CameraUnproject Entity Labels

[Marleys Ghost]

First, how did I set up the overhead labels for the NPC's (and player) as seen in this video.

 

 

I think this was the easiest part of that particular exercise. It was managed in the 2D drawing section of the main loop (just before the Flip() command) using the CameraUnproject command:

 

SetBlend(BLEND_ALPHA)
SetColor(Vec4(0,1,0,1))
Local Label:TVec3 = EntityPosition(player)
Local playerlabel:TVec3 = CameraUnproject(fw.Main.camera, Vec3(Label.x, Label.y+5, Label.z))
DrawText("Player", playerlabel.x, playerlabel.y)
SetColor(Vec4(1,1,1,1))
SetBlend(0)

 

For the NPC's I added a check to see if that particular NPC was culled or not, otherwise you end up with NPC labels floating all over the place like a swarm of bees. This was easy to implement using the EntityCulled command:

 

SetBlend(BLEND_ALPHA)
SetColor(Vec4(1,0,0,1))	
Local Label:TVec3 = EntityPosition(BUG)
Local NPClabel:TVec3 = CameraUnproject(fw.Main.camera, Vec3(Label.x, Label.y+4, Label.z))
If EntityCulled( BUG, fw.Main.camera) = 0
DrawText("Bug", NPClabel.x, NPClabel.y)
End If
SetColor(Vec4(1,1,1,1))
SetBlend(0)

 

The main reason I was using labels was basically to keep an eye on what a bug was "thinking". I hope this will be of some use to someone.

 

The second request was for a demo .exe of the app from the video, I have uploaded a demo here:

 

 

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OL1WYURM

 

 

Set the screen resolution, number of bugs, post FX, music and stats via the applications launcher. WASD to move shift to run space to jump. Or use my lazy move by pressing the right mouse button. The mouse wheel will zoom in and out from a first person POV to third and then on to CIA spy satellite mode lol

 

One of the best ways to learn the engine, for me was to go through all the commands found HERE one at a time, see what they do, have a play and think about how they could be used.

[GIMPY73]

Cheers MG

 

Thanks

Gimpy73

[macklebee]

+1 for Benny!

 

Thanks MG... some good stuff!

[Marleys Ghost]

Additional tip:

 

If you want to centre your label, above the models origin, in this instance for the player, change:

 

 

DrawText("Player", playerlabel.x, playerlabel.y) 

to:

 

DrawText("Player", playerlabel.x-TextWidth("Player")/2, playerlabel.y)

[Pixel Perfect]

Great to see you back and active in the forums again MG. Thanks for sharing this very useful code, much appreciated.

[Marleys Ghost]

Hi Pix, well I never really left, just busy with my project "elsewhere" so to speak, but had to go through a load of assets to convert to a "particular" format and came across my Bmax code archives and thought some might be of use to others in the Bmax community here, glad it was. Have some more for later and will probably stumble across other things tucked away.