Research Assignment

Final Video Tutorial - how to add some depths to AI




500 words-

The tutorial subject that occupies the intersection between my work in EXP1 or EP2 is AI tutorials and flowgraph relates to glow. The AI tutorials seem to be very useful when I need to design some characters with animation in the environment. The shiny entities are also helpful to represent the idea like lights. What the difficulty I found is that to combine both two knowledge together. For example, when an AI step on an entity, the entity could glow. I thought it would be pretty complete to achieve that. But after Vinh helped me with this sort of thing, I have found the way to do that. All I need to do is change the trigger properties which is selecting AI or something else instead of 'only local player'.


The subject of my tutorial is related to AI. I have chosen to do the tutorial on how to add some depths to AI. Things I mentioned in the tutorial video include how to make a AI walk from one point to another point, how to make AI follow the local player then just stand there and animation of AI. I think after watching this tutorial people could have a better idea about how to control AI in Sandbox2.

For this tutorial, I think it is useful for both beginning and experienced users. The flowgraph skills used in this tutorial are quite basic and easy to follow. Basically, it introduced the process step by step and quite detailed. So, the beginning users could follow this video easily. As AI part takes a large part in my Exp 2, I think it would be also quite helpful for anyone who may need to enhance the reality of the virtual world. So, both beginning level and experienced user could learn something from this tutorial video.

All of the three ways about controlling AI were related to movement, as I think after AI with some actions, it could be easy to make some other flowgraphs and enhance the sense of reality in Sanbox. So, everything should be built on movement for AI.

Reference:

http://konakona.nbtxathcx.net/sb2/?page=flowgraphs

http://www.incrysis.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=13386

http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=571746729

Final EXP2 submission

File Links-
Sketchup Model: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=e7d68127715ec05b26d52461b27806e1

Crysis War environment:http://www.gamefront.com/files/20978377/Exp2.rar



Final Analytics Engine Documentary

Analytics Engine Brief
The pachube feed I selected from Arch1391 feeds is one that deals with the light, number of people in the room and the concept of space. The concept of this analytics engine was to create a floor area which will shine when someone stands on floor. So, as the data goes up, more people enter the room. The data streams recorded in XML file. According to the XML file, the walls would change their scales and rotate angles in order to create a larger space with the growing number of people in the room. Through that, the sight of line inside of the room would be increase and the concept of larger space can be achieved. The lit floor area could also make people have a sense of wider space.As someone people step on the floor, the lights will be turned on and different colors of lights represent different congestion degrees, like the video shows that the centre is so crowded and I used more bright color to represent that. Walls can also glow to correlate the floor and walls. As the data is collected from the real world, it is represented by the movement of walls.

demonstration 1:


demonstration 2:


demonstration 3:

Linking Flowgraph to a Pachube feed

Paragraph on tutorial

The subject of my tutorial will relate to AI. I have chosen to do the tutorial on how to add some depths to AI. Things I will mention in the tutorial video include how to make a AI walk from one point to another point, how to make AI follow the local player then just stand there and animation of AI. I think after watching this tutorial, people could have a better idea about how to manage AI in Sandbox2.

2 marking schedules

Paragraph regarding on research assignment

The tutorial subject that occupies the intersection between my work in EXP1 or EP2 is AI tutorials and flowgraph relates to glow. The AI tutorials seems to  be very useful when I need to design some other characters with some animation in the environment. The shiny entities are also helpful to represent the idea like lights. What the difficulty I found is that to combine these two knowledge together. For example, when a AI step on an entity, the entity could glow. After Vinh helped me with this sort of thing, I have found the way to do that. All I need to do is change the trigger properties which is selecting AI or something else instead of 'only local player'.

Week4 demonstration

EXP2 week4

I think if I could add some AI in the installation, it could show the Pachube feed from Arch1391 more clearly. The idea of more people enter the room, the lit floor area increases could be achieved by the AI from Sandbox2. However, I am still trying to figure out how to change the brightness of each floor when the number of people stand on it changes. Also, I would make AI to do some animations to achieve the idea of the social contact.

week 3 demonstration

In this demonstration, I basically followed the idea from the second and third infographics I found before. As someone people enter the room, the floor lights will be turned on and different colors of lights represent different congestion degrees, like the second infographic shows that the centre is so crowded and I used more bright color to represent that.

EXP2 Week3 infographics

This infographic would be great for kind of how to show the data digitally and could be useful for the effect of how different colors light up the floor.

This infographic could represent as a floor space with people stand in this area. Each spot represents each character and they connect to each other like the idea of this pachube feed which is sociality. The centre part is more crowded and this means more people stand in the centre part of the floor.

It could be seen as the different colors of lights on the floor and the bright-colored represents more people stand there like red.

EXP2 week2 independent study

The idea of the pachube feed is to link the number of people in a room to the brightness of lights. So, as the data goes up, more people enter the room. A flowgraph would show the intensity of lights and the number of people in the room. But if I change the idea of room and light, that could be more interesting. Also the effect of bright lights could be changed to something like brighter floor and this represents there are more people stand in that area.

Research

http://www.moddb.com/groups/cryengine-2-developers/tutorials/cryengine-flowgraph-tutorial
This website introduces some basic information about flowgraph and how to use some methods.

http://konakona.nbtxathcx.net/sb2/?page=flowgraphs
This website introduces the basic method to make an AI to move and this is quite helpful for me on this assignment.

EXP2 week2 flowgraph

The flowgraph above was designed to recorded the distance of the avatar in relation to a selected entity. As the avatar approaches the car or leave away from it, the data displayed on the screen through the "showHUDmessage" shows the average distance the avatar travels and the distance between the player and the entity.

EXP2 week1 independent study

The Pachube feed I have chosen from ARCH1391 is https://pachube.com/feeds/35501

"The sense of space is created using light. The number of people entering and leaving a room directly correlates to the floor area which is lit up. As more people enter the room the lit floor area increases. As more of the floor area lights up the concept of a larger space is created."


S.W.O.T analysis


Strength- The idea of linking space and light is quite innovative. As more people enter the room, the brightness of the light will increase and give a sense of a larger space. The increased lit floor area would avoid the feeling of overcrowding.



Weakness-

One of the possibility is the color of the lights, if the color is not suitable, it will not create the concept of larger space. Secondly, as the floor area is limited, when the whole floor has been lighted up, the intensity of lights could be increased. So, the range of intensity of lights is required to make sure that the brightness is acceptable for one can see everything in the room clearly.

Opportunity-

This idea could used for a light show, as more people enter the room, the brighter the light would be. Also this idea could indicate how many people there in the light shows, and this can display the popularity of the activities. The different intensities of lights in different parts of floor in a room could divide the room into some particular spaces like some layers.

Threats-

When the lights shine directly to one's eyes, it could lead to the threats with eyesights.

EXP2 week1 average speed of entity

This video is to show the average of speed of a moving entity. Three numbers shows in this video. The first one on the top is the original Z position of the entity. Then, the number located at the middle of the screen is the average speed of the entity. The bottom number shows the end point of the 'Z' postion of the entity.
I used Math:Div, Math:Sub and Vec3 to achieve that.

Final machinima documentary

Marking Sheet

Links

Sandbox2 mod:
http://www.mediafire.com/?gi8a36183lxpuuc

Sketchup model:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=b3a0554129d35e6ef8130bf5277bf6f4

Week5 Independent Study

In the machinima documentary, I have used several different techniques of expression to illustrate a realist feeling of pure war. Through the video, I tried to explore the real and virtual modes of video documentary. In the documentary, the elements I have used include weather, music, time of day, lights and the blast. The time of day is an important clue in my machinima documentary. It indicates the period of the state of pure war. When the war began, the time of day was at nightfall. The time of day went dark for a night as the war turned more violent. At last, peace is the result of pure war and the sun rises and a new day begins. The two lighted barrels mark the place of pure war. Although, the first time's fight was not success, after the recovery, enemies were all destroyed by nuclear power. Finally, a new day began and the peace was coming.

Week 5 Tutorial

Draft:

Week4 Independent Study

Installment of Pure War:


In this installment, I have created scenes of the real-time war. The video starts with the blast from the distant place and this is also related to the concept of pure war. The techniques of expression that were used in this installment include weather, music, time of day, lights and the blast. As the time of the day is one important clue of the installment, I tried to represent pure war through half of one day. It starts from the twilight and this is also the start of the war. The blast from the distant place and the car can be seen as the sign of the start of the war. When the lights switched on, it is the time of war. As for the end of the installment, the sun rises and a new day begins. At the same time, smoke and fire have ended and this represents the peace.

Week4 Tutorial

Piano Stairs:

Week3 Independent Study

Pickable Object:


Rain in Crysis:

Week3 Tutorial

Constrain:



Animating the Time of Day:



Changing Scale:


Moving entity:


Reading XML:

Sketchup model in Sandbox2

Pure War Model

For this model, it is shaped like a cover or barrel which also can be seen from the real war. I used the idea of pure war which is mutated war exists in a permanent pure state. To make sure this model is more like a cover, I used this texture like camouflage.

Objects Glowing

WEEK2 task

Creating short cut

Changing custom material

Flowgraph of car:

Flowgraph of officer:

Week1: The Pachube Feed

I found Pachube to be a very interesting website where users can monitor the various sensors of place all across the world. I have read through many of the feeds on Pachube and this one shows three indicators in Hongkong. It is interesting  to see the difference between outdoor and indoor. These feeds can indicate how well people's daily life in the different parts on the globe.

Link of Feed from Pachube:

https://pachube.com/feeds/34432

Chosen level: Quarry

Cave view: