3 replies to this topic

[Berndr]

Hi guys I am an Animator (using 3dmax), I am looking to get a game engine for a 3d game I am working on, (it’s a simple turn based strategy similar to age of wonders and heroes 3)
So I am looking for something that would support networking, has good AI etc …

But the most important feature I am looking for is that animation can be imported from 3Dmax into the game engine.
I do not wish to make bones, skin and animate characters inside game engine …

Dx Studio and C4 looks good but not sure if those support (animation Import) feature …
If you know any other game engine that does this please let me know (it does not have to be the free one)

Thanks in advance I appreciate any advice

[fireside]

Just about all of them do. If it says skeletal animation in the animation category, then it does. AI is something you'll have to write yourself because that's basically what the game is about, but some engines have path finding so you won't have to implement A*. If it doesn't say about importing 3dsmax then you'll have to go to the engine site and do a search on the forum for it which will turn up a lot more information than anyone can give you here. If you aren't proficient at c++, then you should consider a scripted engine like Dx Studio or some of others, such as Panda3d.

[Berndr]

Thanks Fireside you made it quite clear about animation , great reply :)

I was hoping not to write AI from the scratch

so if the engine has got all those details (See Below ) in its Artificial Intelligence specifications

( Pathfinding, Decision Making, Finite State Machines, Scripted, Neural Networks: )

what does it exactly means?


those are from DX Studio

[fireside]

Finite state machines are usually used for transitioning between things like idle, walk, attack, things like that. It's pretty easy to script something like that on your own, also.

Pathfinding, at least with A*, is a grid system where you keep track of where players and boundaries are and it finds the shortest route for the character to walk.

Decision making must be some kind of helper script for if/then type deals. Beats me, really. I just use if/then type deals.

Neural networks I haven't used at all so I don't know anything about them.


Scripted means a somewhat simpler language has been attached to the c++ or c that the engine was written in so you don't have to worry about memory management and lots of other somewhat arcane language types used in c and c++.