30 replies to this topic

[TheSnidr]

• Title: TheSnidr's Grid Distortion Effect
• Description: Creates a grid and lets you distort it. Can also be textured.
• GM Version: GM 7
• Registered: yes
• File Type: gmk
• File Size: 68kb
• File Link: Host-a | YoYo

Additional Info
This is a dynamic grid engine very similar to geometry wars!
It was updated to version 2 21/9/10, download old version here:
Host-a

Version 2 has been almost completely rewritten, and with Sapidus3's tips, it's a lot faster. Geometry is now stable, as opposed to before ^^
I've removed the implode script, as it now is the same as an explosion with negative force


Old picture: http://i26.tinypic.com/mjq0zl.jpg

Use arrowkeys to change room.

The grid can be any size, but too many cells might slow your game down.

Edited by TheSnidr, 13 July 2011 - 04:59 PM.

[dadio]

Ooh! Nice little example there!
Yeah, could be cool for texturing with a face & "distorting" (like a 2D version of Mario's head in Mario64).

Pretty much all your examples are really groovy tbh!
Keep 'em coming

[TheSnidr]

Thank you!

The engine is highly customizable. In the _update script, the second argument decides how fast the points in the grid should move back to their starting point (if they have been moved). Make it a low number to make it look like syrup.
You can decide yourself how many cells the grid contains, how big it is, and the radius and strength of the "_explode" and "_implode" scripts.

It seems it is similar here to how it is in the WIP section, people won't download without a picture, so I added one to the first post.

[Newly Discovered]

wow that is really cool!
this would make an insanely awesome topdown water effect, you should give it a shot!
you could probably be able to create some sweet water ripples as well.

good luck if you try! I know I wont.

[pubby8]

I wrote an engine for something similar to this last year. xD I'm actually writing a game on it right now
distort image


Nice effect.

[commander of games]

This is fun XD! I went online and got some face images of people(Bill Gates and stuff) and distorted them! This could make an intresting little game thing.

[RamboFox]

"Almost like in Geometry Wars"
How about EXACTLY like geometry wars - I think they used a combination of textures and warped 3d models to render a quick, and efficient grid distortion effect.
Looks like you replicated their' method in GM

Nicely done *thumbsup*

[Newly Discovered]

I had an idea on another way you could use this, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it.
if you like the idea, maybe you could give it a try.

you'd select an area and create the grid. you'd texture the grid with a surface of that area. then distort it!
I was thinking you could easily create refractions, like heat from a flame or maybe water.

think it could work?

[TheSnidr]

Yeah, maybe! Good idea.
I'll look into it when I get the time, but I believe it should be possible.

Edited by TheSnidr, 20 October 2009 - 06:36 PM.

[TheSnidr]

Yeah, maybe! Good idea.
I'll look into it when I get the time, but I believe it should be possible.

I just uploaded a new version!
I've made an example of how to use the engine for, for example, heatwaves (thanks to Newly Discovered for the idea!)
I added a script that lets you create a texture index of a specified area on the screen. You can then use the texture in the draw_grid scripts.

As always, use the arrow keys to move between the rooms. The first room has no controls, use the mouse in the two other rooms.

[Newly Discovered]

very cool! not exactly what I was looking for, but it's still awesome looking. nice job!
this is actually a very powerful effect.

aw I see...it only captures the screen once. too bad it leaks!

Edited by Newly Discovered, 20 October 2009 - 09:38 PM.

[LoopStan]

This is really cool! Good job, I needed a script and such just like this.

[Shadowrend]

Pretty cool.

[TheSnidr]

The engine has been almost completely rewritten!
It's much faster, and the geometry is stable now, as opposed to before!
Instead of just moving back to their initial positions, the vertexes now bounce instead, giving it a much more dynamic feel

Thanks to Sapidus3 for tips on how to improve speed

[CaptainLepidus]

Try putting this picture into it:http://www.swisseduc...bble-mf9330.jpg

It creates quite a cool effect.

[saim]

Am I too late to comment? It is awesome! Really really cool!
But I lack understanding. Can you comment things step-by-step? I got lost on the creation of the grid! (the for loop, to be more precise)
Or can I ask for info by private messages? I'm really interested in this effect, and it seems that it would take a while until I fully understand everything.

[MudbudGoldfish]

wow, that was a bump..... This reminds me of the Nintendo DSI's picture changeing thing

[TheSnidr]

Never too late to comment, and every bump is much appreciated! Even though there are no posts in my engine topics, I usually update the engines regularly.

As for commenting the engine.. you want me to comment what's happening inside the scripts? I'm not sure people would care, but I can give you a brief explanation here.
Basically the for-loops initialize the points that the grid is made of.
Each point's variables are double arrays, where the first index (eg_ind) is the grid index (so that the user can make multiple grids without messing up the variables) and the second index (eg_dots[eg_ind]) is the index of the point.
Each point has the following variables:
eg_dsx= start x
eg_dsy= start y
eg_dx= x-value
eg_dy= y-value
eg_vx= horizontal speed
eg_vy= vertical speed
Also, eg_dots increases for each loop, giving each point a unique index.
The explode-script loops through the points closest to the explosion area and checks the distance and direction, then uses sine to achieve a smooth displacement.
The update scripts loop through all points, adding the speed variables to their position variables, and forces the points back towards their starting positions.

Unnderstand better now?

[saim]

you want me to comment what's happening inside the scripts? I'm not sure people would care

I don't know about other people, but I love fully commented tutorials. But I understand how boring it can be to explain something that the code itself is supposed to explain.

Unnderstand better now?

MUCH better. Although I can't open the file right now, it explains in general lines what I remember from it. I'll re-read this as soon as I'm able to open the file, but I'm sure it will make a lot more sense, now.
Thank you! Again, that's a wonderful effect!

[bluesy_92]

I'm having trouble editing the engine to work when I create an explosion in another instance, rather than the one that is handling the grid. It has something to do with eg_vx not being recognized as a variable. I know all variables were declared as global in the create code, because I checked your script. How can I fix this?

EDIT: By editing the create script to set the variable as global, it works fine now. Sorry I did not see this sooner. You can ignore this post :-)

Edited by bluesy_92, 01 March 2011 - 11:20 PM.