Noob needs help

hey all, am new here and to blitz3d/programming in general, I feel stupid for asking this but i just can't figure this out, Im trying to add a blur effect to my plane like in the jet trails sample, problem is i have my plane parented to a pivot ( camera is also parented to this ) and if i increase the speed of the pivot each loop so as to have the plane accelerate then the interval between the creation of each copy is equal to the speed of piv, meaning i end up with planes with huge gaps between them instead of a nice stream of blur behind my plane... ugh... that's the best i can really explain it... here's the code maybe you can figure out what i mean...

Graphics3D 1024,768,32,1

Const FPS=30

Type blur
Field entity
Field alpha#
End Type

Type tower
Field entity
Field entityb
End Type

Collisions 2,1,2,2

Global sky,plane,skybox

Global fighter,scraper,house

Global wood_tex,redbrick,reflect_tex,building_tex,concrete_tex,sky_tex,tower_tex,ground

Global piv,cam_piv,cam,camy,camz,pivspeed#,jumpspeed#

Load_Textures()

Create_Cameras()

Load_Meshes()

Setup_World()

skybox=Make_Sky_Box("sky")
EntityParent skybox,cam

period=1000/FPS
time=MilliSecs()-period

WBuffer enable
AntiAlias enable

;main loop
While Not KeyHit(1)
Cls

Repeat
elapsed=MilliSecs()-time
Until elapsed

;how many 'frames' have elapsed
ticks=elapsed/period

;fractional remainder
tween#=Float(elapsed Mod period)/Float(period)

For k=1 To ticks

time=time+period

If k=ticks Then CaptureWorld

Update_Game()
UpdateWorld

Next

RenderWorld tween



RenderWorld tween

Flip

Wend

End



SetBuffer BackBuffer()

Function Create_Cameras()

piv=CreatePivot()
EntityType piv,2
PositionEntity piv,EntityX(piv),EntityY(piv),EntityZ(piv)
cam_piv=CreatePivot(piv)
cam=CreateCamera(cam_piv)
CameraRange cam,10,150000
CameraClsMode cam,True,True
PositionEntity cam,0,80,-120
EntityPickMode(piv,1)

End Function

Function Make_Sky_Box( file$ )

m=CreateMesh()
;front face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_FR.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,1,0
AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;right face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_LF.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,1,0
AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;back face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_BK.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,1,0
AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;left face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_RT.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,1,0
AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;top face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_UP.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,0,1:AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,0,0
AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,1,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,1,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b

ScaleMesh m,1000,1000,1000
FlipMesh m
EntityFX m,9
EntityOrder m,10
Return m

End Function

Function Load_Meshes()

fighter=LoadMesh("newplane.b3d",piv)
PositionEntity fighter,EntityX(fighter),EntityY(fighter)+40,EntityZ(fighter)
RotateEntity fighter,0,180,0
EntityTexture fighter,reflect_tex

scraper=LoadAnimMesh("buildingb.b3d")
PositionEntity scraper,0,0.15,1000
RotateEntity scraper,0,180,0
ScaleEntity scraper,100,100,100

house=LoadMesh("house.b3d")
ScaleEntity house,60,60,60
PositionEntity house,-6000,0.15,-6000
EntityType house,1

End Function


Function Setup_World()

plane=CreatePlane()
EntityShininess plane,1
EntityTexture plane,ground

light=CreateLight()

For tempe=0 To 99

block.tower=New tower
block\entity=CopyEntity(scraper)
EntityType block\entity,1,True
block\entityb=CreateCube()
ScaleEntity block\entityb,2000,18200,2000
HideEntity block\entityb
EntityTexture block\entityb,building_tex
PositionEntity block\entity,4000+xpos,0.01,2000+zpos
PositionEntity block\entityb,4000+xpos,0.01,2000+zpos
zpos=zpos+15000

If zpos>=150000

zpos=zpos-150000
xpos=xpos+15000

EndIf

Next

FreeEntity scraper

mode=1
count=0

End Function

Function Load_Textures()

ground=LoadTexture("ground.bmp")
ScaleTexture ground,200,200

reflect_tex=LoadTexture("reflection.jpg",64)

concrete_tex=LoadTexture("concrete.bmp")

flame_tex=LoadTexture("flamesprite.bmp")

building_tex=LoadTexture("building.bmp")
ScaleTexture building_tex,1,0.05

sky_tex=LoadTexture("sky.bmp")

tower_tex=CreateTexture(256,256)
ScaleTexture tower_tex,1,0.2

redbrick=LoadTexture("redbrick.bmp")

wood_tex=LoadTexture("wood.bmp")

End Function




Function Update_Player()


RotateEntity piv,EntityPitch(piv),EntityYaw(piv),EntityRoll(piv)
EntityRadius piv,140


If JoyDown(3)=True

pivspeed#=pivspeed#+2

If pivspeed#>400 Then pivspeed#=400

If pivspeed#>0 And JoyDown(7)=True

add_motion_blur(fighter)

If EntityY(cam)<150
camy=camy+2
camz=camz-8
cap=cap-5
EndIf
pivspeed#=pivspeed#*3

EndIf

Else pivspeed#=pivspeed#-2
If EntityRoll(piv)>0 Then TurnEntity piv,0,0,-4
If EntityRoll(piv)<0 Then TurnEntity piv,0,0,4
If EntityPitch(piv)>0 Then TurnEntity piv,-4,0,0
If EntityPitch(piv)<0 Then TurnEntity piv,4,0,0

If pivspeed#<0 Then pivspeed#=0

EndIf

MoveEntity piv,0,0,0+pivspeed#

If JoyX()<-0.9
If EntityRoll(fighter)<180
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,-10
EndIf
TurnEntity piv,0,4,0
EndIf

If JoyX()>0.9
If EntityRoll(fighter)>-180
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,10
EndIf
TurnEntity piv,0,-4,0
EndIf

If EntityRoll(fighter)>0
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,-4

EndIf

If EntityRoll(fighter)<0
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,4

EndIf

If JoyY()<0.5
TurnEntity piv,4,0,0
EndIf

If JoyY()>-0.5
TurnEntity piv,-4,0,0
EndIf

End Function

Function Update_Camera()

If JoyRoll()>100 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,0,2,0
If JoyRoll()<-100 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,0,-2,0
If JoyZ()>0.9 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,2,0,0
If JoyZ()<-0.9 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,-2,0,0
If JoyHit(12) Then RotateEntity cam_piv,0,0,0

If EntityY(cam)>80
camy=camy-1
camz=camz+4
EndIf

MoveEntity cam,0,camy,camz

PositionEntity skybox,EntityX(cam),EntityY(cam),EntityZ(cam)
RotateEntity skybox,0,0,0,True

PositionEntity cam,EntityX(cam),EntityY(cam),EntityZ(cam)

camy=0
camz=0

End Function

Function Update_Game()

Update_Camera()

update_player()

update_motion_blur(fighter)

For block.tower=Each tower
If EntityVisible (block\entity,cam) And EntityDistance(piv,block\entity)>30000
HideEntity block\entity
ShowEntity block\entityb
ElseIf EntityDistance(piv,block\entityb)<30000
HideEntity block\entityb
ShowEntity block\entity
EndIf
Next

End Function

Function Add_Motion_Blur(ent)

b.blur=New blur
b\entity=CopyEntity(ent)
PositionEntity b\entity,EntityX(ent,1),EntityY(ent,1),EntityZ(ent,1)
RotateEntity b\entity,EntityPitch(ent,1),EntityYaw(ent,1),EntityRoll(ent,1)
b\alpha#=0.5
EntityAlpha b\entity,b\alpha#
ScaleEntity b\entity,0.95,0.95,0.95

End Function

Function Update_Motion_Blur(ent)

For b.blur=Each blur
If b\alpha#>0 Then
b\alpha#=b\alpha#-.02
EntityAlpha b\entity,b\alpha#
Else
FreeEntity b\entity
Delete b
End If
Next

End Function

also have a question regarding the b3d format, i was wondering if the heirarchy is retained in b3d as in 3ds
every time i use countchildren on a b3d mesh i only get 2 i think... it would be really useful for hiding an animated characters sword for example...

There have been various methods for this:

http://www.blitzbasic.com/codearcs/codearcs.php?code=1793

http://www.blitzbasic.com/codearcs/codearcs.php?code=1561

http://www.blitzbasic.com/codearcs/codearcs.php?code=1146

There are texture blur routines in the code archives too.

thanks

And yes, hierarchy is retained in .b3d format.

If you look at the .b3d file spec here:
http://www.blitzbasic.com/sdkspecs/sdkspecs/b3dfile_specs.txt

There is an example down the bottom showing how it's structured. Obviously what you see with countchildren depends on how you created the model and what you exported it with / from.

Typically you will have the scene root, then below that your mesh(es).

Also, could you please make you post titles reflect in some way the information you are looking for. It makes it more likly that you will get help, and makes searching a lot easyer. Thanks

cool thanks, will make my titles more informative in future, sry.

Oh, just a tip, 786979... When you've got a lot of code you want to post, it makes your post a lot more readable if you put it in a codebox like this:

Graphics3D 1024,768,32,1

Const FPS=30

Type blur
Field entity
Field alpha#
End Type 

Type tower
Field entity
Field entityb
End Type

Collisions 2,1,2,2

Global sky,plane,skybox

Global fighter,scraper,house

Global wood_tex,redbrick,reflect_tex,building_tex,concrete_tex,sky_tex,tower_tex,ground

Global piv,cam_piv,cam,camy,camz,pivspeed#,jumpspeed#

Load_Textures()

Create_Cameras()

Load_Meshes()

Setup_World()

skybox=Make_Sky_Box("sky")
EntityParent skybox,cam

period=1000/FPS
time=MilliSecs()-period

WBuffer enable 
AntiAlias enable

;main loop
While Not KeyHit(1)
Cls 

Repeat
elapsed=MilliSecs()-time
Until elapsed

;how many 'frames' have elapsed 
ticks=elapsed/period

;fractional remainder
tween#=Float(elapsed Mod period)/Float(period)

For k=1 To ticks

time=time+period

If k=ticks Then CaptureWorld

Update_Game()
UpdateWorld

Next 

RenderWorld tween



RenderWorld tween

Flip

Wend 

End



SetBuffer BackBuffer()

Function Create_Cameras()

piv=CreatePivot()
EntityType piv,2
PositionEntity piv,EntityX(piv),EntityY(piv),EntityZ(piv)
cam_piv=CreatePivot(piv)
cam=CreateCamera(cam_piv)
CameraRange cam,10,150000
CameraClsMode cam,True,True
PositionEntity cam,0,80,-120
EntityPickMode(piv,1)

End Function 

Function Make_Sky_Box( file$ )

m=CreateMesh()
;front face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_FR.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,1,0
AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;right face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_LF.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,1,0
AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;back face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_BK.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,1,0
AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;left face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_RT.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,1,0
AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,0,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b
;top face
b=LoadBrush( file$+"_UP.bmp",49 )
s=CreateSurface( m,b )
AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,0,1:AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,0,0
AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,1,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,1,1
AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
FreeBrush b

ScaleMesh m,1000,1000,1000
FlipMesh m
EntityFX m,9
EntityOrder m,10
Return m

End Function

Function Load_Meshes()

fighter=LoadMesh("newplane.b3d",piv)
PositionEntity fighter,EntityX(fighter),EntityY(fighter)+40,EntityZ(fighter)
RotateEntity fighter,0,180,0
EntityTexture fighter,reflect_tex

scraper=LoadAnimMesh("buildingb.b3d") 
PositionEntity scraper,0,0.15,1000
RotateEntity scraper,0,180,0
ScaleEntity scraper,100,100,100

house=LoadMesh("house.b3d")
ScaleEntity house,60,60,60
PositionEntity house,-6000,0.15,-6000
EntityType house,1 

End Function 


Function Setup_World()

plane=CreatePlane()
EntityShininess plane,1
EntityTexture plane,ground

light=CreateLight()

For tempe=0 To 99

block.tower=New tower 
block\entity=CopyEntity(scraper)
EntityType block\entity,1,True 
block\entityb=CreateCube()
ScaleEntity block\entityb,2000,18200,2000
HideEntity block\entityb
EntityTexture block\entityb,building_tex
PositionEntity block\entity,4000+xpos,0.01,2000+zpos
PositionEntity block\entityb,4000+xpos,0.01,2000+zpos
zpos=zpos+15000

If zpos>=150000

zpos=zpos-150000
xpos=xpos+15000

EndIf 

Next

FreeEntity scraper

mode=1
count=0

End Function

Function Load_Textures()

ground=LoadTexture("ground.bmp")
ScaleTexture ground,200,200

reflect_tex=LoadTexture("reflection.jpg",64)

concrete_tex=LoadTexture("concrete.bmp")

flame_tex=LoadTexture("flamesprite.bmp")

building_tex=LoadTexture("building.bmp")
ScaleTexture building_tex,1,0.05

sky_tex=LoadTexture("sky.bmp")

tower_tex=CreateTexture(256,256)
ScaleTexture tower_tex,1,0.2

redbrick=LoadTexture("redbrick.bmp")

wood_tex=LoadTexture("wood.bmp")

End Function 




Function Update_Player()


RotateEntity piv,EntityPitch(piv),EntityYaw(piv),EntityRoll(piv)
EntityRadius piv,140


If JoyDown(3)=True

pivspeed#=pivspeed#+2

If pivspeed#>400 Then pivspeed#=400

If pivspeed#>0 And JoyDown(7)=True

add_motion_blur(fighter) 

If EntityY(cam)<150
camy=camy+2
camz=camz-8
cap=cap-5
EndIf 
pivspeed#=pivspeed#*3

EndIf

Else pivspeed#=pivspeed#-2 
If EntityRoll(piv)>0 Then TurnEntity piv,0,0,-4
If EntityRoll(piv)<0 Then TurnEntity piv,0,0,4
If EntityPitch(piv)>0 Then TurnEntity piv,-4,0,0
If EntityPitch(piv)<0 Then TurnEntity piv,4,0,0

If pivspeed#<0 Then pivspeed#=0

EndIf 

MoveEntity piv,0,0,0+pivspeed#

If JoyX()<-0.9
If EntityRoll(fighter)<180
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,-10
EndIf 
TurnEntity piv,0,4,0
EndIf

If JoyX()>0.9
If EntityRoll(fighter)>-180
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,10
EndIf 
TurnEntity piv,0,-4,0
EndIf

If EntityRoll(fighter)>0
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,-4

EndIf

If EntityRoll(fighter)<0 
TurnEntity fighter,0,0,4

EndIf

If JoyY()<0.5 
TurnEntity piv,4,0,0
EndIf 

If JoyY()>-0.5
TurnEntity piv,-4,0,0
EndIf 

End Function 

Function Update_Camera()

If JoyRoll()>100 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,0,2,0
If JoyRoll()<-100 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,0,-2,0
If JoyZ()>0.9 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,2,0,0
If JoyZ()<-0.9 Then TurnEntity cam_piv,-2,0,0
If JoyHit(12) Then RotateEntity cam_piv,0,0,0

If EntityY(cam)>80
camy=camy-1
camz=camz+4
EndIf 

MoveEntity cam,0,camy,camz

PositionEntity skybox,EntityX(cam),EntityY(cam),EntityZ(cam)
RotateEntity skybox,0,0,0,True 

PositionEntity cam,EntityX(cam),EntityY(cam),EntityZ(cam)

camy=0
camz=0

End Function 

Function Update_Game()

Update_Camera() 

update_player()

update_motion_blur(fighter)

For block.tower=Each tower
If EntityVisible (block\entity,cam) And EntityDistance(piv,block\entity)>30000
HideEntity block\entity 
ShowEntity block\entityb
ElseIf EntityDistance(piv,block\entityb)<30000
HideEntity block\entityb
ShowEntity block\entity
EndIf 
Next

End Function 

Function Add_Motion_Blur(ent)

b.blur=New blur
b\entity=CopyEntity(ent)
PositionEntity b\entity,EntityX(ent,1),EntityY(ent,1),EntityZ(ent,1)
RotateEntity b\entity,EntityPitch(ent,1),EntityYaw(ent,1),EntityRoll(ent,1)
b\alpha#=0.5
EntityAlpha b\entity,b\alpha#
ScaleEntity b\entity,0.95,0.95,0.95

End Function

Function Update_Motion_Blur(ent)

For b.blur=Each blur
If b\alpha#>0 Then
b\alpha#=b\alpha#-.02
EntityAlpha b\entity,b\alpha#
Else
FreeEntity b\entity
Delete b
End If
Next

End Function

That's the same code you entered in, but much more compact, visually speaking. If you want to know how to do that, click on the "Home" tab of this site, then click "FAQ," then click "forum codes." L8r!

One more thing: to display an animated meshes hierarchy you should use one of the recursive sources from the archives.

Additionally you can use EntityClass$(entity) to print out what it is, a pivot, mesh, etc.

cool thnx a lot, and I'll use them codeboxes in future too :) sorry bout that, did say I'm a noob though huh :D

ok, I've used jfk's recursive mesh hierarchy app from the code archives, problem is all my child entities are pivots, which is useful, but I really want to access the child meshes, so I can hide my characters sword for example, is this something to do with the modelling program I'm using? I'm using milkshape3d if I export to b3d format all I get are pivots and if I export to 3ds all I get are meshes, ideally I'd like to be able to access the pivots and meshes using .b3d, as I said above I'm a total Noob, so I apologise if this seems like a dumb question.

The 3ds format probably doesn't support pivots, so things which Milkshape thinks are pivots are being exported as ( invisible? ) meshes.

B3D format should have both meshes and pivots. However, it depends exactly what you're doing here. In order to be a separate mesh in the hierarchy, the objects need to be separate/detached in Milkshape, and/or they need a separate material.

If you can, upload the model so that we can take a better look.

no its exporting an animated mesh so I'm getting all my pivots/joints, just not my child meshes, doesn't matter I figured out a way to do it, I just use countsurfaces and then paint the sword with an alpha brush, same thing really, being able to access the mesh itself would be more useful.

Assuming you mean skeletal animation then indeed all bets are off. Ultimate Unwrap will only export skeletal animation for a single object, so perhaps Milkshape is the same way except that it combines everything into one object automatically.

Frankly, it would probably be better not to save the sword in the same file. Save it as a separate mesh, then find the right hand pivot and parent it to that pivot. Then not only do you have access to the mesh, you can actually swap it out for a different weapon, hide it, etc.

Hey, 786979, don't sweat the codebox thing man; it doesn't matter all that much, it just makes you more likely to get a response. It's basic psychology: people are more liable to turn away from a post that opens with a large mass of text. I know it's the same amount with or without a codebox, it just looks better to people who decide "at-a-glance" whether to respond or not.

BTW, while normally I like to help people with their problems, B3D is out of my league right now... Sorry T_T

Hey, 786979, don't sweat the codebox thing man; it doesn't matter all that much, it just makes you more likely to get a response. It's basic psychology: people are more liable to turn away from a post that opens with a large mass of text. I know it's the same amount with or without a codebox, it just looks better to people who decide "at-a-glance" whether to respond or not.

BTW, while normally I like to help people with their problems, B3D is out of my league right now... Sorry T_T

Hey, 786979, don't sweat the codebox thing man; it doesn't matter all that much, it just makes you more likely to get a response. It's basic psychology: people are more liable to turn away from a post that opens with a large mass of text. I know it's the same amount with or without a codebox, it just looks better to people who decide "at-a-glance" whether to respond or not.

BTW, while normally I like to help people with their problems, B3D is out of my league right now... Sorry T_T