png

I'm adding lots of spawns and pathing to the six zones that come with SimpleClient, and loot where applicable. I'm also improving some zones as necessary, as with The Namtarn, here. I had hoped for a release this weekend, but there is simply too much to do. At this point I'm planning on releasing everything around Christmas. There will be new versions of OpenZone, the Admin Tool, SimpleClient, and OpenZone textures. I want to make every zone viable for play, which means mobs and loot, and merchants, guildmasters, etc. in player zones. The Namtarn will allow play up to level 20, though you will probably need to group for the rooms in it. There are also lots of new spells since the last release, though no visible spell effects as yet, and of course lots of bugfixes and some new features in each app.

[Windcatcher]

Hey, I can get to the site again!

Here's what I'm currently experimenting with...GLSL shaders in OpenZone:

http://i36.tinypic.com/2e3s7q8.png

This is showing up to 6 dynamic lights using a vertex shader. You can't tell in the screenshot, but they are also flickering. I've added a Flicker parameter to light objects and updated the mesh library objects so torches, etc. will flicker. There is still a ton to do, there is no way to export any of this to XWA yet, but that's the plan: to have SimpleClient support shaders. At the moment I'm trying to get bump-mapping working in OpenZone with normal maps. When I'm satisfied with the results I'll start working on the export chain so this can work in SimpleClient. None of this will work in the live client as the .WLD format doesn't support it.

For shader purposes, I'm defining the light radius as the point where it reaches 50% intensity, not zero. This more closely approximates what the static lighting model was producing. Think of it as relating to a FWHM measurement.