After successfully leading two group projects, getting a computer science class fixed and also going considerably beyond the original scope for this project of independent study, this was a hectic but successful semester. It was a lot of fun. Some brief final thoughts on this here.
I have created a level and uploaded it to crydev.net. In this level I used everything I learned during the semester, as well as some additional things. This includes Boids, area-based sound, music, vegetation, painting, paths etc etc, all the things mentioned in earlier posts. I also did quite a bit of experimenting with lighting and even got some shadows of moving clouds to appear on the ground. The most important wisdom I have on environment creation is that no single entity or element pushes an experience over the top, rather it is the combination of small things that make or break a level. You need lighting that fits a mood, combined with music, combined with objects moving in the wind, combined with a terrain that is desirable to explore, together all of which presents an experience, but individually do not create a distraction.
Some screen captures here. It is difficult to get a sense of this in these shots but there is a sky here. The level upload is called Monochromatic Island. The art direction is based on a bright yet partially overcast day, with a desaturated palette based on imagery of WWII.
Aside from creative challenges there were some technical challenges that presented themselves. The documentation for the node-based editor, Flow Graph, is broadly useful but requires some tinkering to truly allow familiarity. Also, importing externally created assets such as geometry with textures takes some doing, but once you get it sorted it makes sense. As mentioned before this sandbox editor is fun to use. One known issue is foliage that flickers and disappears upon approach. This is a known issue and is being dealt with. I may be mistaken but my impression is that this is unique to later builds and therefore not a long-term issue plaguing the product. Another issue was inserting original music and sound and I was told of a bug that was causing this difficulty. CryEngine uses .ogg container files for music files such as wav and it is possible that there was a problem in my conversion or elsewhere in the file. I will continue to work to solve this problem over the summer.
I have made use of the forums on crydev.net. The assistance is halfway decent but you really need to want to figure things out to get anywhere. This site is also where I have uploaded my level, established a group and invited Professor Castillo to join so that he can download the project and run it from the Launcher icon within the CryEngine 3 sandbox files.
Final word. Personally, the structure of this independent study is perfect and enjoyable for me. It is autonomous, with Professor Castillo offering to help or provide insight if it is ever required. This type of autonomous arrangement is perfect for me because I always do well and, as I pointed out, I tend to go beyond the original scope and designated plan. I look forward to continuing this work and exploring this editor.
Eric Chamberlain 