Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Ardy123 on September 15, 2011, 07:35:45 PM

Title: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 15, 2011, 07:35:45 PM
What is the 'Scale' of the game, ie 1 pixel and a depth of 0 (origin) represents a 3d block of what size? (1meter, 1cm)?
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Karnak on September 15, 2011, 08:46:04 PM
Polygons don't work that way.  Only thing I can think of that might is voxels.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 15, 2011, 09:59:04 PM
Polygons don't work that way.  Only thing I can think of that might is voxels.
You are right, pixels is not a good example, I should have asked how does the coordinate space equate to real life measurements but I think you knew that.

ie,
in real world measurements, what does a line segment from <1,0,0> to <2,0,0> measure too?

Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Easyscor on September 15, 2011, 10:10:06 PM
The in-game sector grid is laid out on 25 miles centers. So starting at one sector line and moving to the next will traverse 25 miles. Often you'll see + marks within each sector, those are roughly 8 miles apart.

Your pixel "size" will vary depending on the terrain size because the clipboard map (CBM) has always been 1024 x 1024.

I think both the wiki and the help files cover this.

Oh, and in the terrains based on real life, the terrain builder my vary the scale to compress the time it takes to travel the distances need for a special event.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Karnak on September 15, 2011, 10:35:05 PM
You are right, pixels is not a good example, I should have asked how does the coordinate space equate to real life measurements but I think you knew that.
Actually, I hadn't correctly inferred what you were asking.  I'd have given more information if I had rather than what would have been just a snarky answer, had I known.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: BaldEagl on September 15, 2011, 10:44:00 PM
ie,
in real world measurements, what does a line segment from <1,0,0> to <2,0,0> measure too?



That would be totally dependant on it's distance from you.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 15, 2011, 11:19:17 PM
Your pixel "size" will vary depending on the terrain size because the clipboard map (CBM) has always been 1024 x 1024.

pretend I never said pixel... so each integer increment in 3d space along any axis is 1024/25miles so 1 unit - 4.16 miles?

Say if one was to make a model, to accurately represent 30 ft between two vertices would be a distance ~0.0003283245 units?
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Easyscor on September 16, 2011, 01:44:45 AM
pretend I never said pixel... so each integer increment in 3d space along any axis is 1024/25miles so 1 unit - 4.16 miles?

Say if one was to make a model, to accurately represent 30 ft between two vertices would be a distance ~0.0003283245 units?
No, not really, but I'm not sure I understand the question.

Both the Terrain Editor and the Object Editor use feet as their unit of measure. To understand what happens to the CBM, you must realize that all terrains use a square array of 1024 vert per side, 512 x 512 miles. The CBM on the other hand, while a constant width and height, may only show a fraction of the area in the terrain. A 256 mile CBM is only showing the center portion of the underlying 512 terrain.

If you're trying to determine the distance between two points in the terrain based on the CBM, then you can determine this by knowing that each sector on all CBMs is 25 miles.

If you're considering building a 3D shape to include in the game, you can, and you'll use feet as the unit of measure, but you must use ac3d or a program capable of exporting to the ac3d format. The Object Editor only imports and converts ac3d files.

Hopefully that answers your question.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Shuffler on September 16, 2011, 09:08:56 AM
I know for a fact that when a tree fills your screen.... duck then enjoy your coffeee while in the tower.

^^^
First hand informarion.....
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: 2bighorn on September 16, 2011, 10:41:43 AM
What is the 'Scale' of the game, ie 1 pixel and a depth of 0 (origin) represents a 3d block of what size? (1meter, 1cm)?


pretend I never said pixel... so each integer increment in 3d space along any axis is 1024/25miles so 1 unit - 4.16 miles?

Say if one was to make a model, to accurately represent 30 ft between two vertices would be a distance ~0.0003283245 units?


I could imagine they scale it so that textures looks pretty enough and aren't too pixelated -> plane, vehicle skins.

Plane length vs skin pixel length would be a good starter. On the other hand AH uses few diff sizes, so you'd have to figure out for which one the scale is optimized.


Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: hitech on September 16, 2011, 10:56:21 AM
Ardy there is no integer size, all is done with floating point.

Your question really doesn't make any sense. You may be trying to ask something different.

Are you asking what is the basic unit of AH? If so we work in feet. But the units are really quite irreverent as long as all sizes are of the same scales.

When it comes to 3d graphics , there really is no concept of size until things end up on the screen, and then the screen size along with how far your head is from the screen determines sizes.

If you are asking about textures, that is also not really a scale. It changes constantly, each texture has multiple sizes via power of 2, I.E. a image will be stored at 2048,1024,512,256 ....  it's called Mip Mapping. Which image is used is determent by the current screen size of the poly being displayed.

HiTech
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Vudu15 on September 16, 2011, 11:49:26 AM
Here I got ya, yall are thinking to hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWM2joNb9NE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWM2joNb9NE)
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: wil3ur on September 16, 2011, 11:56:44 AM
Where's the fat girl?

Here I got ya, yall are thinking to hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWM2joNb9NE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWM2joNb9NE)
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 16, 2011, 12:50:58 PM
Ardy there is no integer size, all is done with floating point.

No I understand that the it uses floating point. Maybe if I try and explain it like this....

When objects get transformed to world space from object space, I am guessing they get scaled as well...

If I build a 3d box that was <10,10,10> units  in object space, (width, height, depth) and imported it into the game, how many square 'feet' would each surface represent in the game engine in world space? 100sqr feet?

Quote
When it comes to 3d graphics , there really is no concept of size until things end up on the screen, and then the screen size along with how far your head is from the screen determines sizes.
Arn't the verts getting translated into the canonical view volume in camera space (-1,-1,-1)-(1,1,1,), then getting scaled by the screen resolution?

I guess I should state my assumptions...

the graphics pipeline of this game is

[obj space] *(transform/scale/rotate)->[world space] *(transform/scale/rotate)->[camera space]*(projected/transform/scale/homoginize 4v4 mtrx)->[screen space]
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: hitech on September 16, 2011, 02:23:11 PM
No I understand that the it uses floating point. Maybe if I try and explain it like this....

When objects get transformed to world space from object space, I am guessing they get scaled as well...

If I build a 3d box that was <10,10,10> units  in object space, (width, height, depth) and imported it into the game, how many square 'feet' would each surface represent in the game engine in world space? 100sqr feet?
Arn't the verts getting translated into the canonical view volume in camera space (-1,-1,-1)-(1,1,1,), then getting scaled by the screen resolution?

I guess I should state my assumptions...

the graphics pipeline of this game is

[obj space] *(transform/scale/rotate)->[world space] *(transform/scale/rotate)->[camera space]*(projected/transform/scale/homoginize 4v4 mtrx)->[screen space]


As I said in my previous post our units are feet. So that would be a 100 sqr foot surface. But If i said it was meters , that box would display exactly the same when 10 units away. So hence the units have absolutely no bearing on anything except the preference of the designer.

Quote
When objects get transformed to world space from object space, I am guessing they get scaled as well...

Scaling is not normally done, scaling in graphics is only to change the size of objects relative to each other. When object are bigger or smaller on the screen it is do the the projection, not the scale.
Scaling really has nothing to do with units.

I am not trying to be obstinate, I just really do not understand what you wish to know.

HiTech
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: JUGgler on September 16, 2011, 02:34:02 PM
  OMG, I should have finished high school    :huh

Or maybe that computer class in college


JUGgler
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 16, 2011, 03:10:03 PM
Scaling is not normally done, scaling in graphics is only to change the size of objects relative to each other.
I understand that object scaling only changes them relative to other objects, but say I made my cube in 'Blender' and according to blenders coordinate units it was 10,10,10. In game, then, if I placed the cube next to a tree, it should be shorter than the tree barring that the is taller than 10 feet, correct?
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Nathan60 on September 16, 2011, 03:10:20 PM
 OMG, I should have finished high school    :huh

Or maybe that computer class in college


JUGgler

Jugs I dont think it is the lack of an education  thats the problem here...I finished hs and I still have no clue  what thye are talking about,  but  all those  paint chips I ate as a kid could be a factor(I liked  the  blue paint it tasted like blueberries  and less burney)
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: hitech on September 16, 2011, 03:14:53 PM
I understand that object scaling only changes them relative to other objects, but say I made my cube in 'Blender' and according to blenders coordinate units it was 10,10,10. In game, then, if I placed the cube next to a tree, it should be shorter than the tree barring that the is taller than 10 feet, correct?

As I have said for the third time, Aces High basic unit is feet. Yes it would be smaller then the tree. So why are you interested with the basic units?

HiTech
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 16, 2011, 03:47:39 PM
As I have said for the third time, Aces High basic unit is feet. Yes it would be smaller then the tree. So why are you interested with the basic units?

HiTech

Was considering to try and make a static model to be imported into an off line arena and wanted it to appear in the same scale as existing objects, if possible. I looked over the ac3d format and I guess the rotation matrix specified could be used to 'scale' ie...

*rot 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 would double the size....

I haven't studied the available AH tools as well as I should, so sorry if this doesn't make any sense, ie not possible.

http://www.inivis.com/ac3d/man/ac3dfileformat.html (http://www.inivis.com/ac3d/man/ac3dfileformat.html)
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: MK-84 on September 16, 2011, 05:01:51 PM
I'm going to guess that maybe he's trying to get an idea or representation of what AH "thinks" is a foot? :headscratch: 
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: W7LPNRICK on September 16, 2011, 05:18:01 PM
Here I got ya, yall are thinking to hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWM2joNb9NE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWM2joNb9NE)

"Too stupid to live" comes to mind, & "Attempted hijack failed". :bhead
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: FLS on September 16, 2011, 06:22:58 PM
I'm going to guess that maybe he's trying to get an idea or representation of what AH "thinks" is a foot? :headscratch: 

Scale is 1 to 1. Hitech said a foot is a foot.  :D

I think that when Ardy figures out his actual question he'll also have the answer.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Ardy123 on September 16, 2011, 06:42:55 PM
Scale is 1 to 1. Hitech said a foot is a foot.  :D

I think that when Ardy figures out his actual question he'll also have the answer.

Modeling tools don't operate in 'feet' they operate in generic arbitrary units on an XYZ axis. So the questions was how do those units relate to the game, ie is one unit a foot, or a mile, etc...

HTC said it was foot.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: Vudu15 on September 17, 2011, 09:34:22 AM
"Too stupid to live" comes to mind, & "Attempted hijack failed". :bhead

yea right along with asking a question that really doesnt matter, what is he going to do with this information?
I thought it was something silly you can calm down a bit....thanks.
Title: Re: Game Scale?
Post by: FLS on September 17, 2011, 10:34:37 AM
Modeling tools don't operate in 'feet' they operate in generic arbitrary units on an XYZ axis. So the questions was how do those units relate to the game, ie is one unit a foot, or a mile, etc...

HTC said it was foot.


Thanks. I got that when Easyscor answered you. I was responding to Mk-84.