duo
Gorubeshu
Posts: 261
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Post by duo on Sept 1, 2009 10:48:34 GMT -5
I was talking to rockman juno about making video games in panda3d and thought this might be useful to other people who are interested in making 3d games (partly inspired by mirak's guide). Panda3d is a game engine. Blender is primarily for editing models and scenes. You can make simple games in it, but it will take a lot longer, and a lot more effort in trying to understand everything, than if you use panda.
A site with games made in blender can be found here: blender-games.webs.com/apps/wiki/.
For making games with panda3d, follow the steps below:
First, make your characters, and all their animations in Blender. For excellent video tutorials, go to www.gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html to learn how to use it!
Then, you make a level. The level is made up of a bunch of different objects:
- Game map (this is what you actually see). Can be broken up into parts for applying separate textures.
- Game objects (platforms, boxes, pillars). These will require individual textures as well.
- Collision map (this forms the boundaries that your characters can't go past)
- Empties (markers that tell your characters, enemies, and other objects where to go and how to position them)
Empties are also useful for camera work; you can set up different locations for the camera to pan to, and panda3d will make the camera float from one Empty location to the next in a given time period (3d games are like movies).
You then have to import all of your models into panda3d using the blender-to-egg Chicken script.
Next, you will have to start programming. Everything below here is done in panda3d!
In panda3d, you should put each character into a python class. Your character classes should have the following:
- Character model loaded into the panda3d Actor class
- Character model animations
- Standard pand3d collision polygon
- Collision handling code
- Control functions (keyboard for main character, AI for enemies)
Next, you create an instance of your game level. Search it for all the empties. Then create instances of all your characters. Reparent them to the empties, and BAM! your game is running.
You're going to have to read the panda3d manual a lot, even before you start programming. Look through the examples that come with the panda3d package. They have clear examples of most of the things you'd like to do to make a game. Good luck!
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snowman
Arukoitan
Still Hasn't Melted
Posts: 182
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Post by snowman on Sept 1, 2009 14:00:11 GMT -5
It sounds really interesting. I've never used Panda 3D or Blender before, they really sound neat! I'll definitely consider learning to use them, though I realize it may be hard. I have almost no experience with Game Makers or 3D modeling programs. I'm sure this guide will really help me, and other people who want to make games! Thank you for posting it!  |
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Post by Rockman Striker on Sept 1, 2009 16:44:57 GMT -5
 wow i don´t expected a so specific answer as yours! Completely explanatory, thanks!
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Post by mirak on Sept 1, 2009 17:19:52 GMT -5
First, make your characters, and all their animations in Blender How? How? Can you show screenshots on how to make one or how does each thing look like? What is this? How do i do that? Where can i find this script? Is it built in? What are empties again? How do you set the camera? I'm completely lost. No it's not, i don't even know where to download the program. :x Wait, so this wasn't a tutorial/guide after all?! The above quotes with their respective questions are what any potential begginer game creator will ask when they come across this tutorial. I, like everyone else, appreciate the thread's meaning, but i don't really see this as a guide, since it doesn't explain anything, the only thing it has is the procedures you take to make a game, but you don't actually welcome anyone to learn. Don't take it bad, i want to be helpful, that's why i'm mentioning this. This, as it's written right now, is not very helpful. |
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duo
Gorubeshu
Posts: 261
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Post by duo on Sept 1, 2009 21:18:50 GMT -5
No, it's not a tutorial, just a framework or a guide. It doesn't describe all the steps in detail (that would take a book), but I'll add to it when I have a chance. I'll give links to the web sites too. The main thing here is to give an introduction to the process, and the skills necessary. I had to figure out all of procedures on my own, through forums, books, tutorials, etc. Having a basic framework like this is pretty good I think.
Anyway, a lot of these skills take time to learn. Not really something that can be learned from just reading a tutorial. Just learning blender modeling, uv unwrap, texturing, and animation would take a couple of months. Panda3d takes another couple of months if you can program already.
@mirak: you asked how to make a level. That depends on what kind of game you want! Different games have different types of levels. You'll be able to make what you want when you can can combine the abilities of blender with the requirements and limitations of panda3d. I'll put in links to good manual pages to read.
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Qwertman
Habarool
Work work work...
Posts: 736
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Post by Qwertman on Sept 1, 2009 23:10:37 GMT -5
Noice.
Gotta say, that sounds pretty awesome. Straightforward AND you get to get dirty with code... AND it's python!
How did you do that?
import antigravity
Oh right... Python.
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Post by bdk336 on Sept 5, 2009 13:45:13 GMT -5
no problem with this, but I just have to put in that I believe blender to be a machination of evil designed to crush the hopes of future game makers. But that's just me.
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Post by mirak on Sept 5, 2009 14:17:49 GMT -5
The problem with blender is that you SERIOUSLY need some kind of book or guide that teaches you how to use it properly, because without the proper book, you'll just find yourself drilling your skull.
Blender even has a lot of windows and plugins that are completely invisible unless you know exactly which hotkeys summon them.
I have a few EXCELLENT books for learning how to use blender, in case you want me to send them to you. I reccomend that you print them though, reading them IRL while using blender at the same time is less tiring than using the ebooks in your pc.
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Post by bdk336 on Sept 5, 2009 14:37:56 GMT -5
In that case yes please. the only sort of guide I've found at all was the extremely long, extremely unspecific wiki-book(s) on it.
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Post by mirak on Sept 5, 2009 14:46:16 GMT -5
Alright, when i get home i'll upload them and PM them to you.
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Qwertman
Habarool
Work work work...
Posts: 736
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Post by Qwertman on Sept 5, 2009 15:38:04 GMT -5
Yeah... I did sort of experience that with Blender.
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duo
Gorubeshu
Posts: 261
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Post by duo on Sept 7, 2009 21:11:08 GMT -5
I never had too much of a problem with it. There are a bunch of great video tutorials that show you how to accomplish anything. www.gryllus.net/Blender/3D.htmlThat is my favorite site for video tutorials. It covers pretty much EVERY topic. Check it out; it will make blending very much easier! @mirak: Why did you get rid of your jumping toast? |
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Post by mirak on Sept 7, 2009 21:49:11 GMT -5
Was Blender your first 3D program?
And well, i removed it because... Uh. I liked the pic i got right now. XD
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duo
Gorubeshu
Posts: 261
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Post by duo on Sept 7, 2009 22:17:51 GMT -5
I started out with 3ds max, but found the interface too much like autocad. It took me too long to make stuff. Blender was a lot more smooth to get into, and I can work quickly with it.
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Qwertman
Habarool
Work work work...
Posts: 736
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Post by Qwertman on Sept 8, 2009 15:47:34 GMT -5
I found blender hard because I could never remember all the key combos.
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