Something of interest : Pseudo 3D Tracks V2 - Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

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erico

video is looking good on split roads.
Other then the background, you might want to overlay some degradee to create an aerial perspective.
Lotus 2 is the best example of this game type I have seen so far. maybe a closer to that perspective?

MrTAToad

It would preferably be user-definable.  In the previous program I had it that as the road got wider, the perspective slowly changed.

Tunnels are being a pain, especially with rendering vehicles in a tunnel.

If anyone has any ideas on how to sort that, I would be most greatful :)

By the looks of it, the tunnel face (and possibly exit) and vehicles will need to be sorted by the Z value.  If a  tunnel face is present then no objects before this will be displayed...


MrTAToad

I think the thing to do first is to allow vertical positioning - this would allow clouds as well...

Anyway, list of features needed :


  • Straight roads - Done
  • Bends - Done
  • Hills - Done
  • Troughs/Slopes - Done
  • Variable road width - Done.  Currently perspective changes, which needs to be stopped
  • Split roads - The basis for this has been setup, but things like moving player and vehicles to the different sections hasn't been dealt with.  In addition, the grass section would need to be moved to a different structure.
  • Vertical positioning of billboards - This now allows things like clouds, and forms the basis of tunnels roofs too.  The only downside is that tunnel roofs are of fixed size, so will only cover section of track.  This could be solved by modifying the billboard structure so that it knows which are sprites and which could be drawn using standard draw functions.  This sorts out clipping problems, and allows tunnels to follow the road exactly.  Tunnel example : http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1zc3pi_example-of-a-tunnel-in-pseudo-3d_tech
  • Bridges - exactly the same as tunnels
  • Water/mud etc - would be no problem colouring sections of track and grass area - the start/end lines are examples of this

MrPlow

Comp:
Speccy-48k, Speccy-128k, Amigas, PCs

erico

I would not know how to do the tunnel sorting, I´d have to try understand the code first. ;/

MrTAToad

My idea for tunnels seems to be fine - see my previous post for more details!

Slydog

This just seems so tedious!  So much work to recreate that retro driving style.
In pure 3D mode, it would be so much easier to create a simple driving game.

I read an article a few years back on this retro 3d technique and was intrigued . . . but not enough to actually do it!
Kudos, you have great patience wise one.   :nw:

What type of game play are you planning, just the usual driving / racing?
I wonder what other driving types could be done with this? 
Bikes riding down a path?
Boats / Jet Skis on a river?
Flying / hovering, but then why the road?  Clouds?

This could be used to make the next viral runner game - but only driving.
Move over Flappy Birds. Touch screen to drive left, let go and it drives right by itself (one touch movement control, like flappy birds!)
Kind of only kidding, that would be hard, as you would always have to be turning one way or the other. But hey, people like hard.
Better maybe to have touch left and right side of screen to turn.  Or tilt.

Place obstacles in your path, make the road width get smaller, increase driving speed - see how far you can drive!
Flappy was a hit - and for no reason!  This at least sounds much more fun.

Edit: Call it "DriRun"! Well - it sounded better in my head.
My current project (WIP) :: TwistedMaze <<  [Updated: 2015-11-25]

MrTAToad

Whilst doing it in proper 3D may seem easier, but you've got the trouble of designing the tracks, camera positioning and collision detection.    Plus, of course, you are hoping that the machine is fast enough...

I would like to do something along the lines of Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 or a Trailblazer type game.  Aside from the graphics, another problem will be how to create levels....

This type of thing was used in quite a few arcade games - Space Harrier (just need to modify the ground), Outrun, Line Of Fire, Afterburner/G-Loc or even 3D Deathchase...

erico

yep, I like lotus 2, that would be a great feat!

Other then harrier, this was also used on the more obscure 8-bit games. I like this Technic.
I´m specially found of FEEDBACK on the MSX, though a lot simpler.

matchy

Lotus 2 four players with two Amiga linked. Those were the days.  :)

So how does it currently run on other platforms, line Android/win32?

mentalthink

Yes in 3D it's easy I'm doing testings in Shiva and its really easy, about make the traks really you need only 2 or 3, then you can make any track.

But the good point it's how says Erico it's like lotus, I think if MrT make a game more far than only run the tracks the game will be explendid, something like you have to buy wheels, tires, can buy cars, really make a strategy, the game can be awesome...

I try yesterday to play a bit and I like it a lot, very faster and very playable.

MrTAToad

I'm updating it to be a bit more efficient at the moment - its a multy-pass rendering system now (mainly so that tunnels and what-not could be displayed in the correct Z order).

I think I've spent enough time on this now - there is one fairly serious problem (that I mentioned originally) is that the car bounces around on hills/slopes - I think its due to the segments Y positions being incorrect for some reason.  I have no idea why it happens or how to fix it unfortunately.

MrTAToad

I've finally found out what was causing the jitter!  Only taken several days :)

Need to re-do the rendering routine again now :)

SBlectric

Looks awesome, seriously it brings that retro racer feel right back.
Cool stuff and whatever

MrTAToad

Yes, these types of games are usually pretty fun.

Glad you like it!