I need more information about Leadwerks

[Manuel]

Hello!

I need more information about Leadwerks engine. These days I'm thinking what engine I will got to buy. I'm between Unity pro and Leadwerks engine. I like very much Unity, is very very simple, quick to learn, powerfull, etc.

Leadwerks engine I have been able to try a very short time (the demo version), but Y think that it's fantastic. Even so, I see that Leadwerks engine fewer tools that Unity, so I think is more slow on the development games. I'm right? or I wrong?

Even so, I don't rule Leadwerks engine, therefore I want know the next questions about LE engine:

1. Is it very difficult to implement post-processing?

2. Is it very difficult to implement the online mode?

3. Can I create, for example, a lamp with a dynamic light and I save it as a "prefa"?

4. How long I can it take to learn (more or less) to program on Leadwerks engine? (on C++, I know to program in it).

5. On Leadwerks engine, is easy to create a GUI? (with sliders, text box, list box, etc.).

6. In Le, Do I have to create everything from code, or there are tools to facilitate this?

7. More or less, what is the learning curve on Leadwerks engine?

 

Ok, that is all. I have to take a serious decision, and therefore, I need your help!

[Pancakes]

Hello, Leadwerks is a really fun and beautiful engine. I think you'll like it a lot. However you are right about the tools being less mature and comprehensive then Unity, UDK, CryEngine, or Blender. But that's okay! Because you have a great community here who does a lot of things to help each other out. I think Leadwerks is a strong choice for you to make.

[Rick]

1. Is it very difficult to implement post-processing?

It's easy to use the given post-processing effects. Implementing your own will be more difficult.

 

2. Is it very difficult to implement the online mode?

Yes, but this is basically true for most engines.

 

3. Can I create, for example, a lamp with a dynamic light and I save it as a "prefa"?

LE doesn't have prefabs in the sense of Unity. You would have to create your own prefab system.

 

4. How long I can it take to learn (more or less) to program on Leadwerks engine? (on C++, I know to program in it).

Not very long. The API is very easy and fun to use.

 

5. On Leadwerks engine, is easy to create a GUI? (with sliders, text box, list box, etc.).

No it's not. LE doesn't have built in GUI like Unity. There are a few, what I would call incomplete, community GUI's out there, but most people here roll their own.

 

6. In Le, Do I have to create everything from code, or there are tools to facilitate this?

There is a level editor, so not everything is from code.

 

7. More or less, what is the learning curve on Leadwerks engine?

The learning curve is very easy with Leadwerks. However the development cycle is higher than most other engines because most systems are left up for you to develop. They aren't given to you like in the other engines. Prefabs & GUI being examples.

 

Leadwerks is probably one of the best looking engines out there. It's easy to program with, but the tools aren't very mature when compared to other engines. If you are a programmer who likes to create their own tools or an artists who likes to have nice looking scenes, then Leadwerks is great. If you are a game designer who wants to get a game up and running fast then Leadwerks probably isn't the best choice when compared to the others. The price is hard to beat though.

[Manuel]

Ok, thanks for the answers. I'm going to think what is the game engine is best for me.

Is it very difficult to implement the online mode?

 

Yes, but this is basically true for most engines.

On Unity engine, this aspect is very easy. I'm very interested in implement this mode on my videogames.

3. Can I create, for example, a lamp with a dynamic light and I save it as a "prefa"?

 

LE doesn't have prefabs in the sense of Unity. You would have to create your own prefab system.

 

I have seen several videos and they have something that look a prefa. For example, they add into the scene a barrel, and it has a particle system and a dynamic light. How to create it? maybe from a code?

 

5. On Leadwerks engine, is easy to create a GUI? (with sliders, text box, list box, etc.).

 

No it's not. LE doesn't have built in GUI like Unity. There are a few, what I would call incomplete, community GUI's out there, but most people here roll their own.

This is not a problem, as long as I can show some 2d images.

[Rick]

I have seen several videos and they have something that look a prefa. For example, they add into the scene a barrel, and it has a particle system and a dynamic light. How to create it? maybe from a code?

 

Yeah, it's done in Lua code. It can be done, but it's not as easy as in Unity.

 

 

This is not a problem, as long as I can show some 2d images.

 

Yes, you can display 2D images.

[Manuel]

I have seen several videos and they have something that look a prefa. For example, they add into the scene a barrel, and it has a particle system and a dynamic light. How to create it? maybe from a code?

Yeah, it's done in Lua code. It can be done, but it's not as easy as in Unity.

Ok! the lua scripting is powerfull and fast on Leadwerks?

Can I create all the logic of my video game on C++? maybe I should use LUA script for somethings?

 

Thaks again for the answers!

[Canardia]

You don't need Lua. C++ is much easier and faster. You can still use Lua for prefab models, it helps to develop faster since you can see your model in Editor and in the game the same way. I use for example Lua to move semi-transparent glass submodels of a model to the transparency world, like bluish tainted windows.

[Admin]

Ok! the lua scripting is powerfull and fast on Leadwerks?

Can I create all the logic of my video game on C++? maybe I should use LUA script for somethings?

 

Thaks again for the answers!

The Lua speed is fast, because it is using LuaJIT, so it's really compiled code. You can write your whole program in Lua, or just use scripts attached to entities, or don't use script at all.

[Manuel]

Ok, I have more questions.

Maybe I will buy Leadwerks engine, but there are several things that do not convince me, por example, this video:

 

1. I have had this problem when I have tried the demo 2.3, in the the new version, this is solved?

2. Can I disable and enable on realtime the collisions of any objects, physics, lights, shadows and delete any object to more performance?

3. Can I disable and enable any script or code that is not use?

4. Can I change the type of collision for any object on real time?

5. What formats Leadwerks supported? (3d models, images, sounds, etc.) I have not found this information.

6. Leadwerks engine has decals?

7. Can I change the size of waterplane?

8. Leadwerks engine has a system to create oceans or waves?

[Canardia]

The shadow culling has been fixed long time ago, I think around 2.32R4.

[macklebee]

long ago? you must keep time different than the rest of the world...

[Canardia]

When you move fast, time slows down and space shrinks. I've seen that happen with my Smart Car.

[AggrorJorn]

You can find several answers on the tutorial section or in the user guide.

 

http://leadwerks.com/werkspace/index.php?/page/resources/_/artwork/tools/leadwerks-23-user-guide-r16

[cocopino]

2. Can I disable and enable on realtime the collisions of any objects, physics, lights, shadows and delete any object to more performance?

Yes, you can disable collisons and shadows on objects or free objects

 

3. Can I disable and enable any script or code that is not use?

Well, code that isn't used is disabled. Non-running code will hardly slow down your program

 

4. Can I change the type of collision for any object on real time?

Yes, with command EntityType

 

5. What formats Leadwerks supported? (3d models, images, sounds, etc.) I have not found this information.

Models: gmf format. fbx,obj,dae converters are available, 3ds max has an exporter, Ultimate Unwrap has an exporter

Images: DDS

Sound: wav+ogg

 

6. Leadwerks engine has decals?

Yep, there's a CreateDecal command and user Ghandi made a nice terrain decal system.

 

7. Can I change the size of waterplane?

Waterplane is infinite but with the correct shaders/textures you can achieve a "watery" material

 

8. Leadwerks engine has a system to create oceans or waves?

If you buy the engine you can have a look at/copy ocean code from previous versions. The "standard" water is not really convincing as an ocean.

[Manuel]

3. Can I disable and enable any script or code that is not use?

 

Well, code that isn't used is disabled. Non-running code will hardly slow down your program

But, for example, if I have a trigger and I want to disable it, Can I make this? or for example, if I have a function that does I don't want to use, Can I disable it?

Leadwerks engine has a system to create oceans or waves?

 

If you buy the engine you can have a look at/copy ocean code from previous versions. The "standard" water is not really convincing as an ocean.

Do you refer to this shader? http://vimeo.com/4329583

 

Thanks for all answers, you are very helpful!

[DaDonik]

For the trigger, HideEntity() will disable any collisions with it and therefore the collision callback will not be called.

You could also set the EntityType to some value that is not used in you game.

Both examples require you to set up the collision callback and check in there, what collided with your trigger.

[cocopino]

Do you refer to this shader? http://vimeo.com/4329583

Yes, I believe that was taken out in version 2.27 or 2.28

But in the closed developer area you can download earlier versions, and look at the code used to produce this effect.

[Manuel]

For the trigger, HideEntity() will disable any collisions with it and therefore the collision callback will not be called.

You could also set the EntityType to some value that is not used in you game.

Both examples require you to set up the collision callback and check in there, what collided with your trigger.

Ok, it is good!

 

Do you refer to this shader?

 

Yes, I believe that was taken out in version 2.27 or 2.28

But in the closed developer area you can download earlier versions, and look at the code used to produce this effect.

Wow, I love that effect, is very nice. Do you know if this shader works well and how it affects performance?

 

I think I will buy Leadwerks engine soon. Not only for the graphics (they are very good), also for the simplicity, the performance and more, also because I love the programming!. It really caused me a good impression all the comunity. All speak highly of Leadwerks and really, everyone has been very honest with me, I love the amability of this comunity!

Still, I need new answers about Leadwerks engine. I think the last questions!

 

1. I have had some problems with animations on other engines. Specially with "DarkBasic Professional", the animasion show very good in Blender, but when I export the 3d model, on DarkBasic Pro, the animation is deformed. Has anyone tried to export animations from Blender to Leadwerks? How to works with this?

 

2. I see that textures of trees, are rendered for two faces. Leadwerks can do this? or is it a dual face?

 

Ok, that is all. Now all depend of the answer for the first question (question 1.). So I need seriousness in the response, and someone who already is experienced own.

[Admin]

I don't know of any exact examples of Blender animations off the top of my head, though it has been done. Leadwerks provides an FBX to GMF converter. If the animation did not show up correctly in Leadwerks the only reason would be because the FBX file data was somehow incorrect.

[cocopino]

Wow, I love that effect, is very nice. Do you know if this shader works well and how it affects performance?

As I recall, running the island demo with ocean and full settings (godrays etc.) on 1024x768, rendering approx 1M polygons required a pretty good graphics card. Think 8800 or better.

 

1. I have had some problems with animations on other engines. Specially with "DarkBasic Professional", the animasion show very good in Blender, but when I export the 3d model, on DarkBasic Pro, the animation is deformed. Has anyone tried to export animations from Blender to Leadwerks? How to works with this?

The converters work pretty well, and many people here have Ultimate Unwrap which is a really nice program. Not just for UV Mapping but also because it converts almost to/from almost ANY format.

 

2. I see that textures of trees, are rendered for two faces. Leadwerks can do this? or is it a dual face?

The vegetation layer has an automatic billboard option. I don't know the exact algorithm behind it, but it can increase performance dramatically when having large tree populated scenes. It also renders 5 or 6 sides of the tree, so you can look at it from different directions.

[Manuel]

1. I have had some problems with animations on other engines. Specially with "DarkBasic Professional", the animasion show very good in Blender, but when I export the 3d model, on DarkBasic Pro, the animation is deformed. Has anyone tried to export animations from Blender to Leadwerks? How to works with this?

 

The converters work pretty well, and many people here have Ultimate Unwrap which is a really nice program. Not just for UV Mapping but also because it converts almost to/from almost ANY format.

But I don't want to buy other software, I use Blender for all 3D work (including unwrapping). I need know if the animations exported with blender, works well on Leadwerks (after to convert to GMF format).

 

I have seen other posts and I have some questions (sorry, but I have bad experiences with other game engines and I have spent money for nothing... I don't want to happen this again).

 

First: I want to program in C++ for Leadwerks, but, with this, Can I to use the editor and C++? for example, I create a light on the map and I want to disable it with C++ code, Can I create this code and show the action on real time with the Leadwerks editor?

I don't know if I have explained correctly... As with Lua scripts, you create a new code and you can see the effect on real time from Leadwerks editor.

 

Second: What do you recommend me? C++ or Lua script? I want to work in comfort, but also with the best performance. Can I have both?

 

Thanks for all!

[Rick]

First: I want to program in C++ for Leadwerks, but, with this, Can I to use the editor and C++? for example, I create a light on the map and I want to disable it with C++ code, Can I create this code and show the action on real time with the Leadwerks editor?

 

The short answeris No, you can't do this. To see instant results in the editor it needs to be in Lua.

[DaDonik]

Of course you can get the light using C++. Just give it a name in the editor and search for that name in your C++ program.

As Rick mentioned, you will not see your light disabled in the editor, when using C++.

[Manuel]

So, what do you recomend me? Do I use Lua for things as light effects, material effects, and more? (all the visual). How does affect the use of Lua to performance?

[macklebee]

download the evaluation demo and take a look at it yourself on how lua scripting can be used.