Mod files: https://rapidshare.com/files/1767067841/z3376226_Exp2.zip
Entire flowgraph:
Section of the flowgraph that controls the lights:
Section of the flowgraph that implements the xml file/data. The actual pachube feed is frozen so I had to make multiple xml files and change each of their values to simulate a live feed.
This is just a test to get the lights to turn on/off when an entity enters or leaves a specific area
I'm having great difficulty in trying to set/change the ColorMultiplier property from 0 (which would make the light entity dark/off) to any other number. At the moment I'm trying to create a light which progressively glows brighter as you stand in a certain area as opposed to the light flicking on to maximum brightness instantly. The only way I can figure out how to do this is to progressively change the 'ColorMultiplier' settings of the light entity from 0 upwards up to 10. The property value is a "Float" type and that is why the property name is listed as fColorMultiplier as opposed to just ColorMultiplier in the node. Despite the node having it's properties listed correctly (I've experimented with this kind of entity:SetProperty node before with great success), the light entity does nothing when activated in-game. The node/property in question is the two nodes on the far right of the screenshot.
There are quite a number of 'explosive' demonstration videos around the internet for Crysis Sandbox 2 but none really explain how to achieve such an effect. An average user will know how to use basic entities within Sandbox 2 and how to use flowgraphs, but few are aware of the Sandbox 2 database library. My tutorial touches on the particle section of the database library and focuses on how to implement explosive particle effects in Sandbox 2. From the video, individuals can hope to expect an increased understanding of what the Sandbox 2 database is and how it works, how particle affects work and the numerous possibilities that can be had with 'particleeffect' entities.
The tutorial is useful for individuals wanting to increase the flashiness of their level and is also useful for setting a level 'theme' or message (shown here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exwxYIzio48&feature=player_embedded). This can be expanded to a variety of other applications / ideas regarding other particle effects as well (IE severe weather effects, expanding/contracting objects etc)
The tutorial is suitable for people with no assumed knowledge of Sandbox 2 editing at all, but is also for intermediate users as well. The tutorial guides the viewer step by step through each process of implementing a particle effect/explosion, and explains/expands on each process. Anyone who has access to the Sandbox 2 editor can easily learn the tutorial subject in under 10 minutes.
Here are some infographics that can be related back to the Pachube concept!
This infograph represents the visual change of a various number of internet browsers since their beginnings up until now. As people continue to use internet browsers over the years, the browsers are modified and adapted to become cleaner and more modern. An idea here arises where a person within an architecture can see elements/shapes/spaces move around and/or manifest in front of them the longer they remain in that particular area. This could go hand in hand with lighting to make interesting spatial elements that could contrast one area of the interior with another.
This infograph represents the world population with the liquid inside the glass representing the population for a particular continent. The water dripping into the glass represents the number of births and the water dripping out represents the deaths. As the years go by, the number of births increase due to new technologies, better agriculture and research into medicine which overcomes/slows the death rate by a large amount (and thus increasing overall population). A Crysis concept relating to the pachube feed from this infograph can be seen as dimming/increasing lighting inside an architecture. The longer a person remains within a certain area, the longer the light will stay on once the person leaves. The average time that the person/s stays in a certain area could be recorded and be linked with a timer that is also linked with the brightness/material parameter of a light object.
This novel image shows a mug with a number of different shades of tea possible on the side. Matching up the colour of your tea to the shade is done by varying the amount of milk poured and mixed into the tea (which correlates to a specific type of tea eg "Milky", "Classic British"...). This image relates to 'concentration' in some ways. In Crysis I could modify the colour of a light depending on the concentration of people in a certain area. For instance, for a number of 1-3 people, the light remains white. But for 4-10 or so, the light will change to red, or blue, or some other colour.
Simple test of moving objects when player stands in a specific area/spot.
This is the flowgraph which controls the movement. It bugged up at the end of the video but theres not much I can do to rectify that...
The flowgraph is a little messy, I may have redundancies in there but I'm not too sure!
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Implementation:
The flowgraph above can be modified to switch lights on or off depending on how many people are in a certain area of space. The flowgraph could also store the average number of people entering a certain space/architecture and cause lights to dim or increase in brightness accordingly. The higher the average number people, the longer the lights stay on before dimming to black. The lower the average, the quicker the lights dim to black.
Brief:
My concept will be to utilise the data from the pachube feed which will control the interior lighting of an architecture. As more people enter the architecture and/or a certain area within the architecture, the more lights will be switched on. As people start to leave, lights will begin to switch off. I'll attempt to create a lighting arrangement that will create the illusion of a larger room as more and more lights are switched on.
I will attempt to record the average number of people within the architecture or space over a certain period of time as well. The higher the average, the longer the lights will stay on. The lower the average, the quicker the lights will dim.
I may attempt to create a flowgraph that will 'expand' the interior space or morph the interior architecture/walls so as to create a larger or smaller room as people walk in and out. This flowgraph would work in tandem with the lighting to further create the illusion of a larger or smaller room.
This is a simple demonstration of a moving object. The distance that the object travels is tracked, (shown in blue at the top) as well as the total time the object moves (shown in pink at the bottom) and also the average speed of the object during its movement (shown in orange in the middle).
"The sense of space is created using light. The number of people entering and leaving a room directly correlates to the floor area which is lit up. As more people enter the room the lit floor area increases. As more of the floor area lights up the concept of a larger space is created."
S.W.O.T Analysis:
Strengths - Simple yet brilliant idea involving physical space and light, will be easy to replicate in Crysis
Weaknesses - The pachube feed is 'frozen' and does not work
Opportunities - The concept can be developed a number of different ways, opportunities to experiment with different lights interacting with different architectural forms, coloured lights interacting with different spaces, architectural elements moving and interplaying with lights and/or people, infinite possibilities available...
Threats - The room/architecture/space may not actually feel 'larger' as more lights are lit...IE the Crysis engine may not be able to fully represent this light concept well enough, if at all.
The installation and flowgraph in this assignment so far distinctively reflects on the ‘radiation’ real world sensor from Pachube. The concept for the installation replicates mankind’s rapid advancement in technology and increasing electricity and power consumption. The installation abstractly shows mankind’s stages of advancement, from simple relatively safe steamgenerated power to more dirty polluted fossil fuel-generated electricity and then on to the more destructive and unpredictable nuclear power. The flow graph enhances the architecture/models through a variety of entities, including particle effects such as explosions and smog in order to emphasize not only the dangers and destructive nature of mankind’s thirst for power, but also how sometimes we do not have a handle on the technology that we created to aid us in the first place. Mankind relies on this power heavily and if removed or destroyed then, we may panic, devolve and become disorganized as a society.
I made a simple lift that activates automatically according to the player's position. When the player steps on the lift, it activates and moves after a two second delay. Once the player disembarks and moves a small distance away, the lift automatically retreats back to the original position.!
This is a simple test model for Crysis Wars. The model and the textures themselves lightly engage with Paul Virilio's concept of Pure War. The rectilinear and jagged model represents the constant change and war that society has with ever adapting technology, whilst the uneven textures that encompass the model show how chaotic this change or 'war' can be.
This particular feed shows the amount of ionizing radiation present (in counts per minute) at Higashi Kawaguti City in Japan. This feed is particularly interesting due to the link with the concept of Pure War. Japan's reliance on Nuclear power for electricity generation has worked seemingly well for a number of years with the populace benefiting from it greatly. However, due to recent events involving the malfunction of nuclear plants in Japan (and the risk of another Chernobyl) the people of Japan, and perhaps even the world, now have to seriously think about the consequences of using such dangerous energy. People and government bodies alike are now in a war with each other trying to determine if the usage of nuclear generated electricity is worth the risk, or whether they should revert back to environmentally damaging fossil-fuel electricity generation or other expensive means of electricity generation.
