Endless Possibilities?

[Konfuzzyus]

I was wondering what one can do with the Source-Engine

I am always trying to figure out, how one would create a Mod in the SHADOWRUN(tm) universe, and if it would be at all possibble to include all the neat concepts it offers...

e.g.

Is it possible to create a Map (Level) by parameters instead of using a Leveleditor (e.g. creating a Map in runtime?), so one could simulate a MATRIX-Style Server access (you get into the machine to do the hacking), where you just know the server arcitecture (acces nodes etc.) and create the maps from that?

Is it possible to handle headset-Conversation between players like in-game radio transitions with one can intercept or disrupt?

Is it possible to include a RUNE-like character movement including climbing, jumping and halding on, etc.

Is it possible to switch into a differently rendered version of the actual map (e.g. Astral Projection, where the only light sources you see are living beings)

Is it possible to create the whole map of seattle with pedestrians, vehicles, shops, and so on in a HL2 map (or muliple parts?)

Well... what are the limits of the source?

 

[theGreenBunny]

Woops, I thought 'shadorun' was some weird japanese rpg, so I voted 'what's that'. In fact I have heard about shadowrun, but not a lot.

1. Sounds tough, I don't think I fully understand the process you're talking about. You mean generated maps?

2. Should be possible, I think this is in the valve-info thread.

3. You mean 3rd person? Definitely possible.

4. Not sure about this one. But if you can do night-vision in Source, this should be possible too.

5. There are several mods that go for a GTA-style city, built out of several HL2 maps. Won't be easy though.

For more info on the modability of Source you can check the valve-erc modding faq:
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?faq=source_mod_faq

 

[Konfuzzyus]

WAAAAAGH i misspelled the QUESTION!!!

of corse it should spell "SHADOWRUN".. any moderator around to correct that for me? PLEAAAAAASE!

to 1. Its hard to explain if one doesn't know shadowrun... so i'll just try it... If you log into the MATRIX (something like the internet in ourdays (not the movie, the movie stole the idea from them i suspect)) your physical perception gets "overwritten" and is replaced by a virtual environment representing Hosts, data lanes, other users and so on (a bit like the digitizing process in TRON but only your mind goes digital). Now the question... could one write code, with generates the matrix-environment (from a simple network-scheme with hosts and nodes by using a tileset or something) while the game is loading the main level?

 

[Epsi]

I guess that creating the entirety of the architecture in real-time would be possible (it's probably possible in HL1, just spawn lots of func_walls) it would be horribly inefficient due to the fact that the engine would be unable to compute things like line-of-sight properly, lighting would be very very bad because it doesn't do that in real-time...

Without writing your own renderer it's probably not possible.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by Epsi
I guess that creating the entirety of the architecture in real-time would be possible (it's probably possible in HL1, just spawn lots of func_walls) it would be horribly inefficient due to the fact that the engine would be unable to compute things like line-of-sight properly, lighting would be very very bad because it doesn't do that in real-time...

Without writing your own renderer it's probably not possible.

Source engine does apparantly have dynamic lighting.. But I dunno if it has shadows that work with dynamic lighting

You could probably (I hope anyway as I could make use of this) have props, bad guys, equipment and so on appear in random places each time. But as for the actual map structure, I don't think it would work out for the reasons Epsi mention above

I agree that it would be really cool if you could do random maps like that. Things like random dungeons in that Daggerfall type mod I had in mind would have benefitted greatly... IF DoomIII is what id claim it to be, something like what the OP wants might be possible, but it probably wouldn't be too easy even then, not on the fly. a 2D game though, quite possible and very easy and has been done a few times before. Realtime 3D though Epsi is right, probably require writing an engine specifically for it.. Actually thinking about it, there is a VERY cool engine out there for exterior environments, and its quite capable of changing the entire landscape (I think about 40km x 40km max) on the fly if you wanted to, with no slow down, adding things and removing things and all sorts. Was very cool and I very nearly licenced it, it was that neat

 

[Konfuzzyus]

Or, other question, how dynamic can 1st-player-weapon-models be made? Is there a possibility to dynamically change a model (not the texture but the vertice positions) at runtime? (e.g. can one adjust the positions of reading-marks in a spellbook according to the page you opened? And to represent the pages already (how do you call it in english? turn a page?) turned (e.g. you actually see how far you are through the book). Is it possible to "MIX" (e.g. rendering multiple together) meshes to accomplish this?

and what degree of detail will be possible for vegetation? Could one create a growing rosebush that adjustes itself to its environment (eg. growing around a pillar or stone or doorway) ?

and i was wondering if one could realisticly simulate a rope, with all the thing you can use it for (pulling stuff, tieing up stuff, climbing with it, useing it with a grappling hook to get onto rooftops etc.) Will the engine be efficient enough to simulate a rope, tied to nothing just being dropped across a (complex) map (so it adjustes its shape to the terrain underneath)?

 

[The Dark Elf]

probably not

 

[random.hero]

in reply to number 3...owwey my brain hurts

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by random.hero
in reply to number 3...owwey my brain hurts

wouldn't it be cool if #3 could be done. Cowboy mods would be great fun with the lasso's and hanging your enemy

 

[phantomdesign]

Originally posted by random.hero
in reply to number 3...owwey my brain hurts

Let me guess, a fellow coder

 

[henrym]

Originally posted by Konfuzzyus
and what degree of detail will be possible for vegetation? Could one create a growing rosebush that adjustes itself to its environment (eg. growing around a pillar or stone or doorway) ?

I think this all depends on the degree of control of rendering we get with the Source. You'd probably have to write code to control how the vegetation grows yourself (google for "L systems" - may help).

Originally posted by Konfuzzyus
and i was wondering if one could realisticly simulate a rope, with all the thing you can use it for (pulling stuff, tieing up stuff, climbing with it, useing it with a grappling hook to get onto rooftops etc.) Will the engine be efficient enough to simulate a rope, tied to nothing just being dropped across a (complex) map (so it adjustes its shape to the terrain underneath)?

I read something about making ropes in the 'info from VALVe only' thread, 'round page 6 or so. They have some correspondence from someone @ VALVe talking about the ropes moving in one of the scenes in City 17.