Director
Creating a Shockwave 3D Game Level in 30 Minutes
Export Shockwave 3D content using any of the major 3D applications
Feb. 13, 2006 02:00 PM
If you have an existing 3D scene that you would like to drive around, simply follow these steps:
- Load your 3D scene (see Figure 10).
- Create a new object (for example, a box) in the scene:
Position it over some sort of ground model.
Scale it to about the size of the required vehicle.
- Name this object carStart.
- Export the level, like before, as gamelevel.w3d.
- Run the executable file.
You should now be able to drive around your 3D scene.
Some Advanced Techniques
Consider undertaking these special projects to become more familiar with what I've covered in this article.
Creating a Sky Box
A sky box is a special
game-related technique used to surround an environment with six
prerendered images, mapped on to each side of a box object. By naming
the object skybox, the game will automatically process the object and
use it in the correct way (see Figure 11).
Creating Physical, Movable Objects
When you create
an object in the level, such as a crate or barrel, you can easily turn
it into a movable object within the Havok physics system. To do this,
place the tag moving before the object's name. The next time you export
the scene, you will be able to collide with the object and it will
behave in a physically correct manner.
You can discover more advanced techniques by reading
Instructions.doc and Advanced Instructions.doc contained within the
sample download file.
Viewing Existing Levels
You can see existing levels created using the training application in the CanDo Interactive Showcase (www.candointeractive.com/gamedesign/car/levels).
Where to Go from Here
You now have experience
creating and exporting Shockwave 3D content. You have seen how easy it
is to export your environment, and you have an idea of the type of
models that are suitable for use within that environment. Hopefully you
have been inspired to create more Shockwave 3D content using the latest
version of Director.
About Mal DuffinAs one of the directors of CanDo Interactive, Mal Duffin has extensive experience creating interactive Shockwave 3D content. He previously worked on video games and virtual reality projects for companies like Sony, Shiny Entertainment, and IBM.