0.1.4

Mesh batching

The mesh batching is a render technique consisting in merging multiple different meshes into an unique one and render it. It allows to render faster a big number of meshes using the same material. The only limits is that the objects must be static.

The merge operations are made only from python through the new class KX_BatchGroup. This class is constructed by the user and shared between game objects, so the constructor must take objects owner:

batchGroup = bge.types.KX_BatchGroup(["Cube", "Plane"])

This line create a batch group and merge into it the mesh of the objects "Cube" and "Plane". After this, other objects coule be merged thanks to:

KX_BatchGroup.merge(objects)

And split with:

KX_BatchGroup.split(objects)

The batch group can also be destructed:

KX_BatchGroup.destruct()

Every object merged in the batch group are contained into:

KX_BatchGroup.objects

And each merged object can access the batch group:

KX_GameObject.batchGroup

https://github.com/UPBGE/Images/blob/master/0.1.4/batching.jpeg

Camera frustum debug draw

An option to draw the camera frustum pyramid or cone in game engine is added under Camera -> Display -> Frustum. This option draw the frustum volume with light gray plane outside, dark gray inside and orange lines for volume edges. The frustum volume is depending of the current viewport dimensions because it represents the camera frustum as if it was used with the current viewport. So the embedded player which is able to use a different viewport (in case of default camera) than the one used by camera objects can fake the frustum volume.

Vibration actuator update

The vibration actuator can now allow the user set a different strength for the left motor than the right motor (if the game controller support it). These values are named in UI Strength Low Frequency and Strength High Frequency.

The same values are exposed in the python API of the SCA_VibrationActuator:

SCA_VibrationActuator.strengthLeft
SCA_VibrationActuator.strengthRight

In the second part the python API offers attributes to detect vibration support or vibration running:

SCA_VibrationActuator.hasVibration
SCA_VibrationActuator.isVibration

And allow the user to start or stop manually the vibration thanks to:

SCA_VibrationActuator.startVibration()
SCA_VibrationActuator.stopVibration()

See also: SCA_VibrationActuator.

Filter mipmapping render texture

The user is now able to sample the render texture with a quick blur effect using mipmapping levels. First, the mipmaps generation must be enable by setting to True the KX_2DFilter attribute:

KX_2DFilter.mipmap = True

After this the shader can now set an lod bias or an lod level, for example:

uniform sampler2D bgl_RenderedTexture;

void main()
{
    float level = 2.0; // mipmap level
    gl_FragColor = textureLod(bgl_RenderedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st, level);
}

See also: KX_2DFilter.mipmap

Clean up and refactors

• Cleanup BL_ArmatureObject.[h/cpp]. (see #d5e4433)
• Cleanup [EXP_/]ListValue.[h/cpp]. (see #6e7bb11)
• Remove useless code from Expression/ part. (see #9602bf1)
• Clean up headers in Expression/ part. (see #005ec40)
• Remove unused class CHashedPtr. (see #7e224f5)
• Clean up Expression/intern/ part. (see #f1ebc2e)
• Refactor debug shape render. (see #735abb8)
• Use CListValue instead of SG_DList in BL_ArmatureObject. (see #3cd6c7c)
• Merge SG_IObject and SG_Spatial in SG_Node. (see #71c0ffa)
• Implement nodal render system. (see #4be59a3)
• Remove use of void * in python attributes callbacks. (see #6173a6a)
• Send RAS_CameraData for override camera settings in KX_KetsjiEngine. (see #783d801)
• Move camera projection computation in KX_KetsjiEngine::GetCameraProjection. (see #b5ddf47)
• Add full support of inverse before GLSL 140 in shaders. (see #81d0d04)

Bugs fixed

• Fix alpha blending settings for geometry instancing and batching. (see #09f88ce)
• Fix parallax mapping backface render. (see #3721f98)
• Fix global dict double decref and sub modules incref. (see #d13c519)
• Fix material name check without name. (see #f9edafb)
• Fix call to AddObjectDebugProperties without blender object. (see #90d8620)
• Fix normal transformation in batching and in KX_MeshProxy.transform. (see #5b9e154)
• Add all libraries path for python component import. (see #520d6bf)
• Fix include from blenderplayer python main loop script. (see #8d36a66)