Today I've published the patch that implements the new physics system inside of Realm Zero. This system replaces the old technique (ray casting) which was used for collision and player movement. When I originally began the concept of Realm Zero I simply needed a quick and dirty way to implement player movement without spending a lot of time on the mechanics. Ray casting was my way to achieve this and while it worked it left a lot to be desired!
Since the alpha release on 12/20/2013 the game has been transitioning from a conceptual state towards creating a more polished and finished looking product. Implementing an actual physics system inside of the game environment creates numerous possibilities and advancement opportunities. Not only does it handle movement & collision it does so in a realistic manner. It takes into account gravity, mass, friction, restitution and velocity and applies them to every object in virtual space.
This also solves a problem I had with the ray casting system... slopes. Previously I had no way to easily limit the player from walking straight up a mountain, with let's say a slope of 90 degrees. Now with the physics system, I'm able to set a max slope which will limit the angle at which a player is allowed to move. This of course means I can also implement falling & fall damage since I will know the players velocity upon the point of impact.
Now let's think about what else we can achieve from this new implementation. Imagine for a moment a castle is under siege and cannon balls are plummeting into the walls! As every ball smashes into the wall and deals a critical hit, pieces of the wall (bricks) come flying. Now what was once used as protection can turn into a violent weapon as these bricks come hurdling towards your character with various velocities. Depending on the velocity and impact location you will be dealt either minimal, moderate or heavy damage from the collision.
With the foundation of this system implemented my next area of focus is going to be improving the graphic processing and rendering capabilities. Currently the game has be using the fixed function pipeline for very much the same reason mentioned above when I chose to use ray casting. The goal will be to implement advanced HLSL shaders and techniques which will produce realistic and visually stunning scenes complete with lighting and shadow effects.
My personal goal is to have this implemented by the end of the month at least on a very basic level. Updating models, textures and shaders variables may take a little longer depending on the complexity. In any event keep an eye out for new videos and screenshots of this system in action!
So how do i join, tried on forums.
Alpha was closed back in December. However I've been accepting new applicants and creating their accounts manually.
If you join the forums and send "Hank Newman" a PM with the following information:
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