[MUD-Dev] Quake II has gone GPL

[Frank Crowell]

From: <ling at slimy.com>

> Not meaning to be a nit-picking but I don't think the .md2 format
> is a good idea for muds.  I spent a small amount of time looking
> at 3D animation for muds and came to the conclusion that skin and
> bones (or a variant of it, even hierarchy animation) seem to be
> the best bet when it comes to choosing between size of data, cost
> to create animations and that sorta thing.

I am not a great fan of md2 format either, but it is at least a
workable format and fairly well known by a sizable group.  Plus
there are tools that can import and export the format. But if you
look at most mobs in virtual worlds, they don't really do
interesting things.  The first thing you need in an object is a
slight motion so they seem alive.  Then you create a few animations
to do you basic actions.  Genesis3D actually has a much better
animation system since they take models from 3DS MAX and Character
Studio 2.0 (which is great for those with $5000 to spend and the
talent).  But I can't easily find models for Genesis3D.

The weak side of the whole Q2 agrument is not technology at all.
It's community.  The very thing that makes a strong community is
also the thing that keeps out the "outsiders".  It really doesn't
matter how hard or easy it would be to take Q2 today and make it
more 3D mud like tomorrow.  That's because there is no community
that supports it.  In a related way, VRML did the same thing with 3D
multiuser.  It didn't really fit in with the community and even
though it exists today it is not the primary focus of the VRML/3DWeb
community.



_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev