[IncendiaryLemon]

Curious about current efforts, whats next, and longterm plans. Particularly any ideas for the Hall GUI and the audio engine?

[Bobboau]

I want to make changes to the model format an add a material system (giveing modelers much greater controle)

[Sticks]

What in the audio engine needs updating?

[IncendiaryLemon]

Originally posted by Sticks
What in the audio engine needs updating?

 Posted that without checking, but it only supports stereo?

[Sticks]

Hmm, you may be right. I don't have a surround setup to test that, however.

[Bobboau]

but let's not forget that I'll be putting in environmet mapping, trueform, and decals in almost instantly

[Trivial Psychic]

SEXPs!!!!!  We want new SEXPS!

[JarC]

Originally posted by IncendiaryLemon


 Posted that without checking, but it only supports stereo?

and according to the launcher, it seems to support EAX too, but nothing like surround sound...would be a great mood enhancer though...

[Nico]

Originally posted by Bobboau
but let's not forget that I'll be putting in environmet mapping, trueform, and decals in almost instantly

Trueform, the ATI meshsmooth thing? I can be how cool that would be, but is there a way to stop it on certain meshes? Applying that too Karma's fenris or my ezechiel would be a catastrophe...

[DaBrain]

Originally posted by JarC
and according to the launcher, it seems to support EAX too, but nothing like surround sound...would be a great mood enhancer though...

It supports even A3D, but this does nothing either...

Is it possible to get it up from Stereo  2channel to 5.1 6channel sound ? Perhaps with real LFE effects ?

And perhaps to improve the EAX presets ? (Like choosing "infinite echo" for the subspace and "underwater" for the nebula)

[J3Vr6]

?!  if you're going with real LIFE effects then there wouldn't be any sound at all...

right?



right?

[DaBrain]

LFE = Low Frequency Effect
In most cases the direct link to the subwoofer.


It could be realized by analysing the crossover frequency.

There should be a SDK for this.


And what about removing the samplerate and bitrate limitation ?

Are Mp3s already supported ?

[Bobboau]

Originally posted by Nico


Trueform, the ATI meshsmooth thing? I can be how cool that would be, but is there a way to stop it on certain meshes? Applying that too Karma's fenris or my ezechiel would be a catastrophe...

two things,
1)it uses the surface normals of the geometry, so things that have hard edges will retain them, only the smooth parts of the ship will be smoothed, this is all determined by the lighting surface normals. so you have all the controle over how this will be used.
2)the inital implementation will subdivide the surface liniarly, in otherwords it it'sn't going to change the shape, it is to be used to make the lighting better, it'll look like we have pixel shaders.

[DaBrain]

Is it possible that the music sounds better in winamp, than in the game ?

[Kazan]

I'm going to be working on NavPoints/AutoNav ala Wing Commander
and trying to get the IRC client finish [UBER****INGTEDIOUS]

[Inquisitor]

There's a rumor that we might meet with some of hte mod authors out there, and get a wish list going. We have mod representation on the team, but, something more formal is probably appropriate

[Kazan]

Well i'm obviously the Laison (sp?) to WC Saga, and Bob and I both advise TBP

[Lightspeed]

Originally posted by Bobboau


two things,
1)it uses the surface normals of the geometry, so things that have hard edges will retain them, only the smooth parts of the ship will be smoothed, this is all determined by the lighting surface normals. so you have all the controle over how this will be used.
2)the inital implementation will subdivide the surface liniarly, in otherwords it it'sn't going to change the shape, it is to be used to make the lighting better, it'll look like we have pixel shaders.

Could you make Trueform based on the distance to the ship?

You know, like the LODs, so it would only get Trueformed when youre really close to it. This would prevent any slowdown, while still looking it's best.

[kasperl]

And include a mutliplier or something in the launcher so you can turn it waay up, turn time compression waay down, and use it too get extra pretty cutscenes?

[DaBrain]

Originally posted by Lightspeed


Could you make Trueform based on the distance to the ship?

You know, like the LODs, so it would only get Trueformed when youre really close to it. This would prevent any slowdown, while still looking it's best.

I don't think that is necessary. In LOD2 the model is smaler and has less round areas, so there is less that will be "trueformed".

And I think trueform shouldn't cost much performance anyway.
(Perhaps that's different for the newer Radeons, which only emulate it trough their pixel shader...)



@Coders Are there any plans for the audio engine ?