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Geek Culture / ExGen - Explosion Generator - Win a FREE copy

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Binary Moon
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Posted: 1st Mar 2004 23:21 Edited at: 5th Mar 2004 22:22
Hi All

Some of you may know me as Mop from the old DB forums. After writing the Limit Rush tutorials for DB I have been very qiuet doing other things. Recently I finished work on ExGen - Explosion Generator (as mentioned in the TGC newsletter).

Specifically designed for use in video games ExGen is a special effects creator/ editor. Use a series of particle systems to create highly detailed animations. Originally intended to be used to create explosions, it can be used to create a wide variety of different effects for use in your projects.

ExGen can save you hours of painstaking image manipulation creating stunning effects in minutes:

* Easily create single or sequentially numbered animation images
* Create and position multiple particle systems
* Use your own images to colour and shape the particles
* Use a timeline to change the start time of the particle animations
* Add Attractors and Deflectors to manipulate the positions of the individual particles
* Adjust over 30 different parameters to make literally thousands of different combinations of particle animations

The download has two modes. A Demo mode and a Lite mode. The demo mode has all features active except for Exporting of completed animations. The Lite mode is limited in features but lets you export the finished article.



Download - http://www.binarysun.co.uk/products/exgen.htm
Purchase - http://www.shareit.com/product.html?productid=196122&languageid=1¤cies=all
Forum - http://www.blitzbasic.com/Community/posts.php?topic=30117

To celebrate ExGens release I have organised a small competition.

The competition is simple - create the best ExGen image you can using the demo. Creativity is the name of the game - make something beautiful and win a prize. There will be two competitions, one for the best effect using demo mode, and one for the best effect using Lite mode. Anyone can enter including those who have already bought ExGen.

Prizes
Each competition has the same prizes - they are:
1st place - Registered copy of ExGen and copy of Rocket Boards - 3d racing game
2nd place - Registered copy of ExGen

Rules
1. You should submit the entry as a message on the ExGen forum. Post the ExGen file as a http link to a zip/ rar file containing the Media used and the .exp file you create. EMails to myself will not be accepted (attachments get deleted without a second look)
2. The final submitted file must be under 100k (including media)
3. No cash alternative is available to any prize on offer
4. There is no restriction on age or nationality so no reason for you not to try
5. More than one entry per person is allowed. Each entry must follow the rules laid out here.
6. You will retain the copyright of any files submitted.
7. Judges (that would be me) decision is final.

NB Remember to include contact information with your submission (name and email address) so that we can give you your prize should you win.

Closing date for entries is March 14th 2004


Comments - Suggestions - Competition entries - Post them all below

I look forward to your response
MikeS
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Posted: 3rd Mar 2004 00:04
Nice job Binary Moon. I can tell you've been working hard on this. I think I'll give it a try this weekend.



A book? I hate book. Book is stupid.
Binary Moon
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Posted: 4th Mar 2004 00:58
Quote: "I can tell you've been working hard on this."


Damm right I have... lol

Come on people - I'm giving away stuff for free

Yellow - looking forward to your entry.
Robin
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Posted: 4th Mar 2004 14:13
I'll enter

http://www.thegameszone.tk | robin@thegameszone.tk
Wik
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Posted: 5th Mar 2004 05:08
Is it just me or does the link not work?


STE
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Posted: 5th Mar 2004 05:28 Edited at: 5th Mar 2004 05:41
http://www.binarysun.co.uk/products/exgen.htm

A Dubya was missing from the first link.

Exgen looks rather funky, lots of interesting examples included. But obviously not enough, or there wouldn't be a competition

STE ;¬!
Binary Moon
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Posted: 5th Mar 2004 22:24
Robin - Hoorah

Wik - Doh

Ste - Cheers
OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 8th Mar 2004 14:07
You wouldn't be doing a version for the 3rd dimension, would you ?


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Binary Moon
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Posted: 8th Mar 2004 21:29
Eh? ExGen exports images that can be used as textures in any dimension you like. That's the whole point. The particles do move in all 3 axis but the exported files will always be images.

I do have some DBP code that is given to registered users which demos how to use the images in your projects.
David T
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Posted: 8th Mar 2004 21:44
Quote: "exported files will always be images."


Hence TC a wanting one that did 3d effects

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"To be is to do" - Voltaire
"Do be do be do" - Frank Sinatra
OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 8th Mar 2004 21:51
Indeed - something like the explosion effect you can do in Cinema4D - it chops down a object and explodes that - pretty impressive...


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Binary Moon
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Posted: 8th Mar 2004 23:20 Edited at: 8th Mar 2004 23:22
It's not just for explosions though - I kinda wish I hadn't chosen the name I did.

Quote: "something like the explosion effect you can do in Cinema4D"


That could be interesting. I assume you want this in full 3d, or do you just mean a rendered version of this effect? A rendered version would be reasonably simple to add.

How does it work, I assume it just splits the object into polygons and then applies physics (gravity etc) to the pieces?

I can't do a full 3d version since it would basically have to be done in code in whatever game developement evironment being used.

Quote: "Hence TC a wanting one that did 3d effects"


But how would you do that in a generic app that works with DB, DBP, blitz, torque, and any other language you care to mention? I'd love to add more effects and features, I just don't see how I could turn something that is 2d into a 3d thing?
bitJericho
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Posted: 9th Mar 2004 05:19
eh, don't listen to them, they don't realize what the proggy is for consider me in

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BatVink
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Posted: 9th Mar 2004 09:33
I understand where you are coming from Binary Moon. This is along the lines of Particle Illusion, but no where near as expensive!

The kind of explosions and effects generated will be far less intensive on processing power, but impressive. I would imagine this is for the kind of situation where you want an easy to manage effect when something explodes, as the game moves on.

Do they have transparency?

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 9th Mar 2004 12:20
Quote: "That could be interesting. I assume you want this in full 3d, or do you just mean a rendered version of this effect? A rendered version would be reasonably simple to add.
"

A full 3D version would be preferable, although a rendered version would be fine too.

Quote: "How does it work, I assume it just splits the object into polygons and then applies physics (gravity etc) to the pieces?"

I presume so - never asked them actually...

Quote: "But how would you do that in a generic app that works with DB, DBP, blitz, torque, and any other language you care to mention? I'd love to add more effects and features, I just don't see how I could turn something that is 2d into a 3d thing?"

To do it in 3D, you would need to load in an object, get all the vertices data and manipulate that, saving the result as an animated object.


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Binary Moon
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Posted: 9th Mar 2004 21:35
Quote: " I understand where you are coming from Binary Moon. This is along the lines of Particle Illusion, but no where near as expensive!"


I did not copy Particle Illusion at all... I mean, yes they are similar

Quote: "Do they have transparency?"


At the moment you just save the images as images, so with things like ghosting you can create the transparency in DB/ DBP.

Quote: " eh, don't listen to them, they don't realize what the proggy is for consider me in"


- Hoorah

Quote: "To do it in 3D, you would need to load in an object, get all the vertices data and manipulate that, saving the result as an animated object."


That's not possible without coding a seperate version for every programming language. You would need to be able to store animation for each vertex individually, and you wouldn't be able to have objects fade out.

A rendered version on the other hand... I'm thinking about that one
Hamish McHaggis
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Posted: 9th Mar 2004 21:49
Looks rather cool, I'll try it sometime, don't have time now.



TCA - I have a 3D particle engine and editor for DBPro in development. The engine will be functional on its own, but the editor will make it easy to make effects. The code for loading one effect would be something like...



It uses DBPro objects, not particles. Anyway, that's not what this thread is about....

Trying is the first step towards faliure.
The Basics of DBPro Tutorial, on my site now!
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Teh Go0rfmeister
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Posted: 10th Mar 2004 18:36
i made an entry... then saw these other ppls entries... then dropped out

http://www.tinnedhead.tk under re-construction.
Binary Moon
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Posted: 10th Mar 2004 22:23 Edited at: 11th Mar 2004 00:49
Froogle - you shouldn't drop out because other people enter.

I'll tell you what you should do. Make a cool entry for the Lite competition because hardly anyone has done anything for that. That way you have a higher chance of winning
OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 11th Mar 2004 00:45
Hamish - sounds interesting...


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Hamish McHaggis
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Posted: 13th Mar 2004 21:22
Lol, it may not be what you want, it's not really like this. Well judge for yourself when I release it.

Trying is the first step towards faliure.
The Basics of DBPro Tutorial, on my site now!
Athelon XP 1600 Plus (1.4ghz) - ATI Radeon 9600 Pro - 256mb RAM
Binary Moon
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Posted: 14th Mar 2004 12:44
Anyone who is interested in entering should do so by midnight tonight (GMT)

The results will be announced some time next week

Good Luck people
Robin
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Posted: 20th Mar 2004 12:58
And the winner is...?

http://www.thegameszone.tk | robin@thegameszone.tk
Binary Moon
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Posted: 20th Mar 2004 19:05 Edited at: 20th Mar 2004 19:09
First off thanks to everyone who has entered. There weren't as many entries as I would have liked (8 different people entered) but the entries were as varied as i hoped they would be.

So thanks everyone. It has proved very ineteresting.

Demo Competition Winners

1st place : zioncoded@*****.com
2nd place : gentekz@*****.com

Lite Competition Winners

1st place : jerico2day@*******.com
2nd place : fam.monhemius@*******.nl

The winners can expect to get an email from me soon. [Edit] The email has been sent [/Edit]

Special Announcement


Since there were so few entries I have decided to give the Runners up coupons to get money off the full price of ExGen. These will arrive in your email accounts some time in the next week (I need to set them up at the online store so please be patient)

ExGen Update

And for anyone who is interested. The ExGen 1.11 update is just around the corner. This update gives you the ability to save scenes as Avi's, and the ability to tile the output.

The update is complete. I just need to package it all up and upload. It should all be sorted tomorrow. Registered users willget their update email as normal.
bitJericho
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Posted: 20th Mar 2004 19:43
w00t i w0n hehe, those are some darn fine products you created, and i won em wooh!

Thanks

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Puffy
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Posted: 20th Mar 2004 20:49
Quote: "TCA - I have a 3D particle engine and editor for DBPro in development. The engine will be functional on its own, but the editor will make it easy to make effects. The code for loading one effect would be something like..."


o_O Wow... =P I'm doing the same thing... have been for a while... v1.0 should be out soon.. ^_^ go puffy...

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EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =)[/url]

Mattman
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Posted: 20th Mar 2004 20:59
go puffy go...

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