In my Artificial Intelligence class we learned about path finding. Dijkstra's algorithm is a way to calculate a path to a certain point. The way Dijkstra's algorithm works is by making a grid and assigning values to it depening on many factors. For example, if you have a flat surface then the formula would calculate all possible ways to get to the end path but if there was a lake or a long table between you and the end point then it would check if it's less work to jump over the table (if the game/simulation allows it) or to walk around the object. This formula is good the only problem with it is that it calculates everything.
There is another formula that gamer developers use and that is called the A Star Algorithm. This formula is better for games because it would just calculate the necessary path to the end point and nothing else. For example, if you start a point in Dijkstra Algorithm it would calculate if there is less work to travel backwards, A star won't do that, it would just calculate from the beginning point to the end point. The problem with using A star is that in the process of finding the path you might lose the shortest and best path, the only good thing about this is that you would use less processing power and be able to make faster decisions as illustrated in the diagram.
In my 3Ds Max class I didn't learn a lot of new things this week mostly review for me. All we did was create normal maps which I already have been doing in ZBrush, unwrap UVW maps, and learning how to import to UDK. For normal mapping we were given a program that generates a normal map from a texture file we give it. It is really neat but the only thing is that you are looking at text boxes the whole time and there is no way you can preview it until you import it to 3Ds Max.The program that I use to make normal maps is ZBrush. What you do there is import your 3d mesh and increase the poly count on it, then you would mould it however you want after that is done you just have ZBrush create the normal map and you just save it.
Next we learned how to create UVW maps and that is when you make a map of how your model will get textured. What I do is simply flatten the mesh and texture it that way instead of cutting the model by steams. My method is fast and simple but you have to know what each of the parts do before you start texturing it because it can get really easy to get lost in it. The best solution for this is by connecting the broken pieces of the map together so that you can get a general understanding of what your looking at when you start texturing in Photoshop. Here some examples if you don't know what a normal map is.
Besides that we were given a Lab to do in which we had to create, UVW map, and texture two meshes and a terrain. Seeing as how I have some prior experience with 3Ds Max this only took me about 30 minutes to do. What im most proud of is how I was able to texture the wood. Yes the texture looks horrible and blurred but that's how I wanted it to look like. I wanted to be able to compare to Nintendo 64 graphics which were great at the time but with the consoles that we have now is considered "bad" Here are screen shots of my meshes and terrain. These meshes are separate from my mid-term game and are just examples of what were are being taught in class.
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