• Tech Demos
  • Contests/Freebies
  • Commercial Products
Tech Demos
This section contains demos created to demonstrate knowledge of areas which aren't represented in either the commercial products or the contest/freebies section. Since most of the games I have worked on are 2D games (2D using OpenGL), these demos focus more on the 3D concepts and techniques. Below you will find demostrations on particle systems using billboarded sprites, animated 3D models, simulated water, simple shadows, use of vertex programs, lighting, textures, and more.

All of these demos utilize OpenGL and are written in C.

Spell Effects Demo
Many fantasy games contain spells, and the myraid of magical effects provides endless opportunities for a visual effects. This demo takes three generic spell types (fire, ice, and dark) and provides a visual smorgasbord for the would-be enchanter.
  • Billboarded particles (computed on the GPU if vertex programming is available)
  • "Body shield" effect created using a vertex program.
  • Multi-staged particle effects
  • Dynamic lighting
  • Simple shadows
  • Sorceress modeled using Wings3D
  • Sorceress boned and animated using Inspire
  • Textures created with Photoshop
Spell Effects Demo for Windows
Spell Effects Demo for Mac OS X
Particle System Demo
Particle systems are used all over the place for multiple purposes, but the classic problem they solve is the creation of fire.
  • Billboarded particles, either on the CPU or using a vertex program.
  • Complete particle system (View the code)
  • Multi-staged particle effects
  • Wind simulation bounded to cylindrical areas
  • Dynamic lighting
  • Fans modeled using Wings3D
  • Fans boned and animated using Inspire
  • OpenGL picking and selection
  • Textures created with Photoshop
Particle System Demo for Windows
Particle System Demo for Mac OS X
Froggy Checkers Demo
This is an extract from the initial prototype which eventually grew up to become the Big Bang Board Games you can purchase today.
  • Simulated water
  • Sphere mapping
  • Simple linear mesh interpolation for model animation
  • Randomized bezier curves to simulate fire fly motion
  • Dynamic lighting for fire fly lights
  • Simple particle effects for checker promotions
  • Frogs modeled and animated in Cinema4D
  • Other artwork created with Photoshop
Froggy Checkers Demo for Windows
Froggy Checkers Demo for Mac OS X
Contests Entries and Miscellaneous
This section contains in-depth descriptions of the various contest entries and miscellaneous other applications I've released in the past. While not as in-depth as a post-mortem, these descriptions will hilite some of the technologies used or algorithms written during the production of these products.
Inspire
While most of my commercial and contest efforts have been with 2D games using OpenGL, I have not been idle developing the 3D side of my toolbox.

When it comes to animating 3D models, I've implemented two methods. The first is a simple liner mesh interpolation, which is good for animating free-form models which don't bone very well. The second method is the tradition skeletal animation method. I was impressed with the open source dim3 engine, but I was underwhelmed by the animator tool. After some discussion with the author, we decided to branch the changes I made to the animator tool and release that as a separate application, Inspire. I have made many small additions, fixed a few bugs, and added some outstanding new features.

Moral of the story is "Use it if you can, but have the ability to mold it to your needs".

  • See examples in the Tech Demos section
  • Wrote an plug-in system so developers can write their own file exporters
    • Wrote a Wavefront Obj exporter
    • Wrote an Alias FBX exporter
  • Wrote a Macromedia Flash exporter (See an example)
  • Added a cummulative bone deformation mode (to match animations to the FBX format)
  • Added tools to automatically generate bone strings
  • Made a bunch of usability enhancements (See the full list)
Adventures on Pirate Isle
Total Development Time: 2.5 months

The only platformer I've written, Pirate Isle is also a break from my normal development practices in that the entire game is scripted in Lua

  • Winner in the "Best Polish" category in uDevGame 2003
  • Developed simultaneously for Mac OS X and Windows
  • The "engine" written in C, the actual game is written in the Lua scripting language
  • Combination of hand drawn sprites and rendered assets using ZBrush and Carrara Studio
  • Other artwork created with Photoshop
The Belt
Total Development Time: 2.5 months

My first winning entry in the annual uDevGame contests, The Belt is a combination arcade/strategy game of space conflict.

  • Winner of the "Best Polish" category in uDevGame 2002
  • Developed simultaneously for Mac OS X and Windows
  • Written in C
  • TCP/IP multiplayer, including a UDP multicasting system to discover games on the local network
  • Pre-rendered, toon-shaded graphics created using Cinema4D
  • Other artwork created with Photoshop
Vortex Next Generation
Total Development Time: 2 months

Vortex Next Generation is a 3D breakout clone, but with the blocks in the center and the paddle traveling 360 degrees around them.

  • Winner of the 2001 Independent Games Festival's Student Showcase
  • My first OpenGL game
  • Written in C
  • Single player, local multiplayer, and TCP/IP multiplayer
  • Animated textures using a software tunnel filter for the background
  • Models created with Meshwork
  • Textures created with Photoshop
Virus Out
Total Development Time: 5 weeks

A whimsical title dealing with computers and virus, Virus Out takes you on a journey through your Mac to squash little devils. Developed in under 5 weeks, Virus Out focuses less on traditional game development technologies and more on integrating with the Mac OS.

  • Entry in the 2005 Original Mac Games Cup (placed 10th of 40)
  • Written in Cocoa/Obj-C
  • Full screen, transparent OpenGL context allows viruses to "walk" on your desktop
  • AppleScripts provide command and control of the Finder to provide the games background
  • Internet highscores listing
  • Hand drawn sprites created with Photoshop
Commercial Products
I have partnered with Freeverse Software to release award winning games for both Mac OS X and Windows. For both of these titles I have performed the role of primary designer, developer, and artist. In the case of Solace, the game was roughly 85% complete before being pitched to Freeverse Software.
Big Bang Board Games
Total Development Time: 10 months
©2006, Freeverse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A suite of board games including Chess, Backgammon, and Checkers. The Big Bang Board Games are renowned for both their beauty and their large technology adoption and integration with Mac OS X.

  • Winner of the 2004 Best Mac OS X Product Apple Design Award
  • Winner of the 2004 Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption Apple Design Award
  • Currently bundled with all new Intel Macs from Apple Computer, Inc.
  • Written in Cocoa/Obj-C
  • Windows version currently in beta
  • Billboarded sprites used for game pieces and board, moving about in a 3D space
  • Simple MinMax algorithms, GNU Chess integration
  • Hotseat, TCP/IP multiplayer and Play-By-Email games
  • AIM/iChat distribution mechanism
  • iTunes integration, allowing players to set game background music
  • iSight integration, allowing players to share still captures
  • Rendered graphics created with a combination of Bryce, Poser, Cinema4D, and Carrara Studio
  • Character art created by Steven Tzé of Freeverse Software
Solace
Total Development Time: 8 months
©2006, Freeverse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A turn-based strategy game, Solace captured the hearts of Axis and Allies lovers to give them a unique board game experience from the comfort of their office chair.

  • Wrote the design document
  • Wrote the printed manual
  • Developed simultaneously for Mac OS X and Windows
  • Written in C
  • AI consisting of a trimmed down genetic algorithm coupled with a heat simulation algorithm
  • Hotseat, TCP/IP multiplayer and Play-By-Email games
  • Rendered graphics created with a combination of Bryce, Poser, Cinema4D, and Carrara Studio
  • Character art created by Steven Tzé of Freeverse Software
Unless otherwise noted, all content is Copyright 2006 by Rocco Bowling