thanks guys!

this was getting a little cumbersome:

sqrt((Sprite3[Physics].VelocityX*Sprite3[Physics].VelocityX)-

(Sprite3[Physics].VelocityY*Sprite3[Physics].VelocityY))

x to the y power

exp() ?

where do I put the x and the y?

thanks quazi, but

The above, however, ignores the fact that many DirectInput controllers, such as gamepads with dual analog sticks and racing wheel controller sets, already map triggers and pedals independently. In addition, many DirectInput devices also have vibration effects. There is at least one driver, XBCD, that gives the Xbox 360 controllers the vibration support, dead zones and (optionally) independent triggers through DirectInput. This indicates Microsoft's Xbox 360 controller driver intentionally has weaker DirectInput support, rather than due to any differences between DirectInput and XInput APIs. On the other hand, Xbox 360 controller and XInput support only very basic control of vibration motors[4][5] in contrast with great palette of various effects supported by DirectInput.[6] The XBCD driver emulates support of these DirectInput vibration effects in driver and translates them to simple commands for each motor in controller. This approach makes reproduction of some DirectInput effects inaccurate.

The XInput API also currently has limits that DirectInput does not:

* Supports only "next generation" controllers. This limits it basically to controllers for the Xbox 360 that also have Windows drivers. Legacy Windows controllers are not supported.

* Maximum of four controllers at a time. This is an Xbox limit that is carried over to Windows. Although there are currently few PC games that need more than four controllers at once, this seems like an arbitrary restriction as DirectInput has no such limitation.

* Does not support keyboards, mice, or mouse-type devices. While this mirrors Microsoft's recommendation not to use DirectInput with these devices, it is possible to use DirectInput with these devices.

* Support for only 4 axes, 10 buttons, 2 triggers and 8-direction digital pad per controller, compared to DirectInput's support for 8 axes, 128 buttons, and full-range POV. (Incidentally, the number of axes, buttons and triggers XInput supports corresponds directly to the Xbox 360 controller.)

Currently, XInput is for Xbox 360 controllers, while DirectInput is for any controller.

I guess I was going to have to learn python sooner or later

thanks for the quick replies guys

btw, quazi, could you post a cap of that custom shadow map thingy you did?

is it possible to create something like behaviors from within construct. I just recreated the platform behavior using the physics behaviors and private variables because I needed to use some of those features. I didn't need any external C++, just simple construct features. it would be useful to be able to apply this new set of conditions and private variables to new objects not only within this game, but in other games, and with the nice interface that behaviors have. is there something like that, with or without the nice properties window, if so, how is it done (or what is the feature called so I can look it up?).

Also, levels, is there an example somewhere where there's something with multiple levels. I'm not quite sure how it would work. being able to load a new layout, and reuse the old objects. once again, if there's a feature that does this I can find in the wiki, the name of the feature would be just as helpful as an explanation

thanks guys

I'm sure direct input/joypad support has been suggested, but I couldn't find it on the todo list.

is it probably not going to happen any time soon?

just don't want to start studying python and researching open source controller stuffs if it's planned in an upcoming version sometime soon.

is it possible to have an avi behind a sprite, or is it always on top?

you guys/gals rock!

I love this software.

thanks

this would be really cool, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's pretty hard to do and won't appear before 1.0.

the ragdoll motorized animation thing could probably be difficult.

but the motorized hinges, the sprung hinges, and the ik I think are fairly reasonable. As I said quazi already managed a fast IK example, for bones .

and motorized hinges is the easy part if you've already got hinge physics (which it does). as for constraints on the rotation of hinges, that's also much easier than making hinges in the first place.

as for combining IK for bones with physics, it seems like a natural progression.

Hmm, could you do anything but a ragdoll effect? Would there be a way for the character to hold up some of its limbs so he didn't go completely limp? Or maybe if a rolling object collided with him it would take his legs out from under him and cause him to fall on his face.

exactly what I was getting at with the motorized limbs. I'm not sure how difficult it would be to program, but yes, that's exactly the type of thing I'd want to see. or on a simpler level an arm that could try to pull an object or character that was trying to pull in the opposite direction. a clockwork gear that could be jammed or slowed down by someone standing on it, depending on the strength of the motor.

another great feature (which quazi proved shouldn't be too difficult in the other IK thread) would be to give bones targets. (move joint toward x,y) for instance - if you wanted a character to grab for a moving object whether they could reach it or not. if they grabbed it and the moving object had enough momentum it could pull them off their feet, like a character grabbing a train moving by and being dragged by it. this could also be used to control head movement to follow objects. to aim a gun being held by a character with two joints for each arm, etc.

so yes, if bones and bone animation and IK were integrated into physics, it'd be possible to create animations that have a certain strength and attempt to complete at the mercy of outside forces.

also, an example of springy hinges would be a diving board, or a tree limb that would spring back into place after it was moved (2 or 3 springy joints). you would be able to set torque force, spring force, and damping force, to create everything from mousetraps, to long grassblades, or hair. the bones/hinges whether sprung or not should be able to be affected by gravity. I understand it might be possible to create those things now, but the difference in look and feel for a treelimb or hair that is affected by physics is night and day.

inverse kinematics both during animating and at runtime.

bones integrated into physics engine for ragdoll effects

constraints on bone movement, ie limit degrees of movement

add spring force to joints and hinges (one and the same once integrated)

'motorized' hinges/joints (for instance lever that can rotate on it's own with a given speed and force, and be acted upon and resisted by outside forces)

that would all be awesome

thanks linkman!

I forgot I even posted this thread

I'll make sure to rename them ashley

btw, on the blurmask I know about the white to black to affect intensity

I just was wondering if it's possible to make the white be a higher maximum bluriness amount

I tried using blurmask twice on the same object, but then it's blurry even if theres black or alpha 0 there

thanks ashley,

but yes I read that. I see the differeence in bumpmap and heightmap

but there's a separate effect called 'heightmap background', and it looks like it has a fixed lightsource, but there is still a lightx and lighty to adjust. they just don't seem to do anything