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I downloaded the GLBasic v11.322 update and noticed that the .chm help files hadn't changed. I know it's not most important issue, but I just wanted to bring this to your attention again. See what I mean in screenshot below:

I just downloaded the GLBasic v11.322 update hoping this will fix this iPhone 320x480 problem, but it still seems to be there. Question, do you (MrTAToad, Kitty) also get this behaviour, I mean is it reproducible on your end?

I get a lot of e-mails of users complaining that Snake Slider displays on a small part of the screen on their iPad. I *really* want to make an update but, like I already wrote here, that will break the 'retina' display for the iPhone/iPod.

I know how to make an .ddd with 2 animation frames by exporting from AC3D to .obj. However, the Convert3D tool seems to remove all colors from .obj models.

I've just made a post in the Bug Reports about this.

I'm trying to get an animated 3D model into GLBasic, but the problem is that the Convert3D tool seems to remove all colors. In GLBasic when I load my objects with X_LOADOBJ, they are just plain white.

I wanted to make a simple animated object with 2 keyframes. So I've made 2 keyframe models and I export them to .obj and then use Convert3D from the GLBasic\tools\ folder to put them together as one .ddd file with animation frames.

It looks like the .obj files use a separate .mtl file that describes the materials. The content of the .obj file uses a mtllib and usemtl keywords, I assume material library and material usage, so for example the .obj content is like this:

Code (glbasic) Select Expand

mtllib blue_cube.mtl
g g0
v -5 -5 -5
etc..
usemtl acmat_0
..

Maybe this is a new feature of this file format and Convert3D doesn't support it yet?

I've attached an example project, also see screenshots below.



[attachment deleted by admin]

I don't know how many polygons, around 20 to 40 I guess. How can I test the total amount polygons of the scene I'm drawing? Is there some count-polygon command? I can't search my helpfile

In the GLBasic menu, go to "Project" -> "Options" and there is a checkbox "Explicit declarations". If this is checked, you must declare all your variables. You can uncheck it and you won't get the error message. However, I would recommend you always have this option enabled (checked).

For example, look at the following code:

Code (glbasic) Select Expand

mystring$ = "test"
PRINT mysting$, 10, 10

With "Explicit declarations" enabled, you'll get an error and you'll quickly notice the typo "mysting$" instead of "mystring$". When it's disabled it will just compile, automatically create 2 variables "mysting$" and "mystring$" and the code doesn't print anything, and then you have to go find the mistake yourself.

I've got a simple 2D-like explosion working now, like pictured in opening post. I exported my object from AC3D to 2 objs (frame 1 and frame 2), then convert with Convert3D, then in my app I can animate it with X_DRAWANIM excellent. However, it seems the OBJ file doesn't keep color values, my object was red but in GLB it is light blue.

erico: yes I want the explosion to have more 3D volume, instead of just flat.

In the helpfile, you can search using the third tab "Search". This used to work, but now the "list topics" button always displays "no topics found", no matter what keyword I try. Even keywords that I know should yield results, for example "3d" or "sprite" or "drawsprite". Some info on the file version I have:

GLBasic IDE v11.261
GLBasic_e.chm (filesize 635393 bytes, filedate 9-jan-2012)

And another thing, as I mentioned here, could someone maybe add a chapter to the helpfile about some of the tools? I'm new to the 3D parts of GLBasic and I've found that I have to rely on looking for clues in old forum posts. I was looking for info on Convert3D.exe, but info about the AC3D plug-in, DiNGSFont, shoebox etc. would be handy too. I think all the relevant info should be in one central place, so the helpfile would be perfect.

I know writing and updating the documentation is a lot of work, but it's very important for using GLBasic to its full potential. Is there a way we can contribute to the helpfile, maybe in a wiki-like setting?

What is the best way to create a .ddd model that holds a simple explosion animation? I don't mean explode an existing spacehip model into tiny vertices, but just an explosion ball and some random debris.

I'm new to 3D and I'm looking for a way to do explosions in a Space Invaders type shooter game for iPhone and Android.

Doing particles is CPU costly (both in 2D as in 3D) so I thought creating a model with 2 keysframes would be a good solution. The first keyframe is some debris parts close together, and the second keyframe would be the same parts except exploded like the AC3D object->explode function. So something like below, except with more parts and in more random directions.



I know there is a .dda ascii fileformat, because I saw it mentioned here on the forum. But I don't know what it can do or how I can use it. I suspect that I could create a model and then edit the animation in by hand, because it is only 2 frames of animation, and only a few vertices that represent the debris. Maybe I can just write a small program to generate the data and write it to an a ascii text file. But where can I find documentation on the file format?

Also, there is Convert3D program in the GLBasic tools folder, it has buttons labeled "(+) keyframe" and "(-) keyframe" but I don't know how to use this program or what it can do. Is there any documentation on this tool?

So the question is, how to do a simple animation? Any help would be appreciated

Oops never mind I can answer my own question..

I just found out about the AC3D plug-in. I copied the ddd_export.p file from \GLBasic_v11\Plugins\AC3D\ into the AC3D plugin folder, and it gives improved result.
It now looks exactly the same as the cubes created from code.

I'm trying some 3D stuff and I created some cubes and spheres in code using X_OBJSTART, X_OBJADDVERTEX, X_OBJEND etc. I really like the flat shaded 3D objects. They look kind of oldschool, like Virtua Racer or Star Fox for SNES. See image below what I mean with flat shaded, the red sphere on the left-hand side.



So now I wanted to create some more interesting objects, other than the simple cube or sphere. So I'm using AC3D as a model editor, export it to 3ds file and convert it to .ddd using Convert3D tool.

But when I load the resulting .ddd object, it looks like the objects aren't lighted or shaded correctly. See image below, I draw a row of the same object, using X_MOVEMENT, X_ROTATION around y-axis and then X_DRAWOBJ.



The colors between the 2 example are slightly different because of material settings in AC3D, so that's not the problem.

The top halve is 1 object created in code with X_OBJSTART, X_OBJADDVERTEX, X_OBJEND, and when I draw a row of this one object it show correctly. The bottom halve is a cube created with AC3D, loaded from X_LOADOBJ. The shade of the bottom part of each cubes is different. This is not expected, because the bottom parts are all facing the same direction. There is a X_SPOT_LT with same position and angle as X_CAMERA, so the light is comming directly from the view angle.

I've tried changing X_AUTONORMALS before doing X_LOADOBJ but that doesn't make any difference. Do I need to set some surface properties in AC3D before exporting it?

_{(not sure if this counts as spam, but if so then mods can remove this post)}

Shineapp is doing a weekly poll where visitors can vote on which app they'll review. Ofcourse I'd really appreciate a vote on Snake Slider Lite. Go to the Weekly Poll on shineapp, select "Snake Slider Lite" and click on vote. Thanks!

http://www.shineapp.com/ <- Weekly poll on the right-hand side

Nice game, I made it to #38 in the highscores The music is pretty cool, I especially like SurfOnaSineWave.

Some suggestions; Before a game, when the scroll text and highscores are displayed (I call it "attract mode") maybe you could also insert a screen that displays instructions and all block powerups, like (L-block) = large paddle, (red block) = laserbeams, (green block) = glue ball etc.

When you catch the nuke-powerup, maybe all blocks can shake, or maybe the entire screen.

At first I thought the portal blocks were movable blocks, because of the icons. I think another icon, like a round wormhole thingy, would be better.

The level skip at the end is very clever (to prevent the gameplay-slow-down at end of level), but I think you shouldn't have to press a button to make the level-skip meter rise. Maybe it can rise automatically as long as you stay inside the small area.

edit:
#3 now! : In my first attempt, I used level-skip all the time but I didn't realise that it drains all your points.

I've been getting some bug reports from users who get my app in small screen size (1024x768 displayed on 2048x1536).

This issue is fixed for iPad with v11, but in turn this 'breaks' retina display on iPhone.. It's been a little quiet here, so I'm just wondering if there is a new v11 in the works..?

[does]

In the new version GLBasic v11 there is a problem with apps that run on both iphone/ipad, and project resolution is set to 768x1024 (portrait). It correctly runs in 768x1024 mode on the iPad, even on the new iPad3 (which has 1536x2048 screen) so this is correct. However, the problem is that on iPhone4/iPod4 it incorrectly starts in 320x480 graphics mode. (btw this is a bug report, as suggested this topic)

Here's my new info:
GLBasic v11.261
libpng-gf.a => 14-dec-2012
libGLBasiciPhone-egl.a => 14-dec-2012

In project->options I set the Resolution to 768x1024. On an iPod4 my GLB app now runs in 320x480 mode. I've tried it on an iPod4, iPhone4 and an iPad3. I've even uninstalled both GLBasic v10 and v11, and then only re-installed v11. Console gives this output:

Code (glbasic) Select Expand

init with frame.
desktop backing: 320 x 480
mainScreen: 320x480
glb_notify_screen_size 320x480
slaunch ok
-applicationDidBecomeActive    -> unpause
timer
rbow
rbow init
Rbow::SetScreen( 768,1024)
get accurate timer - 1st call
flip - 1st call
BGRA ext supported

Note that when I set the project settings to 640x960 and run it on my iPod4, then it does go to 640x960 ("retina") graphics mode. Here is the console output.

Code (glbasic) Select Expand

init with frame.
App wants to support retina...
Retina scaleing available: self.contentScaleFactor = 2.000000
desktop backing: 640 x 960
mainScreen: 640x960
glb_notify_screen_size 640x960
slaunch ok
-applicationDidBecomeActive    -> unpause
timer
rbow
rbow init
Rbow::SetScreen( 640,960)
get accurate timer - 1st call
flip - 1st call
BGRA ext supported