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OrionArm Space Demo v2.0

Posted By: Global_Explorer

OrionArm Space Demo v2.0 - 08/23/09 08:14 PM

This is a byproduct of my attempts to learn programming Ogre3d. It is a 3D engine I made to render believeable space, and an attempt to inspire people who like science fiction. Currently it allows you to fly around in space, and it makes space look very nice. But it is not a game.

The demo contains a fictional solar system (I will provide more information later). I would appreciate if you can help with finding good names for the objects, especially the moons.

Feel free to ask if you want to know more, or if you have good ideas.

Instructions:

Download Demo.OrionArm.v20.20090818.zip (82Mb)

Unpack the file you downloaded.

The solar system is pretty large which might be taxing your system too much. Therefore I have splitted it up into several parts, usually containing a planet and its moons. The folder \Demo.OrionArm contains several batch files, that you may use to go to a certain planet of the solar system.

For example launch: 20090818_CW_FICTIONAL_DWARF_PLANET_GROUP.bat to run the demo with the dwarf planet group specified.

Usage

The program needs some time until the scene is loaded. This can take between some seconds and a minute. Once the program is loaded you will always look at the sun. Press the left mouse button once to go to the next object. You can then press the mouse button to cycle from planet to planet and use WASD to move around

Available keys:

W,A,S,D = use keys to move/fly in space
Left Mouse Button = goto next planet
Right Mouse Button = goto previous planet
Mouse = look around
F = hide UI
R = Toggle Render Mode
Print = Take Screenshot
Esc = Quit

Troubleshooting

If you get an error message about missing application configuration, you must run the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime: vcredist_x86-sp1.exe

A note on performance: This demo runs at a constant 60 fps on my test system (Core2 3Ghz, 4GB RAM, ATI 4850 w. 1GB VRAM). However this version is optimized for best quality and may run slower on less powerful systems, especially those with little Video RAM (128Mb). If you have problems with fps or jerky behavior, PLEASE contact me with details of your system and the problems encountered. This information will help me to create a version that is optimized for performance, and should not look much worse.

Tips

You may find that the camera moves too slow. You can change this and a number of other parameters in a text file. Open: bin/release/DwgTest.cfg

Some of the parameters that you may change:

MoveConstant=5
Value controls how fast the camera moves.
You can set MoveConstant to much higher values if you want.

MeshLod=1 // meshlod reduction
If you set this to MeshLod=0 the program loads more than twice as fast,
but the quality of shadows is reduced, and you get less fps.

ShadowTechnique=SHADOWTYPE_STENCIL_ADDITIVE
Shadow technique used
Set this to ShadowTechnique=SHADOWTYPE_TEXTURE_MODULATIVE if you want to
see a drastic increase in fps. It will however disable object to object shadows.

DOWNLOAD:

Demo.OrionArm.v20.20090818.zip (82Mb)

Holst_Mars.ogg (fitting music to run in the background)
Posted By: Global_Explorer

Re: OrionArm Space Demo v2.0 - 08/23/09 08:15 PM

Here some information about the solar system. I currently like think this to be a hypothetical interpretation of Tau Ceti, because it is similar to our sun.

I would appreciate very much if someone can help me find names for the objects, especially the moons!

Systems in order of distance from sun:

System 1

Name: ?
Characteristics: Single planet close to the sun, like Mercury. @work
Moons: -




System 2

Names: Pandora, Prometheus
Characteristics: A twin planet. Both planets jave a very hot athmosphere.
Moons: 1 small




System 3

Name: Ceus
Characteristics: A large gas giant like Jupiter. Because of its position in the inner planetary zone, it may have disturbed the forming of a large terrestric planet. Currently it has 3 large moons, but I plan to add several more smaller moons later.
Moons: 3 large




System 4

Name: ?
Characteristics: A rather dry and cold world on the border of the habitable zone. In many ways a twin of Mars. Unlike Mars it has a large moon.
Moons: 1 large





System 5

Name: Entropia
Characteristics: A gas giant of medium size. I plan to add several more smaller moons later.
Moons: 2 large, 1 small




System 6

Name: Medusa
Characteristics: A cold, medium size gas giant. Currently two large ice moons.
Moons: 2 large, 1 small




System 7

Names: ?
Characteristics: A group of carbon/ice objects in large distance from sun, very similar to Pluto / Charon.
Moons: 1 small


Posted By: DarkOne

Re: OrionArm Space Demo v2.0 - 08/27/09 05:22 AM

Models looking good Global_Explorer, Orge3D is a great engine. When I get some spare time I will try this out been busy with work and website.
Posted By: Clydewinder

Re: OrionArm Space Demo v2.0 - 08/27/09 11:38 AM

works on my laptop with 9500m video, although at one point whilst circling a planet the whole background went white and FPS dropped from 60 to 5... had to restart.
Posted By: Global_Explorer

Re: OrionArm Space Demo v2.0 - 08/27/09 02:40 PM

Thanks for taking the time and testing. Hopefully it is some fun.

This fps drop is most likely related to video memory, when you get very close to an object or look at several objects with maximum LOD. I currently use 4k textures, and tested on a card with 1 gigabyte. But a light version with 2k textures is possible, I think will release one in the future. It doesn't look that much different actually, but some loss of detail occurs when close to a planet.

Some stuff I have been doing lately, mostly new moons:







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