Week 3: Picturesque

Claude Lorrain

Capability Brown

Humphry Repton

Lingering Garden

William Gilpin

Week 2: Reflection

This week was about real vs. unreal.

A interesting point was made about as created things become more accurate, it induces amazement however there is a point just prior to 100% accuracy where viewers are in disbelief or disgusted.
I wonder if this is because we aren't accustomed to exact replicas, our brains and our logic deem it impossible- particularly regarding living things of which no two are the exact same? Kind of like how our eyes can't adjust to speeds past a certain point which is why we see things as a blur? Do our brains make up for certain lack of accuracy but seizes up when something we know isn't real has what we can only see as 100% accuracy?  Or is it just that it's surreal to see something that is a near perfect replica but we know it isn't real and people aren't accustomed to things like that especially with models of people...

Week 2 Independent Study: Custom Landscape II

Post 3 images from different vantage points within a second custom island

Precarious

Awe-inspiring

Triumph

Week 2: Custom Landscape

Post 5 images from different vantage points within your custom island

Treacherous

Dangerous

No way back

Curious

Hope

Week 2: Landscapes

Find 5 reference images of different landscapes
Include an image of your country of origin
List characteristics of terrain, vegetation, lighting

 

Red Beach, Panjin, China

flat terrain, dense low red shrublike vegetation, lots of natural light

 

 

Cappadocia, Anatolia, Turkey

rocky dynamic terrain, sparse grassy vegetation and trees, light in higher ground, shade in lower ground surrounded by rock formations

 

 

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

flat terrain, frequent conical rock formations, no vegetation, lots of light

 



 

The Wave, Arizona, USA

gradual dynamic rock terrain, no vegetation, lots of light, shade in lower ground between taller rock formations

 

Travertines, Pamukkale, Turkey
step-like terrain that is mostly flat, carbonite rock boundaries with flowing water, no vegetation, lots of light

Week 1: Reflection

This week the basic ins and outs of Sandbox were learnt by watching Eat3D videos.

These videos were helpful for me because I have no prior experience with Sandbox or any other programs like this, and haven't partaken in any relevant classes to this class. They're an excellent starting point for beginners like me or for more experienced users that are brushing up on basics.

The blog activities are a good method of summarising the content in each video and also a good reference source for future if I've forgotten how to access something in Sandbox, all the important details have already been noted in this blog.

Week 1 has taught me the basic functions and shortcuts in a game engine of which a lot can be easily applied when using other game engines in future. It has also indicated the importance of attention to detail in real life which helps inform creating things in the game engine. Attention to detail is a generally helpful skill that is useful in any situation.

Week 1 Independent Study: CryEngine3: User Interface Panels- Overview

5 Shortcuts or buttons and what their functions are

1. Ctrl + T
Select Objects window that lists all of the objects in the level
H- hide objects
F- freeze objects
Del- delete objects

2. DB in toolbar
Database View window
Entity Library tab: change any values regarding entities in the level
Prefabs Library tab: change values regarding prefabs
Vegetation tab: change values regarding vegetation. contains functions not available in Rollup Bar
Particles tab: change values regarding particles. right click > assign selected object- replaces selected object in viewport with object in this tab

3. FG in toolbar
Flowgraph window
allows level to be scripted- very visual, doesn't really require commands

4. Open asset browser in toolbar
Asset Browser window
browse for assets, brushes, textures, sounds
This is an alternative to Rollup Bar if the user prefers a window

5. Shift + Spacebar
Shows helpers

Week 1 Independent Study: CryEngine3: Viewports

3 Different Ways of Moving Around the Level

1. Keyboard Keys

W: forward

S: back

A: left

D: right

Shift: move slightly faster

2. Mouse

Right-click and hold: scroll view from that position

Middle-click and move mouse: pan left and right

Middle and right click and hold then move mouse: move in level

3. Alt + middle mouse click: rotate view around a central invisible axis

Tip: "Q" is shortcut to turn Clipping with Terrain on and off

Week 1 Independent Study: CryEngine3: Customising The Editor

5 Ways To Customise Sandbox editor setup

1. Windows and Tabs

To avoid too many windows, they can be dragged and dropped into each other so there is one window containing multiple tabs.

Windows can be attached to the sides of the viewport to become panels.

Toolbars can be hidden or unhidden by right clicking in an empty space in the toolbar area.

2. Customise Window

Tools > Customise Keyboard > Customise Window

OR

Right-click toolbar area > Customise > Customise Window

Toolbar tab: create custom toolbars

Commands tab: add commands

Options tab: tick "Show Shortcut Keys in Screen Tips" which is handy

Keyboard tab: customise shortcut keys to use

3. Preferences Window

Tools > Preferences

Console: change colour according to preferences

Enable Source Control: turn off unless connected to a source control network

Range: click once to select object, double-click to select object behind

Enable Backup: automatic backup in time increments that can be customised

4. Tools > Preferences > Viewport > General

Highlight Geometry on Mouse Hover: used to visualise the size and angles of the object

Highlight Selected Geometry: selected object becomes an alternate colour

Scale of Helpers: change size of helpers that appear around objects

5. Configure User Commands

Tools > Configure User Commands: can create shortcut button for preferred user commands

Macros: create new and name it

Commands: create new and from the Console Command dropdown box select the function

now from Tools > Configure User Commands > new shortcut is available and this can be dragged to the side of the viewport.

Tick "Toggle Variable C" and this allows the button to act as an on/off switch.