Interim Report - Game Programming Lab '11
Group members: Daniel Bucher, Etan Kissling, Jan Rüegg, Francois
Team 2: Reign of Darkness
Much time was spent on refactoring the code, cleaning up everything and implementing the graphical updates. Much code was discarded due to performance issues on the xbox and had to be redone several times until it was playable. Also, some XML issues prevented us from working at ETH and we had to first fix problems with DLL loading over network there.
We think that we won't proceed much into the "High target" since it is much more important to handle the difficult problem of nice controls, since this is what players will see first. They won't mind whether there is a destructible wall in the game if they are not able to move as they want.
Following are the updates which we have applied to the game since the interim report (which made it into the game).
Progress
Functional minimum
100% done
Free moving in 3D
done.
Controls were reworked multiple times, resulting in an aviation control mode and a totally new control mode based on starfox.
Low target
100% done
Desired target
WIP
Graphics improvements
WIP
HUD
WIP
Added a new interface for the hitpoints in the middle of the screen where every player can easily see how much light he's needing to win the game.
Volumetric lights
WIP
Added raycasting to achieve volumetric lights and volumetric shadows. However, shadowcube lookups during ray marching were way too expensive. Removed them which resulted in us being able to solve the raycasting integral analytically and achieve a similar effect without volumetric shadows. Particle effects may be added later.
Billboard Lights
Improved the billboards to make them pulsate and added an effect on collection.
Shadow Mapping
done.
Variance shadow mapping
done.
Maze
WIP
Added the possibility to create levels through XML-based files. Triangles, Cubes and Tetrahedrons are possible until now.
Extended Game menu (game modes)
WIP
Reworked the whole game menu screen to make it more visually appealing.
Start Screen:
Join Screen:
High target
NYI
Players can change color of environment lights and own light
NYI
Introduction movie
NYI
Extended Shooting mode
NYI
Extras
NYI
Stereoscopic 3D renderer
NYI
Mirrors
NYI
Destructible walls
NYI
Network Multiplayer
NYI