Development Blog Update - Texture preview tool

MaxMax Technical Director, Unknown Worlds Entertainment Join Date: 2002-03-15 Member: 318Super Administrators, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
edited November 2007 in NS2 General Discussion
Please post comments on the topic Development Blog Update - <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2007/11/texture_preview_tool" target="_blank">Texture preview tool here</a>
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Comments

  • ChuckstarNLChuckstarNL Join Date: 2003-11-23 Member: 23446Members
    Something tells me this tool won't be used just for NS2 mapping.... it looks very useful indeed! Phong looks nice to have on walls and floors as well.

    Does your tool support .VMT files? It would be nice to have a GUI for this as well. Also, will this tool make it into the next NS2TR?

    P.S. ns2_tharum.bsp.... oooh <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wow.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":0" border="0" alt="wow.gif" />
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  • dRaGGin_loWdRaGGin_loW Join Date: 2007-11-01 Member: 62790Members, Constellation
    WOW! That looks like a great tool! Cant wait till we can all get our hands on it to use!

    Should help mapping alot!
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  • AbraAbra Would you kindly Join Date: 2003-08-17 Member: 19870Members
    That is incredible, Max! The title "Texture preview tool" had me excited - now, after reading the blog post, I am left giggling in anticipation.
    That is, if the tool is being released to the community.

    I wished for this back in the... forth podcast comment thread, and this is far better than what I expected. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
    Looks good!
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  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    awesome sauce!

    why not have a similar tool for 3d modellers that are trying to texture their models?
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  • cashedcashed Join Date: 2007-10-12 Member: 62621Members
    great idea on the psd/texture support. as a mapper ive come across 1 tool that really is similar but with not as many features. Its called crafty, take a look. <a href="http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=45" target="_blank">http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=45</a>
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  • pSyk0mAnpSyk0mAn Nerdish by Nature Germany Join Date: 2003-08-07 Member: 19166Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Community Developer
    <!--quoteo(post=1659216:date=Nov 3 2007, 06:22 PM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(schkorpio @ Nov 3 2007, 06:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659216"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->awesome sauce!

    why not have a similar tool for 3d modellers that are trying to texture their models?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Actually, if you have watched this awesome model texture video by j , you could have seen that he changed textures in ps and was able to check it on the model immediatly.
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  • MapsterMapster Join Date: 2007-11-01 Member: 62796Members
    edited November 2007
    When i try and view it, it says that i am trying to preform an illegal opperation... before it even downloads the movie <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
    So it freezes FireFox and i have to ctrl+delete.

    I love the idea though, very creative and clever thinking.

    EDIT:
    I just downloaded it onto my computer and it works.

    Good job!
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  • obsidobsid Join Date: 2003-09-16 Member: 20909Members
    edited November 2007
    You know, this could be quite valuable in its own right, given that you sold Decoda I’m surprised you don’t sell this as well. Even if you’re not designing games it would be useful to write textures in Photoshop and see them directly in 3d right away.
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  • NEX9NEX9 Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44299Members
    Nano Grid > Texture preview tool
    do a vote if you dont believe me, it would make the awsomest name for it and tie it to the NS universe.
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  • Soylent_greenSoylent_green Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11220Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-max+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(max)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->(In an odd coincidence, when I was writing the BSP loading code, I referenced this article which in turn references an article I wrote many years ago on loading Quake 2 BSP files).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That's hillarious!
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  • aeroripperaeroripper Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42471NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    "(In an odd coincidence, when I was writing the BSP loading code, I referenced this article which in turn references an article I wrote many years ago on loading Quake 2 BSP files)."

    lol, small world! Looking good Max!
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  • BreadManBreadMan Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10854Members, Retired Developer
    edited November 2007
    <!--quoteo(post=1659196:date=Nov 3 2007, 01:53 PM:name=ChuckstarNL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ChuckstarNL @ Nov 3 2007, 01:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659196"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Does your tool support .VMT files? It would be nice to have a GUI for this as well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I was wondering about this as well. Can we have the VMT open while the tool is running and have changes reflected every time we hit ctrl-s? Would be great if so.
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  • TriggermanTriggerman Graphic Artist Join Date: 2004-11-10 Member: 32724Members, WC 2013 - Supporter
    I've been reskinning some World of Warcraft models myself, and it's very tiring to have to go through the process of saving the file to .PNG, convert it to .BLP, open the datafile and import it, save it and close it, open WoWModelViewer and see the result.

    This isn't WoW but this is just totally and utterly awesome that you made a tool for this. Gonna have to give NS-mapping a go when it comes out!
    The collective amount of work you guys have done so far is just breathtaking, pleasegivemethistoolnow <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
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  • puzlpuzl The Old Firm Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    I'm sure you've been told this before, but Max, you are one extremely clever chap. Call the tool 'Pretexa' <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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  • hookeyedhookeyed Join Date: 2007-08-26 Member: 62011Members, Squad Five Blue
    Mmm, those few textures there are looking mighty sexy.
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  • PogoPPogoP Environment Artist Join Date: 2004-01-31 Member: 25827Members, NS2 Developer, Constellation
    Incredible, this will really help texture artists in seeing how their textures look, straight away. Excellent work Max.
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Man, this thing looks slick. Having a game texture inside an engine, in real time, and being able to update it is useful, but having it with almost no overhead? That's awesome. In the past I've had Maya open with real-time high quality rendering turned on to get a good look at my texture in progress, but it's clunky and resource intensive. Being able to the see the texture literally ingame would be a godsend. I don't see why anyone would ever texture outside of that tool ever again <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />

    And I'm really interested in the Phong illumination stuff. I was under the impression that Source's Phong implementation wasn't the same as traditional Phong shading, but whatever they did it definitely looks nice and I'd take it over cubemaps for level geometry any day.
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  • NEX9NEX9 Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44299Members
    Tycho I thought you told someone this before,

    "Hl2 uses phonge illumes on the hl2 touch and or other player activated light source's like exsplosions.
    but the rest of the lightin is handled by envi maps"

    wouldnt this mean there is a node in the network that removes the phong effect under enviroment lighting
    or more so the other way around, the envi lighting ignores the phong network.
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    edited November 2007
    <!--quoteo(post=1659321:date=Nov 4 2007, 07:38 PM:name=NEX9)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NEX9 @ Nov 4 2007, 07:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659321"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Tycho I thought you told someone this before,

    "Hl2 uses phonge illumes on the hl2 touch and or other player activated light source's like exsplosions.
    but the rest of the lightin is handled by envi maps"

    wouldnt this mean there is a node in the network that removes the phong effect under enviroment lighting
    or more so the other way around, the envi lighting ignores the phong network.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    <b>I need to be nicer around here.</b>

    I'm not sure I understand, but I think you're saying that HL2 uses Phong shading for real time light sources and env maps for level lighting. That's wrong, in any case, so the conclusion you reached based on that is also erroneous.
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  • NEX9NEX9 Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44299Members
    edited November 2007
    Fair enough, just remeber reading it some were and thought it acctuly came form you, oh well then I am at a lose.

    listen to the HL2 ep 2 comentary see if that has anything fun to say about it.

    oh and puzl "pretexa" is acctuly a cool name for it
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  • coriscoris Join Date: 2003-07-08 Member: 18034Members, Constellation
    Nano Grid was the best idea for a name in this thread.
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  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    This looks quite pimp. Quite pimp indeed. I was always surprised how difficult it was to get a texture ingame.
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  • CrispyCrispy Jaded GD Join Date: 2004-08-22 Member: 30793Members, Constellation
    edited November 2007
    <!--quoteo(post=1659241:date=Nov 4 2007, 04:35 AM:name=NEX9)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NEX9 @ Nov 4 2007, 04:35 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659241"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Nano Grid > Texture preview tool
    do a vote if you dont believe me, it would make the awsomest name for it and tie it to the NS universe.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Idea: bundle it in as a constie bonus, so in a way, you're not just 'buying it', you're also helping fund NS2 and joining the Constellation. That means all the people who really don't care about NS2 but join the Constellation to get this awesome software will still be on a mailing list which can be used to generate future awareness and sales of NS2. Instead of "What's Natural Selection 2?", it'd be "Natural Selection 2 is that game from those guys who made the simply awesome realtime bsp texture viewer!".

    /2 cents
    /eyes constie badge
    /wants texture software

    <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nerd-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::nerdy::" border="0" alt="nerd-fix.gif" />
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  • NEX9NEX9 Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44299Members
    not bad thsi could of also gone in teh E team thread, it has merit.
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  • FlayraFlayra Game Director, Unknown Worlds Entertainment San Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
    edited November 2007
    You know it's going to be a good week when the weekend grants you a little gift like this. Leave Max alone for a couple days and you invariably get something rad!

    All praise teh m4x0r!

    P.S. Click that Digg button on the news post!
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  • SamRSamR Join Date: 2002-09-30 Member: 1382Members
    Very nice <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> That is incredibly useful and I can't wait to play with this. Well done !

    <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    <!--quoteo(post=1659421:date=Nov 6 2007, 04:36 AM:name=Flayra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Flayra @ Nov 6 2007, 04:36 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659421"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->P.S. Click that Digg button on the news post!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Actually, don't! That takes you do a page to submit a new entry to Digg, rather than linking to <a href="http://digg.com/pc_games/BSP_Texture_preview_tool" target="_blank">this</a> as it should.

    --Scythe--
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  • obsidobsid Join Date: 2003-09-16 Member: 20909Members
    Why should the NS1 digg page be the one everyone should go to? Wouldnt we want more people to go to the NS2 one?
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  • MetoMeto Join Date: 2004-04-26 Member: 28216Members
    Didn't Valve start by making WorldCraft for Quake, then they supported Quake 2 and at some point decide to go and make their own game, Half-Life?

    Maybe I'm wrong but if I'm right then you may be following a proven path. Sell your tools and make your game <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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  • Uragan_LexUragan_Lex Join Date: 2007-11-06 Member: 62839Members
    Question for Max - will Texture preview tool support material (vmt) changes? Its realy actual for meh: live define right params like $envmaptint,$envmapsaturation,$envmapcontrast & etc (to get result like <a href="http://projectd2.com/hl2screens/displayimage.php?pos=-252" target="_blank">this</a> - desaturated env_cubemap reflections for steel, yellow saturated reflection for brass).
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