Simple OpenSteer demo abandoned

[SpannerMan]

A while ago I wanted to create a sort of wrapper for using OpenSteer with Ogre. I started off by making a demo project showing OpenSteer controlled Ogre entities; my initial aim was to replicate the OpenSteer demos, except using Ogre rendering. The longer term goal was a library that provided OpenSteer functionality in an easy to use manner for Ogre applications and games.

Alas, I didn't get very far and I have since abandoned my work with OpenSteer. I have however decided (following a request from a fellow Ogre forum member) to release what little work I have done in the hope that others may gain some benefit from it. So here it is. The download is 3.5Mbs and includes source code (VC ++ 7.1) and a windows binary release (will need msvcp71, msvcr71.zip etc).

Screenies of the two scenarios:




It's nothing big or impressive, I'm not planning to support it and the code isn't brilliant, so please don't expect much. What this may prove useful to people new to Ogre / OpenSteer is the following:

- Very basic use of OpenSteer functionality, specifically random direction heading and 'boid following'. I haven't even got round to including any obstacle or boid avoidance code Since this is a very light project with not much going on, it should quite clearly show through the code how to at least get OpenSteer to work with Ogre. Look at the OpenSteer demos for ideas on how to use the more advanced features. For better use of OpenSteer in Ogre look at ahmedali's Lashkar!

- Render To Texture in a CEGUI Frame window. A different camera allows the user to view the same scene from a different perspective, viewable in the 'preview' window.

- Simple camera class, providing 1st Person, 3rd Person, Top Down, Static Rotation and Free Flight Camera modes. I got some pretty cool slerping going on with the main window camera whereby the camera will 'fly' towards the next target and rotate towards the new camera angle. Warning: there is a little bug that appears now and again when following an entity, whereby the camera will do a flip.

- A version of the state swapping code as described on the Ogre Wiki. Switch between Generic and Terrain Scenemanagers.

Keyboard mapping:
F1 to toggle GUI.
C to switch camera mode (if not showing preview window, will change main camera)
T to switch camera target entity (same as above)
A, W, S, D and mouse to fly camera in free flight mode (not available in preview window)
Esc to quit

Build notes:
You will need Ogre cvs HEAD, OpenSteer cvs Head and CEGUI 1.0.4
With regard to my project settings, all these libraries sit on the same directory level.

[Vectrex]

great. Thanks for this, it looks like it'll really help me to get started (as I only need a few behaviours anyway and not the complete lib).

[joi]

Thank you!

[SpannerMan]

Hey, no problem I hope people will find parts of it useful or give them some ideas, if so its better up here than just sat on my hard disk.

By the way, I forgot to mention that the TAB key swaps between the two scanarios. I just realised that the release version in the zip file is not 100% uptodate with the code, so the "Scenarios" Gui tab is empty , so just use the TAB key.

[jacmoe]

I found this:
http://developer.novell.com/wiki/index.php/OgreSteer

And I want to put OgreSteer into my cOnGlomeRatE Game Vehicle repository.

How many OgreSteer's are there, out there?

Is it OK to do this?
Start an OgreSteer project, I mean.

[SpannerMan]

OgreSteer (and hence that novell project) was abandonded Im afraid

I stopped receiving contact from Bvsemmer (I think he is LuckyLuciano here) ages ago. I dont know what he is upto now or if he has any plans to continue with OgreSteer, but he never told me about it.

Personally you are more than welcome to do what you want with OgreSteer (including the name ) but I guess you might want to contact Bvsemmer first. Sorry I cant be of more help.

[jacmoe]

Thanks for the info.
Last post from Lucky_Luciano was in June..
I will try and track him down.

[jacmoe]

Simple camera class, providing 1st Person, 3rd Person, Top Down, Static Rotation and Free Flight Camera modes. I got some pretty cool slerping going on with the main window camera whereby the camera will 'fly' towards the next target and rotate towards the new camera angle. Warning: there is a little bug that appears now and again when following an entity, whereby the camera will do a flip.

I really like that camera class!

Unfortunately, on current Dagon, the camera goes wonky.

It has to do with the SimpleSpline camera animation code - one of the niftiest parts of the camera code.

The animation is alright until the camera finds its position, and then it does a flip, making it impossible to use.


Have anyone succesfully ported the OSCamera class to OGRE 1.2 ?

If you want me to, I can upload my code somewhere. It is probably easier to work with, because it doesn't require OpenSteer.

Let me know if I should post some code snippets or explain further.

If I get this to work, I will add it to the Wiki - if SpannerMan permits.

[abstractcoder]

i might be interested in taking a look soon. i have got my camera system setup but im not sure as the third person camera is great. i have the basics but i could certainly do a lot better.

if we get this working and SpannerMan is happy then i might intergrate it into a new version of the camera management system. i do plan on looking at a better design after i finish uni anyway.

[SpannerMan]

Hey guys,

Im glad you found the camera code useful

Please, go ahead and use it for whatever you need. Its true I havent had chance to convert any of the OgreSteer code to the newer versions of Ogre or Cegui. Jacmoe, I'd love to see the improvements to the camera class, so please do wikify it.

All I ask is that it would nice if you mentioned my name along with the code somewhere

Cheers,

Spannerman

[abstractcoder]

All I ask is that it would nice if you mentioned my name along with the code somewhere

I am glad to hear your happy and i have no problem giving you credit for your work . cheers

[jacmoe]

Cool!

I will tinker with it some more - too bad the SimpleSpline animated camera code doesn't work with Dagon.
I've read the porting notes, but can't find anything about the changes..

[jacmoe]

OgreSteer is no longer abandoned.

It is now part of the Conglomerate Project.

Can't get hold of Lucky_Luciano/Bvsemmer, though. But if he objects to it, I will re-abandon it.

Working code will emerge on a Conglomerate SVN very soon.

[abstractcoder]

sounds good. AI is something i would like to learn a bit more about when i get time.

[Falagard]

His name is

Bert Van Semmertier

If that helps at all.

[Jerky]

Thats it . I havent been able to get ahold of him for months. I think he finally graduated and got a job.