Here are some of the many new features of Panda3d:

• lots of performance optimizations
• a preliminary OSX port
• new modes for animation blending
• easier partial-body animations
• more powerful shader-to-engine interface
• better support for rotating bodies in physics engine
• support for compressed model files
• multiple render targets (ie, glDrawBuffers)
• support for stereo rendering
• more complete API reference manual
• ability to control mipmaps explicitly
• better tools for debugging offscreen buffers
• better tools to distribute games over the internet
• new sample program: deferred shading
• new sample program: walking on uneven terrain

So… yes… Now you have TWO 3d engines you can pick from. What would you guys do without me to show you the way?

I know what I would do… and it probably would involve explosions and a small bunny.

Of course, you can download Panda3d fom her-ya.

Post from: Play Designs

They’re saying that this new system will probably be out in as little as 3 years, but with the way the PS 3 is going, I’m thinking that it might be more like 5 to 10 years…

I’m a pessimist… I know.

You still love me, right?

Reports suggest that the new PSP will have a built in hard drive support from the beginning and will not be using the UMD media format like the current system which could rule out the possibility of direct backwards compatibility.

Well, that kinda sucks… Then how would you hack the PSP2 to play super awesome cool emulators? NOT that I would EVER do such a thing… because that’s illegal.

So, you heard it here first! PSP 2 out in 3 to 1 million years.

And if they ARE just rumors… forget I even said anything.

Post from: Play Designs

(are you convinced that you need to win money yet?)

What’s even better is that it’s being hosted by Intel. Now, Intel is advertising that you could win money, a powerful pc or some really cool development tools, so why not give it a try?

All you have to do is send in a game demo that you have created and they’ll sit around, check out the demo, do some backflips and then boogie on down to vote on who has the best demo out there.

Dis es what da major corporation seys:

Your game demo could earn you serious cash, powerful PCs, software tools, and great exposure. Just for entering the contest, we’ll give you access to Intel’s powerful software development tools. Keep reading for all the details including important eligibility requirements and restrictions.

And here are the prizes:

• Best Threaded Game – First Prize of $30,000, PC & Software
• Best Game on the Go – First Prize of $30,000, PC & Software

And here’s what you gotta use:

Intel® C++ Compiler 9.0
Intel® C++ Software Development Tool Suite 2.0
Intel® Threading Tools 2.2
Intel® VTune™ Performance Analyzer 7.2
Intel® Visual Fortran Compiler 9.0, Standard Edition
Intel® Integrated Performance Primitives 5.0
Intel® Math Kernel Library 8.0
Intel® C++ Compiler 2.0 For Windows CE, Professional
Intel® C++ Compiler 2.0 For Windows CE, Standard

Why don’t you just go here and check it out…

Now if only Intel didn’t have craptastic video cards… I’d be happy. Oh, and get Mariah Carrey off the front page of their website. I almost threw up.

[mariah carrey's image was take from intel's site. i'm crying inside.]

Post from: Play Designs

No, not ho, ho… but… ho ho ho. Like Santa. I would never call you a ho. I’d call Howdy Doody a ho, though. Puppets scare me.

Anyways, I’m just flew in from my adventure in Utah and boy are my arms tired! HAH HAH!

Oh wait, that was always a lame joke.

Please forget I ever said anything.

I had a lot of fun on my vacation and I had a lot of work to catch up on, so that’s where I’ve been, not that any of you actually care. Because… like, the only people who leave comments are these weird advertising places and while I appreciate their responses, I don’t really think they mean it.

Jerks.

Look for some brand spanking news coming right here from the Ambermiester. I’m sure you’re all on pins and needles waiting for it, too!

Get back to work!

Post from: Play Designs

Post from: Play Designs

While checking out Game Dev, I ran into this intriguing article that makes me want to kill some aholes! Well, maybe not kill, but the article still made me upset.

There’s a guy out there by the name of Jeff Vogel who is a game developer… actually, I’m lazy, here’s the Wikipedia entry on the guy:

Jeff Vogel is the primary programmer for the company Spiderweb Software, which produces shareware computer games for Macintosh and Windows PC platforms.

To date, his most successful games have been the Exile series, its facelifted cousin Avernum, and Geneforge.

Okay, background completed.

Anyways, this is a quote he is linked to saying:

Indie developers have a real purpose in this world. They make little niche products for markets too small for Activision. They make many new puzzle games for the casual audience […] But truly innovative games? The sort you’re only going to see a few more times in your lifetime? Those will come from Electronic Arts.

Do you see why I’m angry!? We’re all trying to be good indie developers or at least get a start on our own games and this guy says the only innovative games are coming from Electronic Arts.

THE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREATED THREE THOUSAND MADDEN FOOTBALL GAMES. Their innovation wore off in the late 80s!

Sure, they got the Sims, but again, how many Sims expansion packs can a person have?! Why not just make one gigantic game and not take all of my hard earned money! I’ve spent hundreds on those dang Sims packs! Why am I such a fool!?

OHHHH the HORRORS!

I do like how Game Dev handles the quote, because seriously… we, the little people, can be just as motivating as those big wigs who get paid all that money to make games. I think it’s the people who have the balls to work on their games for YEARS with NO PAY that create the most awesomess games out there!

What a jerk.

Okay, I’m done whining.

Post from: Play Designs

While perusing Game Dev, there’s an article advertising the Texas Independant Game Conference (wow, 3 links in ONE sentence. I am the shizzle!). The conference will take place in Austin, Texas from July 22 – 23.

I took the time (it’s so valuable!) to see what the conference would be talking about. Now without further ado, the conference topics:

• Veterans and Visionaries – hear from those that have been there and done that…and people who have a keen eye for the future…on what is coming down the pike for indie games.
• Market Place – how to commercialize indie games.
• Tool Sets – hands on sessions to hear about the latest tools and even use them…

Wow… sounds like there’s a packed show. What happened to the tap dancing elephants I heard were at this shindig? Man, that sucks.

But still, if you’re in Texas at in July, you might want to take a look at this conference, because I’m sure there will be lots of valuable information you can take away from the event.

Post from: Play Designs

I was doing a Google search (I <3 Google) on stuff to find to update this journal with. I searched HIGH! And I search loe (get it, Loe?! HAHAH!)... and I found a really great resource site for the VB game developer in all of us. The name of the site is called VBGamer and it has a lot of different posts on how to use VB to program your games…

One of the current features is about a guy, Jeremy Burns, who is creating his own Mario Brothers game based on pieces of the older games and a “few innovations” of his own. It’s definitely an interesting read. He writes a bit about how he had to piece all of these individual parts together. He also loves him some side scroller games and I know a lot of people who do, so maybe this article is for you.

The next post down is about getting FREE soundtracks for your VB inspired games. I think that’s pretty cool, because sountracks are always a pain in the butt to locate when you’re putting together a game.

Like I said, this site has a lot of great features that are definitely worth checking out, so take a look!

Post from: Play Designs

That’s right… there is a Game Developers Conference being held from March 20 – 24 in lovely San Jose, California (actually, I don’t know if it’s lovely, because I’ve never been there, but I can only imagine the immaculacy of THE GREAT SAN JOSE).

Here’s what you can expect from such an awesome conference being held in THE GREAT SAN JOSE:

Next-gen game development will revolutionize every aspect of the gaming industry. From increased production complexity, team sizes, and budgets to new ways to reach the mass market, GDC:06 will answer the questions critical to the industry’s success.

Learn lessons from next-gen, handheld, and current game development, explore collaborations with the film industry and gain access to the people, technologies, and tools that define what’s next for our industry.

OMGWTFBBQ?!?!?! :O

That sounds totally awesome.

And look at all the cool things they are going to be discussing:

• Murder, Sex and Censorship: Debating the Morals of Creative Freedom
• Physical Gameplay in Half-Life 2
• The Zen of Wi-Fi: A Postmortem of the Wireless Features of Nintendo DS
• The Role and Impact of Visual Art Director for “Next Gen” Games
• A Discussion on Story and Music and the Business That Brings Them Together
• Burn Baby, Burn: Game Developers Rant

Actually, this conference looks really cool. I wish I could go. You can register here if you can go. I know I can’t… *hangs head and weeps*

Post from: Play Designs

]]> http://www.play-designs.com/2006/02/game-developers-conference/feed/ 0 http://www.play-designs.com/2006/02/all-you-need-to-know-about-anticipatory-ai/ http://www.play-designs.com/2006/02/all-you-need-to-know-about-anticipatory-ai/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:30:39 +0000 admin http://www.play-designs.com/2006/02/16/all-you-need-to-know-about-anticipatory-ai/ Post from: Play Designs
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…And I’m not talking about that creepy movie with the “I See Dead People” kid. That movie was just super weird.

As I was cruising about the Gamasutra (and no, that is not a kinky position you can try… perverts), I came across an interesting article about Anticipatory AI and how it should be approached.

This article mostly talks about how another character, other than the main character that you play, should act under different circumstances. If it’s raining, they should have their hands over their heads, trying desperately to deflect the drops of rain that relentlessly bash them in the head… or if it’s sunny, they’d be walking around in their flip flops and shorts, skipping happily. Or perhaps, if you decide your character should flash this other person, the other person will look at you with complete shock… and maybe slap you. Yeah, definitely slap you. You shouldn’t be flashing people! Sicko!

Okay, these may not be the best examples ever, so take a look at the examples Bruce Blumberg from Gamasutra gives:

Examples of such behaviors include: the shift in gaze, and widening eyes as a result of perceived motion just on the periphery, the slight stiffening of a cat’s tail that presages a predatory pounce, the slinking gait of a fearful dog in expectation of being punished; the catch in breath in response to a startling noise. In traditional animation, these movements and behaviors would be labeled as secondary anticipatory actions. And yet, as Isla puts it, “much of the low-level animation described is significant precisely because it is indicative of some kind of emotional or knowledge state internal to the character. If a character frowns and continually glances towards a door, we might infer that it is because the character is anxious about someone soon coming through it.”

So, basically, he’s talking about developing a game with all the reactions that you may face in the real world. The article talks about how most games of the future will be going this route, so you may want to take a look at the article.

And if you don’t, my AI dog will pee on your shoe.

Post from: Play Designs

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