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What's New in 3.5?
[3.5]
Improved User Interface
The export tools user interface has been improved in order to
simplify the process of exporting artwork. Options are now clearly
split into standard and advanced categories allowing new users to
better focus their work. Greater use has been made of context
sensitive menus in order to reduce the number of commands that need
to be learnt.
A new RenderWare specific output window allows filtering of
messages after export by verbosity level. Message logs may also be
saved to text files.
All user interfaces are now implemented using ActiveX controls
and are common between 3ds max and Maya. This reduces the need to
re-learn export commands when moving between the application.
XML Based File Format (.RF3)
RF3 is a new XML based RenderWare scene graph format. It
contains a high level RenderWare representation of a 3ds max or
Maya scene and stored links to the option templates that should be
used to export it. It does not contain any platform specific
optimizations such as tri-stripping or world sectorization. Once a
scene has been exported to the RF3 format it may be converted
offline to RenderWare stream format using a command line tool or
custom application. The RF3 format separates the artist export
process from conversion to platform specific RenderWare formats.
This allows artists to concentrate on generating quality artwork
whilst allowing programmers full control over conversion to
platform specific RenderWare streams without use of 3ds max or
Maya.
By using RF3 files it is now much easier to set-up automated
build processes that generate final in-game assets from the source
artwork. The art package no longer needs to be included in the
build process. Because the RF3 format is XML based it is easy to
extend with custom scene graph data.
Option Template Files
Template files (.RWT) are a new XML based file format used to store
the export settings relating to a single asset or an entire
project. Rather than setting export options manually for every
scene artists may now simply link to a template file that has been
set-up by a programmer or technical artist. This reduces the risk
of errors being introduced by incorrect settings and allows options
to be shared across multiple scenes. When an option needs to be
changed or a new option added, a single template file might be
edited rather than multiple artwork scene files.
Template files can be edited using any XML editor or through the
new template manager UI in the export tools. If custom options have
been added to the template file these too will be displayed in the
template manager.
UV Transformations
The RpMatFX plugin has been extended to include two new material
effects. These allow first and second pass texture coordinate
animation. This will allow programmers to create simple animated
texture effects.
Export driven texture animation is still in development and will
be announced in the near future.
Unicode Support
Unicode fonts are now supported in Rt2d.
Compressed Animation Toolkit
Support is now offered for a compressed key-frame format. With
exporter support and driving extra functionality now available in
RtAnim, you can reduce your key-framed data memory occupancy by
40%.
Toolkits
We've developed a geometry conditioning toolkit and a winged-edge
algorithm toolkit. They have been designed to optimize vertex and
polygon configurations that are inefficient on console
architectures or that are sub-optimal in specific situations.
Optimized Geometry
RenderWare Graphics 3.5 now benefits from vertex and display list
optimizations when pre-instancing. The optimizations include
removal of duplicate vertex data and removal of degenerate
triangles due to tri-stripping. These optimizations can lead to
massive memory savings when using pre-instanced geometry.
NULL library run-time requirements
The pre-built NULL libraries for PC now require the multithreaded
DLL run-times when linked to an application.
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