Ange Andrianavalona. Author, Illustrator, Painter

Bach – Goldberg Variations : Aria

Ange — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:05:37 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv94m_S3QDo

Third person Template : work in progress

Ange — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:15:39 +0000

Some quick news about the current progress of the template :
I am completely rewriting it.

As I was adding new features to the template, I noticed that it became hard for beginners to understand and update it themselves later.
The 2.49 version of blender introduced a lot of things that can improve the template.
I want that template to be effective, light, a good learning resource for the beginners, compatible with 2.49 and making the best use of it.

Here is a bit of what I want to modify/improve :

I want to make a better use of objects’s properties, global dictionary, and messages.
There is no need for a message actuator anymore : sendMessage(subject, body, to, from) is what I was expecting.
I will use it to clean the armature control system.
I want to ‘disconnect’ a lot of objects and make a wide use of messages.
The new ‘Tap’ sensor’s option will help a lot. No need for extra property to check if a key was pressed/released or not.
There is this new « Sensor » object type that can help for getting rid of those extra rays that are checking if the player is grounded or not.
I wanted to clean my scripts : I needed to learn a bit more of programming,, make a better use of functions, etc…
I would like to add GLSL visual effects

Links :

BGE DEV: New « Sensor » physics object for advanced collision management : thread on the BlenderArtists forum
Blendiac provided a example .blend file
2.49 demo files

My ToDo List is much longer than that.
And this is pleasure to work on it.

Voilà!

Template update / informations

Ange — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:47:21 +0000

Coming soon

Third person template for the Blender Game Engine

Third person Template for the Blender Game Engine

Ange — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:20:07 +0000

// This page is avaible through the following link : www.bge.aandria.com //

Game Blender is a sub-application of Blender, the popular open source 3D application, used to make games using Blender.
The Blender Game Engine is growing fast and is now one of the best prototyping tool available (pre-production, short demos).
It is free and open source, appropriated for the development of indie games, and benefits from a strong and fast-growing community.

That template that I have developed and released really makes it easy to produce a quick and cost-effective materialization of your ideas.
If you have any doubt about its possibilities, please consider downloading and giving it a try.

News

11.04.2009
The AAA Game Company Twilight 22 project to Develop BGE Into A Full Production Game Engine chose the 3rd person template to build out their game further.

This news is really exciting because the (very talented) team members and I will work together to contribute to the future of that template, push it a step further and make it available for the community.

Until then, you can already enjoy the current version that brings a lot of new features.

Using the Blender Game Engine as a prototyping tool

The Blender Game Engine is the perfect prototype or even full production toolsf for commercial Indie games (platformers, casual games, etc…).

Features

All in one package (model / sculpture / texture / animation / scene / logic editor)
Cost-effective (fast and easy to use, that means quick prototyping and feedback, gain in terms of productivity)
Bullet physics engine
Reliable modeling/texturing tool
Strong community (support, help, feedback)

The Blender Game Engine can also be used for :

educational software with interactive 3d- to learn chemestry, physics etc
architectural visualizations
simulations for TV news
military projects – simulators
small 3D visualisations

The Third person template is perfect for :

platformers
adventure games
action shooters
rpg

Hire me

If you are interested in a better insight into the use of this game engine template for prototyping your or your clients incoming projects, don’t hesitate to contact me. This includes character designs and illustration requests. I am also available for remote work.
Apart from working with the Blender Game Engine, I’m a published writer, illustrator, character designer, and consultant in creativity.
And, you know what?

Educational resource

I have developped and released that Third person template for the benefit of indie developers, and the Blender community.
It is intended for both beginners to use for educational purposes (logic basics, introduction to Python, flexible settings control…) and advanced users as a production tool.
I hope it will help artists to continuously push themselves to create more creative and complex work.

Note : The graphical aspect was not the main objective of this template’s development process.
The character and platforms are just used to provide a working example : neither modeling/texturing nor animation was polished.
Also, this is a work in progress so a lot of things can still be cleaned and improved (scripts, logic bricks).
Please take that in consideration.

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Player

Servo motion moves
Mouseview : camera rotating around the character
Character only rotates (using mouse) when moving.
The camera rotates independently when movement keys are not being pressed.
AutoJump (can easily be disabled. Instructions in the _ReadMe)
Ledge hanging
Swimming ability
Money/health/power count flexible script

AutoJump

Ledge hanging and Swimming ability

States

Death state (red cube = Game over message)
Red platforms will kill you -> Death State -> Game over message -> Scene restarts
Swimming state
Ledge hanging state
& many others (still growing list) …

Camera

Slow Parent Mouse control
Automatic character active camera
No collision camera setup
The player becomes transparent if the camera is too close (Alpha Ipo)

Level creation

Ready to use

Money/health/power count flexible script
Basic Teleporters
Basic Jumpers
Killing zones and platforms
Special item when a goal (count) is reached (« big_prize »)
Items, pickups and level elements are well-organized.

Enemy AI

Speed control
Scripted AI
No logic brick

Libraries

Specific to the advanced version of the template

The advanced verison of the template is organized like Yo Frankie so you can learn everything you need from the following Video tutorial on : How to create your own level using the level template (library.blend found in the levels folder)

Note :
You can submit your own levels for this 3rd person template and be listed on the official page.
More information in the level submission section.

Educational resource for beginners

Friendly names are used for sensors/controlers/actuators better understanding
Scripts are well commented and understandable for beginners

Notes

Character controls
You can change your character’s speed by modifying speed_fw, ForceLimitYMax_value « Character_moves » script l.58/59
AutoJump
You can adapt the auto jump function to your level design by changing the value of the ‘high’ sensor.
(Deciding whether the auto jump is activated or not (stairs = no jump, cliff = jump)
The ground
is defined by using a ‘ground’ property : you can jump only on surfaces that use a ground property
Walls
are defined by using a ‘wall’ property : this property is used for camera collision
Edges
are defined by using an ‘edge’ property : this property is used for character hanging
You should consider using edges like ‘Ghost’ and hide them through the Outliner
Dead zones
are defined by using a ‘kill’ property
Big_prize (Victory condition)
is defined by using a ‘big_prize’ property
Big_prize condition
If you can get more than 850 rubis (money_count) you will get a big prize.
This value can be changed by modifying the Min value of the Property sensor “big_prize_condition” connected to the Main_character.
About the coin collection script
The example provided shows money count, but this script can also be used for health up, damage, power up, level up.. (just adapt, change properties, etc…).
You can also open a locked door when all the items in a room (you need to add a counter or a script) were taken, or all the enemies were killed, etc…

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Test Levels
Early screenshots.
Those levels were created for testing purposes.
It took less than 20 minutes to create each one of those.
If you want to submit your own levels, please read the relevant section.

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Important
If you want to share a download link to the template, please link to the current page instead so users can have a quickguide, a simple explanation and support before using it.

Basic Template : Beginners

D O W N L O A D (2232 times)

Archive 2.53Mo

Advanced Template : Intermediate users

D O W N L O A D (2448 times)

Archive 3.45Mo

Terms of use

By using the 3rd Person Template you agree with:

This 3rd Person Template is provided « as is », entirely at your own risk.
Developers doesn’t accept any claims regarding quality of 3rd Person Template or any standards conformity.
This 3rd Person Template may be used in any commercial way only if it is a part of artwork or project. Single reselling or redistribution of this 3rd Person Template is prohibited.
This 3rd Person Template may be freely modified or elaborated.

* The character used in that template may not be used in any commercial way. It is available for educational purposes only.

Note

Please scan the files before using the template : I’m always careful with it and check more than twice before uploading, but a virus scan is never a waste of time.
I highly recommand that beginners start from using the basic template to understand and learn the fundamentals.
The advanced template is intended for the users who are already familiar with libraries, linking and groups, or those who have the skills to understand a little more complex setup.
The difference between the two versions is the use of librairies and groups. You can learn more about it by watching the following video.
Note : The advanced template is not such an advanced and complex one, but I just had to differientate the two versions.

For more informations, you can also consider getting a copy of the Blender GameKit 2nd edition or reading the Apricot project’s wiki.

I hope you will find it useful. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or ask for support on the BlenderArtists thread.

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Thank you for using this template.
I spend a lot of my spare time on the development of that template, so if you like it and want to help please consider buying me a coffee or a beer.

*** A drink is always appreciated ***

Even though I (Ange Andrianavalona, known on the forums as Cray) mainly created that template alone, I got valuable help from the Blender community.
Thanks to the people who contributed by submitting a script or answering some of my questions.
I also used great resources previously provided by this community.
Please see the Full_character.blend or library.blend _ReadMe for more informations and contributors list.
If you use this template, please give credit.

I am a character designer, if you need a better one feel free to contact me.
The same applies to the artworks.

Basic character created for the template

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Controls

Up : W
Down : S
Left : A
Right : D
Jump : Space
Dash : Left-Shift

Camera

Mouse view First-person view : Right-click
Zoom-in (testing) : Mouse Wheel Up
Zoom-out (testing) : Mouse Wheel Down

Swimming state

Underwater

Move forward : Up
Other directions : Up + Mouse Control
Move to the surface : Space
Dive : Down
Go out of the water : Surface + Space

Ledge Hanging state

Climb : Up
Fall : Down
Move left : Left
Move right : Right

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How can I submit my own levels?

The user’s levels will be featured on that page on a distinct category.

Provide a zip and keep the exactly same structure as the template.
I mean, if you created new platforms, new textures and used it on a new level, the structure of your zip would be :
- props folder -> new_platforms.blend
- textures folder -> nature folder -> sand.tga
- levels folder -> level_sahara.blend
Those files will be host by myself. please virus scan your files 10 times before submitting anything.
Provide 2/3 of the best screenshots representing your level
Provide a _ReadMe explaining the particularities of your level, the point of attention.
What did you spend time on? What should the player/tester/developer watch carefully?

If you need more informations, please ask in the official thread at BlenderArtists.

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For any other question, please ask in the official thread at BlenderArtists.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I use my own character with the template?

In chars->Full_character.blend, append your Armature+Mesh to the template (library.blend or level.blend)
I assume that you know how to copy the logic bricks that you need from the actual setup to yours
Delete the template armature+player mesh
Move your armature to the center of the collision box
Parent the armature of your new character to the Main_character collision box, and set

How can I add the character setup to my own game?

Append or Link the group « Full_character » contained within the chars->Full_character.blend

How can I add new groups to my levels/librady.blend?

Start a new blend and save it in the appropriate folder (props, chars…)
Create an object (and his children if needed)
Group all those objects (Ctrl+G -> Add to New group)
Those informations can also be found in the Object Panel (F7) under Object and Links.
Open the library.blend or your level.blend File->Append or Link (Shift F1)
Find your .blend->Group (Right-click for multi-selection)
Be sure to select append or Link (according to your needs) and Relative Paths, then Load the Library.
To add this group to your level : Space in the 3d View->Add->Group

How to create my own level using the level template?

BGE Tutorial: Level Template Creation from Pablo Vazquez on Vimeo.

My character is bouncing at the game start and I don’t know why.

Check that the lower point of your armature is inside the collision box.

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How Do Publishers and Authors Get Paid in a « Free » World?

Ange — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:14:40 +0000

photo by Matthias Mehldau

A quote from Steven Poole on his article Free Your Mind : On writers, ‘digital rights management’, and the internet.
Steven Poole has made the experience of giving away his new book as a free PDF download.
He shares the results, his thoughts, pros and cons of this system for content providers.

- – -
Summary of the results : poor results in terms of revenues, good results in terms of publicity
…Clearly this is not any kind of business plan. Still, some people insist that all creative work ought to be given away like this. Several idealistic types in the comments here welcomed my giveaway as reflecting the true spirit of the free dissemination of knowledge. Although I quite admire this sentiment as a utopian principle, I have some problems with it in the real world. Because, you see, this is what I do for a living.

Although I dislike the word “professional”, hostage in this day and age to multifarious abuses, I am a professional writer, in the sense that writing, and only writing, is what puts a roof over my head and food in my mouth.2 As one commenter here suggested, maybe it’s the term “copyright” itself that rubs people the wrong way: perhaps reactions would be different were it changed to “righttoeat”.

If the breathless advocates of “the free distribution of ideas” are serious, they need either a) to come up with a realistic proposal as to how I am to keep feeding myself while giving the fruits of my labours away for free; or b) come out and say honestly that they don’t think any such thing as a “professional writer” ought to exist, and that I should just get a job like anyone else.3 In a way, I’d respect people who came out and said the second thing. What I don’t respect is people who can’t see that those are the choices.

KaguyaHime

Ange — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:00:27 +0000

Graphic researches for a book I’m working on.

Interactive storytelling

Ange — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:53:36 +0000

photo by ktylerconk

I’ve found a very useful tool that can be used as a writing framework.
This tool is called SWAT and is provided by Chris Crawford.
After a quick look, I think i’ll give it a try for my next children’s book and game project.
You should take a look and find if there is something for you.

Notes taken from the website.

What is Interactive Storytelling?

Interactive storytelling is a new medium of artistic expression. It utilizes the greatest strength of the computer interactivity while drawing on the traditions of classic storytelling. The result is a unique experience where you play the protagonist of a virtual story. Interactive Storytelling provides all the drama and emotional complexity that one expects from a good story, and additionally invites you to influence the unfolding of the narrative according to your own thoughts and emotions.

Lot of useful informations in the rest of this entry

Building a world

An author builds the components of a world that will interact with the storyplayer as s/he seeks to attain a goal and reach the story’s ending.
There may be thousands of possible paths to that ending, and the satisfaction of reaching it will depend on the richness the author (you) build into your storyworld.

Perhaps you already have ideas for what will happen in your storyworld. You may have some settings planned. Some characters. A protagonist, who will represent the storyplayer. Some important objects, like a murder weapon or a magical sword. And a few key events.

These tutorials will help you translate these story elements into an interactive storyworld. The tool that you will use to do this is SWAT (StoryWorld Authoring Tool).

Let’s define some storyworld elements:
SWAT TUTORIAL

Element

Stage
Prop
Actor
Verb
Event

Examples

Joe’s Bar
whiskey bottle, chair
Tom, Mary, Fred
punch, cry
Tom punch Fred

The last element in this list, Event, is a special kind of Sentence. Events drive what happens in a storyworld. Notice that the example Event combines two Actors and a Verb.

« Event » and the rest of the elements listed in the left column are all classes of words in Sappho, the simplified language through which you’ll tell the computer how to operate your storyworld. (See Chris’s comments About Sappho.)

Sappho provides the grammar, you create the words. SWAT helps you put it all together.

Ange’s note : Please check Storyworld components : Actors, Relationships, Props, Sentences, Stages, Verbs for more informations.

The story engine

This series of flow charts depicts, in deepening levels of detail, the processing decisions made by the Story Engine in running the storyworld. First is the main engine loop:

The Story Engine processes all Actors actions and travel:

For each Actor, the Story Engine makes a cascading set of decisions and processes his or her Plan(s):

To execute a Plan entails the following series of steps:

The Actor’s Reaction involves a set of decisions and calculations, as follows:

The Story Engine performs the following steps for each Option under consideration by a ReactingActor:

And that’s all there is to it! All right, that’s a fib…believe it or not, this is a simplified version of what happens. But it gives you the big picture of what the Engine does, in what order, to make things happen in your storyworld.

Downloadable versions of these flowcharts can be found in Snips, Tips, and Tricks.

This tutorial by Storytron, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

Have You Heard of Sketchcrawl?

Ange — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:33:14 +0000

seen on Totoro Forest Project’s blog :

Sketchcrawl is an incredible bi-monthly event created by one of our own Totoro committee members Enrico Casarosa! Basically, people get together on the same day in their respective cities and crawl around the city with their sketch pads. Very simple. Enrico has been doing this for years now and now it has attracted hundreds of devotees all around the world. I think the last sketchcrawl was organized more than 60 cities in 30 or so countries including various cities in the U.S., Japan, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Serbia, Australia, Russia, Brazil, UK, Sweden…and the list goes on!

Note : Next one will be the 22nd
Anyone can participate. No experience necessary. Just get together with fellow artists in your city and enjoy sketching all day, get to know new artists/art lover friends. And if you want, you can share your sketches with thousands of other crawlers on the Sketchcrawl Forum!

As you can see, it’s simple but quite a brilliant idea!

Now you want to participate huh?

(…)You don’t know if your city has one?
Go to this web page and find out! Maybe there’s one already or you can start one!

———

Motivation!
I’ve never had the pleasure to participate.
I’m not that good at carrying a sketchbook and take time drawing outside (except natural locations) so I’m sure that It’s worth a try.
I’d love to meet other drawers in my area.
I need more academic skills, I’m amazed by some sketches I’ve seen in the forums [San Francisco].
Those people are doing a great job. I really need to get back to practicing. Again and again.

I’ve checked the forums and I’ve only seen ‘Paris’ and ‘Annecy’ happenings in France, so far.
I live in South France, far from Paris.
It’s a bit hard to be motivated enough and do it alone.

Anyway, next time I’m in Paris for work I’ll check happenings and try to join.

Resources
Sketchcrawl’s blog

Sketchcraml’s forums

Tikiko available in 4 languages

Ange — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:49:45 +0000

My books are now available in four languages :
La collection Tikiko est à ce jour disponible en 4 langues

Chinese [Enlighten & Fish Publishing]

English [Enlighten & Fish Publishing]

French [Casterman Publishing]

Dutch [Casterman Publishing]

More and more pictures are available in the gallery (more than 90).
You can also purchase limited and signed versions of those books in my online store.
Paintings, posters and postcards are also available.

De très nombreuses illustrations (plus de 90!) sont visibles dans la galerie.
Les albums sont disponibles dans ma boutique en ligne en version dédicacée, personnalisée, et limitée.
Des tableaux, posters et cartes postales sont aussi disponibles.

[Blender] Node Editor : Tikiko

Ange — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:55:04 +0000

Report of the day

Introduction to :

Particles
Materials (alpha textures applied to particles)
Lighting
Toon Shader (+ edge)
Rendering Layers
Nodes Editor (Defocus, Z combine, Filters, etc…)

Composition Exercise

Index

1. Character researches
2. Character modeling
3. Character rigging
4. Eyes tracking
5. Inverse Kinematics
6. Shape Keys
7. Node Editor