Libretro GL – SceneWalker

Libretro Team
The SceneWalker with the Silent Hill 3 Chapel model loaded in. This entire map mostly works correctly.
The SceneWalker with the Silent Hill 3 Chapel model loaded in. This entire map mostly works correctly.

By Squarepusher

Here is the second tech demo by maister made to showcase what is possible with libretro GL. SceneWalker is a heavily modified version of ModelViewer.

Instead of loading ‘character models’, its main purpose is to load in ‘scene models’. Once loaded in, you can then walk around these environments from a first-person perspective. It’s possible to move through environments using either the D-pad and/or the analog sticks. Pressing RetroPad B button allows you to jump – this comes in handy with some models where certain obstacles are preventing you from fully traversing the environment.

A great deal of environments already work within this SceneWalker app – the initial ‘placement’ of your starting position is currently a problem in some models since it is possible for you to be ‘dropped’ inside a void space. This happens for instance with the ‘Devil May Cry 4’ street model which makes it impossible to walk around that map.

Other maps (such as Silent Hill 3’s chapel) work fine on the other hand.

Basic collision detection and gravity has been implemented – it mostly works the part for most models.

Below you’ll find some screenshots of some models that we have loaded into this SceneWalker.

This is the map 'Amnesia Fields' from the PSP version of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. The skybox is missing from this model but everything seems to more or less work correctly. There are some popup issues that might or might not be overcome in the future.
This is the map ‘Amnesia Fields’ from the PSP version of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. The skybox is missing from this model but everything seems to more or less work correctly. There are some popup issues that might or might not be overcome in the future.
This is the Twisted Corridor map from Alice In Wonderland. There are plenty of places here where if you don't carefully jump on the platforms you can fall into the void.
This is the Twisted Corridor map from Alice In Wonderland. There are plenty of places here where if you don’t carefully jump on the platforms you can fall into the void.
A pub scene from the MMO game Vindictus rendered inside the SceneWalker.
A pub scene from the MMO game Vindictus rendered inside the SceneWalker.
This is the police station main hall scene from Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. The model uses DDS textures which are currently a stub - hence why there are no textures right now when showing this model.
This is the police station main hall scene from Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. The model uses DDS textures which are currently a stub – hence why there are no textures right now when showing this model.

Platforms

Scene Walker right now runs on:

  • PC (Windows/UNIX/OSX)
  • Android
  • iOS
  • Blackberry QNX (BB10/Playbook)

The maximum supported internal resolution at which you can render the models depends on the platform you’re running Scene Walker on. On the mobile platforms we have consciously decided to set the maximum supported resolution at 1024×768 – this should be the native resolution of the iPad 2/iPad Mini and it is doubtful that even on a powerful tablet you’d have much need for 1080p internal resolution anyway.

On PC 1920×1600 is the maximum internal resolution at which you can render these models.

Like all the non-GL based libretro cores, you can apply any amount of shaders that you want.

Scene Model links

I’m not exactly sure how hard-ball game developers are when it comes to these models – but anyways, there is a lot of source material you can find on the Internet.

Some places that supply them is DeviantArt (search for DeviantArt + XNALara-  that should show up a bunch).

Another site that I’ve found includes a lot of useful models is this one (http://thefree3dmodels.com/). Make sure that when downloading a model form there, that it says ‘OBJ’ or something similar. Models that are not in this format can’t be expected to run right now.

 

Libretro GL – Modelviewer

Libretro Team

By Squarepusher

As a showcase for libretro GL, maister made two quite nice libretro cores that should appeal to demo coders and traditional game developers alike.

Model Viewer

I encouraged Maister to do a libretro GL port of an old project he made a year ago (Model Viewer) as a showcase for libretro GL.

The Model Viewer takes ‘Wavefront’ object models as the ‘ROM’. it then displays these models inside a bare 3D environment.

It is possible to adjust the camera and rotate the model, zoom it in/out, etc.

Right now it is still in a basic phase but you’ll find a great amount of models that you can find on sites like Deviant Art and Free 3D Models (http://thefree3dmodels.com/) should already run unedited.

NOTE: Models that depend on DDS textures (DirectDraw Surface) will appear in the Model Viewer as ‘flat shaded’ for the moment since DDS support is currently a stub.

Below I’ll showcase some models being rendered inside the Model Viewer. Search around for some of these models yourself (some key terms being ‘XNA Lara’ and/or ‘3D Studio Max’). If the model comes with an OBJ/MTL file and a couple of PNG/JPG/TGA images it should more or less work barring some exceptions. (.mesh based models are not supported right now)

The Final Fantasy XIII Vanille model mostly appears correctly in the Model viewer except for a few minor details
The Final Fantasy XIII Vanille model mostly appears correctly in the Model viewer except for a few minor details
Here you see Lightning displayed in the Modelviewer with lots of shader passes applied. Most apparent shader here is the Waterpaint mudlord shader which gives the model a painterly look.
Here you see Lightning displayed in the Modelviewer with lots of shader passes applied. Most apparent shader here is the Waterpaint mudlord shader which gives the model a painterly look.
Modelviewer showin the Final Fantasy X-II Rikku model.
Modelviewer showing the Final Fantasy X-II Rikku model.
Bryan Fury from Tekken Tag Tournament 1 - looks more or less like Bryan - some hue issues here and there.
Bryan Fury from Tekken Tag Tournament 1 – looks more or less like Bryan – some hue issues here and there.
Marshall Law model from Tekken 6
Marshall Law model from Tekken 6

Platforms

Model Viewer right now runs on:

  • PC (Windows/UNIX/OSX)
  • Android
  • iOS
  • Blackberry QNX (BB10/Playbook)

The maximum supported internal resolution at which you can render the models depends on the platform you’re running Model Viewer on. On the mobile platforms we have consciously decided to set the maximum supported resolution at 1024×768 – this should be the native resolution of the iPad 2/iPad Mini and it is doubtful that even on a powerful tablet you’d have much need for 1080p internal resolution anyway.

On PC 1920×1600 is the maximum internal resolution at which you can render these models.

Like all the non-GL based libretro cores, you can apply any amount of shaders that you want.

Model links

I’m not exactly sure how hard-ball game developers are when it comes to these models – but anyways, there is a lot of source material you can find on the Internet.

Some places that supply them is DeviantArt (search for DeviantArt + XNALara-  that should show up a bunch).

Another site that I’ve found includes a lot of useful models is this one (http://thefree3dmodels.com/). Make sure that when downloading a model form there, that it says ‘OBJ’ or something similar. Models that are not in this format can’t be expected to run right now.