This version is mainly 1.3 but with several internal changes that were needed to build the scene editor. These are the most notable:

• IMPORTANT!: All paths defined in any XML are relative to that XML. The standalone editor does not have a valid basepath as a flash movie does, so this change was mandatory. Besides, I think it makes more sense and makes references easier to follow. If you load current scenes with the new version, you will get “File not found” errors.

• The scene dispatches ErrorEvent.ERROR events when something goes wrong at initialization time ( missing files, invalid material definitions ). This is a first step in making the engine more robust. However, If you use the editor you shouldn’t be creating buggy XMLs.

• The whole scene initialization process has been cleaned up and split into several classes. This makes somehow possible to call certain processes separately from the editor ( add a new resource file, resort the walls, etc etc ). Also, the fSceneInitializer class becomes more simple and understandable.

• I have removed the generator interface and the generators: I must admit they were a poor replacement for an scene editor, and I don’t find them useful anymore.

• The material interface is properly setup so any material can be the base to a compound material ( for example, a door material can be the base for a window material ). This is almost a bugfix rather than an improvement.

• Also with each release I try to tidy the code and class structure. I know it’s already a bit intimidating at first, but if you stay within the documented API I think it is reasonabily easy to pick.

• You can now destroy an scene while it is being initialized and the initialization process is cancelled.

• Planes support changing their materials on the fly using the assignMaterial() method

• Significant performance improvements: now the engine makes proper use cacheAsBitmap and Bitmaps

• Lights no longer have a setIntensity() method. Instead, intensity, size, hexcolor and decay are setter/getters and can be called at anytime to alter lights.

• More realistic lighting. Lights on objects now are properly translated. Objects are tinted according to light values and consistent with plane colors.

• Fixed hordes of bugs that showed up while developing the editor.

From now on I will be focusing on fixing bugs, polishing stuff and finishing the editor rather that adding new features to the engine. Also I will be writing more documentation and tutorials. My main goal now is making the engine as solid and reliable as possible. So a series of 1.3.x releases are to be expected.

As usual, both the API reference and the downloads have been updated.

Enjoy

New demo

I have updated My Name is Poncho. I used the editor to create a new scene, the graveyard, that can be accessed form the initial scene. Heavy lighting and lots of objects but it took me about half and hour to build with the editor.

I got a bit carried away with the lights but it is so easy with the editor that I couldn’t help it. I’m so happy I gathered the courage to build the editor, It was needed so much: now this is starting to be a real usable development tool.

Updated examples and sources

You can grab updated versions of the simple examples and the mynameIsponcho demo from the download page.