🚀 go-pugleaf

// Needing advice choosing game and editor for architecture university
project. //

Hi!
In preparation for a university undergraduate course in architecture we will
be using computer games (3D Shooter or similar) as a tool to discover
"virtual space".

We'll be happy if you share your knowledge about which GAMES and EDITORS
appropriate for this task.
We don't need to create a "real game" with a dramaturgy, all kinds of hidden
dangers, monsters and all that. We will focus on exploring a) space and b)
player interaction.

Here is a list of features for both the game itself and the level editor.
We rated the features according to their importance to us, based on our
current state of knowledge:
Ratings: +++, ++, + ,0

THE GAME:
1) General Features
+++ first person shooter
+++ real 3D (not 2.5D), allows you to move fluidly. Features complex
architectural geometry.
+      free player movement in space: Nice, if free floating 6DOF Movements
(like in "descent") are possible.
+      good, if it runs both on WIN-PC and Macs
0      Less important: storyline, avatars, monsters, sounds, music

2) Graphics
+      graphic realism is not top priority. In fact a good abstract shaded
rendering can be better than poorly lit mapped surfaces.
-       Less important: High-end animated visual effects, animated
explosions, fog etc.

3) Hardware and Setup:
++   not too demanding on machine resources; does not require specialized
high-end hardware like specific graphic cards,...
++   allows multiplayer over LAN
++   is easy to use, install and administrate

4) Playing / Moving / Interacting
++ allows several different ways of interacting with the environment:
manipulating objects, moving, lifting, shifting them
+ free movement in space: Nice, if "6 degree of freedom" movements (like in
DESCENT) are possible.

THE EDITOR(S)
+++ editor is easy too learn, easy to use; is well documented.
++    Most preferably geometric data can also be imported from CAD programs
which are well known to the students, for instance in *.dxf format or
similar..
++    allows the creating of spaces in all directions, rather than just
vertically
extruding 2D floor plans.
+      allows to link or merge levels which different students have created
separately. "Living" dynamic spaces like in  VRML is not necessary though.
-       less important: Actors in the game / Creation of geometrically
complex models of players, monsters etc..
-       less important: sound design, complex animations, design of monsters


What do you suggest?
Thank you in advance.

tim edler

e: fastf...@kut-berlin.de
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