Well I am in the process of developing a complex model handler class for my RPG game, shisaku.
It handles things like the appending of animation data from a file or already loaded object to an exiting object, assigning it a textual id of your choice (like maybe "walk" for a walk animation) and allowing you to play any of the loaded animations using the text id with something simple like PlayAnimation(objectid, "walk") or LoopAnimation(etc) n what not where as before you might be loading the seperate animation objects and hiding them as nessiary or you might be appending data then working out frame ranges etc to handle this yourself.
Thats one of the basic functions, other functions include loading of an ini file containing specifications for shader files belonging to limbs of an object and applying it to an entire model. Like maybe you would have a RobotEffects.ini and your robot model would have several limbs, metalic torso, head and legs, maybe the elbow joint in the arm is exposed with some funky wire thing going on and you want a hologram shader there for a tube or something - your ini would have these set up then you could load a ton of your robots and apply the same ini file to them all rather then going around specifying limbs and shaders for them all manualy.
Also support of morph targets. Load your objects and then load some a seperate morph and apply it to any limb (or entire object) as long as the vertex count matches. Anyone who has fiddled with Poser will know what im talking about. The main reason for this implementation was easy face manipulation for expressions or talking. Your player model would have its usual head then you would copy the head limb in your modeler and make a handful of additional head meshes from it, some smiling, some frowning, some with an O shape and other vocal shapes for talking and you could load them once as morph targets and then using code (or script engine if your game is big enough) you would ApplyMorph(target object, limb, morph target, percent) to shift the limb to match the morph by any given amount. Support for referencing limbs by name rather than ID is in.
Other things planned, limb replacment, etc. Anyway, this is all for my game and things that I needed. But whilst I had a friend over earlier and I was working on it whilst he was playing on my ps2 he commented on the fact it might actually be a really usful thing for other DarkSDK users and I should consider selling it for a very small amount like people sell DBP plugins. My eyes sparkled for a moment - one day I would like to sell my game for a small amount. But its a several year project im making in my spare time. I'm really going to town with it so several years (or at least one) is accurate. The idea that part of my engine could turn over a couple of pounds mid devlopment is appealing to say the least.
But then it hit me, I have a freeware license for DarkSDK. I wasnt intending to go commercial for another year until my game was ready for such a venture. I have absolutly no idea what sort of licensing issues or legal issues there is with selling something like this. Its not a binary exe, its not stand alone, it would require the user to have DarkSDK bought and installed to use. It does use DarkSDK commands, but for successful use in a game the user would want to use it in conjunction with the DarkSDK 3d command set as I cant see the point in wrapping Position Object etc. I would probably compile it as a .lib though so its harder for people to "rip off" as it were.
Supposing I did want to sell this for a few dollars via paypal or even offer on a donations basis, would I be allowed?
Most importantly, is there any DarkSDK users out there even interested in such a thing? (requests and ideas for additional commands would be accepted)
Comments and opinions welcome o.O
